Fundamental Research to Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction

Amendment 2 Topics B1-B6

DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY
BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT
HDTRA1-25-S-0001
Amendment 3
Posted January 22, 2026
Research and Development Directorate (RD)
Chemical and Biological Technologies Department (RD-CB)
Fundamental Research to Counter Weapons
of Mass Destruction (C-WMD)
Original Posting Date: 1 October 2024
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION NO. PAGE NO.
OVERVIEW INFORMATION .................................................................................................3
1. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION .......................................................................5
2. AWARD INFORMATION .....................................................................................................6
3. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION ............................................................................................8
4. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION .....................................................10
5. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION .......................................................................23
6. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION ...............................................................26
7. AGENCY CONTACTS ........................................................................................................36
8. OTHER INFORMATION .....................................................................................................36
ATTACHMENT 1: SPECIFIC TOPICS ...................................................................................37
ATTACHMENT 2: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ............................................................... 59
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OVERVIEW INFORMATION
Agency Name:
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
Research and Development (RD) Directorate
Chemical and Biological Technologies Department (CB)
8725 John J. Kingman Road, MS 6201
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6201
Funding Opportunity Title: Fundamental Research to Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction
(FRCWMD) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)
Announcement Type: This is the initial announcement of this funding opportunity. This BAA
is in effect from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2034. It is anticipated that a majority of
the actions funded from this announcement will be in the form of grants; however, other
instruments such as cooperative agreements (CAs) or other transactions (OTs) for research may
also be awarded from this announcement. No contracts will be awarded from this
announcement. Submissions for this BAA may occur in two ways: 1) in response to the
published topics detailed in Attachment 1 or 2) to a general thrust area as described in Section
1.5.
In general, all topic-specific and general thrust area submissions require pre-coordination in
accordance with the guidelines in Section 1.5 and Section 4.2.1. DTRA reserves the right to
waive the pre-coordination requirement for topics on a case-by-case basis; and will state the
waiver applies within the individual topic description. If a pre-application white paper is
received without prior coordination, DTRA may not review it. From the date of the disposition
email the applicant has 45 calendar days to submit the pre-application white paper. If the
submission is not feasible within this 45 calendar day window, the abstract must be coordinated
again to ensure the interest in the white paper remains.
The evaluation of all submissions will be conducted in two phases. Phase I is for receipt and
evaluation of pre-application white papers in direct response to a published topic or by invitation
based on the assessment of the idea by the Technical POC. Phase II is for receipt and evaluation
of invited proposal applications. Invitation to the Phase II, invited proposal submission, will be
based on the evaluation results of the Phase I pre-application white paper.
Funding Opportunity Number: HDTRA1-25-S-0001
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 12.351
Dates: This BAA is open continuously from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2034.
Published topics will include instructions on any topic-specific opening and closing dates as well
as any topic-specific limitations on award types, dollar values, and eligibility. Submissions to a
general thrust area may occur at any time this BAA is in effect. Applicants should take care to
note requirements for pre-coordination of an abstract.
ADDITIONAL OVERVIEW CONTENT
Research, educational program, or other effort proposals are sought from accredited degree-
granting colleges and universities. Research, educational program, or other effort proposals are
also sought from industrial, commercial (including small businesses), and not-for-profit research
entities. DTRA strongly encourages and may give preference to pre-application white papers
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and proposals that demonstrate a significant contribution (significant is defined as a minimum of
30% of total value) by one (1) or more universities.
All submissions (pre-application white papers and invited proposals) must be made in
accordance with the submission instructions in this BAA through www.grants.gov using the
application packages linked with this BAA (under the “Package” tab) on www.grants.gov.
Applicants are responsible for ensuring compliant and final submission of their pre-application
white papers and proposal applications. Any submission that does not conform to the
requirements outlined in the BAA and in the invitation for proposal may not be reviewed or
considered further at the discretion of DTRA.
Pre-application white papers may be evaluated any time after receipt. Invitations for full
proposal submission may occur any time after the pre-application white paper evaluation and
will be limited to available program funds.
Efforts may be proposed for up to five (5) years. Awards may be for a base period of one (1)
year with four (4) additional years as possible options, a base period of two (2) years with three
(3) additional years as possible options, or a base period of three (3) years with two (2) additional
years as possible options. Applicants should take care to propose the most logical mix of base
and option years for the scope of work. Further, the base period should yield a logical
completion point for the work. In cases where option years are proposed, decisions regarding
exercising those options will be based on the evaluation of the work accomplished in the base
period. Pre-application white papers and proposals that outline scope and effort for only the base
period and do not propose options are also acceptable; however, the Government reserves the
right to invite option years for awards that originally only included a base period.
Grants may range from small dollar value (e.g., $25K) up to $1M annually (total, including both
direct and indirect costs) depending on the nature and the scope of work. Payments on grants
will be made in advance, subject to the conditions described in 2 CFR 200.305. Funding
amounts for CAs, and other assistance instruments will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Thirty 30 individual awards are anticipated each year.
Any assistance instrument awarded under this announcement will be governed by the award
terms and conditions, which conform to DoD's implementation of OMB circulars applicable to
financial assistance. This includes DoD implementation of OMB guidance in 2 CFR part 200,
"Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal
Awards."
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1. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
1.1. DTRA safeguards America and its allies from weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and
provides capabilities to reduce, eliminate, and counter the threat and effects from chemical,
biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosives. DTRA seeks to identify, adopt, and
adapt emerging, existing, and revolutionary sciences that may demonstrate high payoff potential
to Counter-WMD (C-WMD) threats. This BAA is an extramural endeavor that combines the
fundamental research, educational program, or other effort needs appropriate for basic or applied
research funding of DTRA and other DoD interests.
This announcement solicits ideas and topic-based pre-application white papers for long-term
challenges that offer a significant contribution: to the current body of knowledge, to the
understanding of phenomena and observable facts, to significantly advance revolutionary
technology, to new concepts for technology application, or that may have impact on future C-
WMD threat reduction, expertise, or capabilities.
A portion of this effort is expected to be devoted to awards for science, technology, engineering
and mathematics education programs with a C-WMD focus, such as, but not limited to
postdoctoral fellowships, stipends, degrees, visiting scientist programs, student exchange
programs, and development of accredited C-WMD curricula.
1.2. Fundamental research means basic and applied research in science and engineering, the
results of which ordinarily are published and shared broadly within the scientific community, as
distinguished from proprietary research and from industrial development, design, production,
and product utilization, the results of which ordinarily are restricted for proprietary or national
security reasons.
Fundamental Research includes research performed under grants, CAs, or OTs that are (a)
funded by budget Category 6.1 (Basic Research), whether performed by universities or industry
or (b) funded by budget Category 6.2 (Applied Research) performed on-campus at a university.
Fundamental research provides for science and technology (S&T) research and early applied
development. It seeks to lower performance risk to a manageable level and facilitate transition
and funding to capability end-state programs.
1.3. Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) provide a systematic metric/measurement system
that supports assessments of the maturity of a particular technology and the consistent
comparison of maturity between different types of technology. Fundamental research may be
defined within the first four (4) TRLs.
1.4. This BAA seeks optimum approaches to meet DTRA fundamental research objectives.
The Government encourages pre-application white papers and proposals that span a wide
spectrum of research to expand fundamental scientific knowledge in response to specific topics
and to the more general thrust area. The Government reserves the right to award any
combination of approaches which offer the best overall value to the Government and to oversee
any and all processes and approaches once ongoing.
1.5. Thrust Area 1 is described below. When a specific set of topics has been identified, these
detailed needs will be described in Attachment 1 along with any topic-specific submission
instructions, deadlines, anticipated award structure, and funding requirements. Otherwise, pre-
application white papers and proposals may be written against one of the general thrust area
descriptions.
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DTRA may not review any pre-application white papers without prior coordination of the idea
with the appropriate thrust area- e-mail address (Section 7). Applicants should note that there is
extremely limited funding available for no-topic submissions; Pre-application white papers will
only be accepted from the coordinated abstracts under limited circumstances.
Thrust Area 1— Fundamental Science for Chemical and Biological Defense:
Fundamental science for chemical and biological (CB) defense includes science and technology
research that advances knowledge in physical and life sciences to defend and counter chemical
and biological WMD that could be used against our Nation’s warfighters. Fundamental research
efforts enable capabilities such as development of improved detection devices for traditional and
nontraditional chemical agents; development of diagnostics for existing and emerging infectious
disease threats; increasing knowledge and improved capabilities for development of new or
improved medical and material countermeasures to CB threats for both pre- and post-exposure
scenarios; enhanced personal protection against, modeling of, prevention of, or decontamination
of CB threats; and providing effective elimination strategies via non-kinetic approaches for
threat agent destruction, neutralization and/or sequestration.
1.6. This BAA, in addition to any amendments issued in conjunction with this BAA, will be
posted to the Grant Opportunities Website (https://www.grants.gov) and the System for Award
Management website (https://sam.gov/).Applicants are responsible for monitoring both
sam.gov and www.grants.gov. Posted amendments supersede all previous versions of the
BAA. Note that topics will be listed in Attachment 1 and will be added/closed with
Amendments to this BAA.
1.7. All coordination and communication between applicants and the Government will be
conducted using the e-mail address associated with this BAA, specified in Section 7. Applicants
should include both the administrative email and the relevant thrust area email address. DTRA
will not release employee personal contact information.
2. AWARD INFORMATION
2.1. Award Types. The full range of flexible assistance instruments available to DTRA are
possible results from this announcement, including but not limited to grants, CAs, and OTs;
however, grants will likely be the predominant procurement instrument. Each of the applicable
assistance instruments offer different advantages, liabilities and responsibilities for applicants
and the Government.
Applicants must specify in their submittal their recommended approach (e.g. grant, CA, or OT);
however, the Government reserves the right to negotiate and award the types of assistance
instruments determined most appropriate under the circumstances. If warranted, portions of
resulting awards may be segregated into pre-priced options.
Except for OTs, the Government actions under this BAA shall adhere to the requirements of the
DoD Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARS), as appropriate for the type of instrument.
DoDGARs can be accessed online at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-
idx?SID=e5d686f6760f3274b3368f36723fbb7e&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title32/32CIsubcha
pC.tpl . See also 32 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 22, which can be accessed online at
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http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?rgn=div5;node=32%3A1.1.1.3.16 . Any assistance
instrument awarded under this announcement will be governed by the award terms and
conditions, which conform to DoD's implementation of OMB circulars applicable to financial
assistance.
2.2. Scope of Awards. Awards may range from focused, exploratory projects with a high risk
approach in innovative research in subjects with potential for high impact to C-WMD science to
comprehensive programs of innovative research in an interdisciplinary area with potential for
high impact.
Awards may have multiple Co-Principal Investigators (Co-PIs) and subawards. Authors of pre-
application white papers and proposals should detail the contribution of all Co-PIs and any
subawards to the C-WMD scientific impact.
Preference will be given to projects where undergraduate and/or graduate students, and/or
postgraduate students are supported by the awards. Details regarding the participation of the
students and the value of the research to the students as part of the pre-application white paper
and full proposal are expected. Additional guidance regarding student and/or postgraduate
student participation may be provided in the published topics or in communications with the
applicant to include the coordination of the abstract or in the debrief summary of the pre-
application white paper. Any specific guidance provided in a topic or to an applicant supersedes
the information provided herein.
2.3. Subawards. Subawards (subgrants) are permitted. Subawards may be used to carry out a
portion of the research or efforts. Awards may have multiple subawards. Awards will be made
by a single award, e.g., grant to the lead organization. All subawards are the responsibility of the
award recipient; exceptions will not be made.
DTRA will review and consider the proposed subawards for all pre-application white papers and
proposals on a case-by-case basis. The prime awardee will be responsible for transferring funds
to the subawardee. Applicants are reminded that priority is given to projects with the main locus
of activity in the region-of-interest, so budgets should be allocated accordingly. Preference will
be given to proposals where the subaward component to the region-of-interest partner(s)
represents more than half of the award value (as measured in U.S. dollars).
2.4. Award Values. Grants resulting from submissions to Thrust Area 1, including topics
associated with the thrust area, may range from small dollar value (e.g., $25K) up to $1M
annually (total, including both direct and indirect costs) depending on the nature and the scope of
work. CAs, and OTs will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All awards are subject to the
availability of funds. Additional guidance regarding award values may be provided in the
published topics or in communications with the applicant to include the coordination of the
abstract or in the debrief summary of the pre-application white paper. Any specific guidance
provided in a topic or to an applicant supersedes the information provided herein. Funding for
participation in this program is highly competitive and the cost of proposed research should
strictly be maintained as detailed herein or as indicated in the invitation instructions.
2.5. Period of Performance and Award Structure. Efforts for Thrust Area 1, including topics
associated with the thrust area, may be proposed for up to five (5) years. Awards may be for a
base period of one (1) year with four (4) additional years as possible options, a base period of
two (2) years with three (3) additional years as possible options, or a base period of three (3)
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years with two (2) additional years as possible options. Additional guidance regarding award
structure may be provided in the published topics or in communications with the applicant to
include the coordination of the abstract or in the debrief summary of the pre-application white
paper. Any specific guidance provided in a topic or to an applicant supersedes the information
provided herein.
Applicants should take care to propose the most logical mix of base and option years for the
scope of work. Further, the base period should yield a logical completion point for the work. In
cases where option years are proposed, decisions regarding exercising those options will be
based on the evaluation of the work accomplished in the base period.
DTRA is flexible on the award structure unless otherwise specified in the published topics or in
communications with the applicant to include the coordination of the abstract or in the debrief
summary of the pre-application white paper. Applicants should take care to clearly label the
tasks and anticipated outcomes for the base and option years in the pre-application white papers
and the proposals. Pre-application white papers and proposals that outline scope and effort for
only the base period and do not propose options are also acceptable; however, the Government
reserves the right to invite option years for awards that were originally awarded with only a base
period.
2.6. The Government Accountability Office, in its report GAO-16-14, WOMEN IN STEM
RESEARCH: Better Data and Information Sharing Could Improve Oversight of Federal Grant-
making and Title IX Compliance, December 3, 2015, recommended that the DoD collect certain
demographic and career information to be able to assess the success rates of women who are
proposed for key roles in applications in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics
disciplines. To enable this assessment, DTRA will include with each Phase II application
package the Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) form and the Research
and Related Personal Data form.
2.7. The Government does not anticipate the need to provide any hardware or software to
execute the proposed research. However, DTRA will review and consider any
hardware/software requests for all pre-application white papers and proposals on a case-by-case
basis.
2.8. The Government reserves the right to fund all, some, or none of the proposals submitted;
may elect to fund only part of any or all proposals; and may incrementally fund any or all awards
under this BAA. The Government also reserves the right to request applicants make any changes
necessary to submitted full proposals to increase the feasibility of making the proposal fundable.
Applicants may decline to participate in any revisions to application packages requested by
DTRA.
3. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
3.1. Pre-application white papers and proposals submitted for this BAA will be considered
from the following U.S. and Foreign Institutions as follows:
• Accredited degree-granting colleges, universities, and academic institutions.
• Industrial and commercial entities, including small businesses.
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• Not-for-profit entities with a portfolio predominantly in research. For foreign-based
establishments entirely based outside the U.S. and/or its territories, proof of not-for-profit
status may be required.
• Foreign government laboratories. Foreign based government laboratory equivalents include
those residing in the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture,
Ministry of Education and Science and Food Safety Agencies.
DTRA strongly encourages and may give preference to pre-application white papers and
proposals that demonstrate a significant contribution (significant is defined as a minimum of
30% of total value) by one (1) or more universities. Applicants should note that university
participation may be mandatory for some published topics. Additional guidance regarding
university participation may be provided in the published topics or in communications with the
applicant to include the coordination of the abstract or in the debrief summary of the pre-
application white paper. Any specific guidance provided in a topic or to an applicant supersedes
the information provided herein.
The following entities may not participate as prime awardees nor furnish Principal Investigators
(PIs) in awards made under this BAA but may act as collaborators, including as Co-PIs, and/or
subawardees:
• Federal Academic organizations (e.g., Naval Postgraduate School).
• Federal laboratories (including DoD and Department of Energy (DOE)).
• U.S. Government agencies.
• DoD-sponsored Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) specified
in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 235.017-1
(https://www.acquisition.gov/dfars/235.017-1-sponsoring-agreements) and click on
‘DFARS Part 35’.
• DOE-sponsored FFRDCs.
Note: Federal laboratories (including DoD and DOE) and FFRDCs are eligible to submit
abstracts (when required), pre-application white papers, and proposals in response to the
Government Call (HDTRA1-25-34-FRCWMD-Call). However, a FFRDC (other than the DoD
FFRDCs specified in DFARS 235.017-1) must have authorization from its sponsoring agency in
accordance with FAR 35.017-1. Eligibility requirements under the Call are subject to change.
See http://www.dtrasubmission.net and after logging in, follow the link to the ‘FY25-34
Fundamental Research to Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (C-WMD) Government Call’.
3.2. Cost Sharing or Matching. In general, cost sharing or matching is not required for
applications to this announcement. However, DTRA reserves the right to require cost sharing or
matching on a case-by-case basis. Such instances will be specifically detailed in the published
topics or in communications with the applicant to include the coordination of the abstract or in
the debrief summary of the pre-application white paper.
3.3. Other. DTRA uses the System for Award Management (SAM) to exclude recipients
ineligible to receive Federal awards. SAM can be accessed online at http://sam.gov (Reference 2
CFR 1125).
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4. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
4.1. Address to Request Application Package. This announcement contains all information
required to submit a pre-application white paper and invited proposal.
The required application packages for the pre-application white papers and for the invited
proposals are posted with this announcement. Note that each thrust area (as outlined in Section
1.6) and each topic (as outlined in Attachment 1) has a unique application package posted with
this BAA. The application package corresponding to both: a.) the thrust area or topic of interest
and b.) the phase, should be used for submission of pre-application white papers and invited full
proposals.
The application packages posted to www.grants.gov consist of the forms as detailed in
Table 1.
Form Name Phase I Pre-Application Phase II Invited
White Paper Proposal
SF-424 (R&R) Application for Federal Required Required
Assistance Form
RR Budget Form N/A Required
R&R Subaward Budget Attachment(s) N/A If Applicable
Form(s)
Research & Related Senior/Key Person N/A Required
Profile Form (Expanded)
RR Personal Data N/A Required
Research & Related Other Project N/A Required
Information
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) N/A If Applicable
Attachments Form N/A Required
Table 1: Forms. The instructions for completing each of these forms may be found online at the following web
link: https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424- family
4.2. Content and Form of Application Submission. Submissions for this BAA will be
conducted in two phases. Phase I is for receipt of pre-application white papers. Phase II is for
receipt of invited proposal applications. Invitation to the Phase II proposal submission will be
based on the evaluation results of the Phase I pre-application white paper.
The predominance of efforts, including all submissions to the thrust area and some
submissions to topics posted in Attachment 1, as noted within the topic, must be coordinated
with the relevant technical point of contact (POC) for the appropriate thrust area prior to
submission of a pre-application white paper; an e-mail for the DTRA technical POCs for Thrust
Area 1 are provided in Section 7. Coordination of research ideas and efforts must be
accomplished via these email addresses, except in cases where a topic specifically states that pre-
coordination is not required, and includes submission of an abstract (recommend less than 250
words) of the proposed project/effort or a paragraph description of the proposed project/effort to
the email address in Section 7 and a reply email from the relevant email address in Section 7
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with the disposition to the applicant. Pre-coordination may not be accomplished with email
addresses other than those listed in Section 7. DTRA will not review white papers without prior
coordination. Please note that attachments to e-mails may not be reviewed.
Applicants should note that there is extremely limited funding available for the general thrust
area. Pre-application white papers will only be accepted from the coordinated abstracts under
very limited circumstances.
Topics may be posted in Attachment 1 of this announcement that may not require pre-
coordination of an abstract. Please review the topics carefully.
Pre-application white papers and invited proposals must be submitted electronically
using www.grants.gov and the corresponding application packages linked with this BAA on
www.grants.gov (under the “Packages” tab). All applications, including all supporting
documents, must be submitted in the English language.
Applicants are responsible for ensuring compliant and final submission of their Phase I pre-
application white paper and Phase II invited proposal application. Note that this also applies to
applicants using third party systems to submit application packages and attachments. Any
submission that does not conform to the requirements outlined in the BAA and in the invitation
for proposal may not be reviewed or considered further at the discretion of DTRA.
DTRA will not review any of the following:
• Pre-application white papers that are not pre-coordinated as required
• Pre-application white papers and proposals that are not submitted in the English language.
• Pre-application white papers that are submitted to topics that have been previously closed via
an amendment to the BAA.
• Application packages and proposals for Phase II submissions that were not invited.
Exceptions WILL NOT be made under any circumstances.
Phase I Pre-Application White Paper Submission and Content. Each pre-application
white paper must address only one thrust area or topic. Each pre-application white paper must
use the corresponding thrust area or topic application package.
Each Phase I application package contains the following forms:
Form Attachment Action
SF-424 (R&R) Application for Up to four (4) page white Enter the appropriate information in
Federal Assistance Form paper data fields
Table 2: Phase I Pre-Application White Paper Package Chart.
Each Phase I application resubmission package contains the SF 424 (R&R) Application for
Federal Assistance. To be considered a complete package, an up to four (4) page white paper is
required to be uploaded as an attachment to the SF 424 (R&R).
DTRA-specific instructions for completing the SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal
Assistance are below, general application instructions can be found on www.grants.gov:
• Block 1 – Type of Submission. Applicants should indicate the Phase I submission is a “Pre-
Application.”
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• Block 2.1 – Applicant Identifier. Not applicable.
• Block 3 – Date Received by State. Not applicable.
• Block 3.1 – State Application Identifier. Not applicable.
• Block 5 – Applicant Information. You must provide a Business Office Point of Contact
(BPOC) with an e-mail address.
• Block 19 – Authorized Representative. The “signature of AOR” is not an actual signature
and is automatically completed upon submission of the electronic application package. Hard
copies or email attachments of applications will not be accepted.
• Block 20 – Pre-application. Must be used to attach an up to four (4) page white paper. The
white paper itself should provide sufficient information on the research being proposed (e.g.,
the hypothesis, theories, concepts, approaches, data measurements and analysis, etc.) to allow
for an assessment by a technical expert.
Any pages submitted for the white paper that exceed the limit of four pages will not be read or
evaluated. A page is defined as 8 ½ x 11 inches, single-spaced, with one-inch margins in type
not smaller than 12 point Times New Roman font. The white paper must be provided in portrait
layout.
At minimum, the white paper should address the following:
• A project abstract, which should be concise (less than 250 words), provide a summary of the
proposed work, and demonstrate relevance to the topic being addressed. The abstract should
not contain any proprietary data or markings.
• Potential scientific impact to provide greater knowledge or understanding of the fundamental
aspects of phenomena and of observable facts, including how the research contributes to the
C-WMD science needs outlined in the thrust area or topic.
• The impact of the research on C-WMD science must be clearly delineated.
• Cost estimate by year and total dollars required to accomplish the research as presented in the
white paper (no details or breakout of costs is required).
• Potential team and management plan, including details on student involvement.
• Multidisciplinary white papers should carefully detail each of the institutions/departments
involved and the contribution that will be made by each of the investigators.
• Do NOT include corporate or personnel qualifications, past experience, or any supplemental
information with the white paper. References may be included within the 4-page limit at the
discretion of the applicant; however, extensive references are not required.
• The thrust area or the topic should be included as a header on the white paper attachment and
referenced in the text of the white paper.
Phase I Pre-Application White Paper Re-Submission and Content. On a limited basis a
second pre-application white paper may be submitted without pre-coordination of an abstract.
These re-submissions will be based on the review of the original pre-application white paper and
will be allowed when changes to the project scope, technical approach, and/or cost are
envisioned for any potential full proposals. Revised pre-application white papers must conform
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to the standards for the pre-application white papers detailed in Section 4.2.4.
All submissions should be made with the appropriate Phase I application package which contains
the following form:
Form Attachment Action
SF-424 (R&R) Application for Up to four (4) page white Enter the appropriate information in
Federal Assistance Form paper data fields
Table 3: Phase I Pre-Application White Paper Package Chart.
Each Phase I application package contains the SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance.
To be considered a complete package, an up to four (4) page white paper is required to be
uploaded as an attachment to the SF 424 (R&R).
The DTRA-specific instructions for completing the SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal
Assistance are the same as for the original pre-application white paper submission except for the
following:
• Block 1 – Type of Submission. Applicants should indicate the Phase I re-submission is a
“Changed/Corrected Application.”
• Block 4c – Previous Grants.gov Tracking ID. Enter the Phase I Grant ID for the original
submission.
At minimum, the revised white paper should address the issues and questions detailed in the
debrief summary.
Phase II - Invited Proposal Submission and Content. Each proposal must address only
the thrust area or topic for which it was invited. The application package corresponding to the
thrust area or topic of interest should be used for submission of invited full proposals.
Each Phase II application package contains the following forms and attachments:
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Form Attachment Action
SF-424 (R&R)
Enter the appropriate information in
Application for Federal N/A
data fields
Assistance Form
Budget Justification for entire Attach to Section K in budget period
RR Budget Form
performance period one
RR Sub-award Budget
Attach a separate budget with
Attachment(s) Form (if Individual sub-award budgets
justification for each sub-award
applicable)
PI Biographical Sketch Attach to Biographical Sketch field
Attach to Current & Pending Support
Research & Related PI Current/Pending Support field
Senior/Key Person Profile
Key Personnel Biographical Attach to Biographical Sketch field for
Form
Sketches each senior/key person
Key Personnel Current/Pending Attach to Current & Pending Support
Support field for each senior/key person
Enter the appropriate information in
RR Personal Data Form N/A
data fields
Publically Releasable Proposal Attach to Block 7
Research & Related Other Summary/ Abstract Project Summary/ Abstract
Project Information Form Project Narrative/Technical Attach to Block 8
Proposal Project Narrative
Disclosure of Lobbying
Activities (SF-LLL) (if N/A Enter the appropriate information
applicable)
Attachment 1 – SOW Upload as Attachment 1
Attachments Form
Attachment 2 – Quad Chart Upload as Attachment 2
Table 4: Phase II Proposal Package Forms and Attachments.
DTRA reserves the right to consider incomplete application packages and required attachments
and to request any missing information via email. Should the applicant fail to provide all the
requested information either as part of the www.grants.gov submission or in response to email
requests from DTRA, at their discretion, DTRA may not consider the proposal further.
SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance: DTRA-specific instructions for completing
the SF 424 (R&R) are below. General application instructions can be found on www.grants.gov:
Block 1 – Type of Submission. Applicants should indicate the Phase II submission is an
“Application.”
Block 2.1 – Applicant Identifier. Not applicable.
Block 3 – Date Received by State. Not applicable.
Block 3.1 – State Application Identifier. Not applicable.
Block 4b – Agency Routing Identifier. Enter the corresponding Phase I Grant ID. If
resubmissions were involved, enter the Grant ID for the last submission.
Block 5 – Applicant Information. You must provide a Business Office Point of Contact (BPOC)
with an e-mail address.
Block 17 – Regarding Disclosure of Funding Sources. By checking "I Agree" you agree to abide
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by the following statement: "By signing this application, I certify the proposing entity is in
compliance with Section 223(a) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 which requires that: (a) the PI and other key personnel
certify that the current and pending support provided on the proposal is current, accurate and
complete; (B) agree to update such disclosure at the request of the agency prior to the award of
support and at any subsequent time the agency determines appropriate during the term of the
award; and (c) the PI and other key personnel have been made aware of the requirements under
Section 223(a)(1) of this Act. I am aware that any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or
claims may subject me to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties. (U.S. code, Title 18,
Section 1001).”
Block 19 – Authorized Representative. The “signature of AOR” is not an actual signature and is
automatically completed upon submission of the electronic application package.
RR Budget Form: The Research and Related Budget Form provided as part of the application
package for the Phase II submission should be filled out in its entirety for each project year
proposed. Applicants are responsible for ensuring appropriate, approved rates are used in their
budget forms. When notified of selection applicants will be requested to provide their current
rate agreement and the rate agreement of their subcontractor(s), if applicable. Applicants should
note that in accordance with 32 CFR 22.205(b), grants shall not provide for the payment of fee or
profit to the recipient. Applicants should also carefully review Section 4.5.4 to appropriately
evaluate inclusion of Value Added Tax (VAT) or other taxes for assistance awards.
Applicants should plan and budget for travel to accommodate the two meetings outlined below:
• National Conferences/Workshops/Symposia: Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a
nationally recognized conference, workshop, or symposium in the field of research each
calendar year (1 at minimum). Research should be presented as soon as adequate data are
available to support posters and presentations. Conferences/workshops/symposia should be
attended by the PI and students supporting the research, as appropriate.
• Annual Technical Review: Applicants should plan to attend an annual technical program
review meeting. For planning purposes, the review may be from one to five days and will
be held in Northern Virginia or, at DTRA’s discretion, held on an online platform that
provides audio and video conferencing services.
Budget Justification: Applicants are required to submit a budget justification. The budget
justification should be prepared as outlined in the instructions for the Research and Related
Budget Form and uploaded as an attachment to Section K “Budget Justification” of the Research
and Related Budget Form. The budget justification does not have a page limit but should include
sufficiently detailed information for meaningful evaluation. In addition, the budget justification
must specifically address subaward costs and type to include the portion of work to be
subawarded with a supporting rationale. The budget justification should include a discussion of
how the subawardee(s) cost was determined to be fair and reasonable. The budget justification
must specifically address VAT and other taxes in accordance with Section 4.5.4.
RR Subaward Budget Attachment(s) Form (if applicable): Detailed cost estimates are required
for each proposed subaward. The cost estimate for the subawards should include sufficiently
detailed information for meaningful evaluation, including labor rates and indirect cost rates.
Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile Form (Expanded): The Research and Related
Senior/Key Person Profile Form (Expanded) should be completed in its entirety for each of the
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PIs and Co-PIs on the project. The inclusion of additional personnel is at the discretion of the PI.
The Degree Type and Degree Year fields will be used by DoD as the source for career
information to assess the success rates of women. In addition to the required fields on the form,
applicants should complete these two fields for all individuals that are identified as senior or key
persons.
A biographical sketch is required for each PI and Co-PI on the project. DTRA does not have a
preference for the format of the biographical sketch; however, it should be limited to 1 page per
person. The biographical sketch should be uploaded as an attachment to the corresponding field
on the Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile Form.
Additionally, a statement of current and pending support must be provided for each of the key
personnel (e.g., PI and Co-PI) on the project. This statement must include the following items
and requires disclosure of all grants through which each of the key personnel is currently
receiving or may potentially receive financial support:
• A list of all current projects the individual is working on, in addition to any future support the
individual has applied to receive, regardless of the source.
• Title and objectives of the other research projects.
• The percentage per year to be devoted to the other projects.
• The total amount of support the individual is receiving in connection to each of the other
research projects or will receive if other proposals are awarded.
• Name and address of the agencies and/or other parties supporting the other research projects.
• Period of performance for the other research projects.
Applicants should note that in accordance with the instructions for completion of the SF 424,
checking of Block 17 is required. Further, applicants should note that by checking block 17 and
submitting an application package, you agree to abide by the following statement: "By signing
this application, I certify the proposing entity is in compliance with Section 223(a) of the
William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 which
requires that: (a) the PI and other key personnel certify that the current and pending support
provided on the proposal is current, accurate and complete; (B) agree to update such disclosure
at the request of the agency prior to the award of support and at any subsequent time the agency
determines appropriate during the term of the award; and (c) the PI and other key personnel have
been made aware of the requirements under Section 223(a)(1) of this Act. I am aware that any
false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or claims may subject me to criminal, civil, or
administrative penalties. (U.S. code, Title 18, Section 1001).”
RR Personal Data Form: This form will be used by DoD as the source of demographic
information, such as gender, race, ethnicity, and disability information for the PI and Co-PI(s).
Each application must include this form with the name fields of the PI and any Co-PI(s)
completed; however, provision of the demographic information in the form is voluntary. The
demographic information, if provided, will be used for statistical purposes only and will not be
made available to merit reviewers. Applicants who do not wish to provide some or all of the
information should check or select the “Do not wish to provide” option.
Research and Related Other Project Information Form:
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Block 7 – Project Summary/Abstract. To fulfill the requirements of Section 8123 of the Defense
Appropriations Act, which states: “The Secretary of Defense shall post grant awards on a public
Web site in a searchable format,” DTRA will collect and post via the Defense Technical
Information Center (DTIC) basic information about all awards made under this BAA. The
information posted will include the abstract submitted to Block 7 of this form.
The uploaded project abstract should be less than one page and provide a summary of the
proposed work and demonstrate relevance to the topic being addressed. Most importantly, the
abstract must be written such that the general public may easily understand the potential
scientific contribution and the impact of the research. The header of this uploaded document
must contain the following statement:
“This publicly releasable abstract is provided to DTRA for use in fulfillment of
Section 8123 of the Defense Appropriations Act and future versions of the same.”
The abstract absolutely must not contain any proprietary data or markings.
Block 8 – Project Narrative (Technical Proposal). The uploaded technical proposal must not
exceed 20 pages (including references). If the proposal exceeds 20 pages, only the first 20 pages
will be reviewed. A page is defined as 8 ½ x 11 inches, single-spaced, with one-inch margins in
type not smaller than 12-point Times New Roman font. The technical proposal must be provided
in portrait layout.
The project narrative (technical proposal) must include the following components:
• Abstract. Should be a technical project abstract that is distinct from the Project
Summary/Abstract that is attached to Block 7.
• Scope.
• Objective. A clear and concise objective of the proposed project.
• Background. Provide the necessary technical and scientific background to support the
scientific and/or technical merit of the proposed project.
• Programmatics. Describe your organization’s management plan for the proposed project;
list supporting and collaborating centers, and the roles/responsibilities of each identified
academic and/or industrial subcontractor supporting the project. Authors of multidisciplinary
proposals must take great care to clearly outline the impact to C-WMD science that is to be
gained from the investment and justify the scientific contribution from each investigator.
• Relevance. Describe the relevance of the proposed project in terms of advancing the state of
the science and the anticipated scientific impact on capabilities to potentially reduce,
eliminate, counter, provide greater knowledge or understanding of the threat, and mitigate the
effects of WMD fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts.
• Credentials. Describe the PI’s qualifications and the organization’s qualifications to perform
the proposed work. Summarize the credentials of the primary performing center and
supporting academic and industrial partners to perform the work. Describe specific examples
of equipment and/or facilities available to perform the proposed work. Focus on information
directly relevant to the proposed work.
• Work to be Performed. Provide details of the work to be performed by task and subtask.
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Tasks must be grouped by project year; base and option years should be clearly labeled.
Additional details that are required include the following:
• Protection of Human Subjects. For full discussion, see Section 6.2.2. If the proposed
work involves human subjects or the use of human anatomical substances (e.g.,
biospecimens, blood, tissue, cell lines), either living or post-mortem, applicants are
required to: a) justify and b) outline the use, and c) include the source of the human
subjects, human biospecimens and/or human data involved in the research. The DTRA
Research Oversight Board (ROB) will provide ongoing oversight throughout the duration
of the effort to ensure proper approvals are in place. Further information will be required
if the proposal is selected for award.
• Animal Use. For full discussion, see Section 6.2.3. If the proposed work involves the
use of animals, applicants are required to: a) justify and b) include detailed information
on the use of animals, and c) include the location(s) of where the animal work is to be
performed. The DTRA Research Oversight Board (ROB) will provide ongoing oversight
throughout the duration of the effort to ensure proper approvals are in place. Further
information will be required if the proposal is selected for award.
• Performance Schedule. Provide a table of tasks and sub-tasks and the duration of
performance of each in a Gantt or other suitably formatted chart.
• References. List any relevant documents referenced.
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) Form: The Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
Standard Form-LLL, if applicable, should be completed.
Attachments Form: The attachments form should be used to include the following three items
with the application:
Attachment 1 – SOW. The SOW does not have a page limit but should be approximately 3-5
pages in length for incorporation into an award document. The SOW should not contain any
proprietary data or markings. Pages should be numbered, and the initial page should have a date
(document date) shown under the title (the title of the SOW should match that of the proposal).
The proposed SOW must accurately describe the research to be performed. The proposed SOW
must also contain a summary description of the technical methodology as well as the task
description, but not in so much detail as to make the SOW inflexible. The SOW format/guidance
is as follows:
• Objective: Brief overview of the specialty area. Describe why the research is being pursued
and what knowledge is being sought.
• Scope: Include a statement of what the SOW covers including the research area to be
investigated, objectives/goals, and major milestones and schedule for the effort.
• Background: The applicant must identify appropriate documents, including publications
that are applicable to the research to be performed. This section includes any information,
explanations, or constraints that are necessary to understand the hypothesis and scientific
impact on capabilities needed to reduce, eliminate, and counter the threat, and also mitigate
the effects of WMD. It may also include previously performed relevant research and
preliminary data.
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• Tasks/Scientific Goals: This section contains the detailed description of tasks which
represent the research to be performed. Thus, this portion of the SOW should be developed
in an orderly progression and presented in sufficient detail to establish the methodology and
feasibility of accomplishing the overall program goals. The work effort should be segregated
by performance period for all tasks to be performed and anticipated milestones realized in
that year (e.g., Year 1, Year 2, etc., should be detailed separately). Identify the major tasks in
separately numbered sub-paragraphs. Each major task should delineate, by subtask, the
research to be performed by year and number each task using the decimal system (e.g., 4.1,
4.1.1, 4.1.1.1, 4.2, etc.). The sequence of performance of tasks and achievement of
milestones must be presented by project year and task in the same sequence as in the Project
Narrative/Technical Proposal. The SOW must contain every task to be accomplished to
include a detailed schedule.
• The tasks must be definite, realistic, and clearly stated. Use “the awardee shall” whenever
the work statement expresses a provision that is binding. Use “should” or “may” whenever it
is necessary to express a declaration of purpose. Use active voice in describing work to be
performed. Do not use acronyms or abbreviations without spelling out acronyms and
abbreviations at the first use; place the abbreviation in parenthesis immediately following a
spelled-out phrase. If presentations/meetings are identified in your schedule, include the
following statement in your SOW: “Conduct presentations/meetings at times and places
specified in the grant schedule.”
