Critical Low-Risk Electro-optic Alternatives for Resilience (CLEAR) | Project No. 26-05

REQUEST FOR SOLUTIONS REVISION – Posted on 02 June 2026

The Government has revised the RFS for the CLEAR opportunity. This revision removes Attachment DD Form 2345 Instructions and also removes guidance on how to receive CUI attachments.

You can access the revised RFS by filling out the Key Document Request form on the right.

REQUEST FOR SOLUTIONS (RFS) – Posted on 28 May 2026

The Government has released the Request for Solutions (RFS) for the CLEAR opportunity. To review the RFS and its accompanying documents, fill out the Key Document request form on the right side of this page.

• Opportunity RFS Questions due by 04 June 2026 at 12:00 PM ET – Submit your questions regarding the opportunity’s RFS using the “Submit Question” button located on the right-hand side of this page.
• Solutions due by 29 June 2026 at 12:00 PM ET.

PROJECT TALX – Tuesday, 09 June 2026

Event Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET

During this hour-long event, the Government team will share additional details about the project and answer questions during a live Q&A session. Their insights into the opportunity will be invaluable as you craft your solution. Register for the Project TALX here.

COMING SOON NOTICE – Posted 21 April 2026

The Department of War (DoW) Advanced Materials Office, in partnership with Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, is preparing to release an Advanced Technology Development opportunity, Critical Low-Risk Electro-optic Alternatives for Resilience (CLEAR), focused on accelerating the development and maturity of alternative optical materials supporting electro-optic and infrared (EO/IR) systems.

This effort targets high-impact critical material dependencies affecting current and emerging DoW technologies, with the goal of enabling secure, scalable, and high-performance solutions that reduce reliance on constrained supply chains, such as germanium, gallium, etc.

Key Areas of Interest include:

1. Alternative Optical Materials – Development of material alternatives that support EO/IR imaging across multiple spectral bands
2. Multispectral Sensing Enablement – Materials that support optical transmittance and function across multiple EO/IR bands
3. Enhanced Materials and Processing – Approaches to improve performance, availability, and manufacturability of EO/IR material alternatives that minimize or avoid use of critical materials
4. Manufacturing and Scalability – Processes enabling cost-effective production of EO/IR materials and systems at-scale

This effort will support the advancement of resilient material solutions and strengthen the domestic industrial base for critical DoW EO/IR systems. The prototype development period of performance for CLEAR Other Transaction Authority awards will be determined following the release of the Request for Solutions and based on selected performers’ proposed timelines.

To view the full Coming Soon notice, please fill out the key document request form on the right side of the page.

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TEAMING OPPORTUNITIES:

Interested in collaborating on the opportunity? There are multiple ways to connect with potential partners. Organizations can opt into the teaming list to share and receive contact information or explore companies that presented during the virtual Innovator NETWORX teaming event. These resources are designed to help you identify complementary capabilities and form effective partnerships.

Ways to Engage:

• Innovator NETWORX Teaming Event: The INX teaming event process begins when an opportunity is announced as “Coming Soon,” and the corresponding INX event date is released. During the virtual Innovator NETWORX teaming session held on 05 May 2026 at 11:00 AM ET, organizations had 4 minutes to present their capabilities. You can find the Slide Deck by filling out the key documents form to the right.

• Join the Teaming List: If you’re interested in teaming for this opportunity, we encourage you to fill out the form below to be added to the teaming list. By submitting your information, you consent to sharing your details with other companies who also request access to the list.
  • Important Note: Note that the teaming list will be updated on a rolling basis, but you will not receive notifications each time a new company is added; you’ll need to revisit the link to see the most recent updates. (26-05) CLEAR : Teaming List Form

 

 

Interested in submitting?

All respondents must have an active NSTXL membership to submit a solution to any S²MARTS opportunity. To apply or check your membership status, contact our team at membership@nstxl.org. Please allow one business day for processing new applications.