Overview
FAR 15.602 establishes the government’s commitment to fostering innovation by encouraging the submission of new ideas through formal programs while providing a secondary pathway for unique concepts via unsolicited proposals.
Key Rules
- Encouragement of Innovation: The government policy is to actively promote the submission of new and innovative ideas from external sources.
- Preferred Solicitation Channels: Innovation is primarily sought through structured vehicles such as Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs), Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) topics, and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) topics.
- Scope of Unsolicited Proposals: Unsolicited proposals serve as a specific mechanism for submitting ideas that do not fit within the defined topic areas of existing government-initiated solicitations or programs.
Practical Implications
- Contractors must verify that their innovative concept does not fall under an active solicitation before submitting an unsolicited proposal, as agencies will typically reject unsolicited submissions that overlap with existing programs.
- This policy ensures that the unsolicited proposal process is reserved for truly unique solutions that the government has not yet identified or requested through traditional competitive channels.