Attachment 2 – Quad Chart. The quad chart must be presented on one (1) page. The quad
chart must not contain any proprietary data or markings. The quad chart must be provided in
landscape layout. The quad chart should be uploaded as “Attachment 2” of the Attachments
Form.
Phase II - Additional Information Requests by DTRA. A revised proposal may be
requested based on the review of the original proposal. Revised proposals will be requested
when changes to the project scope, technical approach, and/or cost are required before the
proposal could be further considered for an award. Applicants whose proposals are of interest to
DTRA may be contacted to provide additional information or to make requested revisions prior
to the final decision on funding. This request for further information may include revised
budgets or budget explanations, revised SOWs, and other information, as applicable, to the
proposed award. Additional instructions may be provided in the request for a revised proposal.
Applicants who are not responsive to Government requests for information in a timely manner,
defined as meeting Government deadlines established and communicated with the request and
not making satisfactory updates as requested, may be removed from award consideration.
Applicants may also be removed from award consideration if the applicant and the Government
fail to negotiate mutually agreeable terms within a reasonable period of time.
Re-submissions should be made with the appropriate Phase II application package for the thrust
area or topic of interest and should be completed in accordance with the instructions provided in
the notification email.
The DTRA-specific instructions for completing a proposal re-submission are the same as for the
original submission, except the SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance should be
marked as follows:
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• Block 1 – Type of Submission. Applicants should indicate the Phase II submission is a
“Changed/Corrected Application.”
• Block 4b – Agency Routing Identifier. Enter the corresponding Phase I Grant ID.
• Block 4c – Previous Grants.gov Tracking ID. Enter the Phase II Grant ID for the original
Phase II submission.
File Format. Documents should be uploaded as a Portable Document File (PDF) format.
Perform a virus check before uploading any files to www.grants.gov as part of your application
package. If a virus is detected, it may cause rejection of the file.
Do not lock or encrypt any files you upload to www.grants.gov as part of your application
package. Movie and sound file attachments will not be accepted.
All submissions must be completely UNRESTRICTED and UNCLASSIFIED;
submissions must not contain Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), other Proprietary
information or export-controlled information or be marked as such.
Confirmed Proposal Expiration Date. Applicants must provide written confirmation that
holds the proposal, to include proposed costs, firm for 180 calendar days after the submission due
date, as included in the invitation to submit a full proposal. This information must be included in
the text of the technical proposal.
Withdrawal of Proposals. Proposals may be withdrawn by written notice received at any
time before award. Withdrawals are effective upon receipt of notice by the Grants Officer via
the administrative e-mail address listed in Section 7.
4.3. Submission Dates and Times.
Coordination of abstracts may be accomplished at any time that this BAA is in effect, unless
otherwise stated as part of a specific topic. Once an applicant has been notified that a pre-
application white paper is welcomed, the white paper should be submitted within 45 calendar
days. If the white paper is not submitted within the 45 calendar day window, DTRA reserves
the right to require the applicant to re-initiate the process with another abstract coordination.
Pre-application white papers may be submitted anytime that this BAA is in effect (as long as it
occurs within the 45 calendar day window following pre-coordination of the abstract), unless
otherwise stated as part of a specific topic. Pre-application white papers may be evaluated at any
time after submission and invitations for full proposal submission may occur any time after pre-
application white paper evaluation. Note that proposal invitations may be limited to available
program funds.
The due date for the Phase II invited proposal submissions will be provided in the letter of
invitation. The applicant will not be allowed less than 45 calendar days to prepare a full
proposal submission; there is no penalty for early submissions. An extension for submission of
the Phase II proposal submission may be requested by emailing the administrative email address
in Section 7 prior to the deadline for the proposal submission. Full proposals may be evaluated
at any time after submission.
Applicants are responsible for submitting all materials to www.grants.gov. When sending
electronic files, the applicant should allow for potential delays in file transfer from the
originator’s computer server to the www.grants.gov website/computer server, as well as the
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delay associated with the www.grants.gov validation of applications, which may be up to 48
hours. Applicants are encouraged to submit their proposals early to avoid issues with file
transfers, rejection of applications by www.grants.gov, and delays due to high website demand.
Acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at the Government office includes
documentary and electronic evidence of receipt maintained by DTRA. Applicants should also
print, and maintain for their records, the electronic receipt following submission of a proposal to
www.grants.gov.
Applicants should note that DTRA uses a system that pulls applications from www.grants.gov en
masse, but this system does not mark applications as “retrieved” on www.grants.gov. As a
result, when applicants check the status on www.grants.gov the applications will always look
like they have not been retrieved by DTRA. Should you require confirmation of receipt by the
Agency, you may request such via the administrative email address provided in Section 7. Note
that such requests will generally be treated with low priority by the Agency.
Please note 15 U.S.C. 260a establishes daylight saving time as the standard time during the
daylight-saving period.
If the application package and required attachments are submitted to www.grants.gov after the
exact time and date specified in this announcement or in any written communications provided
by DTRA, the application may be considered "late" and may not be reviewed.
If an emergency or unanticipated event interrupts normal Government processes so that
proposals cannot be submitted to www.grants.gov by the exact time specified by DTRA
correspondence, the time specified for receipt of applications will be deemed to be extended to
the same time of day specified in the BAA or in the letter of invitation on the first work day on
which normal Government processes resume.
4.4. Intergovernmental Review. Not Applicable.
4.5. Other Submission Requirements.
Organizations must have an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration,
and Grants.gov account to apply for grants. Creating a Grants.gov account can be completed
online in minutes, but SAM registrations may take additional time. Therefore, an organization's
registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact the entity's ability to
meet required application submission deadlines.
All organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with the SAM and will
receive a unique entity identifier (UEI) number. Failure to register with SAM will prevent your
organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually.
For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM and Grants.gov, refer to:
https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration.
Compliance with Appendix A to 32 CFR 28. All awards require certifications of
compliance with Appendix A to 32 CFR 28 regarding lobbying. Proposers are certifying
compliance with this regulation by submitting the invited proposal. It is not necessary to include
the certification text with your invited proposal. If applicable, proposers should submit the
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) Form in accordance with Section 4.2.6.
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VAT and Other Taxes in Assistance Awards. Prior to proposal submission, the applicant
will require any supplier of goods or services to assess and verify potential VAT, excise duties,
and other tax implications to avoid the imposition of such charges with respect to the goods
and/or services in question to the maximum extent possible.
In instances where the supplier of goods or services is exempt from the VAT, excise duties, or
other taxes or is entitled to claim reimbursement thereof, the taxes must not be included in the
proposed cost of the award.
In instances where the supplier of goods or services is not exempt from the VAT, excise duties,
or other taxes or is not entitled to claim reimbursement thereof, the applicant must itemize the
VAT and/or other taxes in the proposal. Further, applicants are advised that prior to the award of
any grant or cooperative agreement, DTRA and the recipient will mutually agree upon the use of
DTRA funds for the VAT, excise duties, or other taxes, and project activities may be revised
accordingly. All applicants may include costs in their proposal to pay for VAT costs associated
with lodging, meals, and transportation for travel.
4.6. Applicants that Propose Use of OTs.
Recommended Award Instrument and Pricing Arrangement. Applicants that propose use
of OTs must provide a summary of their recommended procurement instrument and pricing
arrangement as part of the Phase II proposal. However, the Government reserves the right to
negotiate and award the types of instruments determined most appropriate under the
circumstances. It is anticipated that most instruments will be grants.
Representations and Certifications. Representations and Certifications must be
completed at the time of Phase II submission. The applicant must complete the annual
representations and certifications electronically via the System for Award Management (SAM)
website at https://sam.gov/. After reviewing their information, the applicant verifies by
submission of the application that the representations and certifications currently posted
electronically have been entered or updated within the last 12 months.
Organization Conflict of Interest Advisory. Certain post-employment restrictions on
former federal officers and employees may exist, including special Government employees
(including but not limited to 18 U.S.C § 207, the Procurement Integrity Act, 41 U.S.C. § 2101
et.seq). If a prospective applicant believes that a conflict of interest exists, the situation should
be raised to the DTRA Grant Officer before time and effort are expended in preparing a
proposal. All applicants and proposed sub-awardees must therefore affirmatively state whether
they are providing scientific, engineering and technical assistance (SETA), advisory and
assistance services (A&AS) or similar support, through an active contract or subcontract, to any
DoD technical office to include, but not limited to, the Joint Program Executive Office for
Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND), the Office of the
Assistant Secretary of War for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense, Policy
and Programs (ASW(ND-CBD)), or the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Chemical,
Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (DASW(CBRND)). This information must be
included in Technical Proposal of the Phase II full submission. All affirmations must state
which office(s) the applicant(s) supports and identify the prime contract number. Affirmations
must be furnished at the time of Phase II full proposal submission. All facts relevant to the
existence or potential existence of organizational conflicts of interest, including but not limited
to those arising out of activities with the above-referenced organizations, must be disclosed.
The disclosure must include a description of the action the
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applicant has taken or proposes to take to avoid, neutralize, or mitigate such conflict.
Limitations on OTs. Applicants are advised that an Other Transaction for Research
Agreement (10 U.S. Code § 4021) may only be awarded under the following conditions:
• The focus of the program or project is basic, applied or advanced research;
• To the maximum extent practicable, the research to be performed under the project does
not duplicate research being conducted under existing DoD programs; and
• Resource share is required and to the extent practicable, the funds from the Government
do not exceed the total amount provided by the other party.
5. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION
5.1. Evaluation Criteria. The four evaluation criteria to be used for responses received to this
BAA are as follows:
1. Scientific and Technical Merit. The objective of this criterion is to assess the extent to which
the applicant presents ideas that are innovative and/or unique with the potential for high
payoff in the science area and details a comprehensive technical approach based on sound
scientific principles. Innovation will be judged contextually against the white
paper’s/proposal’s scope, goals, and setting. To the extent possible, the technical risks,
including those of biosafety and security, to accomplish the research or project should be
identified with appropriate mitigation/management details.
2. Value to Mission Goals. The objective of this criterion is to assess the extent to which the
applicant demonstrates an understanding of the C-WMD research or mission challenges and
the contribution to the C-WMD research or mission needs of that thrust area/topic. White
papers/proposals must detail research or a project that is responsive to the thrust area/topic as
presented in this solicitation. This criterion also addresses the benefit of the proposed effort
on enabling knowledge, technology, or capabilities over current methods and/or practices and
on the transition potential that is appropriate to the proposed effort. Applicants must also
demonstrate an impact of the proposed effort on the institution's ability to perform research
relevant to reducing the global WMD threat; and/or to train, through the proposed effort,
students and/or partner scientists in science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics.
3. Capability of the Personnel and Facilities to Perform the Proposed Effort. The objective of
this criterion is to assess the extent to which the applicant’s team has the requisite expertise,
skills and resources necessary to perform the proposed program. This includes an assessment
of the team’s management construct, key personnel, facilities and past technical experience
in conducting similar efforts of the proposed scope. Applicants must demonstrate that their
team has the necessary background and experience to perform this project. Facilities should
be detailed with discussion of any unique capabilities pertinent to the research.
Subcontractors may include Government facilities or Agencies; however, the unique
expertise or specialized facilities provided through their inclusion must be clearly presented
and the validity of the proposer-Governmental relationship must be clearly documented.
4. Cost Realism Evaluation. The objective of this criterion is to establish that the proposed
costs are reasonable, realistic, and justified for the technical approach offered and to assess
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the applicant’s practical understanding of the scope of the proposed effort.
5.2. Review and Selection Process. The pre-application white paper and proposal selection
process will be conducted based upon a technical review as described in the DoDGARs (32 CFR
22.315(c)) and includes the use of non-Government peer-reviewers.
Each pre-application white paper and invited proposal submitted to a general TA will be
reviewed on a rolling basis; topic-based submissions will be reviewed as a batch following
receipt deadlines. All applications will be reviewed based on the merit and relevance of the
specific pre-application white paper/proposal as it relates to the DTRA program, rather than
against other pre-application white papers/proposals for research in the same general area.
Pre-application white paper (Phase I) evaluation will be based on the two (2) equally weighted
criteria of (1) Scientific and Technical Merit and (2) Value to Mission Goals. The criteria will
be scored as Outstanding (O), Good (G), Acceptable (A), Marginal (M) or Unacceptable (U).
Any criterion scored as “Unacceptable (U)” will render the pre-application white paper “Not
Selectable,” and the pre-application white paper will not be considered further.
Rating Description
Outstanding The proposal is a technically exceptional submission that is pertinent to
(O) program goals and objectives. The proposal contains multiple strengths
that will provide significant benefit to the Government, and that far
outweigh any weaknesses. The risk of unsuccessful performance is low.
Good (G) The proposal is a technically thorough submission that is pertinent to
program goals, and objectives. The proposal contains at least one strength
that will provide benefit to the Government, and that outweighs any
weaknesses. The risk of unsuccessful performance is low to moderate.
Acceptable (A) The proposal is a technically adequate submission that is pertinent to
program goals, and objectives. Strengths and weaknesses are offsetting or
will have little or no impact on grant performance. The risk of
unsuccessful performance is no worse than moderate.
Marginal (M) The proposal is a technically weak submission that is pertinent to program
goals, and objectives. The proposal has one or more weaknesses which are
not offset by strengths. The risk of unsuccessful performance is high.
Unacceptable The proposal does not meet requirements, or is not pertinent to program
(U) goals and objectives and contains one or more deficiencies. The proposal is
un-awardable.
Table 5: Definitions of Adjectival Ratings
The full proposal evaluation will be based on the four criteria listed above. Of these, the first
two (2) criteria of (1) Scientific and Technical Merit and (2) Value to Mission Goals are equally
weighted and more important than the third criterion of (3) Capability of the Personnel and
Facilities to Perform the Proposed Effort. These first three criteria will be scored Outstanding
(O), Good (G), Acceptable (A), Marginal (M) or Unacceptable (U). The fourth criterion of Cost
Realism will be scored as either Acceptable (A) or Unacceptable (U). Any criterion scored as
“Unacceptable (U)” will render the proposal “Not Selectable,” and the proposal will not be
considered further.
Other factors that may be considered are duplication with other research, program balance, past
performance, and budget limitations. Prior to award, the Government reserves the right to
perform a review of past performance. Sources that may be used for past performance review
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may include the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS) and the Federal
Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS). The Government will also
evaluate the impact of any proposed limitations to the use of intellectual property (e.g., asserted
technical data/computer software restrictions or patents) during the selection and/or negotiation
process, and may request additional information from the applicant, as may be necessary, to
evaluate the applicant’s assertions. Accordingly, proposals may be selected for funding which
are not reviewed as highly as others, which are of higher risk and/or which may be of a higher
cost.
The Government reserves the right to select all, some, or none of the proposals, or any part of
any proposal received in response to this BAA and to make awards without discussions with
applicants; however, the Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if determined
necessary.
5.3. DTRA anticipates that the total Federal share of awards made under this announcement
will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold over the period of performance (see
§1108.340 Simplified Acquisition Threshold). Therefore, in accordance with Appendix I to 2
CFR Part 200.206, this section serves to inform applicant:
i. That DTRA, prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater
than the simplified acquisition threshold, is required to review and consider any
information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system
accessible through SAM (currently Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity
Information System (FAPIIS)) (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);
ii. That an applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and
performance systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about
itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated
integrity and performance system accessible through SAM;
iii. That DTRA will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other
information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment
about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal
awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.205
Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.
iv. For awards that exceed $500,000 over the period of performance, DTRA will employ the
additional post-award reporting requirements reflected in Appendix XII—Award Term
and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters of 2 CFR 200.
5.4. Technical and Administrative Support by Non-Government Personnel. It is the intent of
DTRA to use both Government and non-Government personnel to assist with the review and
administration of submittals for this BAA. All pre-application white papers and invited
proposals may be reviewed by subject matter experts, including, but not limited to, peer
reviewers from across the academic and industrial community, as applicable to the research
proposed.
Further, participation in this BAA requires DTRA support contractors to have access to pre-
application white paper and invited proposal information including information that may be
considered proprietary or otherwise marked with restrictive legends Each contract contains
organizational conflict of interest provisions and/or includes contractual requirements for non-
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disclosure of proprietary contractor information or data/software marked with restrictive legends.
The applicant, by submitting a white paper or proposal, is deemed to have consented to the
disclosure of its information to the aforementioned contractors under the conditions and
limitations described herein.
All individuals—including subject matter experts and support contractors—having access to any
proprietary data must certify that they will not disclose any information pertaining to this BAA
including any submittal, the identity of any submitters, or any other information relevant to this
BAA. All applicants to this BAA consent to the disclosure of their information under these
conditions.
6. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
6.1. Award Notices. Applicants will be notified regarding the status of their applications
(invitation/non-invitation for full proposals, re-submission of white papers, selection/non-
selection for award, etc.) via e-mail to the BPOC listed in Block 5 of the SF-424 and the PI listed
in Block 14 of the SF-424 provided at the time of submission. A debrief summary will be
provided as part of all notification e-mails.
A notice of selection should not be construed as an obligation on the part of the Government;
only duly authorized Grants or Agreements Officers may commit resources; this will be done by
issuing a grant document to the selected applicant. Also, this notification must not be used as a
basis for accruing costs to the Government prior to award. Selected applicants are not authorized
to begin work, as any award is subject to successful negotiations (if determined necessary by
DTRA) between the DTRA contracting division and the selected organization, and to the
availability of funds.
All notifications will be made from notification@dtrasubmission.net. E-mails to this e-mail
address will not be answered or forwarded.
Applicants must be aware that it is their responsibility to ensure: (1) correct e-mail addresses are
provided at the time of submission, (2) this e-mail notification reaches the intended recipient(s),
and (3) the e-mail is not blocked by the use of ‘spam blocker’ software or other means that the
recipient’s Internet Service Provider may have implemented as a means to block the receipt of
certain e-mail messages.
If for any reason there is a delivery failure of these e-mail notices, DTRA will not further attempt
to contact the applicants.
6.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. All awards require certifications of
compliance with national policy requirements. Statutes and Government-wide regulations
require some certifications to be submitted at the time of proposal submission. See Section 4.5.2
and Section 4.6.2 for the certification(s) required at the time of submission.
This BAA focuses on fundamental research in a DoD contractual context, which was defined in
Section 1.2 of this BAA. Per DoD policy1, “…products of fundamental research are to remain
1 Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Memorandum, SUBJECT: Fundamental
Research, dated May 24, 2010.
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unrestricted to the maximum extent possible.” Furthermore, “The DoD will place no other
restrictions on the conduct or reporting of unclassified fundamental research, except as otherwise
required by statue [sic], regulation, or Executive Order.” As such, fundamental research is
normally exempt from controls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) (22
CFR Parts 120-130) and/or the Department of Commerce regarding the Export Administration
Regulations (15 CFR Parts 730-774), but the DoD rule recognizes that there are “rare” situations
where export-controlled information or technology may be used in fundamental research that
may require a license(s) or restrictions on products.
Export Control Notification. Applicants are responsible for ensuring compliance with
any export control laws and regulations that may be applicable to the export of and foreign
access to their proposed research. Applicants may consult with the Department of State with any
questions regarding the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) (22 CFR Parts 120-130)
and/or the Department of Commerce regarding the Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR
Parts 730-774). Please note that the prime awardee is responsible for monitoring ITAR
compliance of all subawardees.
Protection of Human Subjects. If the proposed work involves human subjects or the use
of human anatomical substances (e.g., biospecimens, blood, tissue, cell lines), either living or
post-mortem, applicants are required to: a) justify and b) outline the use, and c) include the
source of the human subjects, human biospecimens and/or human data involved in the research,
hereafter referred to as “research.”
The DTRA Research Oversight Board (ROB) will provide ongoing oversight throughout the
duration of the effort to ensure proper approvals are in place. Further information will be
required if the proposal is selected for award. Further information will be required if the
proposal is selected for award.
DTRA PMs responsible for the research are required to complete and submit Section A of the
DTRA Form 156, available through the DTRA1 Forms Library, to the DTRA Research
Oversight Board (ROB) through the ROB Central Mailbox, dtra.belvoir.rd.mbx.research-
oversight-board@mail.mil.
Through an Agreement with DTRA and the U.S. Army Medical Research Development
Command, Office of Human and Animal Research Oversight (MRDC OHARO), OHARO must
review and approve all DTRA funded or supported research prior to the start of the proposed
work. This review requirement is in addition to the DTRA ROB review. Therefore, along with
the DTRA Form 156, the DTRA PM/STM must complete and submit the MRDC OHARO form
titled “USAMRDC_ORP_Proposal Submission_Form” to the DTRA ROB for review of the
proposed work. These forms are available through the ROB DTRA1 Sharepoint site,
https://dtra1portal.unet.dtra.mil/RD/ROB/default.aspx. Allow up to four months, from date
award is submitted to the DTRA ROB, for regulatory review and approval processes. Applicants
are to build the review time into their project schedules.
All work under any award made under this BAA involving research must be conducted in
accordance with 32 CFR 219, 10 U.S.C. § 980, and DoD Instruction (DoDI) 3216.02, DTRA
Instruction (DTRAI) 3216.01, and, as applicable, 21 CFR parts 11, 50, 56, GCP, the
International Council for Harmonization (ICH) as well as other applicable federal and state
regulations. Grants, CA’s and OT’s must include similar language as DFARS clause 252.235-
7004 and DTRA Clause 252.223-9002. Non-compliance with any provision of this clause may
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result in withholding of payments pursuant to the terms and conditions. The Government shall
not be responsible for any costs incurred for research involving human subjects prior to protocol
approval by the MRDC OHRO and ROB.
It is the responsibility of the PM to ensure performers are cognizant of and abide by the
additional restrictions and limitations imposed by the DoD regarding research involving human
subjects and human anatomical substances, specifically in regards to vulnerable populations (32
CFR 219 modifications to subparts B-D of 45 CFR 46), recruitment of military research subjects
(32 CFR 219), and surrogate consent (10 U.S.C. § 980).
Through the Component Management Plan (CMP), reviewed and approved by USD(R&E), the
DTRAI 3216.01 establishes the DTRA Human Research Protection Program (HRPP), and sets
forth the policies, defines the applicable terms, and delineates the procedures necessary to ensure
DTRA compliance with federal and DoD regulations and legislation governing human subject
research, and is managed by the DTRA ROB. The regulations mandate that all DoD activities,
components, and agencies protect the rights and welfare of human subjects in DoD funded or
supported research, development, test and evaluation, and related activities.
The DTRAI 3216.01 requires that research involving human subjects or human anatomical
substances may not begin or continue until the DTRA ROB and MRDC OHRO have reviewed
and approved the proposed work. The requirement to comply with the regulations applies to new
starts and continuing research for the life of the project, until closure. The completion of a
research project requires closure document (e.g., IRB Final Review submission) submitted to the
DTRA ROB and/or the MRDC OHRO.
A study is considered to involve human research subjects if: 1) there is interaction with the
subject (even simply talking to the subject qualifies; no needles are required); and 2) if the study
involves collection and/or analysis of personal/private information about an individual, or if
material used in the study contains links to such information.
A study is considered to use human anatomical substances if it involves human biospecimens
such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells, primary cells, blood, saliva, tissue, etc.
Commercially available sources (e.g., a vendor, medical facility’s discarded materials, research
collaborators, biobanks, repositories) of human anatomical substances require review. This
includes cadaveric specimens and substances.
Commercially available cell lines are exempt from this definition and do not require review
(note: commercially available embryonic cell lines are not exempt and must be reviewed).
Approval to begin research or to subcontract under the proposed protocol will be provided in
writing from the MRDC OHRO and the DTRA ROB Executive Secretary (ES) or Program
Manager, in absence of the ROB ES. Both the contractor and the Government must maintain a
copy of this approval. Any proposed modifications or amendments to the approved research
must be submitted to the DTRA ROB and/or the MRDC OHRO for review and approval.
Examples of modifications or amendments to the approved work that would require a new
review of the project include, but are not limited to:
• a change of the Principal Investigator (PI);
• a change or addition of an institution (note: review and approval of institution is required),
• elimination or alteration of the informed consent process,
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• a change in the human subjects study population (e.g., adding children, active duty, etc.) has
regulatory implications
• changes in duration or intensity of exposure to some stimulus or agent.
• changes in the information requested of volunteers, or changes to the use of specimens or
data collected.
• changes in perceived or measured risks or benefits to volunteers that require changes to the
study,
• a change in the IRB of record.
• a change that could potentially increase risk to human subjects.
• significant change in study design (i.e., would prompt significant additional scientific
review).
Research pursuant to such modifications or amendments must not be initiated without IRB and
OHRO approval except when necessary to eliminate apparent and immediate hazards to the
subject(s). All unanticipated problems involving risk to subjects or others (UPIRTSOs),
suspensions, clinical holds (voluntary or involuntary), or terminations of the research by the IRB
or regulatory agencies, the institution, the sponsor, or any instances of serious or continuing
noncompliance with the federal regulation or IRB requirements, must be promptly reported to
the DTRA ROB and/or MRDC OHRO.
Greater than minimal risk research projects lasting more than one year require IRB and OHRO
review at least every 365 calendar days, or more frequently as required by the responsible IRB.
ROB review and approval is required annually from the date of Section A of the DTRA Form
156, through recertification of the DTRA Form 156. The awardee must provide documentation
of continued IRB review of protocols for MRDC OHRO review and approval. Research must
not continue without renewed OHRO and ROB approval unless necessary to eliminate apparent
and immediate hazards to the subject(s).
Animal Use. If the proposed work involves the use of animals, applicants are required to:
a) justify and b) include detailed information on the use of animals, and c) include the location(s)
of where the animal work is to be performed. The DTRA Research Oversight Board (ROB) will
provide ongoing oversight throughout the duration of the effort to ensure proper approvals are in
place. Further information will be required if the proposal is selected for award.
DTRA PMs responsible for the research are required to complete and submit Section A of the
DTRA Form 156, available through the DTRA1 Forms Library, to the DTRA Research
Oversight Board (ROB) through the ROB Central Mailbox, dtra.belvoir.rd.mbx.research-
oversight-board@mail.mil.
Through an Agreement with DTRA, the Animal Care and Use Review Office (ACURO), a
component of the USAMRDC Office of Human and Animal Research Oversight (MRDC
OHARO) must review and approve all DTRA funded or supported research involving animal use
prior to the start of the proposed work. This review requirement is in addition to the DTRA
ROB review. Therefore, along with the DTRA Form 156, the DTRA PM must complete and
submit the MRDC OHARO form titled “USAMRDC_ORP_Proposal Submission_Form” to the
DTRA ROB for review of the proposed work. This form is available through the ROB DTRA1
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Sharepoint site, https://dod365.sharepoint-mil.us/:u:/r/teams/DTRA-
DTRAResearchOversightBoardROB/SitePages/Home.aspx?csf=1&web=1&e=vCzd0A. Allow
up to four months, from date award is submitted to the DTRA ROB, for regulatory review and
approval processes. Applicants are to build the review time into their project schedules.
All work under any award made under this BAA involving the use of animals must be conducted
in accordance with DoD Instruction (DoDI) 3216.01, DTRA Instruction (DTRAI) 3216.01, and
DHA-MSR 6025.02. Provisions include rules on animal acquisition, transport, care, handling,
and use in: (i) 9 CFR parts 1-4, Department of Agriculture rules that implement the Laboratory
Animal Welfare Action of 1966 (U.S.C. 2131-2156); and (ii) the “Guide for the Care and Use of
Laboratory Animals,” National Institutes of Health Publication No. 86-23. Contracts must
include DFARS Clause 252.235-7002 and DTRA Clause 252.235-9001. Other funding vehicles
(e.g., grant, OT) must include similar language. Non-compliance with any provision of this
clause may result in withholding of payments under the contract pursuant to the terms and
conditions. The Government shall not be responsible for any costs incurred for research
involving animal use prior to protocol approval by the MRDC ACURO and ROB. It is the
responsibility of the PM to ensure performers are cognizant of and abide by the additional
restrictions and limitations imposed by the DoD regarding animal-use research.
The DTRAI 3216.01 requires that research using animals not begin or continue until the DTRA
ROB and MRDC ACURO have reviewed and approved the proposed work.
Through the DTRA Component Animal Use Management Plan (CAUMP), reviewed and
approved by the USD(R&E), the DTRAI 3216.01 establishes the DTRA Animal Use Oversight
Program (AUOP), and sets forth the policies, defines the applicable terms, and delineates the
procedures necessary to ensure DTRA compliance with federal and DoD regulations and
legislation governing research involving animal use, and is managed by the DTRA ROB. The
regulations mandate that all DoD activities, components, and agencies protect the care and
welfare of animals in DoD funded or supported research, development, test and evaluation and
training, and related activities. The requirement to comply with the regulations applies to new
starts and continuing research for the life of the project, until closure. The completion of a
research project requires closure document (e.g., IACUC Final Review submission) submitted to
the DTRA ROB and/or the MRDC ACURO.
The DoD definition of animal is “any living or dead vertebrate animal, including birds, cold
blooded animals, rats of the genus rattus and mice of the genus mus.” “Dead” is defined as
animals killed for the direct purpose of conducing RDT&E or training.
Approval to begin research or to subcontract under the proposed protocol will be provided in
writing from the MRDC ACURO and the DTRA ROB Executive (ES) Secretary or the ROB
PM, in the absence of the ROB ES. Both the awardee and the Government must maintain a copy
of this approval. Any proposed modifications or amendments to the approved research must be
submitted to the DTRA ROB and/or the MRDC ACURO for review and approval. Examples of
modifications or amendments to the approved protocol that would require a new review of the
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project include, but are not limited to:
• a change of the Principal Investigator (PI),
• a change or addition of an institution (note: review and approval of institutions is required),
• a change in the duration or intensity of exposure to a stimulus or agent,
• a change in the animal model and/or numbers of animals used,
• a change in the IACUC of record, or
• a significant change to in study design (i.e., would prompt significant additional scientific
review).
Research pursuant to such modifications or amendments must not be initiated without IACUC
and ACURO approvals.
Biological Defense Research Program (BDRP) Requirements: BioSurety and Select
Agent Use.
Proposals must specify what Select Agent work will be conducted at the applicant’s facility and
what Select Agent work will be performed in other facilities. Proposals also must provide the
source of the Select Agent(s), any appropriate registration information for the facilities, and
specify the Laboratory Bio-safety Level. All Select Agent work is subject to verification of
information and certifications. Further information may be required if the proposal is successful.
For those institutions in which PI’s are conducting research with Bio-safety Levels 3 and 4
materials, a Facility Safety Plan must be prepared and made available during the project award
phase in accordance with 32 CFR 626.18. For grants awarded to foreign institutions, you must
follow either local or U.S. laws (as stated above) depending on which laws provide stronger
protection. (DTRA requires that research using Select Agents not begin or continue until DTRA
has reviewed and approved the proposed agent use. See URL:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2002-title32-vol3/pdf/CFR-2002-title32-vol3-sec626-
18.pdf for a copy of 32 CFR 626.18, Biological Defense Safety Program.)
For projects that will employ the use of chemical agents, either neat agent or dilute agent, the
offeror must provide approved Facility Standard Operating Procedures that conform to Federal,
State, and local regulations and address the storage, use and disposition of these chemical
materials.
Dual-Use Potential. In accordance with National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity
(NSABB) recommendations, DTRA will not support research that, based on current
understanding, can reasonably be anticipated to provide knowledge, information, products, or
technologies that could be directly misapplied to pose a significant threat with broad potential
consequences to public health and safety, agricultural crops and other plants, animals, the
environment, materiel, or national security. Research involving select agents and toxins is within
scope of the DTRA mission; however, the use of select agents and toxins in certain experimental
categories is considered “dual-use research of concern” (DURC) according to U.S. policy.
(https://aspr.hhs.gov/S3/Pages/High-Consequence-Research-Oversight.aspx). Proposals that
contain DURC will not be funded. Dual-use potential will be assessed based on application of
the following criteria:
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• Use of select agents or toxins. This factor evaluates whether the proposed research involves
use of one or more select agents or toxins [as identified by the Select Agent Program under
Federal Law (7 C.F.R. part 331, 9 C.F.R. part 121, and 42 C.F.R. part 73)] which pose
significant risk of deliberate misuse with potential for mass casualties or devastating effects
to the economy, critical infrastructure, or public confidence.
• Scope of proposed experiments. This factor evaluates whether the proposed research
involves experiments that will produce, aim to produce, or is reasonably anticipated to
produce: (a) Enhanced harmful consequences of the agent or toxin; (b) Disruption of
immunity or effectiveness of an immunization against the agent or toxin without clinical or
agricultural justification; (c) Conferred resistance by the agent or toxin to clinically or
agriculturally useful prophylactic or therapeutic interventions against the agent or toxin, or
facilitated ability to evade detection methodologies; (d) Increased stability, transmissibility,
or dissemination ability of the agent or toxin; (e) Altered host range or tropism of the agent
or toxin; (f) Enhanced susceptibility of a host population to the agent or toxin; or (g)
Eradicated or extinct select agents or toxins.
Military Recruiting. This is to notify potential applicants that each award under this
announcement to an institution of higher education, with exception of any grants awarded to
institutions of higher education entirely located outside the United States and/or its territories,
must include the following term and condition: “As a condition for receipt of funds available to
DoD under this award, the recipient agrees that it is not an institution of higher education (as
defined in 32 CFR 216) that has a policy of denying, and that it is not an institution of higher
education that effectively prevents, the Secretary of Defense from obtaining the following for
military recruiting purposes: (A) entry to campuses or access to students on campuses; or (B)
access to directory information pertaining to students. If the recipient is determined, using
procedures in 32 CFR 216 to be such an institution of higher education during the period of
performance of this agreement, and therefore to be in breach of this clause, the Government will
cease all payments of DoD funds under this agreement and all other DoD grants and CAs, and it
may suspend or terminate such grants and agreements unilaterally for material failure to comply
with the terms and conditions of award.” 32 CFR 216 may be accessed electronically at
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-
idx?SID=ee45add5e352854b7089ce420c7fd0a6&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title32/32cfr216_m
ain_02.tpl . If your institution has been identified under the procedures established by the
Secretary of Defense to implement Section 558 of Public Law 103-337, then: (1) no funds
available to DoD may be provided to your institution through any grant, including any existing
grant; and (2) your institution is not eligible to receive a grant in response to this BAA. This is
to notify potential applicants that each award under this announcement to an institution of higher
education, with exception of any grants awarded to institutions of higher education entirely
located outside the United States and/or its territories, must include the following clause: 32
CFR 22.520 (DoDGARS 22.520), Military Recruiting and Reserve Officer Training Corps
Program Access to Institutions of Higher Education.
Combating Trafficking in Persons. The recipient agrees to comply with the trafficking in
persons requirement in Section 106(g) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000
(TVPA), as amended (22 U.S.C. 7104(g)).
Reporting Subawards and Executive Compensation. The recipient agrees to ensure they
have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting requirements of
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the Transparency Act, as set forth in 2 CFR Part 170, unless they meet the exception under 2
CFR 170.105(b).
Representation Regarding the Prohibition on Using Funds under Grants and Cooperative
Agreements with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements. By
submission of its proposal or application, the applicant represents that it does not require any of
its employees, contractors, or subrecipients seeking to report fraud, waste, or abuse to sign or
comply with internal confidentiality agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting
those employees, contractors, or subrecipients from lawfully reporting that waste, fraud, or abuse
to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative of a Federal department or
agency authorized to receive such information. Note that: (1) the basis for this representation is
a prohibition in section 743 of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations
Act, 2015 (Division E of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015,
Pub. L. 113-235) and any successor provision of law on making funds available through grants
and cooperative agreements to entities with certain internal confidentiality agreements or
statements; and (2) section 743 states that it does not contravene requirements applicable to
Standard Form 312, Form 4414, or any other form issued by a Federal department or agency
governing the nondisclosure of classified information.
USD (R&E) memorandum dated 8 June 2023 Policy for Risk Based Security Reviews of
Fundamental Research. The offeror’s submitted fundamental research project proposal shall be
subject to Agency security reviews to include screening for conflicts of interest and conflicts of
commitment from foreign influence, ties to foreign talent recruitment programs or Confucius
Institutes, and assessment of risk in accordance with the factors in the DoD decision matrix
published with the memorandum.
The offeror must also agree, as part of its proposal that it shall comply with DoD’s follow up
annual verification that each participant listed on the research performance progress report –
RPRR – is not a participant in a malign foreign talent recruitment program meeting. DoD will
conduct periodic spot checks of covered individuals listed on representative samples of
fundamental research project proposals selected for award to identify any research security risks
that were missed during the initial review.
As of 9 August 2024, DoD is prohibited from funding or awarding a fundamental research
proposal in which a covered individual is participating in a malign foreign talent recruitment
program or to a proposing institution that does not have a policy addressing malign foreign talent
programs.
As of FY24, no US institution of higher education that hosts a Confucius Institute may receive
DoD funding unless it has a waiver by the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Upon review, for selected proposals that necessitate, the offeror shall comply with agreed-upon
research security risk mitigation measures as part of the award.
The Government reserves the right to decline award based on research security risks that cannot
be mitigated. The offeror will receive a rejection letter if this instance occurs. If the offeror
challenges the rejection, OUSD(R&E) will act as mediator and issue a final determination.
Certification Regarding Disclosure of Funding Sources. The offeror shall comply with
Section 223(a) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2021 (42 US Code 6605), which requires that covered individuals:
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(A) disclose the amount, type, and source of all current and pending research support received
by, or expected to be received by, the individual as of the time of the disclosure;
(B) certify that the disclosure is current, accurate, and complete; and
(C) agree to update such disclosure at the request of the Government prior to the award of
support and at any subsequent time the Government determines appropriate during the term of
the award.
The offeror shall also certify that each covered individual who is employed by the offeror and
listed on the proposal has been made aware of the requirements listed above. The disclosure and
certification must be made by completing the form or attachment provided with this solicitation
(e.g., SF-424 R&R or Disclosure of Funding Sources). Source Reference: Section 223 of the
FY21 NDAA , pages 84-86: https://www.congress.gov/116/plaws/publ283/PLAW-
116publ283.pdf.
Section 223 defines “covered individual” as:
An individual who—
(A) contributes in a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or
execution of a research and development project proposed to be carried out with a research
and development award from a Federal research agency; and
(B) is designated as a covered individual by the Federal research agency concerned.
