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

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Description

The United States Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is a standing call for research proposals in the behavioral and social sciences that address critical Army needs. ARI is the Army’s lead agency for research, development, and analysis to improve Army readiness and performance through scientific advances and applications in personnel, organization, and Soldier/leader development.

The BAA is open to a wide range of research activities, including basic research, applied research, and advanced technology development. Topics of interest span personnel assessment, leader development, team effectiveness, technological fluency, talent management, and more. Each year, ARI issues specific calls for white papers on targeted research needs within the overall BAA framework.

Proposals are sought from institutions of higher education, non-profit and for-profit organizations (domestic or foreign), with certain restrictions for government and FFRDC entities. Most opportunities require an initial white paper submission, with invitation-only full proposals.

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Due Dates

• White Papers (Selected Topics):

  • Impacts of Organizational and Contextual Factors on Technological Fluency: Model Expansion: July 3, 2025
  • Information Management Assessment for Personnel (IMAP): July 3, 2025
  • Additional white paper deadlines are announced throughout the BAA period for specific topics.

• Full Proposals (Open BAA):

  • April 30, 2028 (final BAA closing date for all proposals)

All dates are projected based on the annual cycle; check the program page for updates.

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Funding Amount

• Award Size: Most individual topic awards range from $300,000 to $1,800,000 total, with periods of performance from 12 to 48 months.
• Funding Instrument: Contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or other transaction authorities (OTAs) may be used, depending on project and applicant eligibility.
• Cost Sharing: Generally not required, unless specified for certain OTAs.

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Eligibility

• Eligible Applicants:

  • U.S. and foreign institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, and for-profit organizations.
  • Government laboratories, FFRDCs, and U.S. Service Academies may not apply as prime recipients.
  • Foreign organizations may face security restrictions.
  • Countries on the U.S. State Department List of Countries that Support Terrorism are ineligible.

• Additional Requirements:

  • Applicants must meet standards for financial responsibility, technical capability, and integrity.
  • Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) is required.

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Application Process

1. Identify a Research Topic:

   • Review current BAA topics and open calls for white papers on the Grants.gov listing.
   • Contact the relevant ARI Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) for topic-specific guidance.

2. White Paper Submission:

   • Most opportunities require a 6-page (plus biosketches) white paper outlining the research concept, approach, and estimated cost.
   • Submit electronically to the designated Contracting Officer and TPOC by the specified deadline.

3. Feedback and Invitation:

   • ARI will provide feedback and may invite selected applicants to submit a full proposal.

4. Full Proposal Submission:

   • Prepare a detailed technical and cost proposal according to BAA instructions.
   • Submit via Grants.gov or as otherwise directed.
   • Proposals are evaluated for scientific merit, Army relevance, qualifications, and cost.

5. Award and Reporting:

   • Successful proposals result in a contract, grant, or agreement.
   • Regular progress and final reports are required.

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Additional Information

• Research Areas: Example topics include personnel assessment, leader competencies, team dynamics, talent management, technological fluency, cyber capabilities, officer/enlisted career progression, and more.
• PI Eligibility: Principal Investigators should have demonstrated expertise relevant to the chosen topic.
• Human Subjects/IRB: Projects involving human subjects require IRB and DoD HRPO approval.
• Data Collection: For Army-specific studies, ARI can often assist with access to Soldier participants and administrative data.

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External Links

• Full BAA and application instructions on Grants.gov
• U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI)
• BAA Supporting Documents and Topic Notices
• System for Award Management (SAM) Registration
• ARI Research Areas and Contact List

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Contact Information

For topic-specific questions, refer to the individual topic notice or the BAA for the designated TPOC.

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