CALL 1 – SECURE ENCLAVE CHIPLETS_Amendment 1 & responses to Q&A

CALL 1 – SECURE ENCLAVE CHIPLETS

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Call solicitation is issued in accordance with the Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul (RFO) subpart 35.102.

NAICS Code: 541713, Nanotechnology research and development laboratories or services, all fields of science

Federal Agency Name and Contracting Officers: 

SAF/AQC, Ms. Natalie Sitkowski natalie.sitkowski@us.af.mil

SAF/AQC, Ms. Dimitria Antonopoulos, dimitria.antonopoulos@us.af.mil

SAF/AQC, Mr. Stephen Colvin  stephen.colvin.2@us.af.mil

Technical POC:

SAF/AQ: Mr. Matthew Karijolic matthew.karijolic@us.af.mil

Broad Agency Announcement Title: This is a combined synopsis/solicitation under the State-of-the-Art (SOTA) Microelectronics Adoption BAA. Call 1, titled “Secure Enclave Chiplets”

Broad Agency Announcement Number: 26-S-1358, Call 001 (Secure Enclave Chiplets)

Broad Agency Announcement Type: This is the initial announcement for Call 1. This will be a Two-Step Call solicitation.

Step 1: WHITE PAPER DUE DATE AND TIME: White Papers will be accepted until 27 Jul 2026 at 5:00pm Eastern Time (ET). White Papers may be submitted at any time during this period. White Papers received after the specified date and time will be considered late in accordance with RFO 52.215-1(c)(3) and will not be reviewed. Questions pertaining to this Call may be submitted for the USG’s consideration NLT 15 July 2026 at 5:00pm ET. Please email all questions to SE_PI@us.af.mil.

Step 2: FULL PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND TIME: To be provided in the Requests for Proposal (RFP) sent to Offerors that submit White Papers considered to be of further interest to SAF/AQC. Full Proposals received after the specified date listed in a formalized Step 2 RFP and time will be considered late.

Submission POC: White Papers must be submitted via email to SE_PI@us.af.mil.

FULL TEXT – CALL 1 (Secure Enclave Chiplets)

1. SECURE ENCLAVE CHIPLETS OVERVIEW

The Department of War (DOW) invites Offerors to submit Pilot Project chiplet designs with innovative and novel technical solutions which address all aspects of SOTA microelectronics and composable systems, focusing on the Secure Enclave Chiplets objectives below. This requires delivering enduring, secure, interoperable, and highly reusable chiplet architectures tailored for High-Demand Mission Areas (e.g., Radio Frequency/Electronic Warfare (RF/EW), munitions, security, and/or autonomy).

Many DOW microelectronics projects operate in varying classification environments, including highly classified environments (collateral, Sensitive Compartmented Information, and Special Access Programs). The USG intends for much of the development to occur at the UNCLASSIFIED or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) level. Notice of intent to perform classified work as a result of this Call must be provided to the USG Contracting Officer. If the Offeror intends to perform any classified work, it must be done so at their facility (or a subcontractor/sub-awardee’s facility). The Offeror will need to provide a Facility Accreditation Letter (FAL) for each facility to the Contracting Officer no later than (NLT) contract award.

This BAA Call may result in the award of a Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)-based contract or an Other Transaction for Prototype Project pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 4022. The Government is not obligated to make any awards as a result of this Call, and all awards are explicitly subject to the availability of funds and successful negotiations. The USG will not reimburse any offeror for White Paper or Proposal costs associated with responding to this solicitation.

The USG reserves the right to modify the solicitation requirements of this BAA Call at its sole discretion.

1. SECURE ENCLAVE CHIPLETS STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES (SOO)

1.  BACKGROUND

Secure Enclave is a DOW acquisition program to provide the USG with a secure, trusted source of state-of-the-art (SOTA) microelectronics (ME) wafers and packaged parts. In partnership with Intel Corporation, Secure Enclave will ensure key aspects of end-to-end ME manufacturing are performed securely and onshore. This Call will solicit Pilot Projects to act as “pipe cleaners” that test the Secure Enclave design and manufacturing capabilities while fostering development of chiplets and interfaces needed to affordably insert SOTA ME into DOW programs.