Prohibition on Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services. Section 889 of the
National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 (Public Law 115-232)
prohibits the head of an executive agency from obligating or expending loan or grant funds to
procure or obtain, extend, or renew a contract to procure or obtain, or enter into a contract (or
extend or renew a contract) to procure or obtain the equipment, services, or systems prohibited
systems as identified in section 889 of the NDAA for FY 2019.
(a) In accordance with 2 CFR 200.216 and 200.471, a recipient and subrecipient are prohibited
from obligating or expending grant funds to:
1. Procure or obtain;
2. Extend or renew a contract to procure or obtain; or
3. Enter into a contract (or extend or renew a contract) to procure or obtain equipment,
services, or systems that use covered telecommunications equipment or services as a
substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any
system. Covered telecommunications equipment is telecommunications equipment
produced by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation (or any subsidiary or
affiliate of such entities).
• For the purpose of public safety, security of government facilities, physical security
surveillance of critical infrastructure, and other national security purposes, video
surveillance and telecommunications equipment produced by Hytera
Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, or
Dahua Technology Company (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities);
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• Telecommunications or video surveillance services provided by such entities or using
such equipment; or
• Telecommunications or video surveillance equipment or services produced or
provided by an entity that the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director
of the National Intelligence or the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
reasonably believes to be an entity owned or controlled by, or otherwise connected to,
the government of a covered foreign country.
(b) In implementing the prohibition under Public Law 115-232, section 889, subsection (f),
paragraph (1), heads of executive agencies administering loan, grant, or subsidy programs shall
prioritize available funding and technical support to assist affected businesses, institutions and
organizations as is reasonably necessary for those affected entities to transition from covered
communications equipment and services, to procure replacement equipment and services, and to
ensure that communications service to users and customers is sustained.
(c) See Public Law 115-232, section 889 for additional information.
COVERED FOREIGN COUNTRY means the People’s Republic of China.
6.3. Reporting. General requirements are provided below; however, each awardee should
check the award agreement and/or terms and conditions to determine the requirements for that
specific award.
Annual Reports. Annual Reports will be due no later than 1 July of each year. Awards
effective after 31 January will not require an Annual Report until 1 July of the following year.
The Annual Report is not a cumulative report.
Final Technical Reports. A comprehensive final technical report is required prior to the
end of an effort, due on the date specified in CDRLs and/or the terms and conditions of the
award document. The purpose of the Final Report is to document the results of the effort. The
Final Report is a cumulative report.
The final report will always be sent to the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) and
reports may be available to the public through the National Technical Information Service
(NTIS).
Financial Reports. Federal Financial Reports (SF-425) are due no later than 1 July of
each year. Grants effective after 31 January will not require a Federal Financial Report until 1
July of the following year.
Foreign Travel Reports. Within thirty (30) calendar days after returning to the United
States from foreign travel, the PI may be required to submit an acceptable trip report
summarizing the highlights of the trip. For grants or OTs awarded to institutions entirely located
outside the United States and/or its territories, this is not required.
6.4. After-the-Award Requirements for Grants. Closeout, subsequent adjustments,
continuing responsibilities, and collection of amounts due are subject to requirements found in
2 CFR 200.344 to 200.346
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7. AGENCY CONTACTS

Administrative Correspondence

dtra.belvoir.rd.mbx.rd-cb-frbaa25-34-a@mail.mil
and Questions

Thrust Area 1: Fundamental

Science for Chemical and
Biological Defense
Table 6: Agency Contacts.
7.1. Questions regarding administrative content of this BAA must be addressed to the
administrative e-mail address listed above. Applicants should include the relevant thrust area
email address.
7.2. Questions regarding technical content of this BAA must be referred to the thrust area
email listed above.
DTRA will not release employee personal contact information.
8. OTHER INFORMATION
Topics from previous periods may or may not be repeated. DTRA will not provide additional
information regarding the posting of future topics, including dates for posting, the potential for a
topic to be repeated in out years, the potential for similar topics to be posted, and/or topic details
in advance of issuance of an amended BAA.
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ATTACHMENT 1: SPECIFIC TOPICS
Thrust Area 1 has six (6) topics —Topics B1-B6 —detailed below.
• If NOT submitting to one of the specific topic numbers detailed below, use one of the Thrust Area NO
TOPIC application packages
• If you ARE submitting to one of the specific topic numbers detailed below, use the applicable Basic
Research-Thrust Area 1-Topic B1 to B6 application package
Great care must be taken to use the appropriate application package on www.grants.gov, as the package
selection dictates how each submission will be reviewed:
BASIC RESEARCH TOPICS B1-B6
In accordance with Section 4.2.1, the requirement for abstract pre-coordination is waived for Topics B1-
B6; these topics do NOT require pre-coordination of an abstract prior to the submission of pre-
application white papers. All other pre-coordination requirements remain in effect.
The pre-application white paper deadline for Topics B1-B6 is 2 MARCH 2026. PRE-APPLICATION
WHITE PAPERS FOR THESE TOPICS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 11:59 PM (MIDNIGHT) EST
ON 2 MARCH 2026. White papers submitted to Topics B1-B6 may not be considered if they are
received after this deadline.
Topics B1-B6 are interested in research projects that span from those that focus on exploratory aspects
of a unique problem or approaches to those that involve a comprehensive program with interdisciplinary
areas. Consistent across all proposals should be the focus on innovative research with the potential for
high impact to C-WMD science.
The following topics are Basic Research topics, and proposals should not be solely written with or
marketed to a DoD centric application; the offeror should also present a description of the broader
implications of their work to our Nation and the whole of society.
DTRA anticipates that the predominance of awards made under Topics B1-B6 will be grants. Pre-
application white papers and proposals submitted to Topics B1-B6 must have a single lead organization
and single submission for the pre-application white paper and the invited proposal. Awards will be made
by a single award to the lead institution. Sub-awards, including all grants and/or contracts, are the
responsibility of the award recipient; exceptions will not be made.
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B1. Deriving Human Physiological Endpoints via Microphysiological Systems (MPS): Bridging the
Gap for Predictive Translation
Award amounts for this topic are anticipated to be up to $500,000 per year. Effort may be proposed for
up to five (5) years. Award may be for a base period of one (1) year with four (4) additional years as
possible options, a base period of two (2) years with three (3) additional years as possible options, or a
base period of three (3) years with two (2) additional years as possible options.
Background: Microphysiological Systems (MPS), often referred to as “organs-on-a-chip,” represent a
paradigm shift in biomedical research, offering the potential to revolutionize drug discovery, toxicology
testing, and personalized medicine. These engineered, 3D microdevices mimic the complex architecture
and functionality of human organs, providing a more physiologically relevant platform than traditional
2D cell cultures or animal models. This proposal seeks funding to advance the derivation of robust and
predictive human physiological endpoints using MPS, addressing critical gaps in the current state of the
science.
Currently, the development and application of MPS is a rapidly evolving field. Significant progress has
been made in creating MPS models for various organs, including the liver, heart, lung, kidney, and
brain. These systems incorporate multiple cell types, extracellular matrix components, and controlled
microfluidic environments to replicate key organ functions. Studies have demonstrated their utility in
predicting drug metabolism and toxicity, modeling disease mechanisms, and evaluating therapeutic
efficacy. Furthermore, advancements in microfabrication, biomaterials, and cell sourcing have
broadened the range of biological processes that can be studied in MPS.
Despite these advancements, significant technology gaps remain that hinder the widespread adoption of
MPS and limit their translational potential. One major challenge is the lack of standardized protocols
and well-defined physiological endpoints that can be reliably measured and interpreted across different
MPS platforms. This inconsistency makes it difficult to compare results, validate models, and ultimately
translate findings to clinical applications. Current endpoints often rely on simplified readouts that fail to
capture the complex, integrated responses observed in vivo.
Another key gap is the limited understanding of the relationship between MPS-derived endpoints and in
vivo human physiology. While MPS offer improved biological fidelity compared to traditional methods,
they are still simplified representations of complex organ systems. More research is needed to validate
MPS models against clinical data and to establish quantitative relationships between MPS measurements
and clinical outcomes. This requires the development of sophisticated analytical tools and computational
models that can integrate data from multiple MPS endpoints and extrapolate findings to the whole-body
level.
Finally, the cost and complexity associated with MPS fabrication and operation remain significant
barriers to adoption. Developing robust, user-friendly, and scalable MPS platforms is crucial for
enabling broader access and accelerating the pace of research. It will be important to align with
organizational efforts that are currently using MPS for other research purposes and expand on those
technologies. This proposal directly addresses these challenges by focusing on the development of novel
sensor technologies and standardized protocols for deriving physiologically relevant endpoints in MPS,
thereby bridging the gap between in vitro research and in vivo human physiology. By investing in this
research, we can unlock the full potential of MPS and significantly expand the development of non-
invasive physiological detection algorithms for all categories of biological and chemical threats.
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Impact: The ability to develop non-invasive physiological detection algorithms is challenged by the
ability to collect data on humans. The science has been demonstrated for public health diseases and
medically dosed chemical agents, but those are not the “real” threats CBDP is focused on. The
development of enhanced MPS systems with data collection that can translate into in vivo attributes will
enable CBDP and other partners to develop early warning algorithms to all potential “agent” exposures.
Without this technology, CBDP will not deliver the transformative wearable technology to its fullest
capability.
Objective: This research program aims to develop and validate a novel approach for detecting biological
and chemical exposures by leveraging human physiological endpoints derived from Microphysiological
Systems (MPS). The overarching goal is to create robust, predictive algorithms that can identify early
signs of exposure in human populations, enabling timely intervention and mitigating potential harm.
This will be achieved by focusing on specific objectives and research areas while excluding others to
maintain a sharp focus and ensure the feasibility of the program. Crucially, we will expand our scope
beyond traditional Multi-Electrode Arrays (MEAs) to incorporate novel sampling technologies that
capture physiological information more directly translatable to human measurements, such as heart rate
variability, respiration rate analogs, and vascular tone.
1. Develop a Panel of Sensitive and Specific Physiological Endpoints in Multi-Organ MPS:
We will focus on developing a standardized panel of measurable physiological endpoints across
multiple organ MPS (cardiovascular, neurological, lung, liver, kidney, nerves etc) that are
sensitive and specific indicators of exposure to a defined set of high-priority biological and
chemical threat agents. These endpoints will include, but not be limited to, changes in cell
viability, cytokine release, metabolic activity, barrier function, gene expression, and importantly,
novel physiological measurements like contractile force fluctuations in cardiac MPS (akin to
heart rate variability), pressure changes in lung MPS (mimicking respiration rate), and
microvascular diameter variations (reflecting vascular tone). We will prioritize endpoints that
can be readily translated to human monitoring systems (e.g., wearable sensors).
2. Develop and Integrate Novel Sampling Technologies within MPS: This objective focuses on
integrating innovative sensor technologies within the MPS platforms to capture physiological
information analogous to in vivo human measurements. This includes exploring micro-fabricated
pressure sensors for lung MPS (to assess "respiration rate"), optical sensors coupled with image
analysis for real-time measurement of microvascular tone in vascularized MPS models, and
high-resolution force transducers in cardiac MPS to capture contractile force fluctuations
mimicking heart rate variability. These sensors will be designed for high sensitivity, minimal
invasiveness, and compatibility with long-term MPS culture.
3. Establish Dose-Response Relationships and Time Course Kinetics: For each threat agent and
endpoint combination, including the newly incorporated physiological measures, we will
establish precise dose-response relationships and time course kinetics within the MPS. This data
will be critical for training the algorithms to accurately detect and quantify exposure levels and
to predict the progression of the physiological response. We will explore both single-agent
exposures and complex mixtures to mimic real-world scenarios.
4. Develop and Validate Algorithms for Exposure Detection: Using the MPS-derived data,
including the novel physiological endpoint data, we will develop machine learning algorithms
capable of detecting subtle deviations from baseline physiological parameters that are indicative
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of exposure. The algorithms will be trained to distinguish between true exposure events and
natural variations in physiological function. We will employ rigorous validation techniques,
including cross-validation and independent testing datasets, to ensure the robustness and
accuracy of the algorithms.
5. Assess Algorithm Performance with Simulated and Real-World Data: We will rigorously
assess the performance of the algorithms using both simulated data and, if available, de-
identified real-world datasets from past exposure events or surveillance programs. This will
provide a realistic evaluation of the algorithm's sensitivity, specificity, and predictive accuracy in
a field setting.
Research Areas to Include:
• Advanced Microfabrication and Bioprinting: This includes developing innovative MPS
platforms with improved physiological relevance and throughput.
• High-Throughput Endpoint Measurement: This involves implementing automated and scalable
methods for measuring physiological endpoints in MPS, such as microfluidic assays, imaging
techniques, and sensor technologies, including the development and integration of novel sensors
for measuring parameters like heart rate variability, respiration rate, and vascular tone.
• Data Analysis and Machine Learning: This encompasses developing sophisticated algorithms for
data preprocessing, feature extraction, and exposure detection, specifically tailored to analyze the
complex data generated by the integrated sensors.
• Systems Biology Modeling: This includes using computational models to integrate data from
multiple MPS endpoints, including the novel physiological measures, and to predict the whole-
body response to exposure.
• Biomarker Discovery: This involves identifying novel biomarkers in MPS that are indicative of
exposure and can be readily measured in human samples.
Research Areas to Exclude:
• Medical Countermeasure Development: While the research will inform the development of
countermeasures, the primary focus is on early detection and not on developing or testing
specific therapeutics or protective equipment.
• Detailed Pathophysiological Mechanism Studies: While we will investigate the mechanisms
underlying the physiological responses to exposure, the primary focus is on developing robust
and predictive algorithms, not on elucidating the complete molecular pathways involved.
• Animal Studies: This project is designed to leverage the human-relevance of MPS and minimize
reliance on animal models.
References:
1) Revolutionizing Biomedical Research: Unveiling the Power of Microphysiological Systems with
Advanced Assays, Integrated Sensor Technologies, and Real-Time Monitoring, Anupama
Samantasinghar, Naina Sunildutt, Faheem Ahmed, Fida Hussain Memon, Chulung Kang, and Kyung
Hyun Choi, ACS Omega 2025 10 (10), 9869-9889, DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c11227
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2) Conroy, B., Silva, I., Mehraei, G. et al. Real-time infection prediction with wearable physiological
monitoring and AI to aid military workforce readiness during COVID-19. Sci Rep 12, 3797 (2022).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-07764-6
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B2. Self-Improving AI Systems for Adaptive Defense
Award amounts for this topic are anticipated to be up to $500,000 per year. Effort may be proposed for
up to five (5) years. Award may be for a base period of one (1) year with four (4) additional years as
possible options, a base period of two (2) years with three (3) additional years as possible options, or a
base period of three (3) years with two (2) additional years as possible options.
Background: Traditional static models become obsolete as adversaries develop novel agents, requiring
systems that can evolve their own capabilities without human intervention. The rapidly evolving
landscape of chemical and biological threats renders fixed AI approaches increasingly ineffective,
creating windows of vulnerability that adversaries can exploit. Current AI systems require extensive
human intervention and retraining cycles that are too slow for dynamic threat environments.
The state of the art in adaptive AI focuses on parameter updates and transfer learning but cannot
fundamentally restructure system capabilities or autonomously expand functionality. Existing
approaches lack the formal verification frameworks necessary to ensure self-modifications maintain
critical safety properties during autonomous evolution. The challenge is compounded by operational
requirements for systems that must adapt while maintaining verified performance guarantees in high-
stakes defense scenarios.
There is a hypothesis that AI systems capable of safe self-modification, incorporating formal verification
and containment mechanisms, will enable continuous adaptation to evolving threats while maintaining
operational safety and effectiveness.
Impact: Enables continuous adaptation to evolving threats without human intervention, maintaining
defensive superiority against rapidly evolving biological and chemical threats. This capability extends
beyond CBDP to cybersecurity, space systems defense, and autonomous vehicle safety applications
where adaptive capabilities are critical.
Objective: Research AI systems capable of autonomous self-modification to adapt to new chemical and
biological threats. Traditional static models become obsolete as adversaries develop novel agents,
requiring systems that can evolve their own capabilities. Develop safe self-modification algorithms that
can update model weights, architecture, and even code while maintaining verified performance
guarantees. Research will emphasize containment mechanisms, formal verification of self-modifications,
and meta-learning approaches for rapid adaptation.
Research areas to include: Verified Neural Architecture Search with automated neural architecture
discovery and formal verification maintaining safety properties; Incremental Learning with Stability
Guarantees using online learning algorithms that provably maintain performance on critical tasks while
adapting; Meta-Learning Safety Constraints with higher-order learning systems updating their own
learning algorithms safely; Compositional Verification enabling safe composition of self-modified
components; Capability Expansion Modules as self-contained neural modules safely added without
affecting existing functionality; Performance Monitoring Circuits providing always-on verification
detecting degradation; Rollback Mechanisms for automated reversion when modifications fail
verification; and Adversarial Self-Testing with internal red teams continuously testing modifications for
vulnerabilities.
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Target deliverables include prototype self-improving detection systems with provable safety constraints,
demonstrated adaptation to novel threat variants within hours, and formal verification frameworks for
autonomous AI evolution. Critical safeguards against malicious self-modification are required. Exclude
approaches lacking formal verification frameworks or those that cannot provide safety guarantees during
self-modification processes.
References:
1. Chen, H., et al. “Safe Neurosymbolic Learning with Differentiable Symbolic Execution”, 2023
Proceedings of the International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR). doi:
10.48550/arXiv.2203.09860
2. Schmidgall, S., “Adaptive Reinforcement Learning through Evolving Self-Modifying Neural
Networks”, <i>arXiv e-prints</i>, Art. no. arXiv:2006.05832, 2020.
doi:10.48550/arXiv.2006.05832.
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B3. Quantum-Enhanced Topological Data Analysis for Chemical and Biological Defense
Award amounts for this topic are anticipated to be up to $500,000 per year. Effort may be proposed for
up to five (5) years. Award may be for a base period of one (1) year with four (4) additional years as
possible options, a base period of two (2) years with three (3) additional years as possible options, or a
base period of three (3) years with two (2) additional years as possible options.
Background: Traditional AI struggles with the complex, high-dimensional molecular and biological
data characteristic of CBRN threats, creating gaps in our ability to identify novel pathogens, predict
biological weapon effects, and rapidly develop medical countermeasures. Current computational
approaches miss critical structural patterns in biological systems that could provide early warning of
sophisticated threats. The exponential advantages offered by quantum computing present unprecedented
opportunities for analyzing these complex datasets.
The state of the art in data analysis for biological systems is limited by classical computational
constraints when processing high-dimensional molecular data. Topological Data Analysis reveals hidden
structural patterns in biological systems, while quantum computing provides exponential advantages in
processing complex datasets, but integration of these approaches for CB defense applications remains
unexplored. Current methods cannot efficiently analyze the topological complexity characteristic of
engineered biological threats or novel chemical agents.
There is a hypothesis that combining Quantum Machine Learning with Topological Data Analysis will
revolutionize chemical and biological threat detection by enabling identification of subtle topological
signatures that classical methods miss, potentially identifying engineered pathogens and accelerating
countermeasure design through quantum-enhanced pattern recognition.
Impact: This approach addresses critical gaps in our ability to identify novel pathogens, predict
biological weapon effects, and rapidly develop medical countermeasures. The integration enables
detection of subtle signatures that classical methods miss, providing early warning capabilities for novel
biological threats and enabling rapid drug discovery for unknown agents by mapping molecular
interaction landscapes.
Objective: Combine Quantum Machine Learning with Topological Data Analysis to revolutionize
chemical and biological threat detection and countermeasure development. This research directly
supports DTRA's mission by: (1) providing early warning capabilities for novel biological threats
through topological fingerprinting, (2) enabling rapid drug discovery for unknown agents by mapping
molecular interaction landscapes, and (3) improving chemical detection sensitivity through quantum-
enhanced pattern recognition.
Research areas must include: quantum simplex encoding to map molecular conformations to quantum
states representing simplicial complexes, where qubits encode vertex relationships and entanglement
captures topological connectivity; variational quantum persistence using variational quantum
eigensolvers (VQE) to compute persistence landscapes, leveraging quantum superposition to explore
multiple filtration parameters simultaneously; topological quantum feature maps to design quantum
kernels that map chemical/biological data into high-dimensional Hilbert spaces where topological
features become linearly separable; and noise-resilient persistence to develop quantum error mitigation
techniques specific to topological computations, using redundant homology classes to detect and correct
quantum decoherence.
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Key deliverables include prototype quantum TDA systems for real-time pathogen classification,
validated topological signatures for threat agent families, and demonstrated quantum advantage in
molecular countermeasure design, potentially reducing response time from years to months and less.
This interdisciplinary approach leverages emerging quantum technologies before adversaries can deploy
them, while creating fundamental scientific capabilities that translate across multiple threat domains.
References
1. Huang, Hsin-Yuan, et al. “Quantum Advantage in Learning from Experiments.” Science, vol. 376,
no. 6598, June 2022, pp. 1182–86. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abn7293.
2. Topaz, Chad M., et al. “Topological Data Analysis of Biological Aggregation Models.” PLOS ONE,
edited by Bard Ermentrout, vol. 10, no. 5, May 2015, p. e0126383. Crossref,
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0126383.
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B4. Advanced Repellent Materials for Omniphobic Resistance (ARMOR)
Award amounts for this topic are anticipated to be up to $500,000 (total dollar value = direct and
indirect costs) per year. In all cases, the proposed award value should be clearly substantiated by the
scope of the effort. Further guidance on scope and cost may be provided in each full proposal invitation.
The preferred award structure for this topic is a base period of two (2) years with up to three (3)
additional years as possible options. However, pre-application white papers and proposals that outline
scope and effort for only the base period and do not propose options are also acceptable. Pre-
application white papers and proposals that outline scope and effort for different base period and option
combinations may also be considered; however, note that pre-application whitepapers and proposals
that outline scope and effort that exceed a total of five (5) years will not be considered.
Award Amounts for this topic are anticipated to be indicative of the amount of work involved in
demonstrating feasibility of high risk, basic research areas that may serve as the basis for advancement
of new concepts for chemical and biological protection and decontamination, and other aspects of this
program outlined below.
Background: Currently, no readily available and widely applicable chemistries can fully match the oil
repellency performance of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) finishes on fabrics, particularly
when considering durability coupled with resistance to a wide range of oils/organics over extended
periods of exposure. In this context, “durability” is the ability of a fabric finish to incur repeated daily
wear and wash cycles. While significant progress has been made in developing PFAS alternatives using
structured surfaces, hydrocarbons, or other fluorinated polymers with shorter chains, these alternatives
often fall short in one or more key areas compared to traditional PFAS finishes. This gap in performance
remains a challenge in the pursuit of sustainable and effective oil-repellent textile treatments.
DTRA/JSTO’s basic research investments relevant to chemical and biological (CB) protection and
decontamination have centered on developing materials that are repellent to CB threat agents. This
repellency maybe achieved through the following approaches: silicone-based materials, inorganic
materials, low surface energy organic bonds, and textured surfaces. Prior efforts have shown that
hydrophobic repellency is readily achieved through these approaches, yet repellency toward organic
media such as aliphatic, aromatic, and/or polar organic-based threats remains a major challenge.
Current research is advancing beyond traditional repellent materials by combining low surface energy
organic bonds with textured surfaces. This approach, particularly reentrant surfaces characterized by
their overhanging or undercut geometries, offers a promising route to PFAS-free oleophobicity. These
surfaces minimize contact between oil and the solid substrate by trapping air pockets, enabling
exceptional oil repellency. The rational design of reentrant surfaces, moving beyond trial-and-error, is
now enabling predictable performance. Future research should focus on developing innovative, textile-
compatible surface modifications for robust and durable repellent finishes by optimizing the integration
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of functional structures onto fiber surfaces. Measuring and characterizing the repellency of these
foundational materials is crucial to identify candidates effective against CB threats. The ultimate goal is
to produce high-performance, durable repellent finishes for textiles.
Impact: This topic promotes the development of advanced repellent materials for omniphobic resistance
to a wide range of contaminants, from chemical threat agents and toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) to
fuels, lubricants, solvents, vapors, and corrosive acids and bases. These repellent material solutions
together with systematic characterization methods are necessary to modernize CB filtration and
protective suit technologies. The ideal material for this topic should meet the following criteria:
1) Chemical resistant – Repellent materials must maintain integrity under exposure to chemical
threat agent hydrolysis byproducts, including HF
2) Mechanical Durable– Repellent materials employing nanotextured, reentrant architectures must
exhibit resistance to physical wear and tear
3) Repellent and non-Absorptive – Repellent materials must prevent agent retention to avoid
creating a secondary hazard
4) Eliminate toxic chemicals – Repellent materials must be safe for skin contact and made using
non-PFAS precursors.
Objective: This topic supports fundamental research exploring a multi-faceted approach to developing
high-performance, durable repellent finishes for textiles. This includes innovating textile-compatible
surface modifications; optimizing the integration of functional, textured structures (particularly reentrant
surfaces); and leveraging low surface energy organic bonds to achieve PFAS-free oil repellency and
resistance to CB threat agents. It is expected that research will focus on chemical surrogates, model
compounds, and/or toxic industrial chemicals. Example research and characterization methods include
but are not limited to:
• Monolayer or thin film coatings and finishes that serve as models for studying organic repellency
of surfaces toward organic species including chemical simulants, oils, solvents, etc.
• Characterizing materials regarding their mass uptake of contaminants including chemical
simulants
• Droplet testing of repellent surfaces including time dependent absorption of organic species.
• Permeation cell testing for assessing the breakthrough time of a repellent material.
• Materials capable of achieving an oil repellency rating of 3 or higher using the American
Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, (AATCC) 118: Oil Repellency: Hydrocarbon
Resistance Test.
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• New/advanced tools or methods to characterize interfacial interactions to support material
development.
Preferred Test Methods and Standards:
• AATCC 118 Oil Repellency / AATCC 22 Water Repellency
• ASTM F739 -12 Chemical Permeation/ ASTM E96
• Sessile drop contact angle goniometry, contact angle hysteresis, tilt angle roll-off.
References:
1. Shabanian, S., Khatir, B., Nisar, A., & Golovin, K. (2020). Rational design of
perfluorocarbon-free oleophobic textiles. Nature Sustainability, 3(12), 1059-1066.
2. Shabanian, S., Soltani, M., Lahiri, S. K., Antonini, C., & Golovin, K. (2025). Non-fluorinated
superomniphobic surfaces. Progress in Materials Science, 101581.
3. Kleingartner, J. A., Srinivasan, S., Truong, Q. T., Sieber, M., Cohen, R. E., & McKinley, G.
H.(2015). Designing robust hierarchically textured oleophobic fabrics. Langmuir, 31(48),
13201-13213.
4. Shabanian, S., Zhao, X., Au, S., Furtak, N. T., & Golovin, K. (2024). Sustainable design of
non-fluorinated yet oleophobic fibrous surfaces. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 12(26),
15716-15730.
5. Wassgren, J., & Hozumi, A. (2025). Recent progress on fluorine-free smooth and textured
surfaces exhibiting (super) omniphobicity and their future prospects. ACS nano, 19(30),
27075-27115.
6. Cheng, Y., Wang, S., Xu, Z., Jiang, L., & Zhao, Y. (2023). Non-fluorine oil repellency: To
what extent can it substitute perfluoroalkyl substances?. Progress in Organic Coatings, 183,
107726.
7. Wong, W. S., Kiseleva, M. S., Zhou, S., Junaid, M., Pitkänen, L., & Ras, R. H. (2023). Design
of Fluoro‐Free Surfaces Super‐Repellent to Low‐Surface‐Tension Liquids. Advanced
Materials,35(29), 2300306.
8. Hegner, K. I., Hinduja, C., Butt, H. J., & Vollmer, D. (2023). Fluorine-free super-liquid-
repellent surfaces: pushing the limits of PDMS. Nano Letters, 23(8), 3116-3121.
9. Lahiri, S. K., Azimi Dijvejin, Z., & Golovin, K. (2023). Polydimethylsiloxane-coated textiles
with minimized microplastic pollution. Nature Sustainability, 6(5), 559-567.
10.Zhao, X., Park, D. S., Choi, J., Park, S., Soper, S. A., & Murphy, M. C. (2021). Flexible-
templated imprinting for fluorine-free, omniphobic plastics with re-entrant structures. Journal
of colloid and interface science, 585, 668-675.
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B5. Sensing Engineered CB Threats with Synthetic Biology Designs
Award amounts for this topic are anticipated to be up to $500,000 per year. The proposed award value
should clearly substantiate the scope of the effort. Award amounts for this topic are anticipated to be
indicative of the amount of work involved in fundamental studies and study of feasibility of novel sensing
materials. Further guidance on scope and cost may be provided in a full proposal invitation.
Effort may be proposed for up to five (5) years. Award may be for a base period of one (1) year with
four (4) additional years as possible options, a base period of two (2) years with three (3) additional
years as possible options, or a base period of three (3) years with two (2) additional years as possible
options.
Background:
Emerging and engineered biological threats pose a considerable challenge to the Total Force. Biological
diversity, coupled with the potential for intentional variability designed to enhance pathogenicity or
obfuscate detection, requires complex analytics or a priori knowledge of the threat. Affinity reagents
offer a potential solution for this dilemma by offering simplistic detection outputs while interrogating
complex molecular signatures of biological threats. Current challenges for field-deployed detection
technologies include long sample-to-answer timeframes, difficulties in processing complex matrices,
limited adaptability, stringent storage requirements, and operational complexity requiring Subject Matter
Expertise. These limitations stem from the sensing materials, also known as recognition elements, that
are a major component in current detection technologies. Furthermore, the traditional development of
these elements/materials is labor- and time-intensive, further limiting adaptability.
DTRA-JSTO is seeking innovative Chemical/Biological (CB) solutions for the discovery, design and
generation of advanced synthetic biological sensing elements or materials that can overcome the
identified issues with currently deployed sensors. Recent advancements coupling computational and
synthetic biology have led to unique discoveries in the generation of novel sensing elements/materials
(see background references). Innovative solutions should focus on CB detection by combining existing
efforts in Artificial Intelligence (AI), data fusion, computational modeling with advancements in
synthetic biology. The resulting platform should facilitate high-throughput design and generate novel
sensing materials/elements for characterization and validation for detection of biological threats.
Platforms should also be capable of predicting structure and receptor-ligand interactions to support
expedited detection assay development and sensing element integration. Proposals should employ novel
approaches to design and generate affinity sensing reagents/materials that can provide a preferably real-
time and presumptive identification. In this context, DTRA-JSTO seeks to understand the fundamental
science of translating existing efforts in AI/ML design and synthetic biology to functional sensors for
detection of engineered CB threats.
Impact: This fundamental research will benefit the Department of Defense (DOD) with rapid, high-
throughput solutions for the discovery and generation of unique materials for real-time biological threat
H DTRA1-25-S-0001 Page 49

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detection. Solutions will enhance time efficiency and cost-effectiveness in development of sensing
materials while ensuring the scalability. Consequently, novel materials will significantly accelerate the
detection assay development timeline in response to new and emerging threats and thus enhance fielded
assay adaptability. If successful within 24 months, there is potential for follow-on efforts to mature these
materials towards integration with deployable sensor platforms/devices.
Objective: This topic seeks short-term, fundamental research investigations focused on proof-of-
concept platform development for the design, selection, and generation of novel sensing materials
providing a responsiveness to biological and/or chemical threats. Additionally, this topic seeks to
iteratively develop and elucidate the fundamental properties of these elements/materials such as the
relevant affinity, limit of detection, required storage conditions to benchmark and document improved
performance compared to currently fielded modalities. Culminating efforts should focus on studies and
collection of preliminary data for these innovative recognition elements.
Current material examples for receptor/functional binder design. Proposals may include but are
NOT limited to:
• Allosteric Transcription Factors
• Affibodies
• Nanobodies
• Engineered Affinity Reagents
• Noncanonical reagents (incorporation of xeno amino acids)
Base Period Goals (within first 12 months):
• Determine current gaps in CB-specific model training data and provide a mitigation strategy if
existing applicable platforms and/or training data sets are incomplete.
• Computer based design of functional binders for CB threats showing superior documented
performance characteristics compared to traditional antibodies, and/or providing new sensing
modalities to be exploited in tactical bio/microsensing.
Non-nucleic acid surrogate targets could be employed for demonstration purposes.
o
Surrogate selection from bacterial, viral, and/or toxin class targets.
o
• Generation of preliminary in silico & in vitro testing of functional binders to establish
fundamental research determination and proof-of-concept
Optional Base Period Continuation (24-36 months):
• Iterative validation study of the designed receptors to determine affinity, specificity, sensitivity
storage requirements, shelf life, response timeframe, and multiplexing capability.
Determine competitiveness of novel material designs with currently fielded technologies.
o
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FRCWMD - BAA - Original

DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY
BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT
HDTRA1-25-S-0001
Research and Development Directorate (RD)
Chemical and Biological Technologies Department (RD-CB)
Fundamental Research to Counter Weapons
of Mass Destruction (C-WMD)
Original Posting Date: 1 October 2024
HDTRA1-25-S-0001 Page 1

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION NO. PAGE NO.
OVERVIEW INFORMATION ................................................................................................ 3
1. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION ...................................................................... 5
2. AWARD INFORMATION ................................................................................................... 6
3. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION ........................................................................................... 8
4. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION ................................................... 10
5. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION ...................................................................... 23
6. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION .............................................................. 26
7. AGENCY CONTACTS ....................................................................................................... 36
8. OTHER INFORMATION ................................................................................................... 36
ATTACHMENT 1: SPECIFIC TOPICS .................................................................................. 37
ATTACHMENT 2: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ............................................................... 38
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OVERVIEW INFORMATION
Agency Name:
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
Research and Development (RD) Directorate
Chemical and Biological Technologies Department (CB)
8725 John J. Kingman Road, MS 6201
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6201
Funding Opportunity Title: Fundamental Research to Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction
(FRCWMD) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)
Announcement Type: This is the initial announcement of this funding opportunity. This BAA
is in effect from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2034. It is anticipated that a majority of
the actions funded from this announcement will be in the form of grants; however, other
instruments such as cooperative agreements (CAs) or other transactions (OTs) for research may
also be awarded from this announcement. No contracts will be awarded from this
announcement. Submissions for this BAA may occur in two ways: 1) in response to the
published topics detailed in Attachment 1 or 2) to a general thrust area as described in Section
1.5.
In general, all topic-specific and general thrust area submissions require pre-coordination in
accordance with the guidelines in Section 1.5 and Section 4.2.1. DTRA reserves the right to
waive the pre-coordination requirement for topics on a case-by-case basis; and will state the
waiver applies within the individual topic description. If a pre-application white paper is
received without prior coordination, DTRA may not review it. From the date of the disposition
email the applicant has 63 days to submit the pre-application white paper. If the submission is
not feasible within this 63-day window, the abstract must be coordinated again to ensure the
interest in the white paper remains.
The evaluation of all submissions will be conducted in two phases. Phase I is for receipt and
evaluation of pre-application white papers in direct response to a published topic or by invitation
based on the assessment of the idea by the Technical POC. Phase II is for receipt and evaluation
of invited proposal applications. Invitation to the Phase II, invited proposal submission, will be
based on the evaluation results of the Phase I pre-application white paper.
Funding Opportunity Number: HDTRA1-25-S-0001
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 12.351
Dates: This BAA is open continuously from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2034.
Published topics will include instructions on any topic-specific opening and closing dates as well
as any topic-specific limitations on award types, dollar values, and eligibility. Submissions to a
general thrust area may occur at any time this BAA is in effect. Applicants should take care to
note requirements for pre-coordination of an abstract.
ADDITIONAL OVERVIEW CONTENT
Research, educational program, or other effort proposals are sought from accredited degree-
granting colleges and universities. Research, educational program, or other effort proposals are
also sought from industrial, commercial (including small businesses), and not-for-profit research
entities. DTRA strongly encourages and may give preference to pre-application white papers
HDTRA1-25-S-0001 Page 3

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and proposals that demonstrate a significant contribution (significant is defined as a minimum of
30% of total value) by one (1) or more universities.
All submissions (pre-application white papers and invited proposals) must be made in
accordance with the submission instructions in this BAA through www.grants.gov using the
application packages linked with this BAA (under the “Package” tab) on www.grants.gov.
Applicants are responsible for ensuring compliant and final submission of their pre-application
white papers and proposal applications. Any submission that does not conform to the
requirements outlined in the BAA and in the invitation for proposal may not be reviewed or
considered further at the discretion of DTRA.
Pre-application white papers may be evaluated any time after receipt. Invitations for full
proposal submission may occur any time after the pre-application white paper evaluation and
will be limited to available program funds.
Efforts may be proposed for up to five (5) years. Awards may be for a base period of one (1)
year with four (4) additional years as possible options, a base period of two (2) years with three
(3) additional years as possible options, or a base period of three (3) years with two (2) additional
years as possible options. Applicants should take care to propose the most logical mix of base
and option years for the scope of work. Further, the base period should yield a logical
completion point for the work. In cases where option years are proposed, decisions regarding
exercising those options will be based on the evaluation of the work accomplished in the base
period. Pre-application white papers and proposals that outline scope and effort for only the base
period and do not propose options are also acceptable; however, the Government reserves the
right to invite option years for awards that originally only included a base period.
Grants may range from small dollar value (e.g., $25K) up to $1M annually (total, including both
direct and indirect costs) depending on the nature and the scope of work. Payments on grants
will be made in advance, subject to the conditions described in 2 CFR 200.305. Funding
amounts for CAs, and other assistance instruments will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Thirty 30 individual awards are anticipated each year.
Any assistance instrument awarded under this announcement will be governed by the award
terms and conditions, which conform to DoD's implementation of OMB circulars applicable to
financial assistance. This includes DoD implementation of OMB guidance in 2 CFR part 200,
"Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal
Awards."
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1. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
1.1. DTRA safeguards America and its allies from weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and
provides capabilities to reduce, eliminate, and counter the threat and effects from chemical,
biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosives. DTRA seeks to identify, adopt, and
adapt emerging, existing, and revolutionary sciences that may demonstrate high payoff potential
to Counter-WMD (C-WMD) threats. This BAA is an extramural endeavor that combines the
fundamental research, educational program, or other effort needs appropriate for basic or applied
research funding of DTRA and other DoD interests.
This announcement solicits ideas and topic-based pre-application white papers for long-term
challenges that offer a significant contribution: to the current body of knowledge, to the
understanding of phenomena and observable facts, to significantly advance revolutionary
technology, to new concepts for technology application, or that may have impact on future C-
WMD threat reduction, expertise, or capabilities.
