DON26BZ05-DV085 TITLE: DIRECT TO PHASE II: Persistent Non-Destructive Inspection System for Airfield Readiness and Foreign Object Debris Mitigation
OUSW (R&E) CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Applied Artificial Intelligence (AAI)
COMPONENT TECHNOLOGY PRIORITY AREA(S): Trusted AI and Autonomy
PROJECTED CMMC LEVEL REQUIREMENT: Level 2 (Self)
OBJECTIVE: Develop a continuous, sensor-based inspection solution that provides real-time data on airfield surface conditions and Foreign Object Debris (FOD) risks, with outputs that support established airfield assessment practices (e.g., Pavement Condition Index (PCI) and alignment with applicable ASTM/FAA standards, without prescribing specific report formats or alerting implementations.
DESCRIPTION: Develop a sensor-based system to inspect and analyze airfield surfaces. The system will be evaluated on its ability to reproduce the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) – consistent assessments, aligned with ASTM D 5340 and applicable FAA Advisory Circular guidance, as currently used by airfields and funding sponsors to prioritize airfield maintenance and repair activities related to FOD generation. The system will also be evaluated on its ability to detect, identify, and distinguish airfield surface features, including pavement markings, vegetation, and debris (FOD).
Any system developed must be capable of operating persistently without interfering with airfield operations. For the purposes of the topic, "without interfering" is defined as operating in a manner that does not require additional runway, taxiway, or apron closures; does not introduce operational delays; and does not increase operator burden. Any platform utilized must also be capable of transitioning to an autonomously operated system that can be integrated into a larger airfield management digital architecture, beginning the FOD Operational Decision Network.
PHASE I: For a Direct to Phase II topic, the Government expects that the small business will have accomplished the following in a Phase I-type effort and developed a concept for a workable prototype or design to address, at a minimum, the basic requirements of the stated objective above. The following actions would be required to satisfy the requirements of Phase I:
This portion of the work will focus on sensor development and qualification. The system must be able to quantify probability of detection to identify, distinguish, and quantify PCI features within a 95% confidence interval.
- Identify PCI elements and current measurement techniques
- Develop sensors capable of measuring PCI features
- May utilize existing and available data and/or Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML) to categorize features
- Define a method for measuring performance of sensors (e.g., did you detect all flaws/features? Are you able to accurately quantify the magnitude of each feature?)
- Distinguish PCI features from markings, vegetation, FOD, etc.
FEASIBILITY DOCUMENTATION: Offerors interested in participating in Direct to Phase II must include in their response to this topic Phase I feasibility documentation that substantiates the scientific and technical merit and Phase I feasibility described in Phase I above has been met (i.e., the small business must have performed Phase I-type research and development related to the topic NOT solely based on work performed under prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR/STTR work) and describe the potential commercialization applications. The documentation provided must validate that the proposer has completed development of technology as stated in Phase I above.
PHASE II: Integrate sensors that were developed in a Phase I-type effort into a system capable of operating on an active airfield. Ensure that the system is capable of evaluating defined airfield pavement sections and identifying all Pavement Condition Index (PCI) distress features across 100% of the accessible inspected area. Inspection boundaries should be defined by the airfield pavement section limits provided for demonstration. Inspection frequency should be sufficient to support repeatable PCI evaluation and maintenance prioritization. For areas that are inaccessible due to operational, safety, or physical constraints, the system should document coverage gaps and demonstrate an acceptable method for accounting for these areas in the resulting PCI assessment. Demonstrate that the dataset can be evaluated to reproduce a PCI report for a pavement section for both asphalt and concrete (as defined by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard in the references).
Include in the dataset examples of all features defined in the PCI. (Note: If a single section does not contain examples of all features, multiple sections can be used.)
Include the following key elements:
- Integration into a platform capable of operating on an airfield
- Creation of a new pavement evaluation method that contains sufficient data to also produce a legacy PCI report
- Production of near real-time pavement condition updates based on scan periodicity
- Integration with FOD data systems and digital twins
Prepare a Phase III commercialization/transition plan.
PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Integrate the technology into the larger FOD System-of-Systems managed and funded within Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD). The Department of Navy (DON) Zero FOD program is the primary transition partner, but this system will produce information that will inform facilities requirements (e.g., Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), Marine Corps Installations Command (MCICOM), Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC)).
Airfield recapitalization is an aviation industry problem, with the civil aviation community facing the same challenges as the Department of War (DoW). A comprehensive, automated evaluation of pavement surfaces coupled with a risk-based approach addresses the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) mandate to produce 40-year pavement surfaces. These tools will also facilitate prioritization of FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds that are used to recapitalize civil aviation airfields. The Zero FOD program is in direct coordination with the FAA and DOW facilities commands to develop an operational condition index that is based on the data this project will develop.
REFERENCES:
KEYWORDS: FOD; Facilities; Pavement; Digital Airfield; Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning; AI/ML; Infrastructure
| 7/1/26 | Q. | Is there a defined ratio or expected balance between the prime offeror’s and proposed subcontractor’s contributions to the research supporting the Phase I feasibility documentation? |
| A. | No, the Government does not prescribe a specific ratio or balance between the prime offeror and the proposed subcontractors for conducting research supporting Phase I feasibility documentation. The offeror is responsible for determining the appropriate allocation of effort, resources, and expertise necessary to successfully accomplish the objectives of the effort. | |
| 9/4/26 | Q. | Table 3 of the Navy FY-26 Release 5 Direct to Phase II instructions lists a Base POP (NTE) of 30 months and an Option POP (NTE) of 12 months. Please confirm that these are ceilings rather than fixed durations, that is, that a proposal may be structured around a shorter base or option period, provided it does not exceed 30 and 12 months respectively.
Regarding scope: should all Phase II requirements stated in the topic description be completed during the base period? Or does the Government expect any of them to be completed during the option period instead? |
| A. | For the purposes of responding to this BAA it will be best to propose to the Period of Performance indicated in the instruction. You can indicate in your Technical Volume that you anticipate tasking could be completed on an accelerated timeline. The Period of Performance provided in the instruction factors in items such as timeline to transition of technology and forecasting of both SBIR and non-SBIR budgets. If selected to submit the full Phase II proposal (step two of the Navy's Direct to Phase II process) there may be considerations made in proposing an accelerated Period of Performance. That discussion will occur directly with the sponsoring SYSCOM if selected. | |
| 8/25/26 | Q. | 1. Will the Government provide annotated pavement distress/FOD datasets (aligned with ASTM D5340 standards) for model training and benchmark validation, or are offerors expected to supply 100% of the training and evaluation data?
2. Regarding the Phase II requirement to evaluate "defined airfield pavement sections," will the Government provide iterative airfield access throughout the contract period for testing, or will access be limited to a single final demonstration event? 3. To ensure the solution operates "without interfering with airfield operations," are there specific operational constraints or boundary parameters (e.g., ground vs. airspace restrictions, RF transmission limits, or speed caps) that offerors must comply with for active apron and taxiway environments? 4. The description highlights integration into the FOD Operational Decision Network (ODN) and digital twins. Are the data schema standards or API protocols for the ODN architecture available to proposers during the solicitation window, or will technical Interface Control Documents (ICDs) be provided post-award? |
| A. | 1. No, the Government will not provide annotated pavement distress/FOD datasets for model training and benchmark validation.
2. There is no requirement to demonstrate the capability on a military airfield. Performers can use any location (e.g., a regional airport) where they can measure features and generate a model PCI. The proposal should outline how the system's results will be compared against a standard PCI evaluation for that location. 3. No, specific operational boundary parameters beyond applicable airfield operating procedures, safety requirements, security requirements and applicable Federal, DoD, Navy and installation policies are prescribed at this time. 4. Integration will be a follow-on effort with our system integrator, Moog. |
** TOPIC NOTICE ** |
The Navy Topic above is an "unofficial" copy from the Navy Topics in the DoW FY-26 Release 5 SBIR BAA. Please see the official DoW Topic website at www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/solicitation-documents/active-solicitations for any updates. The DoW issued its Navy FY-26 Release 5 SBIR Topics pre-release on August 5, 2026 which opens to receive proposals on August 26, 2026, and closes September 23, 2026 (12:00pm ET). Direct Contact with Topic Authors: During the pre-release period (August 5, through August 25, 2026) proposing firms have an opportunity to directly contact the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) to ask technical questions about the specific BAA topic. The TPOC contact information is listed in each topic description. Once DoW begins accepting proposals on August 26, 2026 no further direct contact between proposers and topic authors is allowed unless the Topic Author is responding to a question submitted during the Pre-release period. DoD On-line Q&A System: After the pre-release period, until September 9, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET, proposers may submit written questions through the DoW On-line Topic Q&A at https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login/ by logging in and following instructions. In the Topic Q&A system, the questioner and respondent remain anonymous but all questions and answers are posted for general viewing.
DoW Topics Search Tool: Visit the DoW Topic Search Tool at www.dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app/ to find topics by keyword across all DoW Components participating in this BAA.
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