Funder: Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command
Due Dates: April 30, 2028 (Final deadline; proposals accepted on a rolling basis until then)
Funding Amounts: No fixed ceiling; awards vary by project scope. Multiple awards anticipated. Typical duration: 1–5 years.
Summary: Supports basic, applied, and advanced research in behavioral and social sciences to enhance Army readiness, personnel development, and human performance.
Key Information: White paper submission is strongly encouraged before full proposal; open to international applicants (with restrictions).
Description
This opportunity is a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) from the U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI), seeking proposals for basic, applied, and advanced research that advances Army readiness and performance through behavioral and social science. The BAA is open to a wide range of research topics, including but not limited to personnel assessment, leader development, team performance, organizational dynamics, and technological fluency. The goal is to fund innovative research that addresses personnel, organizational, and leader development issues relevant to the Army, with an emphasis on improving human performance and readiness.
Research can be fundamental (basic), translational (applied), or focused on technology development and demonstration. The BAA is continuously open through April 2028, with new awards typically made at the start of each fiscal year.
Due Dates
- Final deadline: April 30, 2028, 11:59 PM Eastern
- Rolling submissions: Proposals are accepted at any time until the deadline; early submission is encouraged.
- Recommended process: Contact the relevant ARI Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) to discuss your idea, then submit a white paper for feedback before preparing a full proposal.
Funding Amount
- Award size: No specified minimum or maximum; budgets should be appropriate to the proposed work.
- Project duration: Typically 1–5 years.
- Number of awards: Multiple awards anticipated; up to 1,000 awards possible over the BAA period.
- Funding instrument: Cooperative agreements, grants, contracts, or other transaction agreements, as appropriate.
- Cost sharing: Not required for most awards; may be required for certain types of agreements (e.g., Other Transactions).
Eligibility
- Eligible applicants:
- Institutions of higher education (domestic and foreign)
- Non-profit organizations
- For-profit organizations
- International organizations (with some restrictions)
- Ineligible as prime recipients: U.S. Government laboratories, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), and U.S. Service Academies.
- Restrictions: Entities from countries on the U.S. State Department List of Countries that Support Terrorism are not eligible. Security restrictions may apply to foreign organizations.
- Human subjects/animal research: Must comply with DoD and Army regulations; Army IRB available for human subjects research.
Application Process
- Step 1: Initial Contact
- Contact the ARI TPOC or relevant ARI Manager for your research area to discuss your idea and its fit.
- Step 2: White Paper Submission
- Strongly encouraged (not required).
- White paper (max 6 pages + bios) should outline the research concept, innovation, Army relevance, and estimated cost.
- Submit directly to the relevant ARI Manager (see BAA for contacts).
- Feedback will indicate whether a full proposal is encouraged.
- Step 3: Full Proposal Submission
- Proposals must follow the detailed format in the BAA (technical and cost volumes).
- Submit via Grants.gov for grants/cooperative agreements, or by email for contracts/OTs.
- Required registrations: SAM.gov, Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).
- Proposals must address at least one of the BAA’s research domains.
- Review Criteria:
- Scientific and technical merit
- Potential contribution to ARI’s mission
- Qualifications and capabilities of the team
- Cost realism and appropriateness
Additional Information
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Research Areas of Interest:
- Measurement of individuals and collectives
- Multilevel and organizational dynamics
- Context of behavior in military environments
- Formal and informal learning and development
- Holistic personnel assessment and talent management
- Leader competencies for complexity and uncertainty
- Team assignment and performance
- Technological fluency for the future force
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Reporting Requirements:
- Regular progress reports, annual reviews, and a final technical report are required.
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Special Notes:
- Costs for preparing white papers or proposals are not reimbursable.
- Only a Government Contracting or Grants Officer can obligate funds.
- Proposals involving human subjects or animal research must comply with Army and DoD regulations.
External Links
Contact Information