A portion of this effort is expected to be devoted to awards for science, technology, engineering
and mathematics education programs with a C-WMD focus, such as, but not limited to
postdoctoral fellowships, stipends, degrees, visiting scientist programs, student exchange
programs, and development of accredited C-WMD curricula.
1.2. Fundamental research means basic and applied research in science and engineering, the
results of which ordinarily are published and shared broadly within the scientific community, as
distinguished from proprietary research and from industrial development, design, production,
and product utilization, the results of which ordinarily are restricted for proprietary or national
security reasons.
Fundamental Research includes research performed under grants, CAs, or OTs that are (a)
funded by budget Category 6.1 (Basic Research), whether performed by universities or industry
or (b) funded by budget Category 6.2 (Applied Research) performed on-campus at a university.
Fundamental research provides for science and technology (S&T) research and early applied
development. It seeks to lower performance risk to a manageable level and facilitate transition
and funding to capability end-state programs.
1.3. Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) provide a systematic metric/measurement system
that supports assessments of the maturity of a particular technology and the consistent
comparison of maturity between different types of technology. Fundamental research may be
defined within the first four (4) TRLs.
1.4. This BAA seeks optimum approaches to meet DTRA fundamental research objectives.
The Government encourages pre-application white papers and proposals that span a wide
spectrum of research to expand fundamental scientific knowledge in response to specific topics
and to the more general thrust area. The Government reserves the right to award any
combination of approaches which offer the best overall value to the Government and to oversee
any and all processes and approaches once ongoing.
1.5. Thrust Area 1 is described below. When a specific set of topics has been identified, these
detailed needs will be described in Attachment 1 along with any topic-specific submission
instructions, deadlines, anticipated award structure, and funding requirements. Otherwise, pre-
application white papers and proposals may be written against one of the general thrust area
descriptions.
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DTRA may not review any pre-application white papers without prior coordination of the idea
with the appropriate thrust area- e-mail address (Section 7). Applicants should note that there is
extremely limited funding available for no-topic submissions; Pre-application white papers will
only be accepted from the coordinated abstracts under limited circumstances.
Thrust Area 1— Fundamental Science for Chemical and Biological Defense:
Fundamental science for chemical and biological (CB) defense includes science and technology
research that advances knowledge in physical and life sciences to defend and counter chemical
and biological WMD that could be used against our Nation’s warfighters. Fundamental research
efforts enable capabilities such as development of improved detection devices for traditional and
nontraditional chemical agents; development of diagnostics for existing and emerging infectious
disease threats; increasing knowledge and improved capabilities for development of new or
improved medical and material countermeasures to CB threats for both pre- and post-exposure
scenarios; enhanced personal protection against, modeling of, prevention of, or decontamination
of CB threats; and providing effective elimination strategies via non-kinetic approaches for
threat agent destruction, neutralization and/or sequestration.
1.6. This BAA, in addition to any amendments issued in conjunction with this BAA, will be
posted to the Grant Opportunities Website (https://www.grants.gov), the System for Award
Management website (https://sam.gov/), and the DTRA website (https://www.dtra.mil). The
DTRA website is not the official sites; applicants are responsible for monitoring both sam.gov
and www.grants.gov. Posted amendments supersede all previous versions of the BAA. Note
that topics will be listed in Attachment 1 and will be added/closed with Amendments to this
BAA.
1.7. All coordination and communication between applicants and the Government will be
conducted using the e-mail address associated with this BAA, specified in Section 7. Applicants
should include both the administrative email and the relevant thrust area email address. DTRA
will not release employee personal contact information.
______________________________________________________________________________
2. AWARD INFORMATION
2.1. Award Types. The full range of flexible assistance instruments available to DTRA are
possible results from this announcement, including but not limited to grants, CAs, and OTs;
however, grants will likely be the predominant procurement instrument. Each of the applicable
assistance instruments offer different advantages, liabilities and responsibilities for applicants
and the Government.
Applicants must specify in their submittal their recommended approach (e.g. grant, CA, or OT);
however, the Government reserves the right to negotiate and award the types of assistance
instruments determined most appropriate under the circumstances. If warranted, portions of
resulting awards may be segregated into pre-priced options.
Except for OTs, the Government actions under this BAA shall adhere to the requirements of the
DoD Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARS), as appropriate for the type of instrument.
DoDGARs can be accessed online at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-
idx?SID=e5d686f6760f3274b3368f36723fbb7e&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title32/32CIsubcha
pC.tpl . See also 32 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 22, which can be accessed online at
HDTRA1-25-S-0001 Page 6

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http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?rgn=div5;node=32%3A1.1.1.3.16 . Any assistance
instrument awarded under this announcement will be governed by the award terms and
conditions, which conform to DoD's implementation of OMB circulars applicable to financial
assistance.
2.2. Scope of Awards. Awards may range from focused, exploratory projects with a high risk
approach in innovative research in subjects with potential for high impact to C-WMD science to
comprehensive programs of innovative research in an interdisciplinary area with potential for
high impact.
Awards may have multiple Co-Principal Investigators (Co-PIs) and subawards. Authors of pre-
application white papers and proposals should detail the contribution of all Co-PIs and any
subawards to the C-WMD scientific impact.
Preference will be given to projects where undergraduate and/or graduate students, and/or
postgraduate students are supported by the awards. Details regarding the participation of the
students and the value of the research to the students as part of the pre-application white paper
and full proposal are expected. Additional guidance regarding student and/or postgraduate
student participation may be provided in the published topics or in communications with the
applicant to include the coordination of the abstract or in the debrief summary of the pre-
application white paper. Any specific guidance provided in a topic or to an applicant supersedes
the information provided herein.
2.3. Subawards. Subawards (subgrants) are permitted. Subawards may be used to carry out a
portion of the research or efforts. Awards may have multiple subawards. Awards will be made
by a single award, e.g., grant to the lead organization. All subawards are the responsibility of the
award recipient; exceptions will not be made.
DTRA will review and consider the proposed subawards for all pre-application white papers and
proposals on a case-by-case basis. The prime awardee will be responsible for transferring funds
to the subawardee. Applicants are reminded that priority is given to projects with the main locus
of activity in the region-of-interest, so budgets should be allocated accordingly. Preference will
be given to proposals where the subaward component to the region-of-interest partner(s)
represents more than half of the award value (as measured in U.S. dollars).
2.4. Award Values. Grants resulting from submissions to Thrust Area 1, including topics
associated with the thrust area, may range from small dollar value (e.g., $25K) up to $1M
annually (total, including both direct and indirect costs) depending on the nature and the scope of
work. CAs, and OTs will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All awards are subject to the
availability of funds. Additional guidance regarding award values may be provided in the
published topics or in communications with the applicant to include the coordination of the
abstract or in the debrief summary of the pre-application white paper. Any specific guidance
provided in a topic or to an applicant supersedes the information provided herein. Funding for
participation in this program is highly competitive and the cost of proposed research should
strictly be maintained as detailed herein or as indicated in the invitation instructions.
2.5. Period of Performance and Award Structure. Efforts for Thrust Area 1, including topics
associated with the thrust area, may be proposed for up to five (5) years. Awards may be for a
base period of one (1) year with four (4) additional years as possible options, a base period of
two (2) years with three (3) additional years as possible options, or a base period of three (3)
HDTRA1-25-S-0001 Page 7

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years with two (2) additional years as possible options. Additional guidance regarding award
structure may be provided in the published topics or in communications with the applicant to
include the coordination of the abstract or in the debrief summary of the pre-application white
paper. Any specific guidance provided in a topic or to an applicant supersedes the information
provided herein.
Applicants should take care to propose the most logical mix of base and option years for the
scope of work. Further, the base period should yield a logical completion point for the work. In
cases where option years are proposed, decisions regarding exercising those options will be
based on the evaluation of the work accomplished in the base period.
DTRA is flexible on the award structure unless otherwise specified in the published topics or in
communications with the applicant to include the coordination of the abstract or in the debrief
summary of the pre-application white paper. Applicants should take care to clearly label the
tasks and anticipated outcomes for the base and option years in the pre-application white papers
and the proposals. Pre-application white papers and proposals that outline scope and effort for
only the base period and do not propose options are also acceptable; however, the Government
reserves the right to invite option years for awards that were originally awarded with only a base
period.
2.6. The Government Accountability Office, in its report GAO-16-14, WOMEN IN STEM
RESEARCH: Better Data and Information Sharing Could Improve Oversight of Federal Grant-
making and Title IX Compliance, December 3, 2015, recommended that the DoD collect certain
demographic and career information to be able to assess the success rates of women who are
proposed for key roles in applications in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics
disciplines. To enable this assessment, DTRA will include with each Phase II application
package the Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) form and the Research
and Related Personal Data form.
2.7. The Government does not anticipate the need to provide any hardware or software to
execute the proposed research. However, DTRA will review and consider any
hardware/software requests for all pre-application white papers and proposals on a case-by-case
basis.
2.8. The Government reserves the right to fund all, some, or none of the proposals submitted;
may elect to fund only part of any or all proposals; and may incrementally fund any or all awards
under this BAA. The Government also reserves the right to request applicants make any changes
necessary to submitted full proposals to increase the feasibility of making the proposal fundable.
Applicants may decline to participate in any revisions to application packages requested by
DTRA.
______________________________________________________________________________
3. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
3.1. Pre-application white papers and proposals submitted for this BAA will be considered
from the following U.S. and Foreign Institutions as follows:
• Accredited degree-granting colleges, universities, and academic institutions.
• Industrial and commercial entities, including small businesses.
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• Not-for-profit entities with a portfolio predominantly in research. For foreign-based
establishments entirely based outside the U.S. and/or its territories, proof of not-for-profit
status may be required.
• Foreign government laboratories. Foreign based government laboratory equivalents include
those residing in the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture,
Ministry of Education and Science and Food Safety Agencies.
DTRA strongly encourages and may give preference to pre-application white papers and
proposals that demonstrate a significant contribution (significant is defined as a minimum of
30% of total value) by one (1) or more universities. Applicants should note that university
participation may be mandatory for some published topics. Additional guidance regarding
university participation may be provided in the published topics or in communications with the
applicant to include the coordination of the abstract or in the debrief summary of the pre-
application white paper. Any specific guidance provided in a topic or to an applicant supersedes
the information provided herein.
The following entities may not participate as prime awardees nor furnish Principal Investigators
(PIs) in awards made under this BAA but may act as collaborators, including as Co-PIs, and/or
subawardees:
• Federal Academic organizations (e.g., Naval Postgraduate School).
• Federal laboratories (including DoD and Department of Energy (DOE)).
• U.S. Government agencies.
• DoD-sponsored Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) specified
in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 235.017-1
(http://farsite.hill.af.mil/VFDFARA.HTM) and click on ‘DFARS Part 35’.
• DOE-sponsored FFRDCs.
Note: Federal laboratories (including DoD and DOE) and FFRDCs are eligible to submit
abstracts (when required), pre-application white papers, and proposals in response to the
Government Call (HDTRA1-25-34-FRCWMD-Call). However, a FFRDC (other than the DoD
FFRDCs specified in DFARS 235.017-1) must have authorization from its sponsoring agency in
accordance with FAR 35.017-1. Eligibility requirements under the Call are subject to change.
See http://www.dtrasubmission.net and after logging in, follow the link to the ‘FY25-34
Fundamental Research to Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (C-WMD) Government Call’.
3.2. Cost Sharing or Matching. In general, cost sharing or matching is not required for
applications to this announcement. However, DTRA reserves the right to require cost sharing or
matching on a case-by-case basis. Such instances will be specifically detailed in the published
topics or in communications with the applicant to include the coordination of the abstract or in
the debrief summary of the pre-application white paper.
3.3. Other. DTRA uses the System for Award Management (SAM) to exclude recipients
ineligible to receive Federal awards. SAM can be accessed online at http://sam.gov (Reference 2
CFR 1125).
______________________________________________________________________________
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4. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
4.1. Address to Request Application Package. This announcement contains all information
required to submit a pre-application white paper and invited proposal.
The required application packages for the pre-application white papers and for the invited
proposals are posted with this announcement. Note that each thrust area (as outlined in Section
1.6) and each topic (as outlined in Attachment 1) has a unique application package posted with
this BAA. The application package corresponding to both: a.) the thrust area or topic of interest
and b.) the phase, should be used for submission of pre-application white papers and invited full
proposals.
The application packages posted to www.grants.gov consist of the forms as detailed in
Table 1.
Form Name Phase I Pre-Application Phase II Invited
White Paper Proposal
SF-424 (R&R) Application for Federal Required Required
Assistance Form
RR Budget Form N/A Required
R&R Subaward Budget Attachment(s) N/A If Applicable
Form(s)
Research & Related Senior/Key Person N/A Required
Profile Form (Expanded)
RR Personal Data N/A Required
Research & Related Other Project N/A Required
Information
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) N/A If Applicable
Attachments Form N/A Required
Table 1: Forms. The instructions for completing each of these forms may be found online at the following web
link: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/form-instructions.html.
4.2. Content and Form of Application Submission. Submissions for this BAA will be
conducted in two phases. Phase I is for receipt of pre-application white papers. Phase II is for
receipt of invited proposal applications. Invitation to the Phase II proposal submission will be
based on the evaluation results of the Phase I pre-application white paper.
The predominance of efforts, including all submissions to the thrust area and some
submissions to topics posted in Attachment 1, as noted within the topic, must be coordinated
with the relevant technical point of contact (POC) for the appropriate thrust area prior to
submission of a pre-application white paper; an e-mail for the DTRA technical POCs for Thrust
Area 1 are provided in Section 7. Coordination of research ideas and efforts must be
accomplished via these email addresses, except in cases where a topic specifically states that pre-
coordination is not required, and includes submission of an abstract (recommend less than 250
words) of the proposed project/effort or a paragraph description of the proposed project/effort to
the email address in Section 7 and a reply email from the relevant email address in Section 7
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with the disposition to the applicant. Pre-coordination may not be accomplished with email
addresses other than those listed in Section 7. DTRA will not review white papers without prior
coordination. Please note that attachments to e-mails may not be reviewed.
Applicants should note that there is extremely limited funding available for the general thrust
area. Pre-application white papers will only be accepted from the coordinated abstracts under
very limited circumstances.
Topics may be posted in Attachment 1 of this announcement that may not require pre-
coordination of an abstract. Please review the topics carefully.
Pre-application white papers and invited proposals must be submitted electronically
using www.grants.gov and the corresponding application packages linked with this BAA on
www.grants.gov (under the “Packages” tab). All applications, including all supporting
documents, must be submitted in the English language.
Applicants are responsible for ensuring compliant and final submission of their Phase I pre-
application white paper and Phase II invited proposal application. Note that this also applies to
applicants using third party systems to submit application packages and attachments. Any
submission that does not conform to the requirements outlined in the BAA and in the invitation
for proposal may not be reviewed or considered further at the discretion of DTRA.
DTRA will not review any of the following:
• Pre-application white papers that are not pre-coordinated as required
• Pre-application white papers and proposals that are not submitted in the English language.
• Pre-application white papers that are submitted to topics that have been previously closed via
an amendment to the BAA.
• Application packages and proposals for Phase II submissions that were not invited.
Exceptions WILL NOT be made under any circumstances.
Phase I Pre-Application White Paper Submission and Content. Each pre-application
white paper must address only one thrust area or topic. Each pre-application white paper must
use the corresponding thrust area or topic application package.
Each Phase I application package contains the following forms:
Form Attachment Action
SF-424 (R&R) Application for Up to four (4) page white Enter the appropriate information in
Federal Assistance Form paper data fields
Table 2: Phase I Pre-Application White Paper Package Chart.
Each Phase I application resubmission package contains the SF 424 (R&R) Application for
Federal Assistance. To be considered a complete package, an up to four (4) page white paper is
required to be uploaded as an attachment to the SF 424 (R&R).
DTRA-specific instructions for completing the SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal
Assistance are below, general application instructions can be found on www.grants.gov:
• Block 1 – Type of Submission. Applicants should indicate the Phase I submission is a “Pre-
Application.”
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• Block 2.1 – Applicant Identifier. Not applicable.
• Block 3 – Date Received by State. Not applicable.
• Block 3.1 – State Application Identifier. Not applicable.
• Block 5 – Applicant Information. You must provide a Business Office Point of Contact
(BPOC) with an e-mail address.
• Block 19 – Authorized Representative. The “signature of AOR” is not an actual signature
and is automatically completed upon submission of the electronic application package. Hard
copies or email attachments of applications will not be accepted.
• Block 20 – Pre-application. Must be used to attach an up to four (4) page white paper. The
white paper itself should provide sufficient information on the research being proposed (e.g.,
the hypothesis, theories, concepts, approaches, data measurements and analysis, etc.) to allow
for an assessment by a technical expert.
Any pages submitted for the white paper that exceed the limit of four pages will not be read or
evaluated. A page is defined as 8 ½ x 11 inches, single-spaced, with one-inch margins in type
not smaller than 12 point Times New Roman font. The white paper must be provided in portrait
layout.
At minimum, the white paper should address the following:
• A project abstract, which should be concise (less than 250 words), provide a summary of the
proposed work, and demonstrate relevance to the topic being addressed. The abstract should
not contain any proprietary data or markings.
• Potential scientific impact to provide greater knowledge or understanding of the fundamental
aspects of phenomena and of observable facts, including how the research contributes to the
C-WMD science needs outlined in the thrust area or topic.
• The impact of the research on C-WMD science must be clearly delineated.
• Cost estimate by year and total dollars required to accomplish the research as presented in the
white paper (no details or breakout of costs is required).
• Potential team and management plan, including details on student involvement.
• Multidisciplinary white papers should carefully detail each of the institutions/departments
involved and the contribution that will be made by each of the investigators.
• Do NOT include corporate or personnel qualifications, past experience, or any supplemental
information with the white paper. References may be included within the 4-page limit at the
discretion of the applicant; however, extensive references are not required.
• The thrust area or the topic should be included as a header on the white paper attachment and
referenced in the text of the white paper.
Phase I Pre-Application White Paper Re-Submission and Content. On a limited basis a
second pre-application white paper may be submitted without pre-coordination of an abstract.
These re-submissions will be based on the review of the original pre-application white paper and
will be allowed when changes to the project scope, technical approach, and/or cost are
envisioned for any potential full proposals. Revised pre-application white papers must conform
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to the standards for the pre-application white papers detailed in Section 4.2.4.
All submissions should be made with the appropriate Phase I application package which contains
the following form:
Form Attachment Action
SF-424 (R&R) Application for Up to four (4) page white Enter the appropriate information in
Federal Assistance Form paper data fields
Table 3: Phase I Pre-Application White Paper Package Chart.
Each Phase I application package contains the SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance.
To be considered a complete package, an up to four (4) page white paper is required to be
uploaded as an attachment to the SF 424 (R&R).
The DTRA-specific instructions for completing the SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal
Assistance are the same as for the original pre-application white paper submission except for the
following:
• Block 1 – Type of Submission. Applicants should indicate the Phase I re-submission is a
“Changed/Corrected Application.”
• Block 4c – Previous Grants.gov Tracking ID. Enter the Phase I Grant ID for the original
submission.
At minimum, the revised white paper should address the issues and questions detailed in the
debrief summary.
Phase II - Invited Proposal Submission and Content. Each proposal must address only
the thrust area or topic for which it was invited. The application package corresponding to the
thrust area or topic of interest should be used for submission of invited full proposals.
Each Phase II application package contains the following forms and attachments:
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Form Attachment Action
SF-424 (R&R)
Enter the appropriate information in
Application for Federal N/A
data fields
Assistance Form
Budget Justification for entire Attach to Section K in budget period
RR Budget Form
performance period one
RR Sub-award Budget
Attach a separate budget with
Attachment(s) Form (if Individual sub-award budgets
justification for each sub-award
applicable)
PI Biographical Sketch Attach to Biographical Sketch field
Attach to Current & Pending Support
Research & Related PI Current/Pending Support field
Senior/Key Person Profile
Key Personnel Biographical Attach to Biographical Sketch field for
Form
Sketches each senior/key person
Key Personnel Current/Pending Attach to Current & Pending Support
Support field for each senior/key person
Enter the appropriate information in
RR Personal Data Form N/A
data fields
Publically Releasable Proposal Attach to Block 7
Research & Related Other Summary/ Abstract Project Summary/ Abstract
Project Information Form Project Narrative/Technical Attach to Block 8
Proposal Project Narrative
Disclosure of Lobbying
Activities (SF-LLL) (if N/A Enter the appropriate information
applicable)
Attachment 1 – SOW Upload as Attachment 1
Attachments Form
Attachment 2 – Quad Chart Upload as Attachment 2
Table 4: Phase II Proposal Package Forms and Attachments.
DTRA reserves the right to consider incomplete application packages and required attachments
and to request any missing information via email. Should the applicant fail to provide all the
requested information either as part of the www.grants.gov submission or in response to email
requests from DTRA, at their discretion, DTRA may not consider the proposal further.
SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance: DTRA-specific instructions for completing
the SF 424 (R&R) are below. General application instructions can be found on www.grants.gov:
Block 1 – Type of Submission. Applicants should indicate the Phase II submission is an
“Application.”
Block 2.1 – Applicant Identifier. Not applicable.
Block 3 – Date Received by State. Not applicable.
Block 3.1 – State Application Identifier. Not applicable.
Block 4b – Agency Routing Identifier. Enter the corresponding Phase I Grant ID. If
resubmissions were involved, enter the Grant ID for the last submission.
Block 5 – Applicant Information. You must provide a Business Office Point of Contact (BPOC)
with an e-mail address.
Block 17 – Regarding Disclosure of Funding Sources. By checking "I Agree" you agree to abide
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by the following statement: "By signing this application, I certify the proposing entity is in
compliance with Section 223(a) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 which requires that: (a) the PI and other key personnel
certify that the current and pending support provided on the proposal is current, accurate and
complete; (B) agree to update such disclosure at the request of the agency prior to the award of
support and at any subsequent time the agency determines appropriate during the term of the
award; and (c) the PI and other key personnel have been made aware of the requirements under
Section 223(a)(1) of this Act. I am aware that any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or
claims may subject me to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties. (U.S. code, Title 18,
Section 1001).”
Block 19 – Authorized Representative. The “signature of AOR” is not an actual signature and is
automatically completed upon submission of the electronic application package.
RR Budget Form: The Research and Related Budget Form provided as part of the application
package for the Phase II submission should be filled out in its entirety for each project year
proposed. Applicants are responsible for ensuring appropriate, approved rates are used in their
budget forms. When notified of selection applicants will be requested to provide their current
rate agreement and the rate agreement of their subcontractor(s), if applicable. Applicants should
note that in accordance with 32 CFR 22.205(b), grants shall not provide for the payment of fee or
profit to the recipient. Applicants should also carefully review Section 4.5.4 to appropriately
evaluate inclusion of Value Added Tax (VAT) or other taxes for assistance awards.
Applicants should plan and budget for travel to accommodate the two meetings outlined below:
• National Conferences/Workshops/Symposia: Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a
nationally recognized conference, workshop, or symposium in the field of research each
calendar year (1 at minimum). Research should be presented as soon as adequate data are
available to support posters and presentations. Conferences/workshops/symposia should be
attended by the PI and students supporting the research, as appropriate.
• Annual Technical Review: Applicants should plan to attend an annual technical program
review meeting. For planning purposes, the review will be for five days and will be held in
Northern Virginia.
Budget Justification: Applicants are required to submit a budget justification. The budget
justification should be prepared as outlined in the instructions for the Research and Related
Budget Form and uploaded as an attachment to Section K “Budget Justification” of the Research
and Related Budget Form. The budget justification does not have a page limit but should include
sufficiently detailed information for meaningful evaluation. In addition, the budget justification
must specifically address subaward costs and type to include the portion of work to be
subawarded with a supporting rationale. The budget justification should include a discussion of
how the subawardee(s) cost was determined to be fair and reasonable. The budget justification
must specifically address VAT and other taxes in accordance with Section 4.5.4.
RR Subaward Budget Attachment(s) Form (if applicable): Detailed cost estimates are required
for each proposed subaward. The cost estimate for the subawards should include sufficiently
detailed information for meaningful evaluation, including labor rates and indirect cost rates.
Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile Form (Expanded): The Research and Related
Senior/Key Person Profile Form (Expanded) should be completed in its entirety for each of the
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PIs and Co-PIs on the project. The inclusion of additional personnel is at the discretion of the PI.
The Degree Type and Degree Year fields will be used by DoD as the source for career
information to assess the success rates of women. In addition to the required fields on the form,
applicants should complete these two fields for all individuals that are identified as senior or key
persons.
A biographical sketch is required for each PI and Co-PI on the project. DTRA does not have a
preference for the format of the biographical sketch; however, it should be limited to 1 page per
person. The biographical sketch should be uploaded as an attachment to the corresponding field
on the Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile Form.
Additionally, a statement of current and pending support must be provided for each of the key
personnel (e.g., PI and Co-PI) on the project. This statement must include the following items
and requires disclosure of all grants through which each of the key personnel is currently
receiving or may potentially receive financial support:
• A list of all current projects the individual is working on, in addition to any future support the
individual has applied to receive, regardless of the source.
• Title and objectives of the other research projects.
• The percentage per year to be devoted to the other projects.
• The total amount of support the individual is receiving in connection to each of the other
research projects or will receive if other proposals are awarded.
• Name and address of the agencies and/or other parties supporting the other research projects.
• Period of performance for the other research projects.
Applicants should note that in accordance with the instructions for completion of the SF 424,
checking of Block 17 is required. Further, applicants should note that by checking block 17 and
submitting an application package, you agree to abide by the following statement: "By signing
this application, I certify the proposing entity is in compliance with Section 223(a) of the
William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 which
requires that: (a) the PI and other key personnel certify that the current and pending support
provided on the proposal is current, accurate and complete; (B) agree to update such disclosure
at the request of the agency prior to the award of support and at any subsequent time the agency
determines appropriate during the term of the award; and (c) the PI and other key personnel have
been made aware of the requirements under Section 223(a)(1) of this Act. I am aware that any
false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or claims may subject me to criminal, civil, or
administrative penalties. (U.S. code, Title 18, Section 1001).”
RR Personal Data Form: This form will be used by DoD as the source of demographic
information, such as gender, race, ethnicity, and disability information for the PI and Co-PI(s).
Each application must include this form with the name fields of the PI and any Co-PI(s)
completed; however, provision of the demographic information in the form is voluntary. The
demographic information, if provided, will be used for statistical purposes only and will not be
made available to merit reviewers. Applicants who do not wish to provide some or all of the
information should check or select the “Do not wish to provide” option.
Research and Related Other Project Information Form:
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Block 7 – Project Summary/Abstract. To fulfill the requirements of Section 8123 of the Defense
Appropriations Act, which states: “The Secretary of Defense shall post grant awards on a public
Web site in a searchable format,” DTRA will collect and post via the Defense Technical
Information Center (DTIC) basic information about all awards made under this BAA. The
information posted will include the abstract submitted to Block 7 of this form.
The uploaded project abstract should be less than one page and provide a summary of the
proposed work and demonstrate relevance to the topic being addressed. Most importantly, the
abstract must be written such that the general public may easily understand the potential
scientific contribution and the impact of the research. The header of this uploaded document
must contain the following statement:
“This publicly releasable abstract is provided to DTRA for use in fulfillment of
Section 8123 of the Defense Appropriations Act and future versions of the same.”
The abstract absolutely must not contain any proprietary data or markings.
Block 8 – Project Narrative (Technical Proposal). The uploaded technical proposal must not
exceed 20 pages (including references). If the proposal exceeds 20 pages, only the first 20 pages
will be reviewed. A page is defined as 8 ½ x 11 inches, single-spaced, with one-inch margins in
type not smaller than 12-point Times New Roman font. The technical proposal must be provided
in portrait layout.
The project narrative (technical proposal) must include the following components:
• Abstract. Should be a technical project abstract that is distinct from the Project
Summary/Abstract that is attached to Block 7.
• Scope.
• Objective. A clear and concise objective of the proposed project.
• Background. Provide the necessary technical and scientific background to support the
scientific and/or technical merit of the proposed project.
• Programmatics. Describe your organization’s management plan for the proposed project;
list supporting and collaborating centers, and the roles/responsibilities of each identified
academic and/or industrial subcontractor supporting the project. Authors of multidisciplinary
proposals must take great care to clearly outline the impact to C-WMD science that is to be
gained from the investment and justify the scientific contribution from each investigator.
• Relevance. Describe the relevance of the proposed project in terms of advancing the state of
the science and the anticipated scientific impact on capabilities to potentially reduce,
eliminate, counter, provide greater knowledge or understanding of the threat, and mitigate the
effects of WMD fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts.
• Credentials. Describe the PI’s qualifications and the organization’s qualifications to perform
the proposed work. Summarize the credentials of the primary performing center and
supporting academic and industrial partners to perform the work. Describe specific examples
of equipment and/or facilities available to perform the proposed work. Focus on information
directly relevant to the proposed work.
• Work to be Performed. Provide details of the work to be performed by task and subtask.
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Tasks must be grouped by project year; base and option years should be clearly labeled.
Additional details that are required include the following:
• Protection of Human Subjects. For full discussion, see Section 6.2.2. If the proposed
work involves human subjects or the use of human anatomical substances (e.g.,
biospecimens, blood, tissue, cell lines), either living or post-mortem, applicants are
required to: a) justify and b) outline the use, and c) include the source of the human
subjects, human biospecimens and/or human data involved in the research. The DTRA
Research Oversight Board (ROB) will provide ongoing oversight throughout the duration
of the effort to ensure proper approvals are in place. Further information will be required
if the proposal is selected for award.
• Animal Use. For full discussion, see Section 6.2.3. If the proposed work involves the
use of animals, applicants are required to: a) justify and b) include detailed information
on the use of animals, and c) include the location(s) of where the animal work is to be
performed. The DTRA Research Oversight Board (ROB) will provide ongoing oversight
throughout the duration of the effort to ensure proper approvals are in place. Further
information will be required if the proposal is selected for award.
• Performance Schedule. Provide a table of tasks and sub-tasks and the duration of
performance of each in a Gantt or other suitably formatted chart.
• References. List any relevant documents referenced.
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) Form: The Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
Standard Form-LLL, if applicable, should be completed.
Attachments Form: The attachments form should be used to include the following three items
with the application:
Attachment 1 – SOW. The SOW does not have a page limit but should be approximately 3-5
pages in length for incorporation into an award document. The SOW should not contain any
proprietary data or markings. Pages should be numbered, and the initial page should have a date
(document date) shown under the title (the title of the SOW should match that of the proposal).
The proposed SOW must accurately describe the research to be performed. The proposed SOW
must also contain a summary description of the technical methodology as well as the task
description, but not in so much detail as to make the SOW inflexible. The SOW format/guidance
is as follows:
• Objective: Brief overview of the specialty area. Describe why the research is being pursued
and what knowledge is being sought.
• Scope: Include a statement of what the SOW covers including the research area to be
investigated, objectives/goals, and major milestones and schedule for the effort.
• Background: The applicant must identify appropriate documents, including publications
that are applicable to the research to be performed. This section includes any information,
explanations, or constraints that are necessary to understand the hypothesis and scientific
impact on capabilities needed to reduce, eliminate, and counter the threat, and also mitigate
the effects of WMD. It may also include previously performed relevant research and
preliminary data.
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• Tasks/Scientific Goals: This section contains the detailed description of tasks which
represent the research to be performed. Thus, this portion of the SOW should be developed
in an orderly progression and presented in sufficient detail to establish the methodology and
feasibility of accomplishing the overall program goals. The work effort should be segregated
by performance period for all tasks to be performed and anticipated milestones realized in
that year (e.g., Year 1, Year 2, etc., should be detailed separately). Identify the major tasks in
separately numbered sub-paragraphs. Each major task should delineate, by subtask, the
research to be performed by year and number each task using the decimal system (e.g., 4.1,
4.1.1, 4.1.1.1, 4.2, etc.). The sequence of performance of tasks and achievement of
milestones must be presented by project year and task in the same sequence as in the Project
Narrative/Technical Proposal. The SOW must contain every task to be accomplished to
include a detailed schedule.
• The tasks must be definite, realistic, and clearly stated. Use “the awardee shall” whenever
the work statement expresses a provision that is binding. Use “should” or “may” whenever it
is necessary to express a declaration of purpose. Use active voice in describing work to be
performed. Do not use acronyms or abbreviations without spelling out acronyms and
abbreviations at the first use; place the abbreviation in parenthesis immediately following a
spelled-out phrase. If presentations/meetings are identified in your schedule, include the
following statement in your SOW: “Conduct presentations/meetings at times and places
specified in the grant schedule.”
Attachment 2 – Quad Chart. The quad chart must be presented on one (1) page. The quad
chart must not contain any proprietary data or markings. The quad chart must be provided in
landscape layout. The quad chart should be uploaded as “Attachment 2” of the Attachments
Form.
Phase II - Additional Information Requests by DTRA. A revised proposal may be
requested based on the review of the original proposal. Revised proposals will be requested
when changes to the project scope, technical approach, and/or cost are required before the
proposal could be further considered for an award. Applicants whose proposals are of interest to
DTRA may be contacted to provide additional information or to make requested revisions prior
to the final decision on funding. This request for further information may include revised
budgets or budget explanations, revised SOWs, and other information, as applicable, to the
proposed award. Additional instructions may be provided in the request for a revised proposal.
Applicants who are not responsive to Government requests for information in a timely manner,
defined as meeting Government deadlines established and communicated with the request and
not making satisfactory updates as requested, may be removed from award consideration.
Applicants may also be removed from award consideration if the applicant and the Government
fail to negotiate mutually agreeable terms within a reasonable period of time.
Re-submissions should be made with the appropriate Phase II application package for the thrust
area or topic of interest and should be completed in accordance with the instructions provided in
the notification email.
The DTRA-specific instructions for completing a proposal re-submission are the same as for the
original submission, except the SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance should be
marked as follows:
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• Block 1 – Type of Submission. Applicants should indicate the Phase II submission is a
“Changed/Corrected Application.”
• Block 4b – Agency Routing Identifier. Enter the corresponding Phase I Grant ID.
• Block 4c – Previous Grants.gov Tracking ID. Enter the Phase II Grant ID for the original
Phase II submission.
File Format. Documents should be uploaded as a Portable Document File (PDF) format.
Perform a virus check before uploading any files to www.grants.gov as part of your application
package. If a virus is detected, it may cause rejection of the file.
Do not lock or encrypt any files you upload to www.grants.gov as part of your application
package. Movie and sound file attachments will not be accepted.
All submissions must be completely UNRESTRICTED and UNCLASSIFIED;
submissions must not contain Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), other Proprietary
information or export-controlled information or be marked as such.
Confirmed Proposal Expiration Date. Applicants must provide written confirmation that
holds the proposal, to include proposed costs, firm for 180 days after the submission due date, as
included in the invitation to submit a full proposal. This information must be included in the text
of the technical proposal.
Withdrawal of Proposals. Proposals may be withdrawn by written notice received at any
time before award. Withdrawals are effective upon receipt of notice by the Grants Officer via
the administrative e-mail address listed in Section 7.
4.3. Submission Dates and Times.
Coordination of abstracts may be accomplished at any time that this BAA is in effect, unless
otherwise stated as part of a specific topic. Once an applicant has been notified that a pre-
application white paper is welcomed, the white paper should be submitted within 60 days. If the
white paper is not submitted within 60 days, DTRA reserves the right to require the applicant to
re-initiate the process with another abstract coordination.
Pre-application white papers may be submitted anytime that this BAA is in effect (as long as it
occurs within the 60-day window following pre-coordination of the abstract), unless otherwise
stated as part of a specific topic. Pre-application white papers may be evaluated at any time after
submission and invitations for full proposal submission may occur any time after pre-application
white paper evaluation. Note that proposal invitations may be limited to available program
funds.
The due date for the Phase II invited proposal submissions will be provided in the letter of
invitation. The applicant will not be allowed less than 45 days to prepare a full proposal
submission; there is no penalty for early submissions. An extension for submission of the Phase
II proposal submission may be requested by emailing the administrative email address in Section
7 prior to the deadline for the proposal submission. Full proposals may be evaluated at any time
after submission.
Applicants are responsible for submitting all materials to www.grants.gov. When sending
electronic files, the applicant should allow for potential delays in file transfer from the
originator’s computer server to the www.grants.gov website/computer server, as well as the
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delay associated with the www.grants.gov validation of applications, which may be up to 48
hours. Applicants are encouraged to submit their proposals early to avoid issues with file
transfers, rejection of applications by www.grants.gov, and delays due to high website demand.
Acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at the Government office includes
documentary and electronic evidence of receipt maintained by DTRA. Applicants should also
print, and maintain for their records, the electronic receipt following submission of a proposal to
www.grants.gov.
Applicants should note that DTRA uses a system that pulls applications from www.grants.gov en
masse, but this system does not mark applications as “retrieved” on www.grants.gov. As a
result, when applicants check the status on www.grants.gov the applications will always look
like they have not been retrieved by DTRA. Should you require confirmation of receipt by the
Agency, you may request such via the administrative email address provided in Section 7. Note
that such requests will generally be treated with low priority by the Agency.
Please note 15 U.S.C. 260a establishes daylight saving time as the standard time during the
daylight-saving period.
If the application package and required attachments are submitted to www.grants.gov after the
exact time and date specified in this announcement or in any written communications provided
by DTRA, the application may be considered "late" and may not be reviewed.
If an emergency or unanticipated event interrupts normal Government processes so that
proposals cannot be submitted to www.grants.gov by the exact time specified by DTRA
correspondence, the time specified for receipt of applications will be deemed to be extended to
the same time of day specified in the BAA or in the letter of invitation on the first work day on
which normal Government processes resume.
4.4. Intergovernmental Review. Not Applicable.
4.5. Other Submission Requirements.
Organizations must have an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration,
and Grants.gov account to apply for grants. Creating a Grants.gov account can be completed
online in minutes, but SAM registrations may take additional time. Therefore, an organization's
registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact the entity's ability to
meet required application submission deadlines.
All organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with the SAM and will
receive a unique entity identifier (UEI) number. Failure to register with SAM will prevent your
organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually.
