Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command Grants

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

Research and Education Program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU)

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

This solicitation invites applications (also referred to as proposals ) for basic research projects. The proposals must align with the research areas of interest to the DoW (which includes the USW(R&E) and the Agencies) and enhance the education of students in areas of STEM that align with the DoW research interests. Information about these areas of interest (including websites) is discussed below. The USW(R&E) Critical Technology Area descriptions are at https://www.cto.mil/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CTA-One-Pager-Option-Nov2025.pdf. The critical technology priorities rely on innovation and workforce talent. The critical technology areas are: - Applied Artificial Intelligence (AAI) - Biomanufacturing (BIO) - Contested Logistics Technologies (LOG) - Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance (Q-BID) - Scaled Directed Energy (SCADE) - Scaled Hypersonics (SHY) Basic research projects in research areas of interest to the Agencies are presented in their respective Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs), which are available as follows: Army Research Laboratory combined Broad Agency Announcement is available at: https://www.arl.army.mil/collaborate-with-us/opportunity/arl-baa/. This BAA may also be found on Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov) by entering the BAA number, W911NF-23-S-0001, in the Search Grants keyword box. Office of Naval Research: https://www.onr.navy.mil/ Select Work With Us, then Funding Opportunities, and then BAAs, FOAs and Special Program Announcements to see the FY26 Long Range Broad Agency Announcement for Navy and Marine Corps Science and Technology, BAA N00014-23-S-B001. This BAA may also be found on Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov) by entering the BAA number in the Search Grants keyword box. In addition to providing details about the Agencies research interests, the above documents include names and contact information of technical program managers. Principal Investigator and a Co-Principal Investigator (PI/Co-PI) are encouraged to peruse the research interests of each Agency and to contact the respective program managers to discuss mutual research interests. Applications with relevance to the interests of multiple Agencies may receive multiple reviews. Additional information and questions about the critical technology areas should be directed to Agency Contacts identified in Section II.G. of this NOFO. Other research areas that are not aligned with the (OUSW(R&E)/ASW(S&T) critical technology priorities listed in I.B.7 will be considered. The Agencies BAA listed above under I.B.6 provides other research areas of interest to the DoW. NOTE: Use the above-referenced Agency documents only to identify research areas of interest to the Agencies. Disregard instructions contained therein regarding application preparation, content, and submission requirements. Instead, follow the instructions in this NOFO. Projects proposed for funding under this NOFO must be for basic research. As defined by DoW, basic research is systematic study directed toward greater knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts without specific applications toward processes or products in mind. It includes all scientific study and experimentation directed toward increasing fundamental knowledge and understanding in those fields of the physical, engineering, life sciences, and information sciences related to long-term national security needs. Principal Investigator and a Co-Principal Investigator (PI/Co-PI) are encouraged to consider innovative approaches for their research projects with a view toward enhancing the ability of their institution to develop stronger science and engineering programs that will enable the institution to participate more competitively in a variety of defense research programs, attract and retain good students by exposing them to state-of-the-art research, and encourage them to pursue careers in STEM disciplines. Methods through which these goals can be achieved are varied. Factors such as research capabilities, facilities, and equipment are unique to each institution. Therefore, DoW will not prescribe the approach for a research project; instead, it expects applications to reflect the unique needs and capabilities of the applicant institution.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY Broad Agency Announcement

