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).
Apply for N00014 22 S C002

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FAQs: DoD Explosive Ordnance Disposal S&T Large Area Clearance Experiment (LACEx)

What is the LACEx grant opportunity?

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Science and Technology Large Area Clearance Experiment (LACEx) is a competitive research and development opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Office of Naval Research (ONR). It is focused on improving large-area detection, characterization, and clearance of surface and subsurface ordnance.

Who is the sponsoring agency and program?

The sponsoring agency is the Department of Defense (DoD), executed through the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The work supports the broader DoD EOD Science and Technology program and sits within ONR applied research and advanced technology development efforts.

What type of solicitation is this?

This opportunity is issued as a BAA Call under the ONR FY22 Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) (N00014-22-S-B001). Applicants are expected to follow the Long Range BAA process and rules for submitting white papers and full proposals, along with the associated evaluation and award process.

What is the opportunity number for this call?

The opportunity number listed for LACEx is N00014-22-S-C002.

What is the CFDA/assistance listing for this opportunity?

The listing references CFDA 12.300 and describes the opportunity as a discretionary funding opportunity within science and technology and other research and development activities.

What problem is LACEx trying to solve?

LACEx is aimed at reducing the time, manpower, and risk required for EOD forces to detect, characterize, and clear explosive hazards across large areas. The emphasis is on operationally realistic missions where speed and effectiveness are critical.

What kinds of real-world missions does the call reference?

The call highlights operational scenarios such as clearing airfields of unexploded ordnance (including submunitions and penetrators), enabling convoy movement along threatened ground routes (including hazards like area denial munitions or improvised explosive devices), and clearing expeditionary advanced bases, ports, and beach landing zones to enable infrastructure and basing.

What is the overall goal for EOD forces?

The goal is to increase the tempo and effectiveness of large-area EOD clearance while lowering risk to personnel and making strategically important terrain usable again after explosive hazards are present.

How long is the LACEx effort expected to run?

LACEx is described as a three-year build and experimentation effort.

Is this opportunity focused on basic research or demonstrations?

It is positioned as applied research and advanced technology development and explicitly signals an interest in maturing technologies and demonstrating them under increasingly realistic conditions, rather than remaining purely theoretical.

What technology readiness levels (TRLs) are relevant?

The call describes an intent to advance technologies from roughly TRL 1 to 4 (early concepts and lab demonstrations) up to TRL 6 to 7 (system prototypes demonstrated in relevant or operationally representative environments).

Does ONR want incremental improvements or higher-risk ideas?

The call emphasizes high-risk, high-payoff concepts intended to go beyond incremental improvements.

What kinds of technologies or approaches are likely relevant to LACEx?

Based on the description, relevant areas include innovative sensing, autonomy, robotics, data processing, decision support, clearance approaches, and related enabling technologies that can improve large-area EOD operations in realistic conditions.

What operational constraints should proposed solutions account for?

The opportunity points to remote and austere settings, limited logistics, time pressure, and high-consequence risk as real constraints EOD technicians face. Proposed approaches are expected to be suitable for harsh environments and real operational demands.

What submission steps should applicants expect?

Because this is a BAA Call under the ONR FY22 Long Range BAA, applicants should be prepared to follow the Long Range BAA procedures for white paper submission and full proposal submission, as well as the stated evaluation and award process.

What award instruments might ONR use?

The listing indicates awards may be made using multiple instrument types, including grants, procurement contracts, and "other" agreements, depending on what best fits a given effort.

How many awards are expected?

The posting indicates an expected number of awards of about eight.

Is there an award ceiling or maximum funding amount?

The public summary shows the award ceiling as not specified (listed as 0). This typically indicates the ceiling is not provided in the public listing rather than suggesting there is no funding available.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with specific eligibility details deferred to the full announcement package. In ONR BAA contexts, eligibility language commonly addresses the mix of universities, nonprofits, small businesses, large businesses, and other qualified organizations that may participate.

When was the opportunity posted and what was the closing date?

The listing shows the opportunity was created on December 1, 2021, with an original closing date of March 4, 2022.

What makes this opportunity different from a typical research grant?

LACEx is framed as a build-and-experiment effort over three years with an explicit goal of maturing technology toward prototype demonstrations in representative environments. That structure suggests ONR is looking for more than early-stage ideas, including a credible path to integration, field experimentation, and demonstration.

What should a strong technical concept emphasize, based on the description?

The description suggests strong concepts will focus on materially improving large-area clearance speed and effectiveness, reducing manpower and risk, working in harsh and austere environments, and providing a realistic maturation path from early TRLs through prototype demonstration.

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