For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-
sam.html. Additional information may be found on Grants.gov here:
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html
Compliance with Appendix A to 32 CFR 28. All awards require certifications of
compliance with Appendix A to 32 CFR 28 regarding lobbying. Proposers are certifying
compliance with this regulation by submitting the invited proposal. It is not necessary to include
the certification text with your invited proposal. If applicable, proposers should submit the
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) Form in accordance with Section 4.2.6.
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VAT and Other Taxes in Assistance Awards. Prior to proposal submission, the applicant
will require any supplier of goods or services to assess and verify potential VAT, excise duties,
and other tax implications to avoid the imposition of such charges with respect to the goods
and/or services in question to the maximum extent possible.
In instances where the supplier of goods or services is exempt from the VAT, excise duties, or
other taxes or is entitled to claim reimbursement thereof, the taxes must not be included in the
proposed cost of the award.
In instances where the supplier of goods or services is not exempt from the VAT, excise duties,
or other taxes or is not entitled to claim reimbursement thereof, the applicant must itemize the
VAT and/or other taxes in the proposal. Further, applicants are advised that prior to the award of
any grant or cooperative agreement, DTRA and the recipient will mutually agree upon the use of
DTRA funds for the VAT, excise duties, or other taxes, and project activities may be revised
accordingly. All applicants may include costs in their proposal to pay for VAT costs associated
with lodging, meals, and transportation for travel.
4.6. Applicants that Propose Use of OTs.
Recommended Award Instrument and Pricing Arrangement. Applicants that propose use
of OTs must provide a summary of their recommended procurement instrument and pricing
arrangement as part of the Phase II proposal. However, the Government reserves the right to
negotiate and award the types of instruments determined most appropriate under the
circumstances. It is anticipated that most instruments will be grants.
Representations and Certifications. Representations and Certifications must be
completed at the time of Phase II submission. The applicant must complete the annual
representations and certifications electronically via the System for Award Management (SAM)
website at https://www.sam.gov/portal/SAM/#1#1. After reviewing their information, the
applicant verifies by submission of the application that the representations and certifications
currently posted electronically have been entered or updated within the last 12 months.
Organization Conflict of Interest Advisory. Certain post-employment restrictions on
former federal officers and employees may exist, including special Government employees
(including but not limited to 18 U.S.C § 207, the Procurement Integrity Act, 41 U.S.C. § 2101
et.seq). If a prospective applicant believes that a conflict of interest exists, the situation should
be raised to the DTRA Grant Officer before time and effort are expended in preparing a
proposal. All applicants and proposed sub-awardees must therefore affirmatively state whether
they are providing scientific, engineering and technical assistance (SETA), advisory and
assistance services (A&AS) or similar support, through an active contract or subcontract, to any
DoD technical office to include, but not limited to, the Joint Program Executive Office for
Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO), the Office of the Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs (ASD-NCB), or
the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Chemical and Biological Defense (DASD(CBD)).
This information must be included in Technical Proposal of the Phase II full submission. All
affirmations must state which office(s) the applicant(s) supports and identify the prime contract
number. Affirmations must be furnished at the time of Phase II full proposal submission. All
facts relevant to the existence or potential existence of organizational conflicts of interest,
including but not limited to those arising out of activities with the above-referenced
organizations, must be disclosed. The disclosure must include a description of the action the
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applicant has taken or proposes to take to avoid, neutralize, or mitigate such conflict.
Limitations on OTs. Applicants are advised that an Other Transaction for Research
Agreement (10 U.S. Code § 4021) may only be awarded under the following conditions:
• The focus of the program or project is basic, applied or advanced research;
• To the maximum extent practicable, the research to be performed under the project does
not duplicate research being conducted under existing DoD programs; and
• Resource share is required and to the extent practicable, the funds from the Government
do not exceed the total amount provided by the other party.
______________________________________________________________________________
5. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION
5.1. Evaluation Criteria. The four evaluation criteria to be used for responses received to this
BAA are as follows:
1. Scientific and Technical Merit. The objective of this criterion is to assess the extent to which
the applicant presents ideas that are innovative and/or unique with the potential for high
payoff in the science area and details a comprehensive technical approach based on sound
scientific principles. Innovation will be judged contextually against the white
paper’s/proposal’s scope, goals, and setting. To the extent possible, the technical risks,
including those of biosafety and security, to accomplish the research or project should be
identified with appropriate mitigation/management details.
2. Value to Mission Goals. The objective of this criterion is to assess the extent to which the
applicant demonstrates an understanding of the C-WMD research or mission challenges and
the contribution to the C-WMD research or mission needs of that thrust area/topic. White
papers/proposals must detail research or a project that is responsive to the thrust area/topic as
presented in this solicitation. This criterion also addresses the benefit of the proposed effort
on enabling knowledge, technology, or capabilities over current methods and/or practices and
on the transition potential that is appropriate to the proposed effort. Applicants must also
demonstrate an impact of the proposed effort on the institution's ability to perform research
relevant to reducing the global WMD threat; and/or to train, through the proposed effort,
students and/or partner scientists in science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics.
3. Capability of the Personnel and Facilities to Perform the Proposed Effort. The objective of
this criterion is to assess the extent to which the applicant’s team has the requisite expertise,
skills and resources necessary to perform the proposed program. This includes an assessment
of the team’s management construct, key personnel, facilities and past technical experience
in conducting similar efforts of the proposed scope. Applicants must demonstrate that their
team has the necessary background and experience to perform this project. Facilities should
be detailed with discussion of any unique capabilities pertinent to the research.
Subcontractors may include Government facilities or Agencies; however, the unique
expertise or specialized facilities provided through their inclusion must be clearly presented
and the validity of the proposer-Governmental relationship must be clearly documented.
4. Cost Realism Evaluation. The objective of this criterion is to establish that the proposed
costs are reasonable, realistic, and justified for the technical approach offered and to assess
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the applicant’s practical understanding of the scope of the proposed effort.
5.2. Review and Selection Process. The pre-application white paper and proposal selection
process will be conducted based upon a technical review as described in the DoDGARs (32 CFR
22.315(c)) and includes the use of non-Government peer-reviewers.
Each pre-application white paper and invited proposal submitted to a general TA will be
reviewed on a rolling basis; topic-based submissions will be reviewed as a batch following
receipt deadlines. All applications will be reviewed based on the merit and relevance of the
specific pre-application white paper/proposal as it relates to the DTRA program, rather than
against other pre-application white papers/proposals for research in the same general area.
Pre-application white paper (Phase I) evaluation will be based on the two (2) equally weighted
criteria of (1) Technical/Scientific Merit and (2) Value to Mission Goals. The criteria will be
scored as Outstanding (O), Good (G), Acceptable (A), Marginal (M) or Unacceptable (U). Any
criterion scored as “Unacceptable (U)” will render the pre-application white paper “Not
Selectable,” and the pre-application white paper will not be considered further.
Rating Description
Outstanding The proposal is a technically exceptional submission that is pertinent to
(O) program goals and objectives. The proposal contains multiple strengths
that will provide significant benefit to the Government, and that far
outweigh any weaknesses. The risk of unsuccessful performance is low.
Good (G) The proposal is a technically thorough submission that is pertinent to
program goals, and objectives. The proposal contains at least one strength
that will provide benefit to the Government, and that outweighs any
weaknesses. The risk of unsuccessful performance is low to moderate.
Acceptable (A) The proposal is a technically adequate submission that is pertinent to
program goals, and objectives. Strengths and weaknesses are offsetting or
will have little or no impact on grant performance. The risk of
unsuccessful performance is no worse than moderate.
Marginal (M) The proposal is a technically weak submission that is pertinent to program
goals, and objectives. The proposal has one or more weaknesses which are
not offset by strengths. The risk of unsuccessful performance is high.
Unacceptable The proposal does not meet requirements, or is not pertinent to program
(U) goals and objectives and contains one or more deficiencies. The proposal is
un-awardable.
Table 5: Definitions of Adjectival Ratings
The full proposal evaluation will be based on the four criteria listed above. Of these, the first
two (2) criteria of (1) Technical/Scientific Merit and (2) Value to Mission Goals are equally
weighted and more important than the third criterion of (3) Capability of the Personnel and
Facilities to Perform the Proposed Effort. These first three criteria will be scored Outstanding
(O), Good (G), Acceptable (A), Marginal (M) or Unacceptable (U). The fourth criterion of Cost
Realism will be scored as either Acceptable (A) or Unacceptable (U). Any criterion scored as
“Unacceptable (U)” will render the proposal “Not Selectable,” and the proposal will not be
considered further.
Other factors that may be considered are duplication with other research, program balance, past
performance, and budget limitations. Prior to award, the Government reserves the right to
perform a review of past performance. Sources that may be used for past performance review
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may include the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS) and the Federal
Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS). The Government will also
evaluate the impact of any proposed limitations to the use of intellectual property (e.g., asserted
technical data/computer software restrictions or patents) during the selection and/or negotiation
process, and may request additional information from the applicant, as may be necessary, to
evaluate the applicant’s assertions. Accordingly, proposals may be selected for funding which
are not reviewed as highly as others, which are of higher risk and/or which may be of a higher
cost.
The Government reserves the right to select all, some, or none of the proposals, or any part of
any proposal received in response to this BAA and to make awards without discussions with
applicants; however, the Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if determined
necessary.
5.3. DTRA anticipates that the total Federal share of awards made under this announcement
will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold over the period of performance (see
§200.88 Simplified Acquisition Threshold). Therefore, in accordance with Appendix I to 2 CFR
Part 200, Section E.3, this section serves to inform applicant:
i. That DTRA, prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater
than the simplified acquisition threshold, is required to review and consider any
information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system
accessible through SAM (currently Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity
Information System (FAPIIS)) (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);
ii. That an applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and
performance systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about
itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated
integrity and performance system accessible through SAM;
iii. That DTRA will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other
information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment
about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal
awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.205
Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.
iv. For awards that exceed $500,000 over the period of performance, DTRA will employ the
additional post-award reporting requirements reflected in Appendix XII—Award Term
and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters of 2 CFR 200.
5.4. Technical and Administrative Support by Non-Government Personnel. It is the intent of
DTRA to use both Government and non-Government personnel to assist with the review and
administration of submittals for this BAA. All pre-application white papers and invited
proposals may be reviewed by subject matter experts, including, but not limited to, peer
reviewers from across the academic and industrial community, as applicable to the research
proposed.
Further, participation in this BAA requires DTRA support contractors to have access to pre-
application white paper and invited proposal information including information that may be
considered proprietary or otherwise marked with restrictive legends Each contract contains
organizational conflict of interest provisions and/or includes contractual requirements for non-
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disclosure of proprietary contractor information or data/software marked with restrictive legends.
The applicant, by submitting a white paper or proposal, is deemed to have consented to the
disclosure of its information to the aforementioned contractors under the conditions and
limitations described herein.
All individuals—including subject matter experts and support contractors—having access to any
proprietary data must certify that they will not disclose any information pertaining to this BAA
including any submittal, the identity of any submitters, or any other information relevant to this
BAA. All applicants to this BAA consent to the disclosure of their information under these
conditions.
______________________________________________________________________________
6. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
6.1. Award Notices. Applicants will be notified regarding the status of their applications
(invitation/non-invitation for full proposals, re-submission of white papers, selection/non-
selection for award, etc.) via e-mail to the BPOC listed in Block 5 of the SF-424 and the PI listed
in Block 14 of the SF-424 provided at the time of submission. A debrief summary will be
provided as part of all notification e-mails.
A notice of selection should not be construed as an obligation on the part of the Government;
only duly authorized Grants or Agreements Officers may commit resources; this will be done by
issuing a grant document to the selected applicant. Also, this notification must not be used as a
basis for accruing costs to the Government prior to award. Selected applicants are not authorized
to begin work, as any award is subject to successful negotiations (if determined necessary by
DTRA) between the DTRA contracting division and the selected organization, and to the
availability of funds.
All notifications will be made from notification@dtrasubmission.net. E-mails to this e-mail
address will not be answered or forwarded.
Applicants must be aware that it is their responsibility to ensure: (1) correct e-mail addresses are
provided at the time of submission, (2) this e-mail notification reaches the intended recipient(s),
and (3) the e-mail is not blocked by the use of ‘spam blocker’ software or other means that the
recipient’s Internet Service Provider may have implemented as a means to block the receipt of
certain e-mail messages.
If for any reason there is a delivery failure of these e-mail notices, DTRA will not further attempt
to contact the applicants.
6.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. All awards require certifications of
compliance with national policy requirements. Statutes and Government-wide regulations
require some certifications to be submitted at the time of proposal submission. See Section 4.5.2
and Section 4.6.2 for the certification(s) required at the time of submission.
This BAA focuses on fundamental research in a DoD contractual context, which was defined in
Section 1.2 of this BAA. Per DoD policy1, “…products of fundamental research are to remain
1 Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Memorandum, SUBJECT: Fundamental
Research, dated May 24, 2010.
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unrestricted to the maximum extent possible.” Furthermore, “The DoD will place no other
restrictions on the conduct or reporting of unclassified fundamental research, except as otherwise
required by statue [sic], regulation, or Executive Order.” As such, fundamental research is
normally exempt from controls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) (22
CFR Parts 120-130) and/or the Department of Commerce regarding the Export Administration
Regulations (15 CFR Parts 730-774), but the DoD rule recognizes that there are “rare” situations
where export-controlled information or technology may be used in fundamental research that
may require a license(s) or restrictions on products.
Export Control Notification. Applicants are responsible for ensuring compliance with
any export control laws and regulations that may be applicable to the export of and foreign
access to their proposed research. Applicants may consult with the Department of State with any
questions regarding the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) (22 CFR Parts 120-130)
and/or the Department of Commerce regarding the Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR
Parts 730-774). Please note that the prime awardee is responsible for monitoring ITAR
compliance of all subawardees.
Protection of Human Subjects. If the proposed work involves human subjects or the use
of human anatomical substances (e.g., biospecimens, blood, tissue, cell lines), either living or
post-mortem, applicants are required to: a) justify and b) outline the use, and c) include the
source of the human subjects, human biospecimens and/or human data involved in the research,
hereafter referred to as “research.”
The DTRA Research Oversight Board (ROB) will provide ongoing oversight throughout the
duration of the effort to ensure proper approvals are in place. Further information will be
required if the proposal is selected for award. Further information will be required if the
proposal is selected for award.
DTRA PMs responsible for the research are required to complete and submit Section A of the
DTRA Form 156, available through the DTRA1 Forms Library, to the DTRA Research
Oversight Board (ROB) through the ROB Central Mailbox, dtra.belvoir.rd.mbx.research-
oversight-board@mail.mil.
Through an Agreement with DTRA and the U.S. Army Medical Research Development
Command, Office of Human and Animal Research Oversight (MRDC OHARO), OHARO must
review and approve all DTRA funded or supported research prior to the start of the proposed
work. This review requirement is in addition to the DTRA ROB review. Therefore, along with
the DTRA Form 156, the DTRA PM/STM must complete and submit the MRDC OHARO form
titled “USAMRDC_ORP_Proposal Submission_Form” to the DTRA ROB for review of the
proposed work. These forms are available through the ROB DTRA1 Sharepoint site,
https://dtra1portal.unet.dtra.mil/RD/ROB/default.aspx. Allow up to four months, from date
award is submitted to the DTRA ROB, for regulatory review and approval processes. Applicants
are to build the review time into their project schedules.
All work under any award made under this BAA involving research must be conducted in
accordance with 32 CFR 219, 10 U.S.C. § 980, and DoD Instruction (DoDI) 3216.02, DTRA
Instruction (DTRAI) 3216.01, and, as applicable, 21 CFR parts 11, 50, 56, GCP, the
International Council for Harmonization (ICH) as well as other applicable federal and state
regulations. Grants, CA’s and OT’s must include similar language as DFARS clause 252.235-
7004 and DTRA Clause 252.223-9002. Non-compliance with any provision of this clause may
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result in withholding of payments pursuant to the terms and conditions. The Government shall
not be responsible for any costs incurred for research involving human subjects prior to protocol
approval by the MRDC OHRO and ROB.
It is the responsibility of the PM to ensure performers are cognizant of and abide by the
additional restrictions and limitations imposed by the DoD regarding research involving human
subjects and human anatomical substances, specifically in regards to vulnerable populations (32
CFR 219 modifications to subparts B-D of 45 CFR 46), recruitment of military research subjects
(32 CFR 219), and surrogate consent (10 U.S.C. § 980).
Through the Component Management Plan (CMP), reviewed and approved by USD(R&E), the
DTRAI 3216.01 establishes the DTRA Human Research Protection Program (HRPP), and sets
forth the policies, defines the applicable terms, and delineates the procedures necessary to ensure
DTRA compliance with federal and DoD regulations and legislation governing human subject
research, and is managed by the DTRA ROB. The regulations mandate that all DoD activities,
components, and agencies protect the rights and welfare of human subjects in DoD funded or
supported research, development, test and evaluation, and related activities.
The DTRAI 3216.01 requires that research involving human subjects or human anatomical
substances may not begin or continue until the DTRA ROB and MRDC OHRO have reviewed
and approved the proposed work. The requirement to comply with the regulations applies to new
starts and continuing research for the life of the project, until closure. The completion of a
research project requires closure document (e.g., IRB Final Review submission) submitted to the
DTRA ROB and/or the MRDC OHRO.
A study is considered to involve human research subjects if: 1) there is interaction with the
subject (even simply talking to the subject qualifies; no needles are required); and 2) if the study
involves collection and/or analysis of personal/private information about an individual, or if
material used in the study contains links to such information.
A study is considered to use human anatomical substances if it involves human biospecimens
such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells, primary cells, blood, saliva, tissue, etc.
Commercially available sources (e.g., a vendor, medical facility’s discarded materials, research
collaborators, biobanks, repositories) of human anatomical substances require review. This
includes cadaveric specimens and substances.
Commercially available cell lines are exempt from this definition and do not require review
(note: commercially available embryonic cell lines are not exempt and must be reviewed).
Approval to begin research or to subcontract under the proposed protocol will be provided in
writing from the MRDC OHRO and the DTRA ROB Executive Secretary (ES) or Program
Manager, in absence of the ROB ES. Both the contractor and the Government must maintain a
copy of this approval. Any proposed modifications or amendments to the approved research
must be submitted to the DTRA ROB and/or the MRDC OHRO for review and approval.
Examples of modifications or amendments to the approved work that would require a new
review of the project include, but are not limited to:
• a change of the Principal Investigator (PI);
• a change or addition of an institution (note: review and approval of institution is required),
• elimination or alteration of the informed consent process,
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• a change in the human subjects study population (e.g., adding children, active duty, etc.) has
regulatory implications
• changes in duration or intensity of exposure to some stimulus or agent.
• changes in the information requested of volunteers, or changes to the use of specimens or
data collected.
• changes in perceived or measured risks or benefits to volunteers that require changes to the
study,
• a change in the IRB of record.
• a change that could potentially increase risk to human subjects.
• significant change in study design (i.e., would prompt significant additional scientific
review).
Research pursuant to such modifications or amendments must not be initiated without IRB and
OHRO approval except when necessary to eliminate apparent and immediate hazards to the
subject(s). All unanticipated problems involving risk to subjects or others (UPIRTSOs),
suspensions, clinical holds (voluntary or involuntary), or terminations of the research by the IRB
or regulatory agencies, the institution, the sponsor, or any instances of serious or continuing
noncompliance with the federal regulation or IRB requirements, must be promptly reported to
the DTRA ROB and/or MRDC OHRO.
Greater than minimal risk research projects lasting more than one year require IRB and OHRO
review at least every 365 days, or more frequently as required by the responsible IRB. ROB
review and approval is required annually from the date of Section A of the DTRA Form 156,
through recertification of the DTRA Form 156. The awardee must provide documentation of
continued IRB review of protocols for MRDC OHRO review and approval. Research must not
continue without renewed OHRO and ROB approval unless necessary to eliminate apparent and
immediate hazards to the subject(s).
Animal Use. If the proposed work involves the use of animals, applicants are required to:
a) justify and b) include detailed information on the use of animals, and c) include the location(s)
of where the animal work is to be performed. The DTRA Research Oversight Board (ROB) will
provide ongoing oversight throughout the duration of the effort to ensure proper approvals are in
place. Further information will be required if the proposal is selected for award.
DTRA PMs responsible for the research are required to complete and submit Section A of the
DTRA Form 156, available through the DTRA1 Forms Library, to the DTRA Research
Oversight Board (ROB) through the ROB Central Mailbox, dtra.belvoir.rd.mbx.research-
oversight-board@mail.mil.
Through an Agreement with DTRA, the Animal Care and Use Review Office (ACURO), a
component of the USAMRDC Office of Human and Animal Research Oversight (MRDC
OHARO) must review and approve all DTRA funded or supported research involving animal use
prior to the start of the proposed work. This review requirement is in addition to the DTRA
ROB review. Therefore, along with the DTRA Form 156, the DTRA PM must complete and
submit the MRDC OHARO form titled “USAMRDC_ORP_Proposal Submission_Form” to the
DTRA ROB for review of the proposed work. This form is available through the ROB DTRA1
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Sharepoint site, https://dtra1portal.unet.dtra.mil/RD/ROB/default.aspx. Allow up to four
months, from date award is submitted to the DTRA ROB, for regulatory review and approval
processes. Applicants are to build the review time into their project schedules.
All work under any award made under this BAA involving the use of animals must be conducted
in accordance with DoD Instruction (DoDI) 3216.01, DTRA Instruction (DTRAI) 3216.01, and
Army Regulation (AR) 40-33. Provisions include rules on animal acquisition, transport, care,
handling, and use in: (i) 9 CFR parts 1-4, Department of Agriculture rules that implement the
Laboratory Animal Welfare Action of 1966 (U.S.C. 2131-2156); and (ii) the “Guide for the Care
and Use of Laboratory Animals,” National Institutes of Health Publication No. 86-23. Contracts
must include DFARS Clause 252.235-7002 and DTRA Clause 252.235-9001. Other funding
vehicles (e.g., grant, OT) must include similar language. Non-compliance with any provision of
this clause may result in withholding of payments under the contract pursuant to the terms and
conditions. The Government shall not be responsible for any costs incurred for research
involving animal use prior to protocol approval by the MRDC ACURO and ROB. It is the
responsibility of the PM to ensure performers are cognizant of and abide by the additional
restrictions and limitations imposed by the DoD regarding animal-use research.
The DTRAI 3216.01 requires that research using animals not begin or continue until the DTRA
ROB and MRDC ACURO have reviewed and approved the proposed work.
Through the DTRA Component Animal Use Management Plan (CAUMP), reviewed and
approved by the USD(R&E), the DTRAI 3216.01 establishes the DTRA Animal Use Oversight
Program (AUOP), and sets forth the policies, defines the applicable terms, and delineates the
procedures necessary to ensure DTRA compliance with federal and DoD regulations and
legislation governing research involving animal use, and is managed by the DTRA ROB. The
regulations mandate that all DoD activities, components, and agencies protect the care and
welfare of animals in DoD funded or supported research, development, test and evaluation and
training, and related activities. The requirement to comply with the regulations applies to new
starts and continuing research for the life of the project, until closure. The completion of a
research project requires closure document (e.g., IACUC Final Review submission) submitted to
the DTRA ROB and/or the MRDC ACURO.
The DoD definition of animal is “any living or dead vertebrate animal, including birds, cold
blooded animals, rats of the genus rattus and mice of the genus mus.” “Dead” is defined as
animals killed for the direct purpose of conducing RDT&E or training.
Approval to begin research or to subcontract under the proposed protocol will be provided in
writing from the MRDC ACURO and the DTRA ROB Executive (ES) Secretary or the ROB
PM, in the absence of the ROB ES. Both the awardee and the Government must maintain a copy
of this approval. Any proposed modifications or amendments to the approved research must be
submitted to the DTRA ROB and/or the MRDC ACURO for review and approval. Examples of
modifications or amendments to the approved protocol that would require a new review of the
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project include, but are not limited to:
• a change of the Principal Investigator (PI),
• a change or addition of an institution (note: review and approval of institutions is required),
• a change in the duration or intensity of exposure to a stimulus or agent,
• a change in the animal model and/or numbers of animals used,
• a change in the IACUC of record, or
• a significant change to in study design (i.e., would prompt significant additional scientific
review).
Research pursuant to such modifications or amendments must not be initiated without IACUC
and ACURO approvals.
Biological Defense Research Program (BDRP) Requirements: BioSurety and Select
Agent Use.
Proposals must specify what Select Agent work will be conducted at the applicant’s facility and
what Select Agent work will be performed in other facilities. Proposals also must provide the
source of the Select Agent(s), any appropriate registration information for the facilities, and
specify the Laboratory Bio-safety Level. All Select Agent work is subject to verification of
information and certifications. Further information may be required if the proposal is successful.
For those institutions in which PI’s are conducting research with Bio-safety Levels 3 and 4
materials, a Facility Safety Plan must be prepared and made available during the project award
phase in accordance with 32 CFR 626.18. For grants awarded to foreign institutions, you must
follow either local or U.S. laws (as stated above) depending on which laws provide stronger
protection. (DTRA requires that research using Select Agents not begin or continue until DTRA
has reviewed and approved the proposed agent use. See URL:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2002-title32-vol3/pdf/CFR-2002-title32-vol3-sec626-
18.pdf for a copy of 32 CFR 626.18, Biological Defense Safety Program.)
For projects that will employ the use of chemical agents, either neat agent or dilute agent, the
offeror must provide approved Facility Standard Operating Procedures that conform to Federal,
State, and local regulations and address the storage, use and disposition of these chemical
materials.
Dual-Use Potential. In accordance with National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity
(NSABB) recommendations, DTRA will not support research that, based on current
understanding, can reasonably be anticipated to provide knowledge, information, products, or
technologies that could be directly misapplied to pose a significant threat with broad potential
consequences to public health and safety, agricultural crops and other plants, animals, the
environment, materiel, or national security. Research involving select agents and toxins is within
scope of the DTRA mission; however, the use of select agents and toxins in certain experimental
categories is considered “dual-use research of concern” (DURC) according to U.S. policy.
(http://www.phe.gov/s3/dualuse/Documents/us-policy-durc-032812.pdf) Proposals that contain
DURC will not be funded. Dual-use potential will be assessed based on application of the
following criteria:
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• Use of select agents or toxins. This factor evaluates whether the proposed research involves
use of one or more select agents or toxins [as identified by the Select Agent Program under
Federal Law (7 C.F.R. part 331, 9 C.F.R. part 121, and 42 C.F.R. part 73)] which pose
significant risk of deliberate misuse with potential for mass casualties or devastating effects
to the economy, critical infrastructure, or public confidence.
• Scope of proposed experiments. This factor evaluates whether the proposed research
involves experiments that will produce, aim to produce, or is reasonably anticipated to
produce: (a) Enhanced harmful consequences of the agent or toxin; (b) Disruption of
immunity or effectiveness of an immunization against the agent or toxin without clinical or
agricultural justification; (c) Conferred resistance by the agent or toxin to clinically or
agriculturally useful prophylactic or therapeutic interventions against the agent or toxin, or
facilitated ability to evade detection methodologies; (d) Increased stability, transmissibility,
or dissemination ability of the agent or toxin; (e) Altered host range or tropism of the agent
or toxin; (f) Enhanced susceptibility of a host population to the agent or toxin; or (g)
Eradicated or extinct select agents or toxins.
Military Recruiting. This is to notify potential applicants that each award under this
announcement to an institution of higher education, with exception of any grants awarded to
institutions of higher education entirely located outside the United States and/or its territories,
must include the following term and condition: “As a condition for receipt of funds available to
DoD under this award, the recipient agrees that it is not an institution of higher education (as
defined in 32 CFR 216) that has a policy of denying, and that it is not an institution of higher
education that effectively prevents, the Secretary of Defense from obtaining the following for
military recruiting purposes: (A) entry to campuses or access to students on campuses; or (B)
access to directory information pertaining to students. If the recipient is determined, using
procedures in 32 CFR 216 to be such an institution of higher education during the period of
performance of this agreement, and therefore to be in breach of this clause, the Government will
cease all payments of DoD funds under this agreement and all other DoD grants and CAs, and it
may suspend or terminate such grants and agreements unilaterally for material failure to comply
with the terms and conditions of award.” 32 CFR 216 may be accessed electronically at
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-
idx?SID=ee45add5e352854b7089ce420c7fd0a6&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title32/32cfr216_m
ain_02.tpl . If your institution has been identified under the procedures established by the
Secretary of Defense to implement Section 558 of Public Law 103-337, then: (1) no funds
available to DoD may be provided to your institution through any grant, including any existing
grant; and (2) your institution is not eligible to receive a grant in response to this BAA. This is
to notify potential applicants that each award under this announcement to an institution of higher
education, with exception of any grants awarded to institutions of higher education entirely
located outside the United States and/or its territories, must include the following clause: 32
CFR 22.520 (DoDGARS 22.520), Military Recruiting and Reserve Officer Training Corps
Program Access to Institutions of Higher Education.
Combating Trafficking in Persons. The recipient agrees to comply with the trafficking in
persons requirement in Section 106(g) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000
(TVPA), as amended (22 U.S.C. 7104(g)).
Reporting Subawards and Executive Compensation. The recipient agrees to ensure they
have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting requirements of
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the Transparency Act, as defined at 2 CFR 170.320, unless they meet the exception under 2 CFR
170.110(b).
Representation Regarding the Prohibition on Using Funds under Grants and Cooperative
Agreements with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements. By
submission of its proposal or application, the applicant represents that it does not require any of
its employees, contractors, or subrecipients seeking to report fraud, waste, or abuse to sign or
comply with internal confidentiality agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting
those employees, contractors, or subrecipients from lawfully reporting that waste, fraud, or abuse
to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative of a Federal department or
agency authorized to receive such information. Note that: (1) the basis for this representation is
a prohibition in section 743 of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations
Act, 2015 (Division E of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015,
Pub. L. 113-235) and any successor provision of law on making funds available through grants
and cooperative agreements to entities with certain internal confidentiality agreements or
statements; and (2) section 743 states that it does not contravene requirements applicable to
Standard Form 312, Form 4414, or any other form issued by a Federal department or agency
governing the nondisclosure of classified information.
USD (R&E) memorandum dated 8 June 2023 Policy for Risk Based Security Reviews of
Fundamental Research. The offeror’s submitted fundamental research project proposal shall be
subject to Agency security reviews to include screening for conflicts of interest and conflicts of
commitment from foreign influence, ties to foreign talent recruitment programs or Confucius
Institutes, and assessment of risk in accordance with the factors in the DoD decision matrix
published with the memorandum.
The offeror must also agree, as part of its proposal that it shall comply with DoD’s follow up
annual verification that each participant listed on the research performance progress report –
RPRR – is not a participant in a malign foreign talent recruitment program meeting. DoD will
conduct periodic spot checks of covered individuals listed on representative samples of
fundamental research project proposals selected for award to identify any research security risks
that were missed during the initial review.
As of 9 August 2024, DoD is prohibited from funding or awarding a fundamental research
proposal in which a covered individual is participating in a malign foreign talent recruitment
program or to a proposing institution that does not have a policy addressing malign foreign talent
programs.
As of FY24, no US institution of higher education that hosts a Confucius Institute may receive
DoD funding unless it has a waiver by the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Upon review, for selected proposals that necessitate, the offeror shall comply with agreed-upon
research security risk mitigation measures as part of the award.
The Government reserves the right to decline award based on research security risks that cannot
be mitigated. The offeror will receive a rejection letter if this instance occurs. If the offeror
challenges the rejection, OUSD(R&E) will act as mediator and issue a final determination.
Certification Regarding Disclosure of Funding Sources. The offeror shall comply with
Section 223(a) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2021 (42 US Code 6605), which requires that covered individuals:
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(A) disclose the amount, type, and source of all current and pending research support received
by, or expected to be received by, the individual as of the time of the disclosure;
(B) certify that the disclosure is current, accurate, and complete; and
(C) agree to update such disclosure at the request of the Government prior to the award of
support and at any subsequent time the Government determines appropriate during the term of
the award.
The offeror shall also certify that each covered individual who is employed by the offeror and
listed on the proposal has been made aware of the requirements listed above. The disclosure and
certification must be made by completing the form or attachment provided with this solicitation
(e.g., SF-424 R&R or Disclosure of Funding Sources). Source Reference: Section 223 of the
FY21 NDAA , pages 84-86: https://www.congress.gov/116/plaws/publ283/PLAW-
116publ283.pdf.
Section 223 defines “covered individual” as:
An individual who—
(A) contributes in a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or
execution of a research and development project proposed to be carried out with a research
and development award from a Federal research agency; and
(B) is designated as a covered individual by the Federal research agency concerned.
Prohibition on Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services. Section 889 of the
National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 (Public Law 115-232)
prohibits the head of an executive agency from obligating or expending loan or grant funds to
procure or obtain, extend, or renew a contract to procure or obtain, or enter into a contract (or
extend or renew a contract) to procure or obtain the equipment, services, or systems prohibited
systems as identified in section 889 of the NDAA for FY 2019.
(a) In accordance with 2 CFR 200.216 and 200.471, a recipient and subrecipient are prohibited
from obligating or expending grant funds to:
1. Procure or obtain;
2. Extend or renew a contract to procure or obtain; or
3. Enter into a contract (or extend or renew a contract) to procure or obtain equipment,
services, or systems that use covered telecommunications equipment or services as a
substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any
system. Covered telecommunications equipment is telecommunications equipment
produced by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation (or any subsidiary or
affiliate of such entities).
• For the purpose of public safety, security of government facilities, physical security
surveillance of critical infrastructure, and other national security purposes, video
surveillance and telecommunications equipment produced by Hytera
Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, or
Dahua Technology Company (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities);
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• Telecommunications or video surveillance services provided by such entities or using
such equipment; or
• Telecommunications or video surveillance equipment or services produced or
provided by an entity that the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director
of the National Intelligence or the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
reasonably believes to be an entity owned or controlled by, or otherwise connected to,
the government of a covered foreign country.
(b) In implementing the prohibition under Public Law 115-232, section 889, subsection (f),
paragraph (1), heads of executive agencies administering loan, grant, or subsidy programs shall
prioritize available funding and technical support to assist affected businesses, institutions and
organizations as is reasonably necessary for those affected entities to transition from covered
communications equipment and services, to procure replacement equipment and services, and to
ensure that communications service to users and customers is sustained.
(c) See Public Law 115-232, section 889 for additional information.
COVERED FOREIGN COUNTRY means the People’s Republic of China.
6.3. Reporting. General requirements are provided below; however, each awardee should
check the award agreement and/or terms and conditions to determine the requirements for that
specific award.
Annual Reports. Annual Reports will be due no later than 1 July of each year. Awards
effective after 31 January will not require an Annual Report until 1 July of the following year.
The Annual Report is not a cumulative report.
Final Technical Reports. A comprehensive final technical report is required prior to the
end of an effort, due on the date specified in CDRLs and/or the terms and conditions of the
award document. The purpose of the Final Report is to document the results of the effort. The
Final Report is a cumulative report.
The final report will always be sent to the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) and
reports may be available to the public through the National Technical Information Service
(NTIS).
Financial Reports. Federal Financial Reports (SF-425) are due no later than 1 July of
each year. Grants effective after 31 January will not require a Federal Financial Report until 1
July of the following year.
Foreign Travel Reports. Within thirty (30) days after returning to the United States from
foreign travel, the PI may be required to submit an acceptable trip report summarizing the
highlights of the trip. For grants or OTs awarded to institutions entirely located outside the
United States and/or its territories, this is not required.
6.4. After-the-Award Requirements for Grants. Closeout, subsequent adjustments,
continuing responsibilities, and collection of amounts due are subject to requirements found in
32 CFR 32.71 – 73 (Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit
Organizations) and 32 CFR 34.61 – 63 (For-Profit Organizations).
______________________________________________________________________________
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7. AGENCY CONTACTS
Administrative Correspondence and
dtra.belvoir.rd.mbx.rd-cb-frbaa25-34-a@mail.mil
Questions
Thrust Area 1: Fundamental Science
dtra.belvoir.rd.mbx.rd-cb-frbaa25-34-ta1@mail.mil
for Chemical and Biological Defense
Table 6: Agency Contacts.
7.1. Questions regarding administrative content of this BAA must be addressed to the
administrative e-mail address listed above. Applicants should include the relevant thrust area
email address.
7.2. Questions regarding technical content of this BAA must be referred to the thrust area
email listed above.
DTRA will not release employee personal contact information.
______________________________________________________________________________
8. OTHER INFORMATION
Topics from previous periods may or may not be repeated. DTRA will not provide additional
information regarding the posting of future topics, including dates for posting, the potential for a
topic to be repeated in out years, the potential for similar topics to be posted, and/or topic details
in advance of issuance of an amended BAA.
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ATTACHMENT 1: SPECIFIC TOPICS
Thrust Area 1 has no topics at this time.
Submissions to the general thrust area descriptions for this thrust area in accordance with the
requirements detailed in this BAA are welcome.
• General submission should use Thrust Area NO TOPIC application packages.
Great care must be taken to use the appropriate application package on www.grants.gov, as the
package selection dictates how each submission will be reviewed:
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ATTACHMENT 2: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
(Applies to OTs)
Applicants must describe any limitations on the use of any intellectual property (patents,
inventions, trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks, technical data or computer software) that will
impact the offeror’s performance of the contract or impact the Government’s subsequent use of
any deliverable under the contract. In particular, the applicant must describe the intellectual
property in sufficient detail and describe the limitations on its use (potential patent licenses
required by the Government, data assertions of the offeror or any subcontractor, etc.) and
describe how the Government can accomplish the stated objectives of this BAA with the
limitations described or proposed by the offeror.
Patents. Applicants must list any known patents, patent applications, or inventions which the
offeror may be required to license in order to perform the work described in the Applicant’s
proposal, or which the Government may be required to license to make or use the deliverables of
the contract should the Applicant’s proposal be selected for award. For any patent, patent
application or invention listed, the Offeror must provide the invention title, a summary of the
invention, patent number, patent application publication number, or provisional patent
application number, and indicate whether the offeror is the patent or invention owner. If a patent
or invention is in-licensed by the offeror, identify the licensor.
If any listed patent, patent application or invention is owned or licensed by the applicant, the
applicant must provide a statement, in writing, confirming that it either owns or possesses the
appropriate licensing rights to patent, patent application or invention to perform the work
described in the proposal and/or to grant the Government a license to make or use the
deliverables for this program. If any listed patent, patent application or invention is not owned or
licensed by the applicant, then the applicant must explain how it will obtain a license, how the
Government may obtain a license and/or whether the offeror plans to obtain these rights on
behalf of the Government.
