Background
On September 12, 2025 U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced a new pilot program within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to accelerate the deployment of advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles. Program details were published in the Federal Register, and the FAA has posted a Request for Proposals (RFP)/Screening Information Request (SIR) 697DCK-25-R-00445 on sam.gov.

Purpose
The eIPP was established under Executive Order 14307 (June 2025) to accelerate the deployment of safe and lawful electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and other Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations in the United States. It is intended to generate data, lessons learned, and policy insights to shape national regulations while demonstrating the viability and benefits of these technologies.

Program Administration

• Lead: U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in coordination with the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
• Mechanism: Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) between FAA and selected State, Local, Tribal, or Territorial (SLTT) governments with private-sector partners.
  

Key Features

• SLTT Governments must be the applicant/prime offeror.
• Must include at least one U.S.-based private sector partner with demonstrated eVTOL/AAM experience and aircraft in the type certification process.
• No federal funding provided; partnerships may leverage other funding sources.
• Program duration: 3 years after first pilot project becomes operational (extension possible if warranted).
• FAA will select at least 5 pilot projects.
  

Program Goals

• Accelerate safe and efficient integration of eVTOL and other AAM operations into the National Airspace System (NAS).
• Generate data to inform FAA regulations, guidance, and policies.
• Foster public-private partnerships.
• Provide opportunities to accelerate commercial operations.
  

Example Use Cases

• Air Taxis – short-range, on-demand eVTOLs integrated with ground transport, reducing noise and congestion. 
• Advanced Regional Flights – short takeoff and landing (STOL) or other fixed-wing advanced aircraft for regional travel.
• Cargo & Logistics – new models for cargo services, energy facility support, and emergency/medical transport.
• Automation & Safety – demonstrations of automation to enhance safety and efficiency in AAM operations.
  

Proposal Requirements (due Dec 11, 2025, 3 PM ET, via the eIPP portal)

• Executive summary and project overview.
• Letters of attestation from U.S.-based OEMs/operators.
• Representation of geographic scope, economic impact, and public-private partnership models.
• Detailed operations plan across selected use cases.
• Policy and regulatory insight potential.
• Aircraft and operational readiness plan.
• Evidence of stakeholder support (MOUs, commitments, resources).
  

Evaluation Criteria

1. U.S.-based aircraft & technology (required).
2. Economic & geographic representation; strength of partnership model (high importance).
3. Operations scope, diversity, and technical/operational detail (high).
4. Policy/regulatory insight potential (high).
5. Aircraft & operational readiness (medium).
6. Support for operations (medium).
   

What This Means for Participants

• Projects must move quickly—FAA expects initial operations to begin within 90 days of award.
• Strong emphasis on multi-partner collaboration (SLTT + OEMs + operators + community/academic partners).
• FAA and DOT are looking for projects that not only demonstrate operations but also produce actionable regulatory and policy insights for scaling AAM nationwide.