Funder: Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command
Due Dates: January 4, 2028 (final deadline) | Proposals accepted on a rolling basis until closing
Funding Amounts: No specified ceiling or floor; award size and duration vary by project and mechanism; multiple awards anticipated.
Summary: Supports applied research and technology development proposals that advance the Army’s data-driven analysis, modernization, and operational capabilities.
Key Information: Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a whitepaper and consult with a DAC Technical Point of Contact before preparing a full proposal.
Description
The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Analysis Center (DAC) seeks innovative applied research proposals to inform Army modernization and readiness through data-driven analysis, tool development, and technology advancement. This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is open to a wide range of research topics relevant to the DAC mission, including but not limited to analytics, modeling and simulation, decision science, and enabling technologies for Army operations.
Proposals should aim to deliver fundamentally advantageous change, rooted in scientific knowledge, that can enable new or improved Army technologies and operational capabilities. The DAC BAA is structured around research areas listed on the DAC BAA topics website, but applicants may also propose novel concepts that align with the DAC mission.
Due Dates
- Final closing date: January 4, 2028
- Rolling submissions: Proposals and whitepapers may be submitted at any time until the closing date.
- Amendments: Check Grants.gov and SAM.gov for updates to the BAA document. Research topics may be updated more frequently on the DAC BAA topics website.
Funding Amount
- Award size: No specified minimum or maximum; varies by project scope and mechanism.
- Award types: Procurement contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, Technology Investment Agreements (TIAs), and Other Transactions (OTs) for research or prototypes.
- Number of awards: Multiple awards anticipated; up to 1,000 possible.
- Cost sharing: Not required for most mechanisms; may be required for OTs or TIAs (typically 50/50 cost share).
Eligibility
- Eligible applicants:
- Institutions of higher education (domestic and foreign)
- Nonprofit organizations
- State and local governments
- For-profit organizations (large and small businesses)
- Foreign organizations and public entities
- Special notes:
- Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) and University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs) have additional requirements.
- International applicants are eligible.
- No cost sharing required except for certain award types (see BAA for details).
Application Process
1. Preliminary Inquiry (Strongly Encouraged)
- Contact the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) listed for your topic on the DAC BAA topics website to discuss alignment and funding availability.
2. Whitepaper Submission (Strongly Encouraged)
- Submit a brief (≤5 pages) whitepaper to the relevant TPOC.
- Whitepapers should outline objectives, innovation, approach, estimated cost, and qualifications.
- The TPOC will respond with “encouraged” or “not encouraged” to submit a full proposal.
3. Full Proposal Submission
- Proposals may be submitted at any time while the BAA is open, regardless of whitepaper outcome.
- Submission methods:
- Grants, cooperative agreements, and TIAs: Submit via Grants.gov using Workspace.
- Contracts and OTs: Submit via Grants.gov or email to DACBAA@army.mil.
- Required registrations: Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), active SAM registration.
- Proposal content: Cover page, technical description, budget, biographical sketches, current/pending support, facilities/resources, and required forms (see BAA for details).
- Forms and templates: Available at ARL BAA Forms.
4. Review and Selection
- Proposals are evaluated on scientific/technical merit, relevance to Army mission, and qualifications of the team.
- Peer review may include both government and non-government experts.
- Awards are subject to availability of funds and administrative review.
Additional Information
- Research topics: See the DAC BAA topics website for current areas of interest. Topics are suggestive, not limiting.
- Proposal types: Both topic-aligned and mission-aligned (novel) proposals are welcome.
- Reporting: Awardees must provide regular financial and technical reports.
- Compliance: Human subjects, animal use, export control, and other federal requirements apply as relevant.
- No reimbursement: Costs for whitepaper/proposal preparation are not reimbursed.
External Links
Contact Information