Beyond Secure Enclave, the DOW requires a fundamental shift in how it develops, procures, and sustains SOTA ME to combat cost growth, mitigate obsolescence, and accelerate the insertion of advanced technology into national security systems (NSS). Monolithic and bespoke silicon designs have become increasingly complex and prohibitively expensive. As a result, the DOW is transitioning toward composable chiplet architectures. The USG requires the development of SOTA chiplets utilizing open interconnects to foster a robust, affordable, interoperable chiplet ecosystem. This "chiplet-first" approach allows the DOW to apply Intel 18A SOTA silicon, where maximum performance is mission-critical, while integrating mature, trusted, non-SOTA, or Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) silicon for standard functions. The USG aims to drastically lower Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) and adoption costs, improve overall manufacturing yield, and aggregate demand across shared mission sets (such as RF/EW, munitions, security, autonomy, etc.). Ultimately, this Call seeks to demonstrate that a modular, open-standard chiplet ecosystem can deliver next-generation capability to the warfighter faster and more affordably than traditional approaches.

The scope detailed below is a USG Statement of Objectives (SOO) the USG seeks to achieve during the performance for any awards made under this Call. The USG expects Offerors to propose a defined and detailed Contractor Statement of Work (CSOW) that includes ALL three (3) Objectives listed in Section 2.0 below. The USG reserves the right to make edits to the SOO prior to the release of a formal Step 2 Request for Proposals (RFP).

1.  SCOPE
   1. OBJECTIVE 1 – Analyze
      1. The contractor shall analyze current and future DOW requirements within a single or multiple selected high demand mission area(s)/domain(s) and describe how their proposed SOTA chiplet advances DOW capability when integrated into a longer-term Multi-Chip Package (MCP) architecture.
      2. The contractor shall explicitly analyze anticipated demand for the proposed chiplet, if successful, and detail its applicability and performance benefits to DOW mission sets, including targeted Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP).
      3. The contractor shall calculate the projected unit demand across the USG and Defense Industrial Base (DIB) for the developed chiplet, if successful, and document any assumptions inherent in their demand estimates. The contractor is encouraged to partner with other DIBs and USG partners to derive their demand estimate.
      4. The contractor shall perform and deliver a gap analysis detailing intellectual property requirements absent from the current Intel 18A process node required to enable composable chiplet architectures and/or ecosystems.
      5. The contractor shall identify and deliver a listing of all missing functional Intellectual Property (IP) blocks, immature interconnects, and necessary military environmental qualifications required for long term success of the proposed chiplet and its surrounding architecture and/or ecosystem.
      6. The contractor shall document and justify the system-level partitioning of their proposed SOTA chiplet within a larger MCP architecture. This documentation must include:
         1. A clear description of which system functions are allocated to the newly designed SOTA chiplet (to be advanced using Intel 18A and Advanced Packaging via Secure Enclave).
         2. A description of which surrounding system functions are best allocated to external, non-SOTA or COTS companion chiplets within the broader MCP ecosystem.

1. 1. OBJECTIVE 2 – Design & Deliver
      1. The contractor shall design a highly reusable, highly capable MCP architecture, inclusive of at least one newly designed SOTA chiplet ready for tape-out, that advances the DOW’s use of SOTA ME.
      2. The contractor may propose a clean sheet design, iteration of a legacy design that adds SOTA capability via a chiplet, or a decomposition of an existing USG ME architecture that includes integration of Intel 18A silicon or use of Intel’s onshore, Advanced Packaging.
      3. The contractor shall, to the maximum extent practical, leverage representative models including emulation, simulation, and digital twins to increase probability of achieving first-pass tape-out success.
      4. The contractor shall deliver fully functional software Transaction Level Models (TLMs) representing the proposed chiplet architecture prior to any physical tape-out.
      5. The contractor’s design shall prioritize open standards, using Intel advanced packaging technologies (e.g., Embedded Multi-die Interconnect Bridge, etc.).
      6. The contractor shall, at the end of the Period of Performance, deliver a finalized chiplet design in a verified, tape-out ready state (e.g., Graphic Design System II (GDSII)/ Open Artwork System Interchange Standard (OASIS) file).
      7. The contractor shall generate comprehensive electrical design data, including Input/output Buffer Information Specification (IBIS) models, Eye Diagrams, and S-Parameter files.
      8. The contractor shall ensure the designed chiplet is interoperable with 3rd-party chiplets.
      9. The contractor shall, to the maximum extent practical, utilize mature, industry-standard open interfaces (e.g., Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe), etc.) for all die-to-die and off-package communications.
      10. The contractor shall establish and validate assembly and verification workflows exclusively within the Secure Enclave.
      11. The contractor shall implement strict "interface firewalls" to ensure any proprietary 3rd-party design data does not contaminate the USG's data rights to the SOTA logic and interfaces.
      12. The contractor shall consider any security requirements, including those for Anti-Tamper, in their design, as applicable.
      13. The contractor shall deliver a comprehensive Bare Die Data Package as part of the final Technical Data Package (TDP). This package must contain all necessary data for a third party to successfully integrate the chiplet into an MCP.