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point's mission is "to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army." The United States Military Academy is located at West Point, New York. USMA executes research to enhance the education of cadets, develop the faculty professionally, and address important issues facing the Army and the Nation. In addition, the Academy conducts research and analysis in emerging fields that may realize novel or vastly improved Army capabilities. At West Point, research is organized and administered through centers and institutes, most of which reside within academic departments. These centers and institutes, affiliated with each other through the Academy Research Council (ARC), coordinated and supported by the Academic Research Division (ARD), provide the infrastructure necessary to tackle the nation s and the world s most challenging problems. Our research centers and institutes bring context to the classroom, are central to our vibrant and pioneering faculty, and are one way West Point connects to the Army and to the Nation. Our students are driven, our faculty is world-class, and through our centers, scholars and scientists thrive and produce their best work. Cadets regularly win Best Paper Awards at national and international graduate-level conferences, our faculty hold fellowships and chairmanships in their discipline's national organizations and our products are deployed to the soldier. In addition to applied research, there are centers and institutes at West Point that focus on other aspects of the USMA mission.The USMA BAA identifies topics of interest to the USMA departments, directorates, and research centers and institutes. These groups focus on executing in-house research programs, with a significant emphasis on collaborative research with other organizations. The groups fund a modest amount of extramural research in certain specific areas, and those areas are described in this BAA.The USMA BAA seeks proposals from institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, foreign organizations, foreign public entities, and for-profit organizations (i.e., large and small businesses) for research based on the following campaigns: Socio-Cultural; Information Technology; Ballistics, Weapons, and Protections; Energy and Sustainability; Materials, Measurements, and Facilities; Unmanned Systems and Space; Human Support Systems; and Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Quantum Technologies.Proposals are sought for cutting-edge innovative research that could produce discoveries with a significant impact to enable new and improved Army technologies and related operational capabilities and related technologies. The specific research areas and topics of interest described in this document should be viewed as suggestive, rather than limiting.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

<p>The U.S. Army Research Office (ARO) in partnership with NSA’s Laboratory for Physical Science (LPS) is soliciting Incubator, Collaboration, and Fellowship research proposals for participation in the LPS Qubit Collaboratory (LQC). The mission of the LQC can be captured in three broad goals: 1) pursue disruptive fundamental research and enabling technologies with a focus on qubit development for quantum computing and other applications (such as sensing); 2) grow deep, collaborative partnerships to tackle the most difficult and relevant long-term problems in quantum information science and technology; and 3) build a quantum workforce of tomorrow through research experiences in government at LPS and at LQC partners. The LQC will offer a mechanism for collaborative research between LPS and academia, industry, FFRDCs, and Government Laboratories to advance foundational and transformative research on challenging problems that have hindered progress in quantum information processing and associated technologies.</p><p><br></p><p>The goal of this BAA is to seek proposals that bring together expertise from the public and private sectors and their respective research infrastructures to advance solutions that may be best approached as a collaborative team. A Collaboratory is “a center without walls, in which the nation’s researchers can perform their research without regard to physical location, interacting with colleagues, accessing instrumentation, sharing data and computational resources, [and] accessing information in&nbsp;digital libraries.&nbsp;This BAA introduces LQC Research Thrusts (<strong>A.1.1</strong>) which are the technical areas of interest—which will be updated periodically—where partners of the LQC will pursue joint research with LPS through Incubator (<strong>A.1.2</strong>) and Collaboration (<strong>A.1.3</strong>) collaborative agreements. The LQC BAA also fulfills the Government’s overarching interest--through the proposed research and on-site research experiences--in creating and training a workforce in quantum science and technology, generating pathways of solutions that feed technology development, establishing partnerships, and creating transition opportunities. In further support of training through research, <strong>Section A.1.4</strong> calls for Quantum Computing Research (QuaCR) Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellowships for US citizens working in areas of interest.</p><p><br></p><p>Substantial progress on solving the most difficult and long-term Quantum Information Science &amp; Technology (QIST) research problems that unleash further rapid progress in the field will constitute LQC success.&nbsp;Examples of such research problems include (but are not limited to): limits of performance due to device design, material selection, and/or control, the exploration of alternative qubit physics (e.g., different approaches to qubit encoding or types of gates) and lowering of barriers to such approaches, advances in materials that improve qubit gate fidelity, reducing the overhead of classical components in quantum information technology and optimizing classical performance, and the exploration of applications of quantum technologies to new domains.</p><p><br></p><p>Three categories of proposals are sought for this BAA:</p><p><strong>1.Incubator</strong> opportunities seek partnership proposals from single investigators and small research groups, including teaching colleges, who may have unique skillsets to contribute toward the pursuit of the research thrusts presented in A.1.1.&nbsp;Incubator proposals may also be the development of concepts into a detailed technical research approach to advance solution of problems of high interest to quantum information science research.&nbsp;Incubator proposals would avail themselves of the collaboration opportunities with LPS research staff and infrastructure made available at the Laboratory for Physical Sciences (LPS) to lay the groundwork for concepts that may be suitable for a Collaboratory proposal or responses to other DoD quantum information science research opportunities.</p><p><strong>2.Collaboratory</strong> proposals seek research proposals that bring together a strong significant collaboration--researchers from academia, industry, FFRDCs, and/or Government Laboratories--to pursue long-term projects focused on fundamental problems of interest to qubit development and/or associated science and technology.&nbsp;These collaborative groups will propose to work together in a focused manner for a period of time expected to be one to three years in order to demonstrate a proof-of-concept experiment and/or theory exploration to determine the feasibility of their creative idea.</p><p><strong>3.QuaCR Research Fellowship</strong> proposals seek to support talented U.S. citizen graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the field of quantum information processing (primary interest) and quantum sensing (secondary interest). Applicants with a background from either within or outside QIS are encouraged. The proposed research areas are described in this BAA and must enhance active Quantum Information Science research efforts being supported by the Army Research Office and/or LPS. Research fellows are encouraged to complete an LPS Internship during their graduate career or visit during their postdoctoral fellowship.</p><p><br></p><p><strong><u>Funding Opportunity Title: LPS Qubit Collaboratory Special Research Topics Announcement: W911NF21S0009-SPECIALNOTICE-1</u></strong></p><p>The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), Army Research Laboratory (ARL)-Army Research Office (ARO) is looking for proposed research and development solutions under the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) W911NF21S0009-2 for Basic and Applied Scientific Research in Quantum Computing. The title for this Special Notice is “LPS Qubit Collaboratory Special Topics.” Upon receipt, compliant proposals will be reviewed through a technical and programmatic process in accordance with the evaluation criteria referenced in the W911NF21S0009-2 LQC BAA to determine which proposal may be awarded Grant, Cooperative Agreement, or Procurement Contract under this topic.</p>

