Digital Transformation Technologies and Processes | FA8650 22 S 5720

Opportunity Information: Apply for FA8650 22 S 5720

The Digital Transformation Technologies and Processes (DTTP) opportunity is a Department of Defense Air Force Research Laboratory cooperative agreement aimed at building a consortium that can help the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) execute its broader Digital Campaign. At its core, the program is about moving the Air Force enterprise away from fragmented, document-heavy, and manually coordinated workflows and into a modern, end-to-end digital way of working. The long-term vision is an integrated environment where people across government and industry can access the data, tools, and functions they need to do their jobs in a purely digital manner, with consistent information flow and fewer handoffs that rely on paper, static files, or disconnected systems.

The Air Force is looking for one primary awardee to stand up and run a DTTP consortium that can develop, demonstrate, and validate advanced digital engineering and digital manufacturing tools, as well as the processes needed to implement them at scale. The intent is not just to experiment with technology in isolation, but to accelerate real adoption across the Air Force enterprise and the broader industrial base. That means the consortium is expected to bring together relevant expertise (often spanning academia, nonprofits, and industry partners) and apply best practices to reduce risk, prove value, and help transition digital methods into operational acquisition, sustainment, and manufacturing environments.

A major theme in the announcement is improving decision-making and speed early in the lifecycle. The Air Force wants better early assessments through mission analysis so teams can evaluate the operational value of proposed solutions sooner, before major commitments are made. It also emphasizes reducing overall development time and getting to production faster by replacing traditional paper-based reviews, acceptance steps, and audits with digital equivalents that are more efficient, more traceable, and easier to coordinate across stakeholders.

The opportunity also targets stronger model-based approaches across engineering and operations. System modeling is called out as a way to provide operational and functional insight that can be shared across acquisition and operational communities, helping different parts of the enterprise work from the same understanding rather than separate interpretations. Closely tied to that is the idea of a digital thread and an Authoritative Source of Truth, where trusted data is maintained in a way that supports reuse, competition (including re-competes), and repeatable validation. This is meant to reduce ambiguity, improve traceability, and enable teams to prove that concepts and systems meet strict requirements related to surety, safety, and security.

Testing and verification are also central. The Air Force highlights the need to optimize test across the system lifecycle, including delivering more mature test articles and systems developed through model-based engineering (MBE) and model-based systems engineering (MBSE) practices. The goal is to improve confidence earlier, reduce rework, and create a more continuous verification approach rather than delaying key learning until late test phases. Alongside this, the Air Force wants enhanced standardization and common interfaces across the enterprise to enable alternate solutions, faster product development, and more flexible manufacturing options. Finally, the program points to model-based capabilities that improve logistics and maintenance for fielded systems, indicating that digital transformation is expected to extend beyond design and production into sustainment and readiness.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity (Science and Technology and other R&D) with a cooperative agreement instrument, meaning the government expects substantial involvement during performance rather than a hands-off grant. The funding opportunity number is FA8650-22-S-5720 under CFDA 12.800. Eligibility includes public and state-controlled universities, private universities, and nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)). The listing shows an award ceiling of $49,075,000, with an expectation of a single award, originally posted November 18, 2021 with an original closing date of January 7, 2022. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a large, coordinated effort to build a practical, scalable bridge between advanced digital tools and real-world Air Force adoption, with the consortium serving as the engine for demonstration, validation, and transition into broader use.

• The Department of Defense, Air Force -- Research Lab in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Digital Transformation Technologies and Processes" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.800.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 18, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 07, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $49,075,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for FA8650 22 S 5720

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