1. 1. OBJECTIVE  3 – Transition
      1. The contractor shall collaborate with members of Intel Government Technologies to test, to the maximum extent practical, Secure Enclave’s design center. This shall include a test delivery of the finalized design file to Intel’s Secure Enclave Customer Portal. If awarded, during the period or performance, the USG will describe methods for delivery.
      2. If not already in place, the contractor shall complete all documentation required to formalize a business-to-business relationship between themselves, their subcontractors (as applicable), and Intel.
      3. The contractor shall detail their use of Secure Enclave, interactions with Intel, and any lessons learned for future customers.
      4. The contractor shall outline a strategy for a user-friendly licensing model which would enable USG and DIB procurement of the chiplet, including a technical specifications slick sheet, targeted unit price, and ground rules and assumptions.
      5. The contractor shall formulate a comprehensive data rights and licensing strategy that minimizes restrictive proprietary IP.
      6. The contractor shall map the final chiplet design directly to multiple, distinct USG Programs of Record (PoRs).
      7. The contractor shall coordinate with relevant USG and DIB Program Managers to document and validate specific PoR insertion requirement and timelines.
      8. The contractor shall deliver a detailed cost estimate and technical schedule required to advance the Pilot Project to physical fabrication and initial testing, including a detailed description of dependencies and timelines.

1.  INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

1.0  General Instructions:

This BAA Call is intended to be as streamlined as possible to allow for the exploration of modern microelectronics solutions to support a variety of critical national security systems using the USG and Intel’s Secure Enclave capability. This Call will consist of two steps: 1. A White Paper phase and 2. A Full Proposal phase.  Under this two-step approach, submission and governmental evaluation of White Papers is required before invited offerors can submit a Full Proposal. The White Paper will be utilized to screen the Offeror’s proposed approach (in advance of a Full Proposal invitation), which helps to streamline the down-select process and strike a fair balance between an Offeror’s bid and proposal resources and the Government’s evaluation requirements. Offerors submitting White Papers may be invited to submit a full technical and cost proposal of their White Paper submission. This invitation may encompass the Offeror’s entire White Paper submission or be limited to a specific portion, component or phase of the proposed effort. Any such invitation does not constitute a commitment, promise, or obligation on the part of the Government to award a contract or Other Transaction agreement. An offeror that does NOT submit a timely and compliant White Paper is NOT eligible (and thus cannot be invited) to submit a Full Proposal for consideration for an award.

There is not a classified version of this Call. All responses to this Call must be UNCLASSIFIED unless a vendor explicitly notifies and receives positive confirmation from the USG stating the Offeror may submit a classified annex. The contractor is solely responsible for the secure delivery of any classified material to the USG. The USG will evaluate all Step 1 White Papers in accordance with the evaluation criteria listed in Section IV EVALUATION CRITERIA. The existence (or lack thereof) of a classified annex will not be considered during the evaluation.

Questions may be submitted to SAF/AQC via SE_PI@us.af.mil  for consideration NLT 15 July 2026 at 5:00pm ET.  Please include “Questions for BAA Call 1” in the subject line.  The USG will not individually respond to questions from potential Offerors. Instead, the USG, at its sole discretion, will take all questions into consideration and may post a publicly available attachment to this Call if the USG determines questions and associated USG answers are beneficial to the entire competitive pool. Offerors who pose questions will not be identified in the attachment, but the content of their question will be listed for all to see.

STEP 1 INSTRUCTIONS: Below is the required structure and required content for White Paper submission for this Call. Offerors shall adhere to the specific guidelines for preparation and submission of White Papers. White Papers shall be single sided, single-space, and Times New Roman 12-size font with 1-inch margins. Offeror responses shall be submitted to SE_PI@us.af.mil NLT 5:00pm ET on 23 July 2026 via email in either PDF, Word, or Excel file types and shall include the following:

Part 1 - Cover Letter, which must include the following information:

• Offeror Name
• Offeror Address
• Offeror technical, programmatic, and contracts points of contact (POC) including email, and phone number
  • DD254 Info:
    • CAGE Code
    • Cognizant Security Office Name and Address
    • Company Address
    • Security POC, Email, and Phone Number

• • A rough transition to work plan, including notes on where the proposed solution is in the development cycle, including any anticipated teaming or sub-contractor arrangements planned, if selected.
  • Any ground rules/assumptions on which your solution is based
  • A rough cost estimate (ROM) for your solution
    • Any description of proposed cost share, if applicable
  • An estimated timeline (Period of Performance (PoP))
    • The USG would like to target a 12 month PoP to achieve the SOO objectives described in Section II, but Offerors may propose a modified PoP.

The Offeror’s Cover Letter shall not exceed three (3) pages in length.

Part 2 – Technical White Paper, which must, at a minimum, include the following information:

• A description of the SOTA chiplet the Offeror would like to design and/or develop
• A contractor SOW in response to the USG’s SOO
• A description of how the proposed chiplet meets broad DOW mission needs in a high demand mission area (i.e., RF, Space, Munitions, AI/ML, etc.)
• A description of DOW Programs of Record (PoR) that could benefit from the integration of this chiplet to their mission set
• A description of projected demand for the SOTA chiplet, if successful
• A description of how the Offeror intends to interact with Intel throughout the performance period to test Secure Enclave capabilities
• A rough plan of actions and milestones that outlines scope throughout a projected 12 months PoP (or alternative PoP detailed in the Offeror’s Cover Letter)
• A detailed description of the Offeror’s technical approach including initial details on their use of open standards and interfaces
• A proposed transition strategy for the SOTA chiplet including PoR integration, proposed licensing model, and future SE utilization
• A listing of targeted deliverables throughout the PoP

The Offeror’s Technical White Paper shall not exceed seven (7) pages in length.  

Part 3 – Offeror’s Initial Data Rights Disclosure

Offerors shall provide a high-level narrative summary of their desired IP and data rights, identifying major commercial IP dependencies and acknowledging the Government's target rights. To facilitate evaluation, Offerors are instructed to align their IP, software, and data deliverables with the following expected categories and desired rights:

1) Existing Technology (Privately Funded)

• Scope: Pre-existing IP developed exclusively at private expense (e.g., existing Process Design Kits, standard cell libraries, existing discrete chiplets).
• Desired Rights: The Government requires sufficient rights to develop and sustain Secure Enclave and to use, test, and integrate the final deliverables from this Call for Government purposes. Offerors shall provide their standard commercial terms for Government review.
• Note: Offerors shall identify any pre-existing Government rights resulting from prior Government contracts or investments.

2) Pilot-Specific Modifications (Mixed/Co-Funded)

• Scope: Custom security enhancements, integration features, specialized wrappers, and modifications made to commercial designs specifically to integrate into DOW weapon systems using a combination of commercial and Government funding.
• Desired Rights: Government Purpose Rights (GPR) for a period of five (5) years, converting to Unlimited Rights.
• Note: Offerors may propose a Specifically Negotiated License (SNL) if the GPR baseline conflicts with their commercial roadmap.