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

The U.S. Army Research Office (ARO) in partnership with NSA s Laboratory for Physical Science (LPS) is soliciting Incubator, Collaboration, and Fellowship research proposals for participation in the LPS Qubit Collaboratory (LQC). The mission of the LQC can be captured in three broad goals: 1) pursue disruptive fundamental research and enabling technologies with a focus on qubit development for quantum computing and other applications (such as sensing); 2) grow deep, collaborative partnerships to tackle the most difficult and relevant long-term problems in quantum information science and technology; and 3) build a quantum workforce of tomorrow through research experiences in government at LPS and at LQC partners. The LQC will offer a mechanism for collaborative research between LPS and academia, industry, FFRDCs, and Government Laboratories to advance foundational and transformative research on challenging problems that have hindered progress in quantum information processing and associated technologies.The goal of this BAA is to seek proposals that bring together expertise from the public and private sectors and their respective research infrastructures to advance solutions that may be best approached as a collaborative team. A Collaboratory is a center without walls, in which the nation s researchers can perform their research without regard to physical location, interacting with colleagues, accessing instrumentation, sharing data and computational resources, [and] accessing information in digital libraries. This BAA introduces LQC Research Thrusts (A.1.1) which are the technical areas of interest which will be updated periodically where partners of the LQC will pursue joint research with LPS through Incubator (A.1.2) and Collaboration (A.1.3) collaborative agreements. The LQC BAA also fulfills the Government s overarching interest--through the proposed research and on-site research experiences--in creating and training a workforce in quantum science and technology, generating pathways of solutions that feed technology development, establishing partnerships, and creating transition opportunities. In further support of training through research, Section A.1.4 calls for Quantum Computing Research (QuaCR) Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellowships for US citizens working in areas of interest.Substantial progress on solving the most difficult and long-term Quantum Information Science &amp; Technology (QIST) research problems that unleash further rapid progress in the field will constitute LQC success. Examples of such research problems include (but are not limited to): limits of performance due to device design, material selection, and/or control, the exploration of alternative qubit physics (e.g., different approaches to qubit encoding or types of gates) and lowering of barriers to such approaches, advances in materials that improve qubit gate fidelity, reducing the overhead of classical components in quantum information technology and optimizing classical performance, and the exploration of applications of quantum technologies to new domains.Three categories of proposals are sought for this BAA:1.Incubator opportunities seek partnership proposals from single investigators and small research groups, including teaching colleges, who may have unique skillsets to contribute toward the pursuit of the research thrusts presented in A.1.1. Incubator proposals may also be the development of concepts into a detailed technical research approach to advance solution of problems of high interest to quantum information science research. Incubator proposals would avail themselves of the collaboration opportunities with LPS research staff and infrastructure made available at the Laboratory for Physical Sciences (LPS) to lay the groundwork for concepts that may be suitable for a Collaboratory proposal or responses to other DoD quantum information science research opportunities.2.Collaboratory proposals seek research proposals that bring together a strong significant collaboration--researchers from academia, industry, FFRDCs, and/or Government Laboratories--to pursue long-term projects focused on fundamental problems of interest to qubit development and/or associated science and technology. These collaborative groups will propose to work together in a focused manner for a period of time expected to be one to three years in order to demonstrate a proof-of-concept experiment and/or theory exploration to determine the feasibility of their creative idea.3.QuaCR Research Fellowship proposals seek to support talented U.S. citizen graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the field of quantum information processing (primary interest) and quantum sensing (secondary interest). Applicants with a background from either within or outside QIS are encouraged. The proposed research areas are described in this BAA and must enhance active Quantum Information Science research efforts being supported by the Army Research Office and/or LPS. Research fellows are encouraged to complete an LPS Internship during their graduate career or visit during their postdoctoral fellowship.Funding Opportunity Title: LPS Qubit Collaboratory Special Research Topics Announcement: W911NF21S0009-SPECIALNOTICE-1The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), Army Research Laboratory (ARL)-Army Research Office (ARO) is looking for proposed research and development solutions under the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) W911NF21S0009-2 for Basic and Applied Scientific Research in Quantum Computing. The title for this Special Notice is LPS Qubit Collaboratory Special Topics. Upon receipt, compliant proposals will be reviewed through a technical and programmatic process in accordance with the evaluation criteria referenced in the W911NF21S0009-2 LQC BAA to determine which proposal may be awarded Grant, Cooperative Agreement, or Procurement Contract under this topic.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

