DoD Explosive Ordnance Disposal S&T Large Area Clearance Experiment (LACEx) | N00014 22 S C002

Opportunity Information: Apply for N00014 22 S C002

The DoD Explosive Ordnance Disposal S&T Large Area Clearance Experiment (LACEx) is a competitive research and development opportunity run by the Department of Defense through the Office of Naval Research (ONR). It is issued as a BAA Call under the ONR FY22 Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (N00014-22-S-B001), meaning applicants must follow the Long Range BAA rules for submitting white papers and full proposals, as well as the evaluation and award process. The work sits in ONR's applied research and advanced technology development portfolio and supports the broader DoD Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Science and Technology program.

The core purpose of LACEx is to improve how quickly and effectively EOD forces can detect, characterize, and clear both surface and subsurface ordnance across large areas. The problem set is very operational: EOD technicians may need to clear airfields of unexploded ordnance, including submunitions and penetrators, on timelines that match real-world mission demands and often in remote, austere settings. They also need to enable convoy movement along key ground routes that may be threatened by area denial munitions, improvised explosive devices, or other hazards. In addition, they must clear expeditionary advanced bases, ports, and beach landing zones so units can establish infrastructure and basing. In practical terms, the program is aimed at reducing the time, manpower, and risk involved in making strategically important terrain usable again after explosive hazards are present.

LACEx is planned as a three-year build and experimentation effort, which signals that ONR is not only looking for early research ideas but also for technologies that can be matured and demonstrated in increasingly realistic conditions. The call emphasizes high-risk, high-payoff concepts that can push beyond incremental improvements. A key feature is the explicit intent to advance technologies from low early readiness (roughly TRL 1 to 4, where ideas and lab demonstrations are common) up to much more mature levels (TRL 6 to 7, where system prototypes are demonstrated in relevant or operationally representative environments). That framing strongly suggests ONR is interested in proposals that include a credible path from concept and proof-of-principle through integration, field experimentation, and demonstration, rather than purely theoretical work.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity number is N00014-22-S-C002, and it is listed as a discretionary funding opportunity within science and technology and other research and development activities (CFDA 12.300). Awards may be made using multiple instrument types, including grants, procurement contracts, and "other" agreements, depending on what best fits a given effort. The posting indicated an expected number of awards around eight, with an award ceiling not specified (listed as 0, which typically means the ceiling is not provided in the public summary rather than implying no funding). Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with the details deferred to the eligibility language in the full announcement package, which commonly covers the mix of universities, nonprofits, small businesses, large businesses, and other qualified organizations that can participate under ONR BAAs.

Key dates in the listing show the opportunity was created on December 1, 2021, with an original closing date of March 4, 2022. Conceptually, the solicitation is best understood as ONR seeking innovative sensing, autonomy, robotics, data processing, decision support, and clearance approaches (and related enabling technologies) that can materially increase the tempo and effectiveness of large-area EOD clearance, while being suitable for harsh environments and real operational constraints such as limited logistics, time pressure, and high consequence risk.

• The Department of Defense, Office of Naval Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Explosive Ordnance Disposal S&T Large Area Clearance Experiment (LACEx)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 01, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 04, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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