Biomanufacturing Academic Challenge

U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command – Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC), Rock Island, IL, on behalf of the Department of War (DoW), through its Warfighting Investments, Resourcing, and Execution (WIRE) Directorate, (10 U.S.C. § 4817), in conjunction with Army Contracting Command – Rock Island Arsenal (ACC-RIA), manages the Cornerstone Other Transaction Agreement (OTA), in accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 4022. Cornerstone was architected to create a broad-based, flexible and enduring public-private consortium focused on strategic strengthening of the U.S. Manufacturing and Defense Industrial Base and provide a strong complement to the mandates in Presidential Executive Order 13806. 

ACC-RI, on behalf of Combat Capabilities Development Command – Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC), intends to issue a competitive Cornerstone Initiative Request (CIR) for Biomanufacturing Academic Challenge on or after 17 July 2026, with an estimated closing date of 21 calendar days after issuance. The CIR for Biomanufacturing Academic Challenge is restricted to Cornerstone consortium members.

The CIR will solicit proposals for (1) fixed-price OTA with incremental payments made upon completion of specific milestones. Period of performance will be 24 months. A non-competitive follow-on production OT may be awarded following a successful prototype.

To maintain U.S. leadership in the bioeconomy, there is a critical need to support education and workforce development programs focused on biotechnology and biomanufacturing. Currently, no dedicated program exists to address this need.   

This effort will plan and execute a national Academic Challenge: Biomanufacturing in Island Communities. The Challenge will engage interdisciplinary, multi-collegiate undergraduate teams with the goal of developing innovative solutions to real-world bioindustrial manufacturing challenges. The effort will also foster networking opportunities between students, faculty, industry mentors, and government stakeholders.  

Any OT awarded as a result of this initiative will incorporate the following clauses:

1. FAR clause 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment

2. DFARS clause 252.232-7006, WAWF Payment Instructions

3. DFARS clause 252.204-7012, Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting.

The CIR is restricted to Cornerstone Consortium members only and will be communicated to the Cornerstone Consortium and companies with pending applications via email. Entities are required to have begun the membership process for their proposal to be reviewed. Entities must have an active registration in SAM.gov, a favorable status in Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information Systems, and be members of the Cornerstone Consortium, with a signed Cornerstone Consortium Management Agreement, to be eligible to submit a proposal and be eligible for awarded this of an OTA task. Contractors may obtain Cornerstone registration information located at:

https://cornerstone.army.mil or by inquiring at: usarmy.ria.devcom-cbc.mbx.cornerstone-ota@army.mil.

Interested parties should stay alert for any changes that may be published to this sam.gov posting. Please email all questions and responses to the following mailbox:

usarmy.ria.devcom-cbc.mbx.cornerstone-ota@army.mil

This Special Notice is for planning purposes only and does not constitute a CIR or an obligation on behalf of the U.S. Government. Issuance of this Special Notice is not a guarantee of a future CIR or an award and is not a commitment of any kind by the Government.