LPS Qubit Collaboratory (LQC)

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

The purpose of this combined Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 35 and Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) under 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 200.204 (henceforth referred to as BAA ) is to solicit research proposals for submission to the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Army Research Laboratory (ARL) for funding consideration. Prior to this announcement, ARL announced two separate BAAs to support the mission: 1) W911NF-17-S-0002 titled Army Research Laboratory Army Research Office Broad Agency Announcement for Fundamental Research ; and 2) W911NF-17-S-0003 titled Army Research Laboratory Broad Agency Announcement for Basic and Applied Scientific Research . This announcement succeeds BAA W911NF-17-S-0002 and BAA W911NF-17-S-0003 combining the opportunities into a single announcement. ARL s mission as the Army s foundational research laboratory is to Operationalize Science to ensure overmatch in any future conflict. ARL s foundational research mission spans basic research (budget activity 6.1) and applied research (budget activity 6.2) as defined by 32 CFR 22.105 but may include advanced technology development (budget activity 6.3) and advanced component development and prototypes (budget activity 6.4) when opportunities arise to directly or indirectly help achieve ARL s mission. ARL partners across the national security enterprise to deliver fundamentally advantageous change that is rooted in the creation and exploitation of scientific knowledge. This publication constitutes a BAA for awards as contemplated in FAR 6.102(d)(2) and 35.016 as well as a merit-based, competitive procedure in accordance with the Department of Defense Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARS) at 32 CFR 22.315(a) and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Other Transaction Guide version 2.0 dated July 2023. This BAA document, and the online list of research topics found on the ARL BAA topics website at https://www.arl.devcom.army.mil/opportunities/arl-baa/, sets forth ARL s research topics of interest for whitepapers and proposals. This BAA is issued under FAR 6.102(d)(2), which provides for the competitive selection of basic and applied research proposals, and 10 U.S.C. 4001, 10 U.S.C. 4021, and 10 U.S.C. 4022, which provide the authorities for issuing awards under this announcement for basic and applied research. The definitions of basic and applied research may be found at 32 CFR 22.105. Proposals submitted in response to this BAA and selected for award are considered to be the result of full and open competition and in full compliance with the provision of Public Law 98-369, The Competition in Contracting Act of 1984 and subsequent amendments.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

