CHIPS R&D Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

CHIPS R&D BAA — White Paper

Funds microelectronics teams in the United States through CHIPS BAA with practical support for near market technology development.

The CHIPS R&D Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), released September 24, 2025, is the primary live channel for all research and development funding under the $11 billion appropriation authorized by CHIPS Act Section 9906. White papers may be submitted on a rolling basis through September 30, 2029 and are reviewed as soon as practicable after submission. The minimum award is $10 million per project; there is no published per-project maximum or annual pool allocation. The BAA funds microelectronics R&D with a nexus to five focus areas: Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Technology, Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing, Commercialization of Innovation, and Standards Development. The program is managed by the CHIPS R&D Office at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Two application paths exist. Path 1 is an R&D Project track in which a white paper, if positively evaluated on national and economic security contribution, scientific merit, feasibility, and commercial viability, results in an invitation to submit a detailed pre-negotiation package. Path 2, launched April 20, 2026, is an Investment Fund track that uses equity or equity-like capital instruments — a novel mechanism for a federal R&D program — aimed at companies suited to investment-model financing rather than traditional grants. Both paths use the white paper as a mandatory gatekeeper; unsolicited full proposals or Investment Fund applications submitted without a prior white paper will not be reviewed. Eligible applicants include companies, universities, and consortia.

The $10 million minimum makes the CHIPS R&D BAA unsuitable for early-stage or proof-of-concept projects. It is best suited to teams with mature microelectronics technology, an existing domestic manufacturing nexus, and the institutional capacity to manage a large federal award. The rolling window through 2029 means there is no strategic benefit to waiting — earlier submissions receive earlier review. White papers evaluated favorably progress to pre-negotiation on a project-by-project basis, so the program continuously funds throughout the year rather than in discrete annual cycles.