3) Government-Funded Deliverables

• Scope: High-level reference architectures, open interface standards, and specific custom designs (e.g., Custom Register-Transfer Level (RTL) code) funded entirely by the Government under this Call.
• Desired Rights: Unlimited Rights.

4) Program, Interface & Integration Data

• Scope: Form, Fit, and Function (FFF) data, interface specifications, simulation models, test results, and all other engineering data necessary for multi-die package-level and weapon system-level integration (including thermal models, power delivery network models, mechanical/pin-out configurations, timing/Signal Integrity/Power Integrity simulation models, and functional models).
• Desired Rights: Unlimited Rights.

Delivery: Unless otherwise stated, the Government expects the delivery of all required technical data, computer software, and IP artifacts concurrently with the delivery of the final hardware/materials at the end of the PoP. If an Offeror requires delayed delivery or ordering for specific IP artifacts, they must explicitly identify those artifacts and provide justification within their initial data rights disclosure.

Offeror’s initial data rights disclosure submittal shall only identify those items which do not comply with the Government’s desired data rights and shall not exceed three (3) pages in length.

Part 4 – Cost and Contract Response, which must, at a minimum, include the following information:

• A description of the Offeror’s intended award vehicle (FAR or Other Transaction Agreement (OTA)) as well as a short justification
• A notional Contract/Agreement Line-Item Number (CLIN/ALIN) structure of the proposed FAR or OT award, including CLIN/ALIN types (Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee, Firm-Fixed-Price, etc.)
• A Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost estimate including limited details and targeted cost breakdowns by CLIN/ALIN, cost drivers (i.e., labor, travel, materials), and associated descriptions
• A description and ROM for subcontractor costs, if applicable

The Cost and Contract response shall not exceed three (3) pages in length.

STEP 2 INSTRUCTIONS: The Government intends to invite selected Offeror(s) to submit a Full Proposal based on favorable evaluation results of White Papers within 30 days of the White Paper submission date. Full Proposals will be requested via a Request for Proposal (RFP) letter by the Contracting Officer and will contain separate submission instructions and applicable due dates and timelines.

The Government may select one, multiple, or none of the received Full Proposals for award, and reserves the right to make no awards under this BAA Call. Furthermore, the Government may accept a Full Proposal for an award in its entirety or select only specific portions, phases, or tasks of a proposal for funding. To facilitate award, the Government reserves the right to negotiate revisions to the proposed approach, as well as reshape or re-scope the effort. Unsuccessful Offerors will be notified by the Government, either via email or letter, to inform them that the proposed effort is not of interest to the Government at this time.

2.0  USE OF NON-GOVERNMENT ADVISORS: 

Offerors are advised that technical and cost/price data submitted to the Government in response to this BAA Call may be released to non-Government advisors for White Paper and/or Full Proposal review and analysis. All non-Government advisors have signed non-disclosure statements. The non-Government advisor support will be provided by Modern Technology Solutions, Incorporated. A response to this BAA Call will be considered implicit acknowledgement and acceptance of the fact that non-Government advisors will be assisting the Government in this process. Should the Offeror have any objections to specific non-government advisors participating in the evaluation of proposals, written notification shall be provided to the USG at SE_PI@us.af.mil within seven (7) calendar days prior to the Offeror’s submission of a White Paper or Full Proposal, if invited. If there is an objection, the specific reason(s) for the objection(s) shall be provided in the written notification, and the specific support contractor of concern shall be identified.

1. EVALUATION CRITERIA

1.0   FACTOR 1: TECHNICAL EVALUATION

The Government will evaluate White Papers based on a holistic assessment of the proposed effort's technical merit, feasibility, and alignment with Government requirements. The Technical evaluation will be based on the following five (5) criteria, listed in order of importance:

Criterion 1: Breadth and Depth of Secure Enclave Testing
The Government will evaluate the ability and thoroughness of the proposed Pilot Project to test one or more Secure Enclave flows. The evaluation will assess the extent to which the White Paper effectively spans and leverages Secure Enclave’s partnership with Intel Corporation for Design Services, 18A Wafer Fabrication, Stacking Singulation and Sort, and Advanced Packaging and Test.