DEVCOM ARMY RESEARCH LABORATORY BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FOUNDATIONAL RESEARCH

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

DEVCOM ANALYSIS CENTER BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR APPLIED RESEARCH

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

The purpose of this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 35 and Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) under 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 200.204 (henceforth referred to as BAA ) is to solicit research proposals for submission to the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Analysis Center (DAC) for funding consideration. The DAC is the Army's foundation for data-driven analytical decisions across the lifecycle to ensure overmatch for a lethal Army. DAC s mission is to: Inform Army modernization and readiness decisions with objective Analysis enabled through Tool development and Data curation. DAC partners across the national security enterprise to deliver fundamentally advantageous change that is rooted in the creation and exploitation of scientific knowledge. DAC accomplishes this mission by funding the areas of applied research (budget activity 6.2), as defined by 32 CFR 22.105, advanced technology development (budget activity 6.3), and advanced component development and prototypes (budget activity 6.4). Whitepapers for initial concept reviews and full proposals are sought from institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, foreign organizations, foreign public entities, and for-profit organizations (i.e. large and small businesses) for scientific research that supports the DAC mission. The DAC BAA generally conforms to the portfolio structured around research area based mission execution. Whitepapers and full proposals are expected to be for cutting-edge innovative research that could produce discoveries with a significant impact to enable new and improved Army technologies and related operational capabilities and related technologies. In an effort to provide DAC's research topics and related information in an easy to digest format, DAC has published the following public website listing all current DAC research topics: https://www.army.mil/article/261533, hereafter referenced as the DAC BAA topics website. DAC focuses on executing in-house research programs but supplements our efforts with support from the broader technology base and Academia. DAC funds a modest amount of extramural research in certain specific areas, and those areas are described on the DAC BAA topics website. Changes to these topics will be made using this website on an as needed basis. A change to the DAC BAA topics website is not an amendment to this BAA and will not be posted on https://www.grants.gov/ and https://sam.gov/. A change to this document, the BAA itself, is an amendment and will be posted on https://www.grants.gov/ and https://sam.gov/. DAC will maintain a daily static snapshot of the DAC BAA topics website to ensure submissions are aligned with listed research topics on the day of submission. Interested parties are encouraged to continually browse the DAC BAA topics website for white paper and proposal topics that DAC desires to explore. These specific research topics should be viewed as suggestive, rather than limiting. DAC is always interested in considering other innovative research concepts of relevance to the Army if those concepts align with DAC's mission. Please see Section II, Detailed Information about the Funding Opportunity, for more information on the DAC research topics advertised through this BAA. Interested parties should also review https://www.grants.gov/ and https://sam.gov/ to obtain the latest version of the BAA for whitepaper and proposal submission requirements.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), which sets forth research areas of interest to the United States Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI), is issued under the provisions of paragraph 6.102(d)(2) and 35.016 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), which provides for the acquisition of basic and applied research and that part of development not related to the development of a specific system or hardware procurement through the competitive selection of proposals, and 10 U.S.C. 4001, 10 U.S.C. 4021, and 10 U.S.C. 4022, which provide the authorities for issuing awards under this announcement for basic and applied research. Proposals submitted in response to this BAA and selected for award are considered to be the result of full and open competition and in full compliance with the provisions of Public Law 98-369, "The Competition in Contracting Act of 1984" and subsequent amendments.ARI is the Army s lead agency for the conduct of research, development, and analyses for Army readiness and performance via research advances and applications of the behavioral and social sciences that address personnel, organization, and Soldier and leader development issues. Programs funded under this BAA include basic research, applied research, and advanced technology development that can improve human performance and Army readiness.Funding of research and development (R&amp;D) within ARI areas of interest will be determined by funding constraints and priorities set during each budget cycle. Those contemplating submission of a proposal are encouraged to contact the ARI Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) identified in Section G of this BAA or the responsible ARI Manager noted at the end of the technical area entry (Part II Section A of this BAA) to determine whether the proposed R&amp;D warrants further inquiry. If the proposed R&amp;D warrants further inquiry and funding is available, submission of a white paper or proposal will be entertained. The recommended three-step sequence is (1) initial contact with the ARI TPOC or responsible ARI Manager, (2) white paper submission, (3) proposal submission.This sequence allows earliest determination of the potential for funding and minimizes the labor and cost associated with submission of proposals that have minimal probability of being selected for funding. Costs associated with white paper or proposal submissions in response to this BAA are not considered allowable direct charges to any resulting award. These costs may be allowable expenses to normal bid and proposal indirect costs specified in FAR 31.205-18.Applicants submitting proposals are cautioned that only a Government Contracting or Grants Officer may obligate the Government to any agreement involving expenditure of Government funds.To be eligible for an award under this announcement, a prospective awardee must meet certain minimum standards pertaining to financial resources and responsibility, ability to comply with the performance schedule, past performance, integrity, experience, technical capabilities, operational controls, and facilities. In accordance with Federal statutes, regulations, and Department of Defense (DoD) and Army policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin, or disability shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from the Army.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

