Node A6 · Acronym decoder
FFRDC
Federally Funded Research and Development Center
What it actually means
A not-for-profit organization (like MITRE, Aerospace Corporation, or RAND) chartered to give the government long-term technical and analytic capability free of commercial conflicts of interest — they can see contractor proprietary data because they're barred from competing. Programs use them as trusted technical advisors and honest brokers.
Where you'll meet it
Source selection support, independent assessments, and systems engineering support contracts.