Be advised that no patent, patent application, or invention disclosure will be accepted if
identified in the Data Rights Assertion list. The list of patents, patent applications, and
inventions of this section must be a separate list from the Data Rights Assertion list.
Government rights in any technology that might be invented or reduced to practice under the
contract are addressed in the patent rights clause to be included in the contract.
Data Rights. Applications submitted in response to this BAA shall identify, to the extent known
at the time an offer is submitted to the Government, the technical , the technical data, or
computer software that the Offeror, its subcontractors or suppliers, or potential subcontractors or
suppliers assert should be furnished to the Government with restrictions on use, release, or
disclosure, in accordance with DFARS 252.227-7017, Identification and Assertion of Use,
Release or Disclosure Restrictions, and DFARS 252.227-7028, Technical Data or Computer
Software Previously Delivered to the Government. The applicant’s assertions, including the
assertions of its subcontractors or suppliers, or potential subcontractors or suppliers, shall be
submitted in the following format, dated and signed by an official authorized to contractually
obligate the applicant. If the applicant will deliver all technical data and computer software to
the Government without restrictions, enter “NONE” in this table under the heading “Technical
Data or Computer Software to be Furnished with Restrictions.”
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Identification and Assertion of Restrictions on the Government's Use, Release, or
Disclosure of Technical Data or Computer Software.
The applicant asserts for itself, or the persons identified below, that the Government's rights to
use, release, or disclose the following technical data or computer software should be restricted:
Technical Data or Basis for Asserted Rights Name of Person
Computer Software Assertion Category* Asserting
to be Furnished with Restrictions**
Restrictions*
(LIST)* (LIST) (LIST) (LIST)
*For technical data (other than computer software documentation) pertaining to items,
components, or processes developed at private expense, identify both the deliverable technical
data and each such item, component, or process. For computer software or computer software
documentation identify the software or documentation.
**Generally, development at private expense, either exclusively or partially, is the only basis for
asserting restrictions. For technical data, other than computer software documentation,
development refers to development of the item, component, or process to which the data pertain.
The Government's rights in computer software documentation generally may not be restricted.
For computer software, development refers to the software. Indicate whether development was
accomplished exclusively or partially at private expense. If development was not accomplished
at private expense, or for computer software documentation, enter the specific basis for asserting
restrictions.
*Enter asserted rights category (e.g., government purpose license rights from a prior contract,
rights in SBIR data generated under another contract, limited, restricted, or government purpose
rights under this or a prior contract, or specially negotiated licenses).
**Corporation, individual, or other person, as appropriate.
*Enter “none” when all data or software will be submitted without restrictions.
Date
Printed Name
Printed Title
Signature
Applicants responding to this BAA requesting an Other Transaction or Other Transaction for
Prototype shall specifically identify any asserted restrictions on the Government’s use of
intellectual property contemplated under those award instruments. For this purpose, applicants
must propose specific Intellectual Property terms and conditions and a data deliverable list.
Further, the applicants must explain why an Other Transaction is necessary and, in particular,
how the intellectual property terms and conditions proposed will meet the objectives of this
BAA.
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Amendment 1 Topics A1-A7

DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY
BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT
HDTRA1-25-S-0001
Amendment 1
Posted December 2024
Research and Development Directorate (RD)
Chemical and Biological Technologies Department (RD-CB)
Fundamental Research to Counter Weapons
of Mass Destruction (C-WMD)
Original Posting Date: 1 October 2024
Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION NO. PAGE NO.
OVERVIEW INFORMATION ................................................................................................ 3
1. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION ...................................................................... 5
2. AWARD INFORMATION ................................................................................................... 6
3. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION ........................................................................................... 8
4. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION ................................................... 10
5. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION ...................................................................... 23
6. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION .............................................................. 26
7. AGENCY CONTACTS ....................................................................................................... 36
8. OTHER INFORMATION ................................................................................................... 36
ATTACHMENT 1: SPECIFIC TOPICS .................................................................................. 37
ATTACHMENT 2: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ............................................................... 37
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OVERVIEW INFORMATION
Agency Name:
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
Research and Development (RD) Directorate
Chemical and Biological Technologies Department (CB)
8725 John J. Kingman Road, MS 6201
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6201
Funding Opportunity Title: Fundamental Research to Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction
(FRCWMD) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)
Announcement Type: This is the initial announcement of this funding opportunity. This BAA
is in effect from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2034. It is anticipated that a majority of
the actions funded from this announcement will be in the form of grants; however, other
instruments such as cooperative agreements (CAs) or other transactions (OTs) for research may
also be awarded from this announcement. No contracts will be awarded from this
announcement. Submissions for this BAA may occur in two ways: 1) in response to the
published topics detailed in Attachment 1 or 2) to a general thrust area as described in Section
1.5.
In general, all topic-specific and general thrust area submissions require pre-coordination in
accordance with the guidelines in Section 1.5 and Section 4.2.1. DTRA reserves the right to
waive the pre-coordination requirement for topics on a case-by-case basis; and will state the
waiver applies within the individual topic description. If a pre-application white paper is
received without prior coordination, DTRA may not review it. From the date of the disposition
email the applicant has 63 days to submit the pre-application white paper. If the submission is
not feasible within this 63-day window, the abstract must be coordinated again to ensure the
interest in the white paper remains.
The evaluation of all submissions will be conducted in two phases. Phase I is for receipt and
evaluation of pre-application white papers in direct response to a published topic or by invitation
based on the assessment of the idea by the Technical POC. Phase II is for receipt and evaluation
of invited proposal applications. Invitation to the Phase II, invited proposal submission, will be
based on the evaluation results of the Phase I pre-application white paper.
Funding Opportunity Number: HDTRA1-25-S-0001
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 12.351
Dates: This BAA is open continuously from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2034.
Published topics will include instructions on any topic-specific opening and closing dates as well
as any topic-specific limitations on award types, dollar values, and eligibility. Submissions to a
general thrust area may occur at any time this BAA is in effect. Applicants should take care to
note requirements for pre-coordination of an abstract.
ADDITIONAL OVERVIEW CONTENT
Research, educational program, or other effort proposals are sought from accredited degree-
granting colleges and universities. Research, educational program, or other effort proposals are
also sought from industrial, commercial (including small businesses), and not-for-profit research
entities. DTRA strongly encourages and may give preference to pre-application white papers
HDTRA1-25-S-0001 Page 3

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and proposals that demonstrate a significant contribution (significant is defined as a minimum of
30% of total value) by one (1) or more universities.
All submissions (pre-application white papers and invited proposals) must be made in
accordance with the submission instructions in this BAA through www.grants.gov using the
application packages linked with this BAA (under the “Package” tab) on www.grants.gov.
Applicants are responsible for ensuring compliant and final submission of their pre-application
white papers and proposal applications. Any submission that does not conform to the
requirements outlined in the BAA and in the invitation for proposal may not be reviewed or
considered further at the discretion of DTRA.
Pre-application white papers may be evaluated any time after receipt. Invitations for full
proposal submission may occur any time after the pre-application white paper evaluation and
will be limited to available program funds.
Efforts may be proposed for up to five (5) years. Awards may be for a base period of one (1)
year with four (4) additional years as possible options, a base period of two (2) years with three
(3) additional years as possible options, or a base period of three (3) years with two (2) additional
years as possible options. Applicants should take care to propose the most logical mix of base
and option years for the scope of work. Further, the base period should yield a logical
completion point for the work. In cases where option years are proposed, decisions regarding
exercising those options will be based on the evaluation of the work accomplished in the base
period. Pre-application white papers and proposals that outline scope and effort for only the base
period and do not propose options are also acceptable; however, the Government reserves the
right to invite option years for awards that originally only included a base period.
Grants may range from small dollar value (e.g., $25K) up to $1M annually (total, including both
direct and indirect costs) depending on the nature and the scope of work. Payments on grants
will be made in advance, subject to the conditions described in 2 CFR 200.305. Funding
amounts for CAs, and other assistance instruments will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Thirty 30 individual awards are anticipated each year.
Any assistance instrument awarded under this announcement will be governed by the award
terms and conditions, which conform to DoD's implementation of OMB circulars applicable to
financial assistance. This includes DoD implementation of OMB guidance in 2 CFR part 200,
"Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal
Awards."
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1. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
1.1. DTRA safeguards America and its allies from weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and
provides capabilities to reduce, eliminate, and counter the threat and effects from chemical,
biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosives. DTRA seeks to identify, adopt, and
adapt emerging, existing, and revolutionary sciences that may demonstrate high payoff potential
to Counter-WMD (C-WMD) threats. This BAA is an extramural endeavor that combines the
fundamental research, educational program, or other effort needs appropriate for basic or applied
research funding of DTRA and other DoD interests.
This announcement solicits ideas and topic-based pre-application white papers for long-term
challenges that offer a significant contribution: to the current body of knowledge, to the
understanding of phenomena and observable facts, to significantly advance revolutionary
technology, to new concepts for technology application, or that may have impact on future C-
WMD threat reduction, expertise, or capabilities.
A portion of this effort is expected to be devoted to awards for science, technology, engineering
and mathematics education programs with a C-WMD focus, such as, but not limited to
postdoctoral fellowships, stipends, degrees, visiting scientist programs, student exchange
programs, and development of accredited C-WMD curricula.
1.2. Fundamental research means basic and applied research in science and engineering, the
results of which ordinarily are published and shared broadly within the scientific community, as
distinguished from proprietary research and from industrial development, design, production,
and product utilization, the results of which ordinarily are restricted for proprietary or national
security reasons.
Fundamental Research includes research performed under grants, CAs, or OTs that are (a)
funded by budget Category 6.1 (Basic Research), whether performed by universities or industry
or (b) funded by budget Category 6.2 (Applied Research) performed on-campus at a university.
Fundamental research provides for science and technology (S&T) research and early applied
development. It seeks to lower performance risk to a manageable level and facilitate transition
and funding to capability end-state programs.
1.3. Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) provide a systematic metric/measurement system
that supports assessments of the maturity of a particular technology and the consistent
comparison of maturity between different types of technology. Fundamental research may be
defined within the first four (4) TRLs.
1.4. This BAA seeks optimum approaches to meet DTRA fundamental research objectives.
The Government encourages pre-application white papers and proposals that span a wide
spectrum of research to expand fundamental scientific knowledge in response to specific topics
and to the more general thrust area. The Government reserves the right to award any
combination of approaches which offer the best overall value to the Government and to oversee
any and all processes and approaches once ongoing.
1.5. Thrust Area 1 is described below. When a specific set of topics has been identified, these
detailed needs will be described in Attachment 1 along with any topic-specific submission
instructions, deadlines, anticipated award structure, and funding requirements. Otherwise, pre-
application white papers and proposals may be written against one of the general thrust area
descriptions.
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DTRA may not review any pre-application white papers without prior coordination of the idea
with the appropriate thrust area- e-mail address (Section 7). Applicants should note that there is
extremely limited funding available for no-topic submissions; Pre-application white papers will
only be accepted from the coordinated abstracts under limited circumstances.
Thrust Area 1— Fundamental Science for Chemical and Biological Defense:
Fundamental science for chemical and biological (CB) defense includes science and technology
research that advances knowledge in physical and life sciences to defend and counter chemical
and biological WMD that could be used against our Nation’s warfighters. Fundamental research
efforts enable capabilities such as development of improved detection devices for traditional and
nontraditional chemical agents; development of diagnostics for existing and emerging infectious
disease threats; increasing knowledge and improved capabilities for development of new or
improved medical and material countermeasures to CB threats for both pre- and post-exposure
scenarios; enhanced personal protection against, modeling of, prevention of, or decontamination
of CB threats; and providing effective elimination strategies via non-kinetic approaches for
threat agent destruction, neutralization and/or sequestration.
1.6. This BAA, in addition to any amendments issued in conjunction with this BAA, will be
posted to the Grant Opportunities Website (https://www.grants.gov), the System for Award
Management website (https://sam.gov/), and the DTRA website (https://www.dtra.mil). The
DTRA website is not the official sites; applicants are responsible for monitoring both sam.gov
and www.grants.gov. Posted amendments supersede all previous versions of the BAA. Note
that topics will be listed in Attachment 1 and will be added/closed with Amendments to this
BAA.
1.7. All coordination and communication between applicants and the Government will be
conducted using the e-mail address associated with this BAA, specified in Section 7. Applicants
should include both the administrative email and the relevant thrust area email address. DTRA
will not release employee personal contact information.
______________________________________________________________________________
2. AWARD INFORMATION
2.1. Award Types. The full range of flexible assistance instruments available to DTRA are
possible results from this announcement, including but not limited to grants, CAs, and OTs;
however, grants will likely be the predominant procurement instrument. Each of the applicable
assistance instruments offer different advantages, liabilities and responsibilities for applicants
and the Government.
Applicants must specify in their submittal their recommended approach (e.g. grant, CA, or OT);
however, the Government reserves the right to negotiate and award the types of assistance
instruments determined most appropriate under the circumstances. If warranted, portions of
resulting awards may be segregated into pre-priced options.
Except for OTs, the Government actions under this BAA shall adhere to the requirements of the
DoD Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARS), as appropriate for the type of instrument.
DoDGARs can be accessed online at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-
idx?SID=e5d686f6760f3274b3368f36723fbb7e&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title32/32CIsubcha
pC.tpl . See also 32 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 22, which can be accessed online at
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http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?rgn=div5;node=32%3A1.1.1.3.16 . Any assistance
instrument awarded under this announcement will be governed by the award terms and
conditions, which conform to DoD's implementation of OMB circulars applicable to financial
assistance.
2.2. Scope of Awards. Awards may range from focused, exploratory projects with a high risk
approach in innovative research in subjects with potential for high impact to C-WMD science to
comprehensive programs of innovative research in an interdisciplinary area with potential for
high impact.
Awards may have multiple Co-Principal Investigators (Co-PIs) and subawards. Authors of pre-
application white papers and proposals should detail the contribution of all Co-PIs and any
subawards to the C-WMD scientific impact.
Preference will be given to projects where undergraduate and/or graduate students, and/or
postgraduate students are supported by the awards. Details regarding the participation of the
students and the value of the research to the students as part of the pre-application white paper
and full proposal are expected. Additional guidance regarding student and/or postgraduate
student participation may be provided in the published topics or in communications with the
applicant to include the coordination of the abstract or in the debrief summary of the pre-
application white paper. Any specific guidance provided in a topic or to an applicant supersedes
the information provided herein.
2.3. Subawards. Subawards (subgrants) are permitted. Subawards may be used to carry out a
portion of the research or efforts. Awards may have multiple subawards. Awards will be made
by a single award, e.g., grant to the lead organization. All subawards are the responsibility of the
award recipient; exceptions will not be made.
DTRA will review and consider the proposed subawards for all pre-application white papers and
proposals on a case-by-case basis. The prime awardee will be responsible for transferring funds
to the subawardee. Applicants are reminded that priority is given to projects with the main locus
of activity in the region-of-interest, so budgets should be allocated accordingly. Preference will
be given to proposals where the subaward component to the region-of-interest partner(s)
represents more than half of the award value (as measured in U.S. dollars).
2.4. Award Values. Grants resulting from submissions to Thrust Area 1, including topics
associated with the thrust area, may range from small dollar value (e.g., $25K) up to $1M
annually (total, including both direct and indirect costs) depending on the nature and the scope of
work. CAs, and OTs will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All awards are subject to the
availability of funds. Additional guidance regarding award values may be provided in the
published topics or in communications with the applicant to include the coordination of the
abstract or in the debrief summary of the pre-application white paper. Any specific guidance
provided in a topic or to an applicant supersedes the information provided herein. Funding for
participation in this program is highly competitive and the cost of proposed research should
strictly be maintained as detailed herein or as indicated in the invitation instructions.
2.5. Period of Performance and Award Structure. Efforts for Thrust Area 1, including topics
associated with the thrust area, may be proposed for up to five (5) years. Awards may be for a
base period of one (1) year with four (4) additional years as possible options, a base period of
two (2) years with three (3) additional years as possible options, or a base period of three (3)
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years with two (2) additional years as possible options. Additional guidance regarding award
structure may be provided in the published topics or in communications with the applicant to
include the coordination of the abstract or in the debrief summary of the pre-application white
paper. Any specific guidance provided in a topic or to an applicant supersedes the information
provided herein.
Applicants should take care to propose the most logical mix of base and option years for the
scope of work. Further, the base period should yield a logical completion point for the work. In
cases where option years are proposed, decisions regarding exercising those options will be
based on the evaluation of the work accomplished in the base period.
DTRA is flexible on the award structure unless otherwise specified in the published topics or in
communications with the applicant to include the coordination of the abstract or in the debrief
summary of the pre-application white paper. Applicants should take care to clearly label the
tasks and anticipated outcomes for the base and option years in the pre-application white papers
and the proposals. Pre-application white papers and proposals that outline scope and effort for
only the base period and do not propose options are also acceptable; however, the Government
reserves the right to invite option years for awards that were originally awarded with only a base
period.
2.6. The Government Accountability Office, in its report GAO-16-14, WOMEN IN STEM
RESEARCH: Better Data and Information Sharing Could Improve Oversight of Federal Grant-
making and Title IX Compliance, December 3, 2015, recommended that the DoD collect certain
demographic and career information to be able to assess the success rates of women who are
proposed for key roles in applications in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics
disciplines. To enable this assessment, DTRA will include with each Phase II application
package the Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) form and the Research
and Related Personal Data form.
2.7. The Government does not anticipate the need to provide any hardware or software to
execute the proposed research. However, DTRA will review and consider any
hardware/software requests for all pre-application white papers and proposals on a case-by-case
basis.
2.8. The Government reserves the right to fund all, some, or none of the proposals submitted;
may elect to fund only part of any or all proposals; and may incrementally fund any or all awards
under this BAA. The Government also reserves the right to request applicants make any changes
necessary to submitted full proposals to increase the feasibility of making the proposal fundable.
Applicants may decline to participate in any revisions to application packages requested by
DTRA.
______________________________________________________________________________
3. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
3.1. Pre-application white papers and proposals submitted for this BAA will be considered
from the following U.S. and Foreign Institutions as follows:
• Accredited degree-granting colleges, universities, and academic institutions.
• Industrial and commercial entities, including small businesses.
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• Not-for-profit entities with a portfolio predominantly in research. For foreign-based
establishments entirely based outside the U.S. and/or its territories, proof of not-for-profit
status may be required.
• Foreign government laboratories. Foreign based government laboratory equivalents include
those residing in the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture,
Ministry of Education and Science and Food Safety Agencies.
DTRA strongly encourages and may give preference to pre-application white papers and
proposals that demonstrate a significant contribution (significant is defined as a minimum of
30% of total value) by one (1) or more universities. Applicants should note that university
participation may be mandatory for some published topics. Additional guidance regarding
university participation may be provided in the published topics or in communications with the
applicant to include the coordination of the abstract or in the debrief summary of the pre-
application white paper. Any specific guidance provided in a topic or to an applicant supersedes
the information provided herein.
The following entities may not participate as prime awardees nor furnish Principal Investigators
(PIs) in awards made under this BAA but may act as collaborators, including as Co-PIs, and/or
subawardees:
• Federal Academic organizations (e.g., Naval Postgraduate School).
• Federal laboratories (including DoD and Department of Energy (DOE)).
• U.S. Government agencies.
• DoD-sponsored Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) specified
in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 235.017-1
(http://farsite.hill.af.mil/VFDFARA.HTM) and click on ‘DFARS Part 35’.
• DOE-sponsored FFRDCs.
Note: Federal laboratories (including DoD and DOE) and FFRDCs are eligible to submit
abstracts (when required), pre-application white papers, and proposals in response to the
Government Call (HDTRA1-25-34-FRCWMD-Call). However, a FFRDC (other than the DoD
FFRDCs specified in DFARS 235.017-1) must have authorization from its sponsoring agency in
accordance with FAR 35.017-1. Eligibility requirements under the Call are subject to change.
See http://www.dtrasubmission.net and after logging in, follow the link to the ‘FY25-34
Fundamental Research to Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (C-WMD) Government Call’.
3.2. Cost Sharing or Matching. In general, cost sharing or matching is not required for
applications to this announcement. However, DTRA reserves the right to require cost sharing or
matching on a case-by-case basis. Such instances will be specifically detailed in the published
topics or in communications with the applicant to include the coordination of the abstract or in
the debrief summary of the pre-application white paper.
3.3. Other. DTRA uses the System for Award Management (SAM) to exclude recipients
ineligible to receive Federal awards. SAM can be accessed online at http://sam.gov (Reference 2
CFR 1125).
______________________________________________________________________________
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4. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
4.1. Address to Request Application Package. This announcement contains all information
required to submit a pre-application white paper and invited proposal.
The required application packages for the pre-application white papers and for the invited
proposals are posted with this announcement. Note that each thrust area (as outlined in Section
1.6) and each topic (as outlined in Attachment 1) has a unique application package posted with
this BAA. The application package corresponding to both: a.) the thrust area or topic of interest
and b.) the phase, should be used for submission of pre-application white papers and invited full
proposals.
The application packages posted to www.grants.gov consist of the forms as detailed in
Table 1.
Form Name Phase I Pre-Application Phase II Invited
White Paper Proposal
SF-424 (R&R) Application for Federal Required Required
Assistance Form
RR Budget Form N/A Required
R&R Subaward Budget Attachment(s) N/A If Applicable
Form(s)
Research & Related Senior/Key Person N/A Required
Profile Form (Expanded)
RR Personal Data N/A Required
Research & Related Other Project N/A Required
Information
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) N/A If Applicable
Attachments Form N/A Required
Table 1: Forms. The instructions for completing each of these forms may be found online at the following web
link: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/form-instructions.html.
4.2. Content and Form of Application Submission. Submissions for this BAA will be
conducted in two phases. Phase I is for receipt of pre-application white papers. Phase II is for
receipt of invited proposal applications. Invitation to the Phase II proposal submission will be
based on the evaluation results of the Phase I pre-application white paper.
The predominance of efforts, including all submissions to the thrust area and some
submissions to topics posted in Attachment 1, as noted within the topic, must be coordinated
with the relevant technical point of contact (POC) for the appropriate thrust area prior to
submission of a pre-application white paper; an e-mail for the DTRA technical POCs for Thrust
Area 1 are provided in Section 7. Coordination of research ideas and efforts must be
accomplished via these email addresses, except in cases where a topic specifically states that pre-
coordination is not required, and includes submission of an abstract (recommend less than 250
words) of the proposed project/effort or a paragraph description of the proposed project/effort to
the email address in Section 7 and a reply email from the relevant email address in Section 7
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with the disposition to the applicant. Pre-coordination may not be accomplished with email
addresses other than those listed in Section 7. DTRA will not review white papers without prior
coordination. Please note that attachments to e-mails may not be reviewed.
Applicants should note that there is extremely limited funding available for the general thrust
area. Pre-application white papers will only be accepted from the coordinated abstracts under
very limited circumstances.
Topics may be posted in Attachment 1 of this announcement that may not require pre-
coordination of an abstract. Please review the topics carefully.
Pre-application white papers and invited proposals must be submitted electronically
using www.grants.gov and the corresponding application packages linked with this BAA on
www.grants.gov (under the “Packages” tab). All applications, including all supporting
documents, must be submitted in the English language.
Applicants are responsible for ensuring compliant and final submission of their Phase I pre-
application white paper and Phase II invited proposal application. Note that this also applies to
applicants using third party systems to submit application packages and attachments. Any
submission that does not conform to the requirements outlined in the BAA and in the invitation
for proposal may not be reviewed or considered further at the discretion of DTRA.
DTRA will not review any of the following:
• Pre-application white papers that are not pre-coordinated as required
• Pre-application white papers and proposals that are not submitted in the English language.
• Pre-application white papers that are submitted to topics that have been previously closed via
an amendment to the BAA.
• Application packages and proposals for Phase II submissions that were not invited.
Exceptions WILL NOT be made under any circumstances.
Phase I Pre-Application White Paper Submission and Content. Each pre-application
white paper must address only one thrust area or topic. Each pre-application white paper must
use the corresponding thrust area or topic application package.
Each Phase I application package contains the following forms:
Form Attachment Action
SF-424 (R&R) Application for Up to four (4) page white Enter the appropriate information in
Federal Assistance Form paper data fields
Table 2: Phase I Pre-Application White Paper Package Chart.
Each Phase I application resubmission package contains the SF 424 (R&R) Application for
Federal Assistance. To be considered a complete package, an up to four (4) page white paper is
required to be uploaded as an attachment to the SF 424 (R&R).
DTRA-specific instructions for completing the SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal
Assistance are below, general application instructions can be found on www.grants.gov:
• Block 1 – Type of Submission. Applicants should indicate the Phase I submission is a “Pre-
Application.”
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• Block 2.1 – Applicant Identifier. Not applicable.
• Block 3 – Date Received by State. Not applicable.
• Block 3.1 – State Application Identifier. Not applicable.
• Block 5 – Applicant Information. You must provide a Business Office Point of Contact
(BPOC) with an e-mail address.
• Block 19 – Authorized Representative. The “signature of AOR” is not an actual signature
and is automatically completed upon submission of the electronic application package. Hard
copies or email attachments of applications will not be accepted.
• Block 20 – Pre-application. Must be used to attach an up to four (4) page white paper. The
white paper itself should provide sufficient information on the research being proposed (e.g.,
the hypothesis, theories, concepts, approaches, data measurements and analysis, etc.) to allow
for an assessment by a technical expert.
Any pages submitted for the white paper that exceed the limit of four pages will not be read or
evaluated. A page is defined as 8 ½ x 11 inches, single-spaced, with one-inch margins in type
not smaller than 12 point Times New Roman font. The white paper must be provided in portrait
layout.
At minimum, the white paper should address the following:
• A project abstract, which should be concise (less than 250 words), provide a summary of the
proposed work, and demonstrate relevance to the topic being addressed. The abstract should
not contain any proprietary data or markings.
• Potential scientific impact to provide greater knowledge or understanding of the fundamental
aspects of phenomena and of observable facts, including how the research contributes to the
C-WMD science needs outlined in the thrust area or topic.
• The impact of the research on C-WMD science must be clearly delineated.
• Cost estimate by year and total dollars required to accomplish the research as presented in the
white paper (no details or breakout of costs is required).
• Potential team and management plan, including details on student involvement.
• Multidisciplinary white papers should carefully detail each of the institutions/departments
involved and the contribution that will be made by each of the investigators.
• Do NOT include corporate or personnel qualifications, past experience, or any supplemental
information with the white paper. References may be included within the 4-page limit at the
discretion of the applicant; however, extensive references are not required.
• The thrust area or the topic should be included as a header on the white paper attachment and
referenced in the text of the white paper.
Phase I Pre-Application White Paper Re-Submission and Content. On a limited basis a
second pre-application white paper may be submitted without pre-coordination of an abstract.
These re-submissions will be based on the review of the original pre-application white paper and
will be allowed when changes to the project scope, technical approach, and/or cost are
envisioned for any potential full proposals. Revised pre-application white papers must conform
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to the standards for the pre-application white papers detailed in Section 4.2.4.
All submissions should be made with the appropriate Phase I application package which contains
the following form:
Form Attachment Action
SF-424 (R&R) Application for Up to four (4) page white Enter the appropriate information in
Federal Assistance Form paper data fields
Table 3: Phase I Pre-Application White Paper Package Chart.
Each Phase I application package contains the SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance.
To be considered a complete package, an up to four (4) page white paper is required to be
uploaded as an attachment to the SF 424 (R&R).
The DTRA-specific instructions for completing the SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal
Assistance are the same as for the original pre-application white paper submission except for the
following:
• Block 1 – Type of Submission. Applicants should indicate the Phase I re-submission is a
“Changed/Corrected Application.”
• Block 4c – Previous Grants.gov Tracking ID. Enter the Phase I Grant ID for the original
submission.
At minimum, the revised white paper should address the issues and questions detailed in the
debrief summary.
Phase II - Invited Proposal Submission and Content. Each proposal must address only
the thrust area or topic for which it was invited. The application package corresponding to the
thrust area or topic of interest should be used for submission of invited full proposals.
Each Phase II application package contains the following forms and attachments:
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Form Attachment Action
SF-424 (R&R)
Enter the appropriate information in
Application for Federal N/A
data fields
Assistance Form
Budget Justification for entire Attach to Section K in budget period
RR Budget Form
performance period one
RR Sub-award Budget
Attach a separate budget with
Attachment(s) Form (if Individual sub-award budgets
justification for each sub-award
applicable)
PI Biographical Sketch Attach to Biographical Sketch field
Attach to Current & Pending Support
Research & Related PI Current/Pending Support field
Senior/Key Person Profile
Key Personnel Biographical Attach to Biographical Sketch field for
Form
Sketches each senior/key person
Key Personnel Current/Pending Attach to Current & Pending Support
Support field for each senior/key person
Enter the appropriate information in
RR Personal Data Form N/A
data fields
Publically Releasable Proposal Attach to Block 7
Research & Related Other Summary/ Abstract Project Summary/ Abstract
Project Information Form Project Narrative/Technical Attach to Block 8
Proposal Project Narrative
Disclosure of Lobbying
Activities (SF-LLL) (if N/A Enter the appropriate information
applicable)
Attachment 1 – SOW Upload as Attachment 1
Attachments Form
Attachment 2 – Quad Chart Upload as Attachment 2
Table 4: Phase II Proposal Package Forms and Attachments.
DTRA reserves the right to consider incomplete application packages and required attachments
and to request any missing information via email. Should the applicant fail to provide all the
requested information either as part of the www.grants.gov submission or in response to email
requests from DTRA, at their discretion, DTRA may not consider the proposal further.
SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance: DTRA-specific instructions for completing
the SF 424 (R&R) are below. General application instructions can be found on www.grants.gov:
Block 1 – Type of Submission. Applicants should indicate the Phase II submission is an
“Application.”
Block 2.1 – Applicant Identifier. Not applicable.
Block 3 – Date Received by State. Not applicable.
Block 3.1 – State Application Identifier. Not applicable.
Block 4b – Agency Routing Identifier. Enter the corresponding Phase I Grant ID. If
resubmissions were involved, enter the Grant ID for the last submission.
Block 5 – Applicant Information. You must provide a Business Office Point of Contact (BPOC)
with an e-mail address.
Block 17 – Regarding Disclosure of Funding Sources. By checking "I Agree" you agree to abide
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by the following statement: "By signing this application, I certify the proposing entity is in
compliance with Section 223(a) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 which requires that: (a) the PI and other key personnel
certify that the current and pending support provided on the proposal is current, accurate and
complete; (B) agree to update such disclosure at the request of the agency prior to the award of
support and at any subsequent time the agency determines appropriate during the term of the
award; and (c) the PI and other key personnel have been made aware of the requirements under
Section 223(a)(1) of this Act. I am aware that any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or
claims may subject me to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties. (U.S. code, Title 18,
Section 1001).”
Block 19 – Authorized Representative. The “signature of AOR” is not an actual signature and is
automatically completed upon submission of the electronic application package.
RR Budget Form: The Research and Related Budget Form provided as part of the application
package for the Phase II submission should be filled out in its entirety for each project year
proposed. Applicants are responsible for ensuring appropriate, approved rates are used in their
budget forms. When notified of selection applicants will be requested to provide their current
rate agreement and the rate agreement of their subcontractor(s), if applicable. Applicants should
note that in accordance with 32 CFR 22.205(b), grants shall not provide for the payment of fee or
profit to the recipient. Applicants should also carefully review Section 4.5.4 to appropriately
evaluate inclusion of Value Added Tax (VAT) or other taxes for assistance awards.
Applicants should plan and budget for travel to accommodate the two meetings outlined below:
• National Conferences/Workshops/Symposia: Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a
nationally recognized conference, workshop, or symposium in the field of research each
calendar year (1 at minimum). Research should be presented as soon as adequate data are
available to support posters and presentations. Conferences/workshops/symposia should be
attended by the PI and students supporting the research, as appropriate.
• Annual Technical Review: Applicants should plan to attend an annual technical program
review meeting. For planning purposes, the review will be for five days and will be held in
Northern Virginia.
Budget Justification: Applicants are required to submit a budget justification. The budget
justification should be prepared as outlined in the instructions for the Research and Related
Budget Form and uploaded as an attachment to Section K “Budget Justification” of the Research
and Related Budget Form. The budget justification does not have a page limit but should include
sufficiently detailed information for meaningful evaluation. In addition, the budget justification
must specifically address subaward costs and type to include the portion of work to be
subawarded with a supporting rationale. The budget justification should include a discussion of
how the subawardee(s) cost was determined to be fair and reasonable. The budget justification
must specifically address VAT and other taxes in accordance with Section 4.5.4.
RR Subaward Budget Attachment(s) Form (if applicable): Detailed cost estimates are required
for each proposed subaward. The cost estimate for the subawards should include sufficiently
detailed information for meaningful evaluation, including labor rates and indirect cost rates.
Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile Form (Expanded): The Research and Related
Senior/Key Person Profile Form (Expanded) should be completed in its entirety for each of the
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PIs and Co-PIs on the project. The inclusion of additional personnel is at the discretion of the PI.
The Degree Type and Degree Year fields will be used by DoD as the source for career
information to assess the success rates of women. In addition to the required fields on the form,
applicants should complete these two fields for all individuals that are identified as senior or key
persons.
A biographical sketch is required for each PI and Co-PI on the project. DTRA does not have a
preference for the format of the biographical sketch; however, it should be limited to 1 page per
person. The biographical sketch should be uploaded as an attachment to the corresponding field
on the Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile Form.
Additionally, a statement of current and pending support must be provided for each of the key
personnel (e.g., PI and Co-PI) on the project. This statement must include the following items
and requires disclosure of all grants through which each of the key personnel is currently
receiving or may potentially receive financial support:
• A list of all current projects the individual is working on, in addition to any future support the
individual has applied to receive, regardless of the source.
• Title and objectives of the other research projects.
• The percentage per year to be devoted to the other projects.
• The total amount of support the individual is receiving in connection to each of the other
research projects or will receive if other proposals are awarded.
• Name and address of the agencies and/or other parties supporting the other research projects.
• Period of performance for the other research projects.
Applicants should note that in accordance with the instructions for completion of the SF 424,
checking of Block 17 is required. Further, applicants should note that by checking block 17 and
submitting an application package, you agree to abide by the following statement: "By signing
this application, I certify the proposing entity is in compliance with Section 223(a) of the
William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 which
requires that: (a) the PI and other key personnel certify that the current and pending support
provided on the proposal is current, accurate and complete; (B) agree to update such disclosure
at the request of the agency prior to the award of support and at any subsequent time the agency
determines appropriate during the term of the award; and (c) the PI and other key personnel have
been made aware of the requirements under Section 223(a)(1) of this Act. I am aware that any
false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or claims may subject me to criminal, civil, or
administrative penalties. (U.S. code, Title 18, Section 1001).”
RR Personal Data Form: This form will be used by DoD as the source of demographic
information, such as gender, race, ethnicity, and disability information for the PI and Co-PI(s).
Each application must include this form with the name fields of the PI and any Co-PI(s)
completed; however, provision of the demographic information in the form is voluntary. The
demographic information, if provided, will be used for statistical purposes only and will not be
made available to merit reviewers. Applicants who do not wish to provide some or all of the
information should check or select the “Do not wish to provide” option.
Research and Related Other Project Information Form:
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Block 7 – Project Summary/Abstract. To fulfill the requirements of Section 8123 of the Defense
Appropriations Act, which states: “The Secretary of Defense shall post grant awards on a public
Web site in a searchable format,” DTRA will collect and post via the Defense Technical
Information Center (DTIC) basic information about all awards made under this BAA. The
information posted will include the abstract submitted to Block 7 of this form.
The uploaded project abstract should be less than one page and provide a summary of the
proposed work and demonstrate relevance to the topic being addressed. Most importantly, the
abstract must be written such that the general public may easily understand the potential
scientific contribution and the impact of the research. The header of this uploaded document
must contain the following statement:
“This publicly releasable abstract is provided to DTRA for use in fulfillment of
Section 8123 of the Defense Appropriations Act and future versions of the same.”
The abstract absolutely must not contain any proprietary data or markings.
Block 8 – Project Narrative (Technical Proposal). The uploaded technical proposal must not
exceed 20 pages (including references). If the proposal exceeds 20 pages, only the first 20 pages
will be reviewed. A page is defined as 8 ½ x 11 inches, single-spaced, with one-inch margins in
type not smaller than 12-point Times New Roman font. The technical proposal must be provided
in portrait layout.
The project narrative (technical proposal) must include the following components:
• Abstract. Should be a technical project abstract that is distinct from the Project
Summary/Abstract that is attached to Block 7.
• Scope.
• Objective. A clear and concise objective of the proposed project.
• Background. Provide the necessary technical and scientific background to support the
scientific and/or technical merit of the proposed project.
• Programmatics. Describe your organization’s management plan for the proposed project;
list supporting and collaborating centers, and the roles/responsibilities of each identified
academic and/or industrial subcontractor supporting the project. Authors of multidisciplinary
proposals must take great care to clearly outline the impact to C-WMD science that is to be
gained from the investment and justify the scientific contribution from each investigator.
• Relevance. Describe the relevance of the proposed project in terms of advancing the state of
the science and the anticipated scientific impact on capabilities to potentially reduce,
eliminate, counter, provide greater knowledge or understanding of the threat, and mitigate the
effects of WMD fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts.
• Credentials. Describe the PI’s qualifications and the organization’s qualifications to perform
the proposed work. Summarize the credentials of the primary performing center and
supporting academic and industrial partners to perform the work. Describe specific examples
of equipment and/or facilities available to perform the proposed work. Focus on information
directly relevant to the proposed work.
• Work to be Performed. Provide details of the work to be performed by task and subtask.
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Tasks must be grouped by project year; base and option years should be clearly labeled.
Additional details that are required include the following:
• Protection of Human Subjects. For full discussion, see Section 6.2.2. If the proposed
work involves human subjects or the use of human anatomical substances (e.g.,
biospecimens, blood, tissue, cell lines), either living or post-mortem, applicants are
required to: a) justify and b) outline the use, and c) include the source of the human
subjects, human biospecimens and/or human data involved in the research. The DTRA
Research Oversight Board (ROB) will provide ongoing oversight throughout the duration
of the effort to ensure proper approvals are in place. Further information will be required
if the proposal is selected for award.
• Animal Use. For full discussion, see Section 6.2.3. If the proposed work involves the
use of animals, applicants are required to: a) justify and b) include detailed information
on the use of animals, and c) include the location(s) of where the animal work is to be
performed. The DTRA Research Oversight Board (ROB) will provide ongoing oversight
throughout the duration of the effort to ensure proper approvals are in place. Further
information will be required if the proposal is selected for award.
• Performance Schedule. Provide a table of tasks and sub-tasks and the duration of
performance of each in a Gantt or other suitably formatted chart.
• References. List any relevant documents referenced.
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) Form: The Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
Standard Form-LLL, if applicable, should be completed.
Attachments Form: The attachments form should be used to include the following three items
with the application:
Attachment 1 – SOW. The SOW does not have a page limit but should be approximately 3-5
pages in length for incorporation into an award document. The SOW should not contain any
proprietary data or markings. Pages should be numbered, and the initial page should have a date
(document date) shown under the title (the title of the SOW should match that of the proposal).
The proposed SOW must accurately describe the research to be performed. The proposed SOW
must also contain a summary description of the technical methodology as well as the task
description, but not in so much detail as to make the SOW inflexible. The SOW format/guidance
is as follows:
• Objective: Brief overview of the specialty area. Describe why the research is being pursued
and what knowledge is being sought.
• Scope: Include a statement of what the SOW covers including the research area to be
investigated, objectives/goals, and major milestones and schedule for the effort.
• Background: The applicant must identify appropriate documents, including publications
that are applicable to the research to be performed. This section includes any information,
explanations, or constraints that are necessary to understand the hypothesis and scientific
impact on capabilities needed to reduce, eliminate, and counter the threat, and also mitigate
the effects of WMD. It may also include previously performed relevant research and
preliminary data.
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• Tasks/Scientific Goals: This section contains the detailed description of tasks which
represent the research to be performed. Thus, this portion of the SOW should be developed
in an orderly progression and presented in sufficient detail to establish the methodology and
feasibility of accomplishing the overall program goals. The work effort should be segregated
by performance period for all tasks to be performed and anticipated milestones realized in
that year (e.g., Year 1, Year 2, etc., should be detailed separately). Identify the major tasks in
separately numbered sub-paragraphs. Each major task should delineate, by subtask, the
research to be performed by year and number each task using the decimal system (e.g., 4.1,
4.1.1, 4.1.1.1, 4.2, etc.). The sequence of performance of tasks and achievement of
milestones must be presented by project year and task in the same sequence as in the Project
Narrative/Technical Proposal. The SOW must contain every task to be accomplished to
include a detailed schedule.
• The tasks must be definite, realistic, and clearly stated. Use “the awardee shall” whenever
the work statement expresses a provision that is binding. Use “should” or “may” whenever it
is necessary to express a declaration of purpose. Use active voice in describing work to be
performed. Do not use acronyms or abbreviations without spelling out acronyms and
abbreviations at the first use; place the abbreviation in parenthesis immediately following a
spelled-out phrase. If presentations/meetings are identified in your schedule, include the
following statement in your SOW: “Conduct presentations/meetings at times and places
specified in the grant schedule.”
Attachment 2 – Quad Chart. The quad chart must be presented on one (1) page. The quad
chart must not contain any proprietary data or markings. The quad chart must be provided in
landscape layout. The quad chart should be uploaded as “Attachment 2” of the Attachments
Form.
Phase II - Additional Information Requests by DTRA. A revised proposal may be
requested based on the review of the original proposal. Revised proposals will be requested
when changes to the project scope, technical approach, and/or cost are required before the
proposal could be further considered for an award. Applicants whose proposals are of interest to
DTRA may be contacted to provide additional information or to make requested revisions prior
to the final decision on funding. This request for further information may include revised
budgets or budget explanations, revised SOWs, and other information, as applicable, to the
proposed award. Additional instructions may be provided in the request for a revised proposal.
Applicants who are not responsive to Government requests for information in a timely manner,
defined as meeting Government deadlines established and communicated with the request and
not making satisfactory updates as requested, may be removed from award consideration.
Applicants may also be removed from award consideration if the applicant and the Government
fail to negotiate mutually agreeable terms within a reasonable period of time.
Re-submissions should be made with the appropriate Phase II application package for the thrust
area or topic of interest and should be completed in accordance with the instructions provided in
the notification email.
The DTRA-specific instructions for completing a proposal re-submission are the same as for the
original submission, except the SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance should be
marked as follows:
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• Block 1 – Type of Submission. Applicants should indicate the Phase II submission is a
“Changed/Corrected Application.”
• Block 4b – Agency Routing Identifier. Enter the corresponding Phase I Grant ID.
• Block 4c – Previous Grants.gov Tracking ID. Enter the Phase II Grant ID for the original
Phase II submission.
File Format. Documents should be uploaded as a Portable Document File (PDF) format.
Perform a virus check before uploading any files to www.grants.gov as part of your application
package. If a virus is detected, it may cause rejection of the file.
Do not lock or encrypt any files you upload to www.grants.gov as part of your application
package. Movie and sound file attachments will not be accepted.
All submissions must be completely UNRESTRICTED and UNCLASSIFIED;
submissions must not contain Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), other Proprietary
information or export-controlled information or be marked as such.
Confirmed Proposal Expiration Date. Applicants must provide written confirmation that
holds the proposal, to include proposed costs, firm for 180 days after the submission due date, as
included in the invitation to submit a full proposal. This information must be included in the text
of the technical proposal.
Withdrawal of Proposals. Proposals may be withdrawn by written notice received at any
time before award. Withdrawals are effective upon receipt of notice by the Grants Officer via
the administrative e-mail address listed in Section 7.
4.3. Submission Dates and Times.
Coordination of abstracts may be accomplished at any time that this BAA is in effect, unless
otherwise stated as part of a specific topic. Once an applicant has been notified that a pre-
application white paper is welcomed, the white paper should be submitted within 60 days. If the
white paper is not submitted within 60 days, DTRA reserves the right to require the applicant to
re-initiate the process with another abstract coordination.
Pre-application white papers may be submitted anytime that this BAA is in effect (as long as it
occurs within the 60-day window following pre-coordination of the abstract), unless otherwise
stated as part of a specific topic. Pre-application white papers may be evaluated at any time after
submission and invitations for full proposal submission may occur any time after pre-application
white paper evaluation. Note that proposal invitations may be limited to available program
funds.
The due date for the Phase II invited proposal submissions will be provided in the letter of
invitation. The applicant will not be allowed less than 45 days to prepare a full proposal
submission; there is no penalty for early submissions. An extension for submission of the Phase
II proposal submission may be requested by emailing the administrative email address in Section
7 prior to the deadline for the proposal submission. Full proposals may be evaluated at any time
after submission.
Applicants are responsible for submitting all materials to www.grants.gov. When sending
electronic files, the applicant should allow for potential delays in file transfer from the
originator’s computer server to the www.grants.gov website/computer server, as well as the
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delay associated with the www.grants.gov validation of applications, which may be up to 48
hours. Applicants are encouraged to submit their proposals early to avoid issues with file
transfers, rejection of applications by www.grants.gov, and delays due to high website demand.
Acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at the Government office includes
documentary and electronic evidence of receipt maintained by DTRA. Applicants should also
print, and maintain for their records, the electronic receipt following submission of a proposal to
www.grants.gov.
Applicants should note that DTRA uses a system that pulls applications from www.grants.gov en
masse, but this system does not mark applications as “retrieved” on www.grants.gov. As a
result, when applicants check the status on www.grants.gov the applications will always look
like they have not been retrieved by DTRA. Should you require confirmation of receipt by the
Agency, you may request such via the administrative email address provided in Section 7. Note
that such requests will generally be treated with low priority by the Agency.
Please note 15 U.S.C. 260a establishes daylight saving time as the standard time during the
daylight-saving period.
If the application package and required attachments are submitted to www.grants.gov after the
exact time and date specified in this announcement or in any written communications provided
by DTRA, the application may be considered "late" and may not be reviewed.
If an emergency or unanticipated event interrupts normal Government processes so that
proposals cannot be submitted to www.grants.gov by the exact time specified by DTRA
correspondence, the time specified for receipt of applications will be deemed to be extended to
the same time of day specified in the BAA or in the letter of invitation on the first work day on
which normal Government processes resume.
4.4. Intergovernmental Review. Not Applicable.
4.5. Other Submission Requirements.
Organizations must have an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration,
and Grants.gov account to apply for grants. Creating a Grants.gov account can be completed
online in minutes, but SAM registrations may take additional time. Therefore, an organization's
registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact the entity's ability to
meet required application submission deadlines.
All organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with the SAM and will
receive a unique entity identifier (UEI) number. Failure to register with SAM will prevent your
organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually.
For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-
sam.html. Additional information may be found on Grants.gov here:
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html
Compliance with Appendix A to 32 CFR 28. All awards require certifications of
compliance with Appendix A to 32 CFR 28 regarding lobbying. Proposers are certifying
compliance with this regulation by submitting the invited proposal. It is not necessary to include
the certification text with your invited proposal. If applicable, proposers should submit the
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) Form in accordance with Section 4.2.6.
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VAT and Other Taxes in Assistance Awards. Prior to proposal submission, the applicant
will require any supplier of goods or services to assess and verify potential VAT, excise duties,
and other tax implications to avoid the imposition of such charges with respect to the goods
and/or services in question to the maximum extent possible.
In instances where the supplier of goods or services is exempt from the VAT, excise duties, or
other taxes or is entitled to claim reimbursement thereof, the taxes must not be included in the
proposed cost of the award.
In instances where the supplier of goods or services is not exempt from the VAT, excise duties,
or other taxes or is not entitled to claim reimbursement thereof, the applicant must itemize the
VAT and/or other taxes in the proposal. Further, applicants are advised that prior to the award of
any grant or cooperative agreement, DTRA and the recipient will mutually agree upon the use of
DTRA funds for the VAT, excise duties, or other taxes, and project activities may be revised
accordingly. All applicants may include costs in their proposal to pay for VAT costs associated
with lodging, meals, and transportation for travel.
4.6. Applicants that Propose Use of OTs.
Recommended Award Instrument and Pricing Arrangement. Applicants that propose use
of OTs must provide a summary of their recommended procurement instrument and pricing
arrangement as part of the Phase II proposal. However, the Government reserves the right to
negotiate and award the types of instruments determined most appropriate under the
circumstances. It is anticipated that most instruments will be grants.
Representations and Certifications. Representations and Certifications must be
completed at the time of Phase II submission. The applicant must complete the annual
representations and certifications electronically via the System for Award Management (SAM)
website at https://www.sam.gov/portal/SAM/#1#1. After reviewing their information, the
applicant verifies by submission of the application that the representations and certifications
currently posted electronically have been entered or updated within the last 12 months.
Organization Conflict of Interest Advisory. Certain post-employment restrictions on
former federal officers and employees may exist, including special Government employees
(including but not limited to 18 U.S.C § 207, the Procurement Integrity Act, 41 U.S.C. § 2101
et.seq). If a prospective applicant believes that a conflict of interest exists, the situation should
be raised to the DTRA Grant Officer before time and effort are expended in preparing a
proposal. All applicants and proposed sub-awardees must therefore affirmatively state whether
they are providing scientific, engineering and technical assistance (SETA), advisory and
assistance services (A&AS) or similar support, through an active contract or subcontract, to any
DoD technical office to include, but not limited to, the Joint Program Executive Office for
Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO), the Office of the Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs (ASD-NCB), or
the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Chemical and Biological Defense (DASD(CBD)).
This information must be included in Technical Proposal of the Phase II full submission. All
affirmations must state which office(s) the applicant(s) supports and identify the prime contract
number. Affirmations must be furnished at the time of Phase II full proposal submission. All
facts relevant to the existence or potential existence of organizational conflicts of interest,
including but not limited to those arising out of activities with the above-referenced
organizations, must be disclosed. The disclosure must include a description of the action the
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applicant has taken or proposes to take to avoid, neutralize, or mitigate such conflict.
Limitations on OTs. Applicants are advised that an Other Transaction for Research
Agreement (10 U.S. Code § 4021) may only be awarded under the following conditions:
• The focus of the program or project is basic, applied or advanced research;
• To the maximum extent practicable, the research to be performed under the project does
not duplicate research being conducted under existing DoD programs; and
• Resource share is required and to the extent practicable, the funds from the Government
do not exceed the total amount provided by the other party.
______________________________________________________________________________
5. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION
5.1. Evaluation Criteria. The four evaluation criteria to be used for responses received to this
BAA are as follows:
1. Scientific and Technical Merit. The objective of this criterion is to assess the extent to which
the applicant presents ideas that are innovative and/or unique with the potential for high
payoff in the science area and details a comprehensive technical approach based on sound
scientific principles. Innovation will be judged contextually against the white
paper’s/proposal’s scope, goals, and setting. To the extent possible, the technical risks,
including those of biosafety and security, to accomplish the research or project should be
identified with appropriate mitigation/management details.
2. Value to Mission Goals. The objective of this criterion is to assess the extent to which the
applicant demonstrates an understanding of the C-WMD research or mission challenges and
the contribution to the C-WMD research or mission needs of that thrust area/topic. White
papers/proposals must detail research or a project that is responsive to the thrust area/topic as
presented in this solicitation. This criterion also addresses the benefit of the proposed effort
on enabling knowledge, technology, or capabilities over current methods and/or practices and
on the transition potential that is appropriate to the proposed effort. Applicants must also
demonstrate an impact of the proposed effort on the institution's ability to perform research
relevant to reducing the global WMD threat; and/or to train, through the proposed effort,
students and/or partner scientists in science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics.
3. Capability of the Personnel and Facilities to Perform the Proposed Effort. The objective of
this criterion is to assess the extent to which the applicant’s team has the requisite expertise,
skills and resources necessary to perform the proposed program. This includes an assessment
of the team’s management construct, key personnel, facilities and past technical experience
in conducting similar efforts of the proposed scope. Applicants must demonstrate that their
team has the necessary background and experience to perform this project. Facilities should
be detailed with discussion of any unique capabilities pertinent to the research.
Subcontractors may include Government facilities or Agencies; however, the unique
expertise or specialized facilities provided through their inclusion must be clearly presented
and the validity of the proposer-Governmental relationship must be clearly documented.
4. Cost Realism Evaluation. The objective of this criterion is to establish that the proposed
costs are reasonable, realistic, and justified for the technical approach offered and to assess
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the applicant’s practical understanding of the scope of the proposed effort.
5.2. Review and Selection Process. The pre-application white paper and proposal selection
process will be conducted based upon a technical review as described in the DoDGARs (32 CFR
22.315(c)) and includes the use of non-Government peer-reviewers.
Each pre-application white paper and invited proposal submitted to a general TA will be
reviewed on a rolling basis; topic-based submissions will be reviewed as a batch following
receipt deadlines. All applications will be reviewed based on the merit and relevance of the
specific pre-application white paper/proposal as it relates to the DTRA program, rather than
against other pre-application white papers/proposals for research in the same general area.
Pre-application white paper (Phase I) evaluation will be based on the two (2) equally weighted
criteria of (1) Technical/Scientific Merit and (2) Value to Mission Goals. The criteria will be
scored as Outstanding (O), Good (G), Acceptable (A), Marginal (M) or Unacceptable (U). Any
criterion scored as “Unacceptable (U)” will render the pre-application white paper “Not
Selectable,” and the pre-application white paper will not be considered further.
Rating Description
Outstanding The proposal is a technically exceptional submission that is pertinent to
(O) program goals and objectives. The proposal contains multiple strengths
that will provide significant benefit to the Government, and that far
outweigh any weaknesses. The risk of unsuccessful performance is low.
Good (G) The proposal is a technically thorough submission that is pertinent to
program goals, and objectives. The proposal contains at least one strength
that will provide benefit to the Government, and that outweighs any
weaknesses. The risk of unsuccessful performance is low to moderate.
Acceptable (A) The proposal is a technically adequate submission that is pertinent to
program goals, and objectives. Strengths and weaknesses are offsetting or
will have little or no impact on grant performance. The risk of
unsuccessful performance is no worse than moderate.
Marginal (M) The proposal is a technically weak submission that is pertinent to program
goals, and objectives. The proposal has one or more weaknesses which are
not offset by strengths. The risk of unsuccessful performance is high.
Unacceptable The proposal does not meet requirements, or is not pertinent to program
(U) goals and objectives and contains one or more deficiencies. The proposal is
un-awardable.
Table 5: Definitions of Adjectival Ratings
The full proposal evaluation will be based on the four criteria listed above. Of these, the first
two (2) criteria of (1) Technical/Scientific Merit and (2) Value to Mission Goals are equally
weighted and more important than the third criterion of (3) Capability of the Personnel and
Facilities to Perform the Proposed Effort. These first three criteria will be scored Outstanding
(O), Good (G), Acceptable (A), Marginal (M) or Unacceptable (U). The fourth criterion of Cost
Realism will be scored as either Acceptable (A) or Unacceptable (U). Any criterion scored as
“Unacceptable (U)” will render the proposal “Not Selectable,” and the proposal will not be
considered further.
Other factors that may be considered are duplication with other research, program balance, past
performance, and budget limitations. Prior to award, the Government reserves the right to
perform a review of past performance. Sources that may be used for past performance review
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may include the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS) and the Federal
Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS). The Government will also
evaluate the impact of any proposed limitations to the use of intellectual property (e.g., asserted
technical data/computer software restrictions or patents) during the selection and/or negotiation
process, and may request additional information from the applicant, as may be necessary, to
evaluate the applicant’s assertions. Accordingly, proposals may be selected for funding which
are not reviewed as highly as others, which are of higher risk and/or which may be of a higher
cost.
The Government reserves the right to select all, some, or none of the proposals, or any part of
any proposal received in response to this BAA and to make awards without discussions with
applicants; however, the Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if determined
necessary.
5.3. DTRA anticipates that the total Federal share of awards made under this announcement
will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold over the period of performance (see
§200.88 Simplified Acquisition Threshold). Therefore, in accordance with Appendix I to 2 CFR
Part 200, Section E.3, this section serves to inform applicant:
i. That DTRA, prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater
than the simplified acquisition threshold, is required to review and consider any
information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system
accessible through SAM (currently Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity
Information System (FAPIIS)) (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);
ii. That an applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and
performance systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about
itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated
integrity and performance system accessible through SAM;
iii. That DTRA will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other
information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment
about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal
awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.205
Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.
iv. For awards that exceed $500,000 over the period of performance, DTRA will employ the
additional post-award reporting requirements reflected in Appendix XII—Award Term
and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters of 2 CFR 200.
5.4. Technical and Administrative Support by Non-Government Personnel. It is the intent of
DTRA to use both Government and non-Government personnel to assist with the review and
administration of submittals for this BAA. All pre-application white papers and invited
proposals may be reviewed by subject matter experts, including, but not limited to, peer
reviewers from across the academic and industrial community, as applicable to the research
proposed.
Further, participation in this BAA requires DTRA support contractors to have access to pre-
application white paper and invited proposal information including information that may be
considered proprietary or otherwise marked with restrictive legends Each contract contains
organizational conflict of interest provisions and/or includes contractual requirements for non-
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disclosure of proprietary contractor information or data/software marked with restrictive legends.
The applicant, by submitting a white paper or proposal, is deemed to have consented to the
disclosure of its information to the aforementioned contractors under the conditions and
limitations described herein.
All individuals—including subject matter experts and support contractors—having access to any
proprietary data must certify that they will not disclose any information pertaining to this BAA
including any submittal, the identity of any submitters, or any other information relevant to this
BAA. All applicants to this BAA consent to the disclosure of their information under these
conditions.
______________________________________________________________________________
6. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
6.1. Award Notices. Applicants will be notified regarding the status of their applications
(invitation/non-invitation for full proposals, re-submission of white papers, selection/non-
selection for award, etc.) via e-mail to the BPOC listed in Block 5 of the SF-424 and the PI listed
in Block 14 of the SF-424 provided at the time of submission. A debrief summary will be
provided as part of all notification e-mails.
A notice of selection should not be construed as an obligation on the part of the Government;
only duly authorized Grants or Agreements Officers may commit resources; this will be done by
issuing a grant document to the selected applicant. Also, this notification must not be used as a
basis for accruing costs to the Government prior to award. Selected applicants are not authorized
to begin work, as any award is subject to successful negotiations (if determined necessary by
DTRA) between the DTRA contracting division and the selected organization, and to the
availability of funds.
All notifications will be made from notification@dtrasubmission.net. E-mails to this e-mail
address will not be answered or forwarded.
Applicants must be aware that it is their responsibility to ensure: (1) correct e-mail addresses are
provided at the time of submission, (2) this e-mail notification reaches the intended recipient(s),
and (3) the e-mail is not blocked by the use of ‘spam blocker’ software or other means that the
recipient’s Internet Service Provider may have implemented as a means to block the receipt of
certain e-mail messages.
If for any reason there is a delivery failure of these e-mail notices, DTRA will not further attempt
to contact the applicants.
6.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. All awards require certifications of
compliance with national policy requirements. Statutes and Government-wide regulations
require some certifications to be submitted at the time of proposal submission. See Section 4.5.2
and Section 4.6.2 for the certification(s) required at the time of submission.
This BAA focuses on fundamental research in a DoD contractual context, which was defined in
Section 1.2 of this BAA. Per DoD policy1, “…products of fundamental research are to remain
1 Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Memorandum, SUBJECT: Fundamental
Research, dated May 24, 2010.
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unrestricted to the maximum extent possible.” Furthermore, “The DoD will place no other
restrictions on the conduct or reporting of unclassified fundamental research, except as otherwise
required by statue [sic], regulation, or Executive Order.” As such, fundamental research is
normally exempt from controls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) (22
CFR Parts 120-130) and/or the Department of Commerce regarding the Export Administration
Regulations (15 CFR Parts 730-774), but the DoD rule recognizes that there are “rare” situations
where export-controlled information or technology may be used in fundamental research that
may require a license(s) or restrictions on products.
Export Control Notification. Applicants are responsible for ensuring compliance with
any export control laws and regulations that may be applicable to the export of and foreign
access to their proposed research. Applicants may consult with the Department of State with any
questions regarding the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) (22 CFR Parts 120-130)
and/or the Department of Commerce regarding the Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR
Parts 730-774). Please note that the prime awardee is responsible for monitoring ITAR
compliance of all subawardees.
Protection of Human Subjects. If the proposed work involves human subjects or the use
of human anatomical substances (e.g., biospecimens, blood, tissue, cell lines), either living or
post-mortem, applicants are required to: a) justify and b) outline the use, and c) include the
source of the human subjects, human biospecimens and/or human data involved in the research,
hereafter referred to as “research.”
The DTRA Research Oversight Board (ROB) will provide ongoing oversight throughout the
duration of the effort to ensure proper approvals are in place. Further information will be
required if the proposal is selected for award. Further information will be required if the
proposal is selected for award.
DTRA PMs responsible for the research are required to complete and submit Section A of the
DTRA Form 156, available through the DTRA1 Forms Library, to the DTRA Research
Oversight Board (ROB) through the ROB Central Mailbox, dtra.belvoir.rd.mbx.research-
oversight-board@mail.mil.
Through an Agreement with DTRA and the U.S. Army Medical Research Development
Command, Office of Human and Animal Research Oversight (MRDC OHARO), OHARO must
review and approve all DTRA funded or supported research prior to the start of the proposed
work. This review requirement is in addition to the DTRA ROB review. Therefore, along with
the DTRA Form 156, the DTRA PM/STM must complete and submit the MRDC OHARO form
titled “USAMRDC_ORP_Proposal Submission_Form” to the DTRA ROB for review of the
proposed work. These forms are available through the ROB DTRA1 Sharepoint site,
https://dtra1portal.unet.dtra.mil/RD/ROB/default.aspx. Allow up to four months, from date
award is submitted to the DTRA ROB, for regulatory review and approval processes. Applicants
are to build the review time into their project schedules.
All work under any award made under this BAA involving research must be conducted in
accordance with 32 CFR 219, 10 U.S.C. § 980, and DoD Instruction (DoDI) 3216.02, DTRA
Instruction (DTRAI) 3216.01, and, as applicable, 21 CFR parts 11, 50, 56, GCP, the
International Council for Harmonization (ICH) as well as other applicable federal and state
regulations. Grants, CA’s and OT’s must include similar language as DFARS clause 252.235-
7004 and DTRA Clause 252.223-9002. Non-compliance with any provision of this clause may
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result in withholding of payments pursuant to the terms and conditions. The Government shall
not be responsible for any costs incurred for research involving human subjects prior to protocol
approval by the MRDC OHRO and ROB.
It is the responsibility of the PM to ensure performers are cognizant of and abide by the
additional restrictions and limitations imposed by the DoD regarding research involving human
subjects and human anatomical substances, specifically in regards to vulnerable populations (32
CFR 219 modifications to subparts B-D of 45 CFR 46), recruitment of military research subjects
(32 CFR 219), and surrogate consent (10 U.S.C. § 980).
Through the Component Management Plan (CMP), reviewed and approved by USD(R&E), the
DTRAI 3216.01 establishes the DTRA Human Research Protection Program (HRPP), and sets
forth the policies, defines the applicable terms, and delineates the procedures necessary to ensure
DTRA compliance with federal and DoD regulations and legislation governing human subject
research, and is managed by the DTRA ROB. The regulations mandate that all DoD activities,
components, and agencies protect the rights and welfare of human subjects in DoD funded or
supported research, development, test and evaluation, and related activities.
The DTRAI 3216.01 requires that research involving human subjects or human anatomical
substances may not begin or continue until the DTRA ROB and MRDC OHRO have reviewed
and approved the proposed work. The requirement to comply with the regulations applies to new
starts and continuing research for the life of the project, until closure. The completion of a
research project requires closure document (e.g., IRB Final Review submission) submitted to the
DTRA ROB and/or the MRDC OHRO.
A study is considered to involve human research subjects if: 1) there is interaction with the
subject (even simply talking to the subject qualifies; no needles are required); and 2) if the study
involves collection and/or analysis of personal/private information about an individual, or if
material used in the study contains links to such information.
A study is considered to use human anatomical substances if it involves human biospecimens
such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells, primary cells, blood, saliva, tissue, etc.
Commercially available sources (e.g., a vendor, medical facility’s discarded materials, research
collaborators, biobanks, repositories) of human anatomical substances require review. This
includes cadaveric specimens and substances.
Commercially available cell lines are exempt from this definition and do not require review
(note: commercially available embryonic cell lines are not exempt and must be reviewed).
Approval to begin research or to subcontract under the proposed protocol will be provided in
writing from the MRDC OHRO and the DTRA ROB Executive Secretary (ES) or Program
Manager, in absence of the ROB ES. Both the contractor and the Government must maintain a
copy of this approval. Any proposed modifications or amendments to the approved research
must be submitted to the DTRA ROB and/or the MRDC OHRO for review and approval.
Examples of modifications or amendments to the approved work that would require a new
review of the project include, but are not limited to:
• a change of the Principal Investigator (PI);
• a change or addition of an institution (note: review and approval of institution is required),
• elimination or alteration of the informed consent process,
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• a change in the human subjects study population (e.g., adding children, active duty, etc.) has
regulatory implications
• changes in duration or intensity of exposure to some stimulus or agent.
• changes in the information requested of volunteers, or changes to the use of specimens or
data collected.
• changes in perceived or measured risks or benefits to volunteers that require changes to the
study,
• a change in the IRB of record.
• a change that could potentially increase risk to human subjects.
• significant change in study design (i.e., would prompt significant additional scientific
review).
Research pursuant to such modifications or amendments must not be initiated without IRB and
OHRO approval except when necessary to eliminate apparent and immediate hazards to the
subject(s). All unanticipated problems involving risk to subjects or others (UPIRTSOs),
suspensions, clinical holds (voluntary or involuntary), or terminations of the research by the IRB
or regulatory agencies, the institution, the sponsor, or any instances of serious or continuing
noncompliance with the federal regulation or IRB requirements, must be promptly reported to
the DTRA ROB and/or MRDC OHRO.
Greater than minimal risk research projects lasting more than one year require IRB and OHRO
review at least every 365 days, or more frequently as required by the responsible IRB. ROB
review and approval is required annually from the date of Section A of the DTRA Form 156,
through recertification of the DTRA Form 156. The awardee must provide documentation of
continued IRB review of protocols for MRDC OHRO review and approval. Research must not
continue without renewed OHRO and ROB approval unless necessary to eliminate apparent and
immediate hazards to the subject(s).
Animal Use. If the proposed work involves the use of animals, applicants are required to:
a) justify and b) include detailed information on the use of animals, and c) include the location(s)
of where the animal work is to be performed. The DTRA Research Oversight Board (ROB) will
provide ongoing oversight throughout the duration of the effort to ensure proper approvals are in
place. Further information will be required if the proposal is selected for award.
DTRA PMs responsible for the research are required to complete and submit Section A of the
DTRA Form 156, available through the DTRA1 Forms Library, to the DTRA Research
Oversight Board (ROB) through the ROB Central Mailbox, dtra.belvoir.rd.mbx.research-
oversight-board@mail.mil.
Through an Agreement with DTRA, the Animal Care and Use Review Office (ACURO), a
component of the USAMRDC Office of Human and Animal Research Oversight (MRDC
OHARO) must review and approve all DTRA funded or supported research involving animal use
prior to the start of the proposed work. This review requirement is in addition to the DTRA
ROB review. Therefore, along with the DTRA Form 156, the DTRA PM must complete and
submit the MRDC OHARO form titled “USAMRDC_ORP_Proposal Submission_Form” to the
DTRA ROB for review of the proposed work. This form is available through the ROB DTRA1
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Sharepoint site, https://dtra1portal.unet.dtra.mil/RD/ROB/default.aspx. Allow up to four
months, from date award is submitted to the DTRA ROB, for regulatory review and approval
processes. Applicants are to build the review time into their project schedules.
All work under any award made under this BAA involving the use of animals must be conducted
in accordance with DoD Instruction (DoDI) 3216.01, DTRA Instruction (DTRAI) 3216.01, and
Army Regulation (AR) 40-33. Provisions include rules on animal acquisition, transport, care,
handling, and use in: (i) 9 CFR parts 1-4, Department of Agriculture rules that implement the
Laboratory Animal Welfare Action of 1966 (U.S.C. 2131-2156); and (ii) the “Guide for the Care
and Use of Laboratory Animals,” National Institutes of Health Publication No. 86-23. Contracts
must include DFARS Clause 252.235-7002 and DTRA Clause 252.235-9001. Other funding
vehicles (e.g., grant, OT) must include similar language. Non-compliance with any provision of
this clause may result in withholding of payments under the contract pursuant to the terms and
conditions. The Government shall not be responsible for any costs incurred for research
involving animal use prior to protocol approval by the MRDC ACURO and ROB. It is the
responsibility of the PM to ensure performers are cognizant of and abide by the additional
restrictions and limitations imposed by the DoD regarding animal-use research.
The DTRAI 3216.01 requires that research using animals not begin or continue until the DTRA
ROB and MRDC ACURO have reviewed and approved the proposed work.
Through the DTRA Component Animal Use Management Plan (CAUMP), reviewed and
approved by the USD(R&E), the DTRAI 3216.01 establishes the DTRA Animal Use Oversight
Program (AUOP), and sets forth the policies, defines the applicable terms, and delineates the
procedures necessary to ensure DTRA compliance with federal and DoD regulations and
legislation governing research involving animal use, and is managed by the DTRA ROB. The
regulations mandate that all DoD activities, components, and agencies protect the care and
welfare of animals in DoD funded or supported research, development, test and evaluation and
training, and related activities. The requirement to comply with the regulations applies to new
starts and continuing research for the life of the project, until closure. The completion of a
research project requires closure document (e.g., IACUC Final Review submission) submitted to
the DTRA ROB and/or the MRDC ACURO.
The DoD definition of animal is “any living or dead vertebrate animal, including birds, cold
blooded animals, rats of the genus rattus and mice of the genus mus.” “Dead” is defined as
animals killed for the direct purpose of conducing RDT&E or training.
Approval to begin research or to subcontract under the proposed protocol will be provided in
writing from the MRDC ACURO and the DTRA ROB Executive (ES) Secretary or the ROB
PM, in the absence of the ROB ES. Both the awardee and the Government must maintain a copy
of this approval. Any proposed modifications or amendments to the approved research must be
submitted to the DTRA ROB and/or the MRDC ACURO for review and approval. Examples of
modifications or amendments to the approved protocol that would require a new review of the
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project include, but are not limited to:
• a change of the Principal Investigator (PI),
• a change or addition of an institution (note: review and approval of institutions is required),
• a change in the duration or intensity of exposure to a stimulus or agent,
• a change in the animal model and/or numbers of animals used,
• a change in the IACUC of record, or
• a significant change to in study design (i.e., would prompt significant additional scientific
review).
Research pursuant to such modifications or amendments must not be initiated without IACUC
and ACURO approvals.
Biological Defense Research Program (BDRP) Requirements: BioSurety and Select
Agent Use.
Proposals must specify what Select Agent work will be conducted at the applicant’s facility and
what Select Agent work will be performed in other facilities. Proposals also must provide the
source of the Select Agent(s), any appropriate registration information for the facilities, and
specify the Laboratory Bio-safety Level. All Select Agent work is subject to verification of
information and certifications. Further information may be required if the proposal is successful.
For those institutions in which PI’s are conducting research with Bio-safety Levels 3 and 4
materials, a Facility Safety Plan must be prepared and made available during the project award
phase in accordance with 32 CFR 626.18. For grants awarded to foreign institutions, you must
follow either local or U.S. laws (as stated above) depending on which laws provide stronger
protection. (DTRA requires that research using Select Agents not begin or continue until DTRA
has reviewed and approved the proposed agent use. See URL:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2002-title32-vol3/pdf/CFR-2002-title32-vol3-sec626-
18.pdf for a copy of 32 CFR 626.18, Biological Defense Safety Program.)
For projects that will employ the use of chemical agents, either neat agent or dilute agent, the
offeror must provide approved Facility Standard Operating Procedures that conform to Federal,
State, and local regulations and address the storage, use and disposition of these chemical
materials.
Dual-Use Potential. In accordance with National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity
(NSABB) recommendations, DTRA will not support research that, based on current
understanding, can reasonably be anticipated to provide knowledge, information, products, or
technologies that could be directly misapplied to pose a significant threat with broad potential
consequences to public health and safety, agricultural crops and other plants, animals, the
environment, materiel, or national security. Research involving select agents and toxins is within
scope of the DTRA mission; however, the use of select agents and toxins in certain experimental
categories is considered “dual-use research of concern” (DURC) according to U.S. policy.
(http://www.phe.gov/s3/dualuse/Documents/us-policy-durc-032812.pdf) Proposals that contain
DURC will not be funded. Dual-use potential will be assessed based on application of the
following criteria:
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• Use of select agents or toxins. This factor evaluates whether the proposed research involves
use of one or more select agents or toxins [as identified by the Select Agent Program under
Federal Law (7 C.F.R. part 331, 9 C.F.R. part 121, and 42 C.F.R. part 73)] which pose
significant risk of deliberate misuse with potential for mass casualties or devastating effects
to the economy, critical infrastructure, or public confidence.
• Scope of proposed experiments. This factor evaluates whether the proposed research
involves experiments that will produce, aim to produce, or is reasonably anticipated to
produce: (a) Enhanced harmful consequences of the agent or toxin; (b) Disruption of
immunity or effectiveness of an immunization against the agent or toxin without clinical or
agricultural justification; (c) Conferred resistance by the agent or toxin to clinically or
agriculturally useful prophylactic or therapeutic interventions against the agent or toxin, or
facilitated ability to evade detection methodologies; (d) Increased stability, transmissibility,
or dissemination ability of the agent or toxin; (e) Altered host range or tropism of the agent
or toxin; (f) Enhanced susceptibility of a host population to the agent or toxin; or (g)
Eradicated or extinct select agents or toxins.
Military Recruiting. This is to notify potential applicants that each award under this
announcement to an institution of higher education, with exception of any grants awarded to
institutions of higher education entirely located outside the United States and/or its territories,
must include the following term and condition: “As a condition for receipt of funds available to
DoD under this award, the recipient agrees that it is not an institution of higher education (as
defined in 32 CFR 216) that has a policy of denying, and that it is not an institution of higher
education that effectively prevents, the Secretary of Defense from obtaining the following for
military recruiting purposes: (A) entry to campuses or access to students on campuses; or (B)
access to directory information pertaining to students. If the recipient is determined, using
procedures in 32 CFR 216 to be such an institution of higher education during the period of
performance of this agreement, and therefore to be in breach of this clause, the Government will
cease all payments of DoD funds under this agreement and all other DoD grants and CAs, and it
may suspend or terminate such grants and agreements unilaterally for material failure to comply
with the terms and conditions of award.” 32 CFR 216 may be accessed electronically at
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-
idx?SID=ee45add5e352854b7089ce420c7fd0a6&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title32/32cfr216_m
ain_02.tpl . If your institution has been identified under the procedures established by the
Secretary of Defense to implement Section 558 of Public Law 103-337, then: (1) no funds
available to DoD may be provided to your institution through any grant, including any existing
grant; and (2) your institution is not eligible to receive a grant in response to this BAA. This is
to notify potential applicants that each award under this announcement to an institution of higher
education, with exception of any grants awarded to institutions of higher education entirely
located outside the United States and/or its territories, must include the following clause: 32
CFR 22.520 (DoDGARS 22.520), Military Recruiting and Reserve Officer Training Corps
Program Access to Institutions of Higher Education.
Combating Trafficking in Persons. The recipient agrees to comply with the trafficking in
persons requirement in Section 106(g) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000
(TVPA), as amended (22 U.S.C. 7104(g)).
Reporting Subawards and Executive Compensation. The recipient agrees to ensure they
have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting requirements of
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the Transparency Act, as defined at 2 CFR 170.320, unless they meet the exception under 2 CFR
170.110(b).
Representation Regarding the Prohibition on Using Funds under Grants and Cooperative
Agreements with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements. By
submission of its proposal or application, the applicant represents that it does not require any of
its employees, contractors, or subrecipients seeking to report fraud, waste, or abuse to sign or
comply with internal confidentiality agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting
those employees, contractors, or subrecipients from lawfully reporting that waste, fraud, or abuse
to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative of a Federal department or
agency authorized to receive such information. Note that: (1) the basis for this representation is
a prohibition in section 743 of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations
Act, 2015 (Division E of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015,
Pub. L. 113-235) and any successor provision of law on making funds available through grants
and cooperative agreements to entities with certain internal confidentiality agreements or
statements; and (2) section 743 states that it does not contravene requirements applicable to
Standard Form 312, Form 4414, or any other form issued by a Federal department or agency
governing the nondisclosure of classified information.
USD (R&E) memorandum dated 8 June 2023 Policy for Risk Based Security Reviews of
Fundamental Research. The offeror’s submitted fundamental research project proposal shall be
subject to Agency security reviews to include screening for conflicts of interest and conflicts of
commitment from foreign influence, ties to foreign talent recruitment programs or Confucius
Institutes, and assessment of risk in accordance with the factors in the DoD decision matrix
published with the memorandum.
The offeror must also agree, as part of its proposal that it shall comply with DoD’s follow up
annual verification that each participant listed on the research performance progress report –
RPRR – is not a participant in a malign foreign talent recruitment program meeting. DoD will
conduct periodic spot checks of covered individuals listed on representative samples of
fundamental research project proposals selected for award to identify any research security risks
that were missed during the initial review.
As of 9 August 2024, DoD is prohibited from funding or awarding a fundamental research
proposal in which a covered individual is participating in a malign foreign talent recruitment
program or to a proposing institution that does not have a policy addressing malign foreign talent
programs.
As of FY24, no US institution of higher education that hosts a Confucius Institute may receive
DoD funding unless it has a waiver by the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Upon review, for selected proposals that necessitate, the offeror shall comply with agreed-upon
research security risk mitigation measures as part of the award.
The Government reserves the right to decline award based on research security risks that cannot
be mitigated. The offeror will receive a rejection letter if this instance occurs. If the offeror
challenges the rejection, OUSD(R&E) will act as mediator and issue a final determination.
Certification Regarding Disclosure of Funding Sources. The offeror shall comply with
Section 223(a) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2021 (42 US Code 6605), which requires that covered individuals:
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(A) disclose the amount, type, and source of all current and pending research support received
by, or expected to be received by, the individual as of the time of the disclosure;
(B) certify that the disclosure is current, accurate, and complete; and
(C) agree to update such disclosure at the request of the Government prior to the award of
support and at any subsequent time the Government determines appropriate during the term of
the award.
The offeror shall also certify that each covered individual who is employed by the offeror and
listed on the proposal has been made aware of the requirements listed above. The disclosure and
certification must be made by completing the form or attachment provided with this solicitation
(e.g., SF-424 R&R or Disclosure of Funding Sources). Source Reference: Section 223 of the
FY21 NDAA , pages 84-86: https://www.congress.gov/116/plaws/publ283/PLAW-
116publ283.pdf.
Section 223 defines “covered individual” as:
An individual who—
(A) contributes in a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or
execution of a research and development project proposed to be carried out with a research
and development award from a Federal research agency; and
(B) is designated as a covered individual by the Federal research agency concerned.
Prohibition on Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services. Section 889 of the
National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 (Public Law 115-232)
prohibits the head of an executive agency from obligating or expending loan or grant funds to
procure or obtain, extend, or renew a contract to procure or obtain, or enter into a contract (or
extend or renew a contract) to procure or obtain the equipment, services, or systems prohibited
systems as identified in section 889 of the NDAA for FY 2019.
(a) In accordance with 2 CFR 200.216 and 200.471, a recipient and subrecipient are prohibited
from obligating or expending grant funds to:
1. Procure or obtain;
2. Extend or renew a contract to procure or obtain; or
3. Enter into a contract (or extend or renew a contract) to procure or obtain equipment,
services, or systems that use covered telecommunications equipment or services as a
substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any
system. Covered telecommunications equipment is telecommunications equipment
produced by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation (or any subsidiary or
affiliate of such entities).
• For the purpose of public safety, security of government facilities, physical security
surveillance of critical infrastructure, and other national security purposes, video
surveillance and telecommunications equipment produced by Hytera
Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, or
Dahua Technology Company (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities);
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• Telecommunications or video surveillance services provided by such entities or using
such equipment; or
• Telecommunications or video surveillance equipment or services produced or
provided by an entity that the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director
of the National Intelligence or the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
reasonably believes to be an entity owned or controlled by, or otherwise connected to,
the government of a covered foreign country.
(b) In implementing the prohibition under Public Law 115-232, section 889, subsection (f),
paragraph (1), heads of executive agencies administering loan, grant, or subsidy programs shall
prioritize available funding and technical support to assist affected businesses, institutions and
organizations as is reasonably necessary for those affected entities to transition from covered
communications equipment and services, to procure replacement equipment and services, and to
ensure that communications service to users and customers is sustained.
(c) See Public Law 115-232, section 889 for additional information.
COVERED FOREIGN COUNTRY means the People’s Republic of China.
6.3. Reporting. General requirements are provided below; however, each awardee should
check the award agreement and/or terms and conditions to determine the requirements for that
specific award.
Annual Reports. Annual Reports will be due no later than 1 July of each year. Awards
effective after 31 January will not require an Annual Report until 1 July of the following year.
The Annual Report is not a cumulative report.
Final Technical Reports. A comprehensive final technical report is required prior to the
end of an effort, due on the date specified in CDRLs and/or the terms and conditions of the
award document. The purpose of the Final Report is to document the results of the effort. The
Final Report is a cumulative report.
The final report will always be sent to the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) and
reports may be available to the public through the National Technical Information Service
(NTIS).
Financial Reports. Federal Financial Reports (SF-425) are due no later than 1 July of
each year. Grants effective after 31 January will not require a Federal Financial Report until 1
July of the following year.
Foreign Travel Reports. Within thirty (30) days after returning to the United States from
foreign travel, the PI may be required to submit an acceptable trip report summarizing the
highlights of the trip. For grants or OTs awarded to institutions entirely located outside the
United States and/or its territories, this is not required.
6.4. After-the-Award Requirements for Grants. Closeout, subsequent adjustments,
continuing responsibilities, and collection of amounts due are subject to requirements found in
32 CFR 32.71 – 73 (Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit
Organizations) and 32 CFR 34.61 – 63 (For-Profit Organizations).
______________________________________________________________________________
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7. AGENCY CONTACTS
Administrative Correspondence and
dtra.belvoir.rd.mbx.rd-cb-frbaa25-34-a@mail.mil
Questions
Thrust Area 1: Fundamental Science
dtra.belvoir.rd.mbx.rd-cb-frbaa25-34-ta1@mail.mil
for Chemical and Biological Defense
Table 6: Agency Contacts.
7.1. Questions regarding administrative content of this BAA must be addressed to the
administrative e-mail address listed above. Applicants should include the relevant thrust area
email address.
7.2. Questions regarding technical content of this BAA must be referred to the thrust area
email listed above.
DTRA will not release employee personal contact information.
______________________________________________________________________________
8. OTHER INFORMATION
Topics from previous periods may or may not be repeated. DTRA will not provide additional
information regarding the posting of future topics, including dates for posting, the potential for a
topic to be repeated in out years, the potential for similar topics to be posted, and/or topic details
in advance of issuance of an amended BAA.
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ATTACHMENT 1: SPECIFIC TOPICS
Thrust Area 1 has Seven (7) topics —Topics A1-A7 —detailed below. Submissions to the
general thrust area descriptions for this thrust area in accordance with the requirements detailed
in this BAA are also welcome.
• If NOT submitting to one of the specific topic numbers detailed below, use one of the
Thrust Area NO TOPIC application packages
• If you ARE submitting to one of the specific topic numbers detailed below, use the
applicable Basic Research-Thrust Area 1-Topic A1 to A7 application package
Great care must be taken to use the appropriate application package on www.grants.gov, as the
package selection dictates how each submission will be reviewed:
BASIC RESEARCH TOPICS A1-A7
In accordance with Section 4.2.1, the requirement for abstract pre-coordination is waived for
Topics A1-A7; these topics do NOT require pre-coordination of an abstract prior to the
submission of pre-application white papers. All other pre-coordination requirements remain in
effect.
The pre-application white paper deadline for Topics A1-A7 is 7 February 2025. PRE-
APPLICATION WHITE PAPERS FOR THESE TOPICS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY
11:59 PM (MIDNIGHT) EST ON 7 February 2025. White papers submitted to Topics A1-A7
may not be considered if they are received after this deadline.
Topics A1-A7 are interested in research projects that span from those that focus on exploratory
aspects of a unique problem or approaches to those that involve a comprehensive program with
interdisciplinary areas. Consistent across all proposals should be the focus on innovative
research with the potential for high impact to C-WMD science.
The following topics are Basic Research topics, and proposals should not be solely written with
or marketed to a DoD centric application; the offerer should also present a description of the
broader implications of their work to our Nation and the whole of society.
DTRA anticipates that the predominance of awards made under Topics A1-A7 will be grants.
Pre-application white papers and proposals submitted to Topics A1-A7 must have a single lead
organization and single submission for the pre-application white paper and the invited proposal.
Awards will be made by a single award to the lead institution. Sub-awards, including all grants
and/or contracts, are the responsibility of the award recipient; exceptions will not be made.
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Thrust Area 1, Topic A1: Drug targeted delivery systems with simultaneous pathogenesis
monitoring and/or diagnostic capability.
Award Amounts for this topic are anticipated to be between $400,000 and $700,000 per year
(total dollar value = direct and indirect costs). The larger value efforts (i.e., $500,000 - $700,000
per year) should be multi-disciplinary and/or multi-investigator. An increased Award Amount to
cover animal studies during the final year is appropriate. In all cases, the proposed award value
should be clearly substantiated by the scope of the effort. Further guidance on scope and cost
may be provided in each full proposal invitation.
The preferred award structure for this topic is a base period of two (2) years with up to three (3)
additional option years possible. However, note that pre-application white papers and proposals
that outline scope and effort that exceed a total of five (5) years will not be considered.
Background: DTRA seeks to explore innovative approaches that enable cell or organ targeted
drug delivery, targeted monitoring of pathogenesis and/or amelioration of infectious or non-
infectious threats in vivo during treatment, and cell targeted diagnostics. Of particular interest are
active targeted drug delivering systems (e.g. nanobots) that can also be effective for controlled
drug release and simultaneously be able to monitor the effect of countermeasures; for example,
by detecting changes in biomarkers. Of particular interest is the exploration of nanobot systems;
however, other innovative active targeting and monitoring approaches will also be considered.
In recent years, significant advancements in effective treatments and improved diagnostics have
occurred because of innovations in the development of biodegradable and/or biocompatible
nanomaterials and biosensor technologies. In this regard, nanomaterials can be utilized as
targeted delivery systems of anti-pathogenic and anti-inflammatory countermeasures to the
infection site for precise drug delivery. In addition, AI/ML methods that are incorporated in these
technologies have great potential to not only predict and assess the suitability of nanomaterials
for targeted drug delivery, they also can assist in providing models during pathogenesis by
analyzing changes in biomarkers during the development of an infection and/or during treatment.
Advances in cell targeting also have the potential to increase the sensitivity and specificity of
non-invasive diagnostics. Precise targeting of affected cells or tissues could also enable
presymptomatic detection thereby allowing for early treatment before the onset of severe
symptoms. Furthermore, with targeted approaches there is potential to improve diagnostics by
combining these approaches with fieldable detection technologies for disease monitoring and
progression.
Impact: Exploration of innovative targeting systems to enable precise drug delivery and
controlled drug release to specific organs and cell types will advance our arsenal of more
efficacious treatment strategies at lower drug doses for combating infectious diseases (for
example viruses) and toxins. Combining targeting systems that include monitoring capabilities
also will allow evaluation of cell/tissue-specific status during pathogenesis and during treatment
or provide a truly innovative diagnostic capability targeted at the cellular or tissue level of
specificity.
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Innovation: Describe innovative aspects of the proposed research, including the novelty of the
targeted drug delivery system, targeting strategy, and monitoring approach.
Methodology: Provide a detailed outline of the experimental methods and techniques to be
employed, including the selection of target organs or cell types (e.g. in organoids or microfluidic
systems) and including appropriate animal models, the design and synthesis of drug delivery
systems, and the methods for monitoring pathogenesis or the infection status.
Research Areas (may include but are not limited to)
Drug targeting strategies:
• Development of novel drug carriers or delivery systems that can selectively target
specific organs and cell types.
• Delivery of a countermeasure against a relevant biological (e.g. a viral or a toxin) threat
that can be delivered to the relevant organ and or specific cell types.
• Exploration of active target approaches with a strong emphasis of active targeted drug
delivery systems (e.g. nanobots) for targeted and controlled drug release.
• Development and optimization of drug release kinetics to ensure controlled delivery of
therapeutic agent(s).
Simultaneous monitoring of pathogenesis and infection status:
• Development of techniques to monitor the status of pathogenesis or the infectious (viral)
or non-infectious (toxin) threats in real time. Possible techniques may include detection
of biomarkers including imaging techniques and biosensors.
• Integration of sensing techniques for highly sensitive and precise monitoring of
biological processes/pathogenesis within the biological system, for example detecting
changes in biomarkers that can provide early warning signals of relapse or treatment
failures associated with the disease.
Diagnostics applications:
• Development of techniques to improve diagnostic capabilities. For example, nanobots
that can detect toxins or viral proteins for improved immunoassays.
• Exploration of techniques that enable targeting of specific cell types during
immunological responses to infectious or non-infectious agents.
• Exploration of targeted approaches that would allow for advancement of fieldable
diagnostic detection/imaging technologies.
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References:
Xu Y, Bian Q, Wang R, Gao J. Micro/nanorobots for precise drug delivery via targeted transport
and triggered release: A review. Int J Pharm. 2022 Mar 25;616:121551. doi:
10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.121551. Epub 2022 Feb 5. PMID: 35131352.
Huang Y, Guo X, Wu Y, Chen X, Feng L, Xie N, Shen G. Nanotechnology's frontier in
combatting infectious and inflammatory diseases: prevention and treatment. Signal Transduct
Target Ther. 2024 Feb 21;9(1):34. doi: 10.1038/s41392-024-01745-z. PMID: 38378653;
PMCID: PMC10879169.
Sun T, Chen J, Zhang J, Zhao Z, Zhao Y, Sun J, Chang H. Application of micro/nanorobot in
medicine. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2024 Jan 25;12:1347312. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1347312.
PMID: 38333078; PMCID: PMC10850249.
Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Han Y, Gong X. Micro/Nanorobots for Medical Diagnosis and Disease
Treatment. Micromachines (Basel). 2022 Apr 19;13(5):648. doi: 10.3390/mi13050648. PMID:
35630115; PMCID: PMC9146405.
Thrust Area 1, Topic A2: Exploring Quantum Computing Technology to Advance Basic
Research and Accelerate Medical Countermeasure (MCM) Development.
Award Amounts for this topic are anticipated to be $750,000 per year through the base period to
establish proof of concept (total dollar value = direct and indirect costs). In all cases, the
proposed award value should be clearly substantiated by the scope of the effort. Further guidance
on scope and cost may be provided in each full proposal invitation.
The preferred award structure for this topic is a base period of two (2) years to establish proof of
concept with up to three (3) additional option years possible. However, pre-application white
papers and proposals that outline scope and effort for only the base period and do not propose
options are also acceptable. Pre-application white papers and proposals that outline scope and
effort for a different base period and option combinations may also be considered; however, note
that pre-application white papers and proposals that outline scope and effort that exceed a total of
five (5) years will not be considered.
Overview: The Joint Science and Technology Office (JSTO) of the Chemical and Biological
Defense Program (CBDP) is actively exploring the feasibility of leveraging quantum computing
technology, tools, and capabilities to enhance computational biology, machine learning, and
artificial intelligence (ML/AI) models and other areas of in-silico basic research to revolutionize
scientific research and exponentially increase the speed and accuracy of Medical
Countermeasure (MCM) development.
Background: In recent years, the scientific research community has harnessed the power of
computational biology, machine learning algorithms, and other cutting-edge in-silico approaches
based on classical computing to delve into the complexities of biological systems, biomolecules,
molecular characteristics, biochemical interactions, and more. While these methods have yielded
significant results, there is a pressing need to address the gaps in computational biology and
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several in-silico basic research approaches to develop effective MCMs against emerging
biological threats to protect the warfighter.
Biological systems and biochemical interactions are dynamic and influenced by numerous
factors, making computational biology and data collection inexact. Quantum mechanics has
opened new frontiers in biological and chemical research, offering insights into molecular
interactions at the atomic and subatomic levels. Successful quantum computing systems,
platforms, software, or processes can simultaneously perform several in-silico biological
simulations, predictions, and calculations at speeds more significant than those practically
achievable by classical computers. Thus, the integration of quantum computing, with its
foundation in quantum mechanics, may present a more robust approach to advancing basic
research and accelerating MCM development for the JSTO CBDP.
Relevance: The CBDP is exploring the feasibility of leveraging quantum computing approaches
in increasing the speed, complexity, and performance of drug discovery to enable optimizing
MCM candidates for advanced development and delivery to the Warfighter. Additionally, this
topic is exploring the accuracy of quantum computing predictions compared to traditional AI/ML
methods for MCM optimization.
Objective: The Joint Science and Technology Office (JSTO) of the Chemical and Biological
Defense Program (CBDP) is actively exploring the feasibility of leveraging quantum computing
technology, tools, and capabilities to understand the vast space of biological and chemical
processes, including, but not limited to, protein folding, drug discovery, cellular pathways, and
other biochemical processes, at atomic and subatomic levels to support basic research efforts
focused on developing MCMs for biological threats.
As a proof of concept, this effort aims to answer/address the following fundamental
questions/capability gaps in understanding how quantum computing methods may be used to
aide in the discovery of medical countermeasures for biological pathogens of relevance to
CBDP. Specific questions to be explored include, but are not limited to:
• Are Quantum Computing methods more accurate than other ML and classical computing
methods for developing rapid response capabilities?
• Which Quantum Computing algorithms increase the speed of predictions without
sacrificing accuracy and relevance of output?
• Is there one Quantum Computing approach that outperforms others?
If so, which? How is it measured? What are the use cases?
o
• Is there quantum computing generalizable to all biological agents? If yes, what are the
assumptions? If no, what are the limitations?
• What metrics are most effective at quantifiably measuring and characterizing different
quantum computing approaches?
• Can we define a standardized format for data collection and pre-processing including
metadata for training, validation, and testing of Quantum Computing in this space?
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• Does Quantum Computing reduce the algorithmic complexity and machine learning
calculations involved in constructing and analyzing numerous classical computational
models?
• Does Quantum Computing provide added value over classical computing approaches (i.e.
effectively and efficiently influence optimum basic research outcomes, saving time and
cost)?
• How can we integrate quantum computing to training machine learning, deep learning,
and artificial intelligence models that supplement basic research.
Other Considerations:
Offerors should focus on developing a quantum computing capability, tool, or approach that will
significantly advance basic science research supporting MCM development. Questions of
interest include, but are not limited to:
• Biological molecule structure prediction (for example RNA, protein, etc.) and function
determination.
• Improvement of the data query of all chemical databases for effective drug discovery and
development and prediction of drug-ligand interactions.
• Prediction of pathogen (for example, virus, bacteria) interactions with cell receptors and
intracellular pathogenic mechanisms (tracking pathogenesis).
• Solve the complexity of biological systems (for example, the metabolic process of
individual cells, gene expression pathways, receptor-ligand binding interactions, etc.).
• Predicting potential biological threat mutations of concern and evolutionary trends.
Offerors must provide clear and detailed descriptions of the proposed quantum computing
technology and a comprehensive roadmap on how to apply the technology in a specific area of
basic research.
Based on this topic, it is anticipated that offerors will propose multidisciplinary teams composed
of relevant domain expertise and computational science in interpreting and evaluating complex
chemical or biological data sets and computational sciences to translate heterogeneous data types
into machine-readable formats for application of advanced analytics.
Offerors are encouraged to propose collaborative partnerships/teaming agreements with external
groups (i.e., National Laboratories, DoD Laboratories, Academia, FFRDCs, or UARCs).
Ideally, proposers will team with existing CBDP-funded performers as part of the test and
validation option periods.
Solutions that do not incur recurring licensing fees or restricted data rights are preferred.
Offerors shall include a Data Management, Sharing, and Transition Plan for all raw and metadata
generated from CBDP funded awards to a CB internal software repository upon completion of
the Period of Performance.
Awardees will be required to grant the US Government a Government Purpose Rights licensing
agreement to all software and or hardware in perpetuity for all Chemical and Biological Defense
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Program (CBDP) uses.
Impact: If successful, the end state for this work will support the RD-CB Enabling S&T Basic
Research program by providing an evidence base supporting the development of a validated
quantum computing approaches capable of providing rapid, high-fidelity predictions for MCM
optimization that outperforms current ML based approaches, decreases computational bias, and
increases data collection precision and accuracy.
References:
Cordier BA, Sawaya NPD, Guerreschi GG, McWeeney SK. Biology and medicine in the
landscape of quantum advantages. J R Soc Interface. 2022 Nov;19(196):20220541. doi:
10.1098/rsif.2022.0541. Epub 2022 Nov 30. PMID: 36448288; PMCID: PMC9709576.
Baiardi A, Christandl M, Reiher M. Quantum Computing for Molecular Biology. Chembiochem.
2023 Jul 3;24(13):e202300120. doi: 10.1002/cbic.202300120. Epub 2023 Jun 1. PMID:
37151197.
Nezammahalleh H, Ghanati F, Rezaei S, Badshah MA, Park J, Abbas N, Ali A. Biochemical
Interactions through Microscopic Techniques: Structural and Molecular Characterization.
Polymers (Basel). 2022 Jul 13;14(14):2853. doi: 10.3390/polym14142853. PMID: 35890632;
PMCID: PMC9318543.
Fox DM, MacDermaid CM, Schreij AMA, Zwierzyna M, Walker RC. RNA folding using
quantum computers. PLoS Comput Biol. 2022 Apr 11;18(4):e1010032. doi:
10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010032. PMID: 35404931; PMCID: PMC9022793.
Weidner FM, Rossini M, Ankerhold J, Kestler HA. A protocol for the use of cloud-based
quantum computers for logical network analysis of biological systems. STAR Protoc. 2023 Sep
15;4(3):102438. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102438. Epub 2023 Aug 6. PMID: 37549034;
PMCID: PMC10424136.
Han W, Chen N, Xu X, Sahil A, Zhou J, Li Z, Zhong H, Gao E, Zhang R, Wang Y, Sun S,
Cheung PP, Gao X. Predicting the antigenic evolution of SARS-COV-2 with deep learning. Nat
Commun. 2023 Jun 13;14(1):3478. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-39199-6. PMID: 37311849;
PMCID: PMC10261845.
Zaccaria M, Genovese L, Lawhorn BE, Dawson W, Joyal AS, Hu J, Autissier P, Nakajima T,
Johnson WE, Fofana I, Farzan M, Momeni B. Predicting potential SARS-CoV-2 mutations of
concern via full quantum mechanical modelling. J R Soc Interface. 2024 Feb;21(211):20230614.
doi: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0614. Epub 2024 Feb 7. PMID: 38320601; PMCID: PMC10846948.
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Thrust Area 1, Topic A3: Understanding the effects of infectious agents on the oral
microbiome for development of presymptomatic diagnostics.
Award Amounts for this topic are anticipated to be up to $500,000 per year (total dollar value =
direct and indirect costs). In all cases, the proposed award value should be clearly substantiated
by the scope of the effort. Further guidance on scope and cost may be provided in each full
proposal invitation. Award amounts for this topic are anticipated to be commensurate with
proposed research seeking to investigate, elucidate, or exploit the changes in the oral microbiome
in response to infectious agents for the purpose of improving diagnostic tools. It is anticipated
that teams with varying expertise are required to meet the metrics outlined below.
The preferred award structure for this topic is a base period of two (2) years with up to three (3)
additional years as possible options. However, pre-application white papers and proposals that
outline scope and effort for only the base period and do not propose options are also acceptable.
Pre-application white papers and proposals that outline scope and effort for different base period
and option combinations may also be considered; however, note that pre-application white
papers and proposals that outline scope and effort that exceed a total of five (5) years will not be
considered.
Background: The microbiome consists of a complex community of micro-organisms and their
genes which plays an important part in human health and disease (1). The role of the microbiome
has expanded to healthcare and is most readily evident in the cases of intestinal and fecal
microbiota which has utilized NGS to identify important microbial genomic elements in
infectious disease diagnostics (2), cancer screening (3), and others (4). While the gut flora has
been extensively studied and characterized, little headway has been made to utilize the oral
microbiome in a similar fashion.
The oral microbiome is a desirable site for minimally invasive sampling and hence an appealing
area for potential diagnostic development. There is limited research on the timing of the oral
microbiome response to pathogen exposure within a host. It is unclear whether the microbial
landscape will change or elicit specific biomarkers of exposure before, simultaneously, or after a
host response has occurred. In addition, there is limited information regarding whether oral
commensal organisms provide measurable responses to infectious agent exposures. Therefore,
CBMD is interested in gaining foundational knowledge to inform future technology
development. Proposal submitters should select an appropriate model system to examine both the
host and oral microbiome biomarkers in response to biological agent exposure.
Successful efforts should include any or all the following markers (preference will be given to
proposals that address more): changes in the microbial landscape, transcriptomics, genomics,
proteomics, metabolomics, miRNAs, volatile organic compounds, or others. Proposals should
also outline a comprehensive data collection strategy with a focus on determining the optimal
timing for detection of the aforementioned markers. This topic will advance the science to
ultimately enable the development of capabilities for pre-symptomatic diagnostics of exposure to
biological agents to support the Joint Force.
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Impact: This topic is inclusive of proposed efforts related to characterization of changes that
occur in the oral microbiome in response to infectious agents. Successful efforts from this topic
will provide answers to key questions related to leveraging the oral microbiome to improve
presymptomatic diagnostics.
Objective: Proposals for this topic should address the broad objective of leveraging the oral
microbiome to inform and improve diagnostic capabilities for infectious diseases. Research
proposals should focus on addressing key information gaps related to the understanding of
changes in the oral microbiome in response to infectious agents. Examples of specific research
questions that may be addressed include but are not limited to the following:
• What are the temporal differences in the detectability of different mutli-omic markers
(mRNA, microbial landscape, proteins), and how can they be leveraged for pre-
symptomatic diagnostics?
• At what specific time points do host markers become detectable compared to microbial
markers post-exposure?
• Which analytic approaches can be successfully leveraged to provide key diagnostic
information related to changes in the oral microbiome in response to infection?
• Which oral microbiome species elicit robust responses to infectious agents? Are these
responses consistent across variable microbiome compositions?
• Are changes to microbiome markers or overall microbiome composition are in response
to agent exposure or to host immune/inflammatory response?
References:
Robert Schlaberg, Microbiome Diagnostics, Clinical Chemistry, Volume 66, Issue 1, January
2020, Pages 68–76, https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2019.303248
Kujiraoka M, Kuroda M, Asai K, Sekizuka T, Kato K, Watanabe M, Matsukiyo H, Saito T, Ishii
T, Katada N, Saida Y, Kusachi S. Comprehensive Diagnosis of Bacterial Infection Associated
with Acute Cholecystitis Using Metagenomic Approach. Front Microbiol. 2017 Apr 20;8:685.
doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00685. PMID: 28473817; PMCID: PMC5397476.
Wirbel J Pyl PT Kartal E Zych K Kashani A Milanese A, et al. Meta-analysis of fecal
metagenomes reveals global microbial signatures that are specific for colorectal cancer. Nat Med
2019;25:679–89.
Gopalakrishnan V Spencer CN Nezi L Reuben A Andrews MC Karpinets TV , et al. Gut
microbiome modulates response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in melanoma patients. Science
2018;359:97–103.
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Thrust Area 1, Topic A4: Identification of Threat Agnostic Mechanisms of Host Response for
Medical Countermeasure Discovery.
Award Amounts for this topic are anticipated to be up to $500,000 per year (total dollar value =
direct and indirect costs). In all cases, the proposed award value should be clearly substantiated
by the scope of the effort. Further guidance on scope and cost may be provided in each full
proposal invitation. Award amounts for this topic are anticipated to be commensurate with
proposed research seeking to investigate, elucidate, or exploit the changes in the oral microbiome
in response to infectious agents for the purpose of improving diagnostic tools. It is anticipated
that teams with varying expertise are required to meet the metrics outlined below.
The preferred award structure for this topic is a base period of two (2) years with up to three (3)
additional years as possible options. However, pre-application white papers and proposals that
outline scope and effort for only the base period and do not propose options are also acceptable.
Pre-application white papers and proposals that outline scope and effort for different base period
and option combinations may also be considered; however, note that pre-application white
papers and proposals that outline scope and effort that exceed a total of five (5) years will not be
considered.
Impact: The current global landscape is characterized by the emergence of unpredictable
chemical and biological threats (CB). The traditional list-based approach to CB defense, while
valuable, has inherent limitations in addressing novel pathogens or chemicals of concern.
Development of medical countermeasures which mitigate the negative effects of multiple classes
of insults, encompassing chemical exposure, infection, or traumatic injury would provide
significant utility. This underscores the critical need for a paradigm shift towards a more
proactive and adaptable approach: threat-agnostic medical defense based on host responses.
Objective: This approach seeks to identify and exploit commonalities in the ways
chemical/biological (CB) injuries induce physiological host responses which effect the
Warfighter like traumatic injuries. By identifying these shared mechanisms, researchers can
develop the basic understanding of how CB injury sequelae develop over time, leading to
insights for future broad-spectrum defenses effective against both known and emerging CB
threats.
The potential impact of this research is significant and multifaceted:
• Protection of the Joint Force: Development of new diagnostics, prophylactics, and
therapeutics to treat CB injury will provide the Warfighter an increased ability to operate
freely and return safely from dangerous or compromised environments.
• Faster Response to Emerging Threats: By focusing on common mechanisms rather than
specific agents, researchers can more rapidly develop and deploy countermeasures
against novel or unknown threats, protecting life and health, and containing outbreaks
before they become widespread.
Potential areas of interest - Identifying CB-Agnostic Signatures: This approach centers on
developing methods to discern common patterns of physiology, gene regulation and pathology
across diverse insults. These patterns, referred to as CB-agnostic signatures, could manifest as
specific responses or perturbations in biological pathways that occur regardless of the specific
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agent involved.
• Multi-Omics Analysis: One promising avenue for identifying such signatures lies in the
application of advanced data analytics and machine learning to large datasets from multi-
omics studies. This could involve analyzing data from genomics, transcriptomics,
proteomics, and metabolomics to identify patterns associated with infection and disease
progression.
• Post Exposure Response: Research could focus on dissecting commonalities in CB
induced physiological responses, such as inflammation, cytokine/chemokine expression,
and changes to resident cell populations. By understanding these shared mechanisms,
researchers can identify potential targets for broad-spectrum countermeasures.
• Host Response Profiling: Detailed analysis of host responses to infection, particularly the
innate immune response, can reveal common pathways activated or suppressed across
diverse pathogens. These pathways represent potential targets for modulating the host
response to enhance immunity or mitigate harmful inflammation.
References:
“CBRN Chemical Medical Countermeasures Program”. BARDA.
https://medicalcountermeasures.gov/barda/cbrn/chemical-medical-countermeasures/
"Threat-Agnostic Biodefense | PNNL". PNNL. https://www.pnnl.gov/national-security/threat-
agnostic-biodefense.
Knight T, Sureka S. A New Paradigm for Threat Agnostic Biodetection: Biological Intelligence
(BIOINT). Health Secur. 22(1):31-38, (2024).
Thom RE, D'Elia RV. Future applications of host direct therapies for infectious disease
treatment. Front. Immunol. 15:1436557, (2024).
Marshall TM, Dardia GP, Colvin KL, Nevin R, Macrellis J. Neurotoxicity Associated with
Traumatic Brain Injury, Blast, Chemical, Heavy Metal and Quinoline Drug Exposure. Altern
Ther Health Med. 25(1):28-34, (2019).
Thrust Area 1, Topic A5: Material Concepts for Transformative Chemical and Biological
Defense Solutions.
Award Amounts for this topic are anticipated to be up to $200,000 (total dollar value = direct and
indirect costs) for a base year (12 months) with the potential for one option year (12 months).
The proposed award value should clearly substantiate the scope of the effort. Award Amounts
for this topic are anticipated to be indicative of the amount of work involved in demonstrating
feasibility of highly innovative basic research areas that may serve as the basis for advancement
of new concepts for chemical and biological protection and decontamination, and other aspects
of this program outlined below. Further guidance on scope and cost may be provided in a full
proposal invitation.
Background: DTRA’s basic research investments relevant to chemical and biological (CB)
protection and decontamination have identified materials that demonstrate adsorption, reactivity,
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selective permeability, or a combination thereof for a variety of capability concepts.
Representative examples include metal-organic frameworks, metal oxide catalysts, biomimetic
materials, and polymer composites. While studies with select material classes are on-going, new
material solutions are essential to reveal the art of the possible and meet the future Warfighter’s
needs. For example, reactive materials need to not only decompose chemical targets but also
demonstrate sufficient turnover (beyond stoichiometric reactivity). Sustainable, fluorine-free
omniphobic materials are needed to provide high surface repellency as an alternative to carbon-
fluorine containing materials that have been the gold standard for decades. Improved chemically
repellent elastomeric materials are required to enhance the performance of current coatings, tires,
gaskets, and hoses made from traditional elastomers. Novel refractive index materials are
needed to customize and integrate ocular protection with current and future systems.
Impact: This topic will support innovative materials research to advance the scientific state-of-
the-art and identify creative material solutions to modernize CB respiratory protection, ocular
protection, decontamination, and protective garment technologies.
Objective: This topic seeks short-term, fundamental research investigations focused on proof-of-
concept studies and collection of preliminary data of new material research initiatives in support
of transformative CB defense platform solutions. Studies will explore new scientific
opportunities that address material challenges related to CB protection and hazard mitigation
technologies. It is expected that research will focus on chemical surrogates, model compounds,
and/or toxic industrial chemicals. Example research areas include but are not limited to:
• Materials that demonstrate rapid, efficient turnover, or regenerative function
• Materials that demonstrate adsorptive and reactive functions and are skin compatible.
• Elastomeric materials that demonstrate chemical repellency and barrier properties that
enable more facile decontamination strategies.
• Interface and colloid science to generate concepts that demonstrate the ability to enhance
reaction rates, diffusion, transport, and/or mechanical properties.
• New tools or methods to characterize interfacial interactions and reaction mechanisms to
support novel material and composite development.
• Materials that exhibit unique optical properties, particularly with respect to refractive
index to augment the use of external vision correction systems.
Additional considerations:
• Priority will be given to innovative material solutions over incremental material
development.
• Research must be completed within 12 months (24 months if option period is approved)
of award of the agreement.
• No capital equipment may be purchased under this award.
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• The Phase II project narrative (technical proposal) should reflect the level of work to be
performed within the 12-month base period (and 12-month option period, if proposing),
and emphasize the key tasks leading to proof of idea.
References:
Peterson, G. W.; Mundy, L.; Tovar, T. M.; Wang, X.; Farha, O. K. Optimal SO2 Uptake from
Mixed-MOF Phase-Inverted Composites. ACS Appl. Eng. Mater. 2024, 2(9) 2295–2301.
Gerben, S. R.; Borst, A. J.; Hicks, D. R.; Moczygemba, I.; Feldman, D.; Coventry, B.; Yang, W.;
Bera, A. K.; Mirando, M.; Kang, A.; Nguyen, H.; Baker, D. Design of Diverse Asymmetric
Pockets in De Novo Homo-oligomeric Proteins. Biochemistry 2023 62(2), 358-368.
Oh, H.; Tu, Y.; Samineni, L.; De Respino, S.; Mehrafrooz, B.; Joshi, H.; Massenburg, L.; Lopez-
Marques, H.; Elessawy, N.; Song, W.; Behera, H.; Dhiman, R.; Boorla, V.; Kher, K.; Lin, Y.;
Maranas, C.; Aksimentiev, A.; Freeman, B. D.; Kumar, M. Dehydrated Biomimetic Membranes
with Skinlike Structure and Function. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2024 16(16), 20865-20877.
Stone, A.; Yang, Z.; Wang, J.; Dimtsoudi, M. L.; Sama, A.; Martin-Welp, R.; Small, G.; Hurt, R.
Multifunctional Textured Graphene-based Coatings on Elastomeric Gloves for Chemical
Protection. Environmental Science: Nano. 2024 DOI:10.1039/d4en00601a.
Heble, A. Y.; Chen, C.Access to Advanced Functional Materials through Postmodification of
Biomimetic Assemblies via Click Chemistry. Biomacromolecules 2024 25(3), 1391-1407.
Tesvara, C.; Yousuf, M.R.; Albrahim, M.; Troya, D.; Shrotri, A.; Stavitski, E.; Karim, A.M.;
Sautet, P. Unraveling the CO Oxidation Mechanism over Highly Dispersed Pt Single Atom on
Anatase TiO2 (101). ACS Catal. 2024, 14(10), 7562–7575.
Johnson, E. M.; Boyanich, M. C.; Gibbons, B.; Sapienza, N. S.; Yang, X.; Karim, A.; Morris, J.
R.; Troya, D.; Morris, A. J. Aqueous-Phase Destruction of Nerve-Agent Simulant at Copper
Single Atoms in UiO-66. Inorg. Chem. 2022, 61, 8585-8591.
Thrust Area 1, Topic A6: Quantum Sensors for Chemical and Biological Detection
Award Amounts for this topic are anticipated to be between $350,000 and $500,000 per year (total
dollar value = direct and indirect costs). In all cases, the proposed award value should be clearly
substantiated by the scope of the effort. Further guidance on scope and cost may be provided in
each full proposal invitation.
The preferred award structure for this topic is a base period of two (2) years with up to three (3)
additional years as possible options. However, pre-application white papers and proposals that
outline scope and effort for only the base period and do not propose options are also acceptable.
Different base period and option combinations may also be considered; however, note that pre-
application white papers and proposals that outline scope and effort that exceed a total of five (5)
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years will not be considered.
Background: DTRA RD-CBPD seeks innovative quantum sensing approaches to demonstrate
proof-of-concept for quantum systems that can detect chemical and biological (CB) threats in
operational environments under various conditions. Quantum sensors exploit quantum mechