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The Air Force Research Laboratories Wide Multiple Award Contract (AFRL MAC) is your gateway to providing Science and Technology (S&T) services for the Air Force Research Laboratories. Designed to streamline technology development for the U.S. Air and Space Forces, this contract offers businesses a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge innovation. If you are looking to secure a spot in the defense technology sector, understanding this vehicle is your first step. 

What is the AFRL MAC IDIQ?  

The AFRL MAC is designed to streamline S&T services for all AFRL directorates. The goal of this acquisition is to enable rapid, efficient technology development for the United States Air and Space Forces. 

Common Point of Confusion 

Many contractors confuse this opportunity with the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) Information Analysis Center Multiple Award Contract (IAC MAC). While they sound similar, their scopes differ significantly: 

Solicitation Fast Facts

Scope and Areas of Interest 

The contract covers a broad spectrum of S&T research requirements. We can categorize the scope into core service activities and specific technical domains. 

Core Services & Capabilities: 

• Basic and Applied Research
• Data Science and Analytics
• Technology Development
• Digital Architecture (Model-Based Systems Engineering)
• Modeling & Simulation
• Manufacturing and Fabrication
• Experimentation, Testbed Development, and Integration
• Technology Transition to Military Capabilities

Technical Areas of Interest:

The government has organized technical interests into four major domains: 

1. Air Domain Technologies (12 subareas)
2. Space Domain Technologies (8 subareas)
3. Cyberspace/Electronic Warfare Domain Technologies (17 subareas)
4. Cross-Cutting Domain Technologies (19 subareas)

Proposal Elements 

Your response will need to be organized into three distinct volumes: 

1. Volume I: Executive Proposal 
2. Volume II: Technical Evaluation Factor
   Factor 1: Technical Experience
   Factor 2: Small Business Participation Commitment Document.
   
3. Volume III: Small Business Subcontracting Plan

How do I know if my company is a good candidate?   

First and foremost, you should consider whether you provide services that support S&T objectives and whether you want to do business with the AFRL. If the answer is yes, then you need to look at the numbers.

The Scorecard Math 

The basic goal on this scorecard is to obtain 1,000 points. There are two primary strategies to achieve this: 

• Breadth: Cover a range of subareas (each is worth 10 points)

• Depth: Demonstrate a concentration of experience in a technical area of interest and earn a bonus.

Example Calculation 

If you show relevance in six categories within the first technical area, you earn a bonus. 

• Base points: 600 points
• Bonus: 500 points
• Total: 1,100 points (above the 1,000-point minimum)

Past Performance 

Your past performance is the evidence you use to claim these points. However, the rules are strict: 

• Permitted: 
  • Active or past contracts with the federal government
  • Performance as a prime contractor
  • FAR-based contracts, Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and Other Transactions
• Not Permitted:
  • Commercial work
  • Work performed as a subcontractor
  • Classified or CUI-based work (under the current RFP)

Documentation: You must provide contract supporting documentation, including the Contract Standard Form first page and copies of the associated requirement documents that illustrate the relevant field of interest. There is no limit on the number of projects you can include; however, the experience must be specific within the provided documentation. The burden of proof of the relevance of your project rests on the Offeror. This means if your paperwork does not clearly illustrate your work for that area of interest, there is risk to using that project for points in the Self-Scoring Spreadsheet. Additionally, a single project can cover multiple areas of interest on the Self-Scoring Spreadsheet, but there is no need to cover a single area multiple times.

Teaming Strategy 

Teaming may be restrictive on this initial opportunity.  

• Current Proposal: Offerors may submit only to a single pool.
• Post-award: Once you have a contract, your business can team with other companies not on the AMAC to compete at the Task Order level.

If you want to talk through your teaming plans, we’re happy to help ensure they align with your company’s long-term goals for performance on AMAC.

 How to Get Started   

1. Read the RFP. This sounds obvious, but make sure you understand the latest guidance – and don’t forget to read ALL of the attachments and all of the instructions. As you read, keep track of any questions or feedback you have.
2. Perform an eligibility check. Before you spend valuable time preparing documents and coordinating your response, make sure you don’t have any disqualifiers that will make you ineligible for award.
3. Prepare for the Workload. Even the most organized companies can be surprised by the amount of time and effort it takes to prepare a response like this! Give yourself the best start possible by preparing carefully and paying attention to detail.

  If you’d like help preparing your AFRL MAC proposal, we’re offering both a Compliance Check and a Done For You Support package. Click here to contact us about this support.  

Written by Kiley Stewart 

Kiley is a capture and proposal manager at Trident. She brings her proposal management, technical editor, competitor analysis, and resume development skills to clients. She is also the voice of the Trident Short podcasts and one of the team members you’ll talk to when you reach out. A U.S. Navy veteran and military spouse based on the East Coast, she supports clients around the world as part of our globally dispersed team.