Solicitation

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Research And Commercial Solutions Opening (RCSO) Area Of Interest (AOI) - Complexity Of Systems And Operations

Department of Transportation · Federal Aviation Administration

AI summaryThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is asking for research ideas under its Research and Commercial Solutions Opening (RCSO), area of interest "Complexity of Systems and Operations". It is a research call, not a standard purchase, and any award would be a written Other Transaction Agreement (OTA, a flexible agreement outside regular contract rules). The response due date is November 2, 2026, 6:00 PM Eastern. More in the summary

A newer version of this notice was posted Oct 23, 2026. See the latest version.

AI summary Beta

Written by AI from the notice text. Check dates on SAM.gov.

Summary of the version posted Oct 21, 2026. The notice was amended Oct 23, 2026. Check what else changed on SAM.gov. Some details are in the notice's attachments, which this summary didn't read. Check the attachments on SAM.gov.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is asking for research ideas under its Research and Commercial Solutions Opening (RCSO), area of interest "Complexity of Systems and Operations". It is a research call, not a standard purchase, and any award would be a written Other Transaction Agreement (OTA, a flexible agreement outside regular contract rules). The response due date is November 2, 2026, 6:00 PM Eastern.

Things to watch

Worth checking: No promise of an award. The FAA does not have to ask for a full proposal or make an award, and does not pay costs of preparing a response.
Worth checking: Process and evaluation are in a separate posting. The submission process and evaluation rules are in the FAA RCSO special posting and attachments, not in this notice text.

Read from the notice text only.

Full summary

What they want

Innovative research or solutions that meet the objectives in Sections 5.1 through 5.6 of the area of interest
Read the FAA RCSO special posting BAA-693KA8-26-RCSO in full for the submission process and evaluation

Contract type: Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) if awarded, under a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA: an open call for research proposals)
Place of performance: Washington, DC, USA
Estimated value: Not stated
Contract vehicle: Broad Agency Announcement BAA-693KA8-26-RCSO (FAA Research and Commercial Solutions Opening)
Offers due: November 2, 2026, 6:00 PM Eastern (from the version posted Oct 21, 2026; amended since)

What to include when you submit

Follow the process in the FAA RCSO special posting BAA-693KA8-26-RCSO, which is also attached
Address the objectives in Sections 5.1 through 5.6

Not in the notice text

The attachments and the RCSO special posting BAA-693KA8-26-RCSO hold the Sections 5.1 to 5.6 objectives, submission process, evaluation, and funding; they were not read
How to submit and any page limits
Funding amount and award length

Eligibility and how to respond

No set-aside: any business, large or small, can bid unless the notice says otherwise.
How and where to submit is in the notice text and its attachments on SAM.gov.

Notice details

Posted: Oct 21, 2026
Notice type: Solicitation
Office: 693KA8 System Operations Contracts, Washington, DC
Product/service code: AS25 · Transportation R&D Services; Aerospace Research; Expenses for R&D Facilities and Major Equipment
Business type: Engineering, architecture & research (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 541715)
Versions: 3 versions have been posted, newest first.
Oct 23, 2026 · Amendment 0002Due Nov 2, 2026
Oct 21, 2026 · Amendment 0001 (this version)Due Nov 2, 2026
Oct 6, 2026 · SolicitationDue Nov 2, 2026
Attachments: Checking SAM.gov for this notice's files…
See attachments on SAM.gov

Past awards and competition

Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.

Before you respond

Terms on this notice: Solicitation

Full notice text from SAM.gov

General Information This solicitation is for Area of Interest (AOI) Complexity of Systems and Operations under the Broad Agency Announcement BAA-693KA8-26-RCSO - Research And Commercial Solutions Opening (RCSO). Interested parties should review the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) RCSO special posting BAA-693KA8-26-RCSO on SAM.gov in its entirety to obtain the necessary information on the process and evaluation of the RCSO AOI submission. This RCSO AOI seeks to solicit innovative research/solutions that meet the objectives detailed in Sections 5.1 – 5.6. The term innovative is defined as any technology, process, or method, including research and development that is new as of the date of proposal submission; or any new application of an existing technology, process or method as of the proposal date. The FAA is not obligated to extend a request for proposal or make an award as a result of this RCSO AOI; all awards are subject to the availability of funds and successful negotiations. This RCSO AOI is not an authorization to begin performance, and in no way obligates the Government for any costs incurred by the Offeror associated with developing a response. Prior to commencement of any activities associated with performance under this RCSO AOI, the Government will execute a written Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) award signed by the Agreements Officer (AO) with appropriate consideration established. The FAA reserves the right to modify the requirements of this RCSO AOI. See Attachments for additional information. Interested parties should review the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) RCSO special posting BAA-693KA8-26-RCSO attached and also on SAM.gov in its entirety to obtain the necessary information on the process and evaluation of the RCSO AOI submission.

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