UNITED STATES ARMY RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR THE BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES (ARI) BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR BASIC, APPLIED, AND ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

ARMY APPLICATIONS LAB BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR DISRUPTIVE APPLICATIONS

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

This BAA sets forth research areas of interest to the Army Applications Lab (AAL). This BAA is issued under paragraph 6.102(d)(2) of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), which provides for the competitive selection of basic and applied research proposals, and 10 U.S.C. 2358, 10 U.S.C. 2371, and 10 U.S.C. 2371b, which provide the authorities for issuing awards under this announcement for basic and applied research. The definitions of basic and applied research may be found at 32 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 22.105. The definitions of basic and applied research may be found at 32 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 22.105. Proposals submitted in response to this BAA and selected for award are considered to be the result of full and open competition and in full compliance with the provision of Public Law 98- 369, "The Competition in Contracting Act of 1984" and subsequent amendments.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

Staff Research Program

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

The ARO is soliciting proposals for Staff Research Program opportunities. The purpose of the program is to enable ARO scientific staff to maintain and expand professional competence in support of fulfilling the ARO mission through the conduct of hands-on, basic research. The staff research will be performed collaboratively with institutions external to ARO. Staff research efforts will involve scientific study directed toward advancing the state-of-the-art or increasing knowledge and scientific understanding in engineering, physical, life and information sciences, when there is an intersection with the interests and capabilities of the participating external institutions in these basic research areas.Protection of Mission Integrity: The primary role of the ARO scientific staff is to objectively assess and fund extramural research at numerous institutions across the U.S. and throughout the world. Since it is vitally important that the ARO be impartial in its actions, ARO scientists cannot engage in activities that could compromise the perceived objectivity of that scientist with respect to the institution, or with respect to the areas of science/engineering that they are responsible for as Program Managers. Consequently, ARO Program Managers will be disqualified from taking official actions regarding any institution at which that PM conducts Staff Research.Staff research will be conducted, directed and managed by an ARO scientist at the institution's laboratory facilities or field research sites, in collaboration with a PI designated by the institution. ARO scientists will not be named as a PI on any proposal or resulting award. Results of the Staff Research Program may include publication or co-authorship of research results and presentation at scientific forums, and contribute to the education and training of students, in accordance with the terms of the cooperative agreement.NOTE: ARO scientific staff will seek out a collaborating institution to engage in staff research as opportunities arise and at the discretion of ARO.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

The Department of Defense (DoD) announces the Fiscal Year 2018 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP). DURIP is designed to improve the capabilities of accredited United States (U.S.) institutions ofhigher education to conduct research and to educate scientists and engineers in areas important to national defense, by providing funds for the acquisition of research equipment or instrumentation. For-profit organizations are noteligible for DURIP funding. We refer to eligible institutions of higher education as universities in the rest of this announcement. DURIP is part of the University Research Initiative (URI).