Criterion 2: Technical Maturity, Soundness and Interoperability
The Government will evaluate the technical maturity and overall soundness of the Offeror's technical approach to achieve the SOO within the targeted PoP. This includes an assessment of the proposed methodology. A significant element of this criterion is the Offeror's demonstrated use of open standards and mature interfaces that enable interoperability and interchangeability, embodying the spirit of open systems architectures (OSA), and limiting risk on future integration.

Criterion 3: Transition Potential and Program Alignment
The Government will evaluate the potential of the proposed development deliverables to successfully transition to meet future Government needs. Evaluators will look for explicit, documented ties to multiple Programs of Record (PoR). Proposed transition paths and programmatic ties that can be explicitly validated by one or more United States Government Program Managers (USG PMs) will be considered highly advantageous.

Criterion 4: Applicability to Broad USG Challenges
The Government will evaluate the applicability and demand of the White Paper to address broad, systemic challenges to USG adoption of SOTA MA. White Papers will be assessed on how effectively the solution addresses vulnerabilities and capability gaps facing defense, intelligence, and critical infrastructure entities across diverse mission sets.

Criterion 5: Facilitation of SOTA Adoption
The Government will evaluate the ability of the proposed technical solution to lower the barrier to entry for advanced microelectronics. White Papers will be assessed on how the solution allows for faster, easier, cheaper, or more user-friendly adoption of SOTA technologies by the USG and additional USG contractor partners.

1.2   FACTOR 2: COST/PRICE EVALUATION

Offerors shall submit a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost estimate for the proposed effort. The ROM must reflect a best-effort estimate of the total program cost (including prime contractor labor, materials, subcontracts, other direct costs, indirect costs, and estimated fee/profit). Detailed cost or pricing data is not required at this stage; however, the ROM must break down costs by major task/phase and Government Fiscal Year. Identify key cost drivers, primary assumptions, and any high-risk technical elements that significantly influence cost projection.

2.0   WHITE PAPER REVIEW AND SELECTION CATEGORIES

Upon completion of evaluations, the Government evaluation team will assign one of the following two categorical grades to the overall submission. These categories represent the Government's final determination regarding the White Paper’s suitability for funding.

Category A: Selectable
White Papers in this category are recommended to proceed to Step 2. The White Paper demonstrates strong technical merit, addresses the BAA objectives effectively, and presents a reasonable ROM compatible with the USG’s budget constraints. The Government intends to invite Offerors evaluated as Selectable to submit a Step 2 Full Proposal. If sufficient funding is not currently available to support the envisioned effort, Offerors may receive a notice of “Selectable, Not Invited” based on Government priorities and budget availability.  This designation indicates the White Paper meets all technical and cost estimate parameters, but program constraints prevent the Government from requesting a Step 2 Full Proposal.

Category B: Not Selectable
White Papers in this category are not recommended for award. The White Paper may contain significant technical flaws, lack alignment with the requested microelectronics objectives, presents a ROM cost estimate that is grossly disproportionate to the proposed effort or is incompatible with the Government’s programmatic budget limits for this BAA Call, or assert data rights restrictions that fundamentally undermine the Government's transition strategy. Even if sufficient funding were available, a White Paper evaluated as Not Selectable will not be invited to submit a Step 2 Full Proposal.

3.0   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

This is a Call for White Papers ONLY.  The Government reserves the right to select all, part, or none of the White Papers received in response to this Call, subject to the availability of funds.  If the USG selects an Offeror’s White Paper to proceed to Step 2, the Contracting Officer will send the Offeror an RFP providing specific details and instructions regarding Proposal submission requirements.

This Call will be governed by the two-step process described in Section III. Awards resulting from this two-step approach may consist of a FAR-based contract, an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) under 10 USC 4022, or an Other Transition for Prototype (OTP) under 10 USC 4022. This Call could result in the potential award of a follow-on production or contract, OTA, or OTP. The Contracting/Agreements Officer reserves the right to negotiate directly with the Offeror on the terms and conditions prior to execution of the resulting contract/agreement on behalf of the Government. Be advised that only a Contracting/Agreements Officer has the authority to enter into, or modify, a binding contract/agreement on behalf of the United States Government.