APFIT-1 — Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies
Supports small business and non-traditional contractors with procurement bridge funding for pre-production solutions.
The Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program, managed by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW(R&E)), provides procurement bridge funding of $10 million to $50 million to small businesses and non-traditional defense contractors whose technologies have completed development and are ready for initial production and fielding. Established in FY2022, APFIT has awarded over $1.4 billion to more than 75 companies through FY2025, with $935 million in APFIT funding generating over $3.2 billion in follow-on procurement contracts and commitments. The program runs two selection cycles per fiscal year, with awards averaging over $30 million each; the largest single FY26-1 award reached $49.7 million.
The FY27-1 cycle was anticipated to open in early summer 2026 per a March 20, 2026 posting from OUSW(R&E). Eligible projects must sit at Technology Readiness Level 7 through 9, meaning all research and development is complete and a DoD organization has expressed interest in procuring the solution. Projects must be endorsed by an APFIT-designated submitting organization—eligible sponsors include all military services, most combatant commands, and major defense agencies including DARPA, DIU, DIA, and MDA. Companies cannot submit directly; a government sponsor must submit the package on the company's behalf. Cumulative DoD contract history must be under $500 million, and the applicant must qualify as a small business or non-traditional defense contractor.
The APFIT selection process moves from package submission through initial eligibility review to detailed technical and operational panel briefings (OTAPs) before a funding decision. Companies with TRL 7–9 technologies currently in use by a DoD program office or operational user should engage their DoD customer about sponsoring an APFIT submission well before the FY27-1 cycle opens. The program has demonstrated consistent ability to compress procurement timelines by approximately two years compared to standard acquisition paths. Contact: osd.apfit@mail.mil.
Procurement bridge funding of $10–50M for small businesses and non-traditional defense contractors whose technologies have completed RDT&E at TRL 7–9 and are ready for initial DoD production and fielding.
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