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

**PLEASE REVIEW FULL SPECIAL NOTICE** Funding Opportunity Title: Low-Cost Chip-Scale Atomic Clock (LC CSAC) Funding Instrument Type: Technology investment agreement The aim of this Special Notice under the ARL BAA (W911NF-17-S-0003), under Grants.gov Opportunity W911NF-17-S-0003-SPECIALNOTICE-LC-CSAC, is to fund a team or multiple teams to design, manufacture, and deliver a battery-powered atomic clock that achieves identical (or better) size, weight, and power (SWaP) and performance to the commercially available chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC) with a selling price goal of < $300/unit in high volume. Precise timing is critical for numerous Army applications such as navigation, communications, surveillance, and synchronization of sensors and systems. Assured PNT solutions currently rely on acquiring GPS signals, which may not be readily available in increasingly contested environments. Commercially available silicon MEMS and quartz oscillators (TCXO, OCXO) are unable to provide GPS holdover in the event of a GPS outage, except for high-end OCXOs that may be considered large and power hungry for certain applications. To ease reliance on GPS, long-holdover clocks with SWaP-C appropriate for various DoD platforms are necessary to enable mission-critical functions even in contested environments. Current high-performance atomic clocks (maser, laser-cooled cesium fountain) serve as standards and are large, expensive, and require regular monitoring and exquisite environmental control. Since the early 2000s, the chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC) has been developed and successfully matured into a commercial product with DARPA and industry investment. While an Army/Air Force/OSD Manufacturing Technology effort further reduced the manufacturing cost1, the current selling price is still prohibitive for high-volume, low-SWaP DoD platforms. There is an opportunity to leverage the many advances in MEMS, photonics, and atomic physics over the past two decades to develop state-of-the-art, high-performance, battery-powered atomic clocks with improved manufacturability, significantly reduced cost, and improved performance. This special notice seeks proposals from one or more for-profit firms in accordance with 32 CFR 37.210. A consortium, led by a for-profit firm, is also encouraged. Points of Contact: Jonathan Hoffman jonathan.e.hoffman.civ@mail.mil Jenna Chan Jenna.f.chan.ctr@mail.mil

