Research Initiatives in Support of FHWA Next Generation Structural Materials and Systems

The Federal Highway Administration Office of Infrastructure Research and Development is issuing a Broad Agency Announcement to solicit research white papers and proposals that advance next‑generation, low‑carbon binder technologies for concrete used in bridge and highway infrastructure. The solicitation, identified as BAA 693JJ3‑24‑BAA‑0003, calls for innovative solutions that can be benchmarked against an industrially produced Class A concrete with a 28‑day compressive strength of 4,000 psi, enabling the agency to accelerate the deployment of sustainable materials in national infrastructure projects. The research effort will be integrated within the FHWA’s Bridge Engineering Research Team’s program areas of Structural Steel, Structural Concrete, Geotechnical Structures, and Bridge Hydraulics, aligning with FHWA’s strategic priorities in safety, economic competitiveness, climate resilience, and transformative innovation.

Proposals must demonstrate that the candidate binder technologies—such as geopolymers, carbon‑atable minerals, recycled supplementary cementitious materials, and novel binder chemistries—meet or surpass the performance criteria specified by AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, including strength, flexural, axial, shear, development length, fatigue, deflection, corrosion, freeze‑thaw, salt attack, and sulfate resistance limit states. Each submission must provide estimated embodied CO₂e per cubic meter, justified through an ISO 21930‑conformant Type III environmental product declaration or a life‑cycle assessment, and indicate the applicable technical specifications (e.g., AASHTO M85, ASTM C618‑23). The final requirement is that benchmarked low‑carbon binders satisfy the defined limit‑state performance metrics and provide documented embodied carbon estimates adhering to ISO 21930.

Contract Opportunity Type: Solicitation (o)

Product Service Code: AS12-TRANSPORTATION R&D SERVICES; SURFACE TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC TRANSIT, AND RAIL; APPLIED RESEARCH
NAICS Code:
541715-Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

Amendment 0002 is to update the proposal due dates - see revised attachment.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Infrastructure Research and Development (HRDI) Bridge Engineering Research Team is announcing its intent to solicit white papers and proposals under this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). This BAA is developed in accordance with FAR 6.102(d)(2) and FAR 35.016. This BAA involves the use of a 5-year Open BAA to quickly and efficiently execute research and development to deliver practical solutions to high priority problems. This strategy will provide FHWA an acquisition tool with the flexibility to solicit white papers and proposals and make awards that meet present and compelling needs.

White papers and proposals will only be solicited and accepted during individual calls. Calls for white papers and proposals will occur periodically throughout the life of the BAA. Each call will identify: (1) specific topic areas; (2) any changes to the standard evaluation criteria or white paper and/or proposal preparation instructions, and; (3) cutoff dates for submissions.

The FHWA HRDI Bridge Engineering Research Team conducts and directs research efforts in support of the development of testing standards, structural design and construction specifications, and acceptance criteria.  The FHWA HRDI Bridge Engineering Research Team leads the development and advancement of next generation structural materials and systems, and provides leadership in the development of standards, specifications, and acceptance criteria to enable their deployment.  The work conducted generally enables the advancement of state-of-the-art solutions and positions HRDI as a leader in the deployment of such technologies to maintain or improve the safety, durability, sustainability, and resilience of the Nation’s bridges and highway structures. 

The primary purpose of this BAA is to solicit a variety of solutions that will support the strategic objectives of the FHWA Bridge Engineering Research Team program areas: Structural Steel, Structural Concrete, Geotechnical Structures, and Bridge Hydraulics. Projects shall develop next generation technologies and solutions that address FHWA’s current strategic goals and objectives of Safety, Economic Strength and Global Competitiveness, Equity, Climate and Sustainability, Transformation, and Organizational Excellence.

Notice ID: 693JJ3-24-BAA-0003

Additional buyer information

Department/Ind. Agency: TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF
Sub-tier: FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
Major Command: 693JJ3 ACQUISITION AND GRANTS MGT