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

**UPDATE 5 APRIL 2024: The proposal submission date has been updated to 24 April 2024. The FOA has been amended to reflect this submission date and include a Question and Answer document based on questions received from interested applicants. Other than the updated proposal submission date in the FOA, the actual FOA Amendment has not been changed. However, the answers provided in the Q&amp;A document are considered part of the FOA Amendment.** **CYCLE 2 UPDATE 20 MARCH 2024 - THE OPPORTUNITY WEBINAR FOR CYCLE 2 WILL BE HELD ONLINE VIA MS TEAMS AT 1500 EDT ON 22 MARCH 2024 AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: https://dod.teams.microsoft.us/l/meetup-join/19%3adod%3ameeting_5fa41fe6fa874484b473d8a6ba7921c6%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22fae6d70f-954b-4811-92b6-0530d6f84c43%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22e9f6fc39-8f22-44e5-8bd0-64f0cde32305%22%2c%22IsBroadcastMeeting%22%3atrue%7d **UPDATE 14 MARCH 2024 - CYCLE 2 HAS BEEN POSTED TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT. PLEASE REVIEW THE UPDATED ANNOUNCEMENT IN FULL FOR SUBMISSION TIME, UPDATED TOPIC, AND FUNDING AMOUNT AND SCHEDULE CHANGES FROM CYCLE 1** TACTICAL BEHAVIORS FOR AUTONOMOUS MANEUVER COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM (TBAM-CRP) Future Army forces will be called upon to operate and maneuver in multi-domain operations (MDO), against a modern and capable peer adversary. The battlefield of the future may impose additional constraints on maneuver forces such as disruption in communication as well as positioning services. To field a highly capable fighting force in this future battlefield, novel tactics and doctrines leveraging nascent technologies in robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) will need to be developed. Teams of RAS will serve an increasingly critical role in the future force to deliver situational awareness, defend key locations or positions, or take point in dynamic and hazardous situations. Resilience to disruptions, failures, or unexpected scenarios, is a key quality for teams of RAS to operate alongside other future Army forces. The US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is focused on developing fundamental understanding and informing the art-of-the-possible for warfighter concepts through research to greatly improve the scope of mission capabilities of teams of RAS, develop robust and resilient approaches to plan under extreme conditions of uncertainty, to learn coordinated strategies for groups of agents to achieve a common objective, all within a complex maneuver environment including adversaries. The Tactical Behaviors for Autonomous Maneuver Collaborative Research Program (TBAM-CRP) is focused on developing and experimentally evaluating coordinated and individual behaviors for small groups of autonomous agents to learn doctrinal as well as novel tactics for maneuvering in military relevant environments. The TBAM-CRP will leverage developments in other internal and extramural programs as well as identify new research directions to find novel solutions to these maneuver problems in analogical simulations representing complex realistic terrain. The Tactical Behaviors for Autonomous Maneuver Collaborative Research Program (TBAM-CRP) will consist of a series of sprint efforts executed with annual program reviews. Each topic will be focused on addressing a different set of scientific areas which will support the research aims of an associated ARL researcher from a related internal essential research program (ERP) or mission-funded program. The TBAM-CRP has been developed in coordination with other related ARL-funded collaborative efforts (see descriptions of ARL collaborative alliances at https://www.arl.army.mil/business/collaborativealliances/) and shares a common vision of highly collaborative academia-industry-government partnerships; however, it will be executed with a program model adapted from the Scalable, Adaptive, and Resilient Autonomy (SARA), which established a new paradigm for collaborative research. Some key properties of this new approach are described below: TBAM-CRP sprint topics will be offered on a two-year cycle. Proposals will be solicited for a possible two-year period structured as a first-year pilot followed by a second-year option where the option may be awarded based upon progress assessed at an annual review. The FOA will be amended annually to identify a specific problem statement and scope for that specific cycle. The topics for each cycle will be chosen to address the long-term program goal. Five new topics (Cycles 1-5) are expected in FY22, 24, 26, 28, 30. Each topic will be carefully chosen based on the previous accomplishments in the prior cycle(s), the development of new technologies and capabilities in the broader research and development communities, and the Army s evolving needs for future capabilities. For each topic, funding will be provided to those Recipients selected under a cooperative agreement (CA). Enhanced Research Program funding from ARL or Other Government Agencies (OGAs) may become available during a cycle which provides a mechanism for growth and enhancement within the TBAM-CRP. A proposal should not include any discussion of the Enhanced Research Program. Recipients receiving a CA will be notified and provided details if the opportunity for Enhanced Research Program funding becomes available during their award period of performance. There is no limitation on the place of performance, although on-site collaboration at ARL facilities and with ARL researchers as well as with other Recipients are encouraged. Research outcomes in this program must, at the very least, be demonstrated in sophisticated simulations of relevant environments. Together with ARL collaborators, these results may be adapted for higher TRL experimentation on surrogate platforms at ARL test facilities such as the Robotics Research Collaboration Campus (R2C2) at Graces Quarters, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Recipients will be furnished with access to the ARL Autonomy Stack software suite as well as all relevant simulation tools and multi-agent learning support. Recipients will be provided with information about the current state of the Autonomous Systems Enterprise (ASE) with an overview of developments in the associated collaborative research alliances including Distributed and Collaborative Intelligent Systems and Technology (DCIST), Scalable, Adaptive, and Resilient Autonomy (SARA), as well as internal ARL essential research programs including the AI for Maneuver and Mobility (AIMM), Emerging Overmatch Technologies (EOT), and Versatile Tactical Power and Propulsion (VICTOR). Capabilities demonstrated in simulation should reflect significant appropriate developments. This midpoint review is expected to take place as a mini symposium where Recipients can share results with one another along with the ARL community to foster further collaboration. At the end of the second year, a capstone demonstration will be executed by those Recipients receiving an option to their award in a set of simulated relevant environments, either those environment scenarios provided by the Government and other program performers, or optionally of a specific environment developed by the Recipient to exhibit their developed capability. Any system level capability demonstration that can be made with the internal ARL collaborator or description of capability development and program contribution can also be made at this time. These system demonstrations are expected to coincide to foster further integration and adoption with related internal research programs as well as partner organizations from within the DEVCOM, other Army and DoD service branches and agencies, in addition to other government agencies. Proposals that follow the requirements of the FOA will be evaluated in accordance with merit-based, competitive procedures. These procedures will include evaluation factors and an adjectival and color rating system. A review team, consisting of a qualified group of Government scientists and managers will evaluate the compliant proposals and provide the results of that evaluation to the decision-maker for the Government. Relevant internal research program materials approved for public release and contact information will be provided to potential proposers during introductory presentations to help facilitate identification of collaboration between proposers and individual ARL researchers or internal research programs. Additional connections to ARL programs can be identified during the proposal review process. Eligible applicants under this FOA include institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit organizations (i.e., large and small businesses) for scientific research in the knowledge domains outlined throughout this Funding Opportunity. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) may propose as well, with effort as allowed by their sponsoring agency and in accordance with their sponsoring agency policy.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

Tactical Behaviors for Autonomous Maneuver

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command

Low-Cost Chip-Scale Atomic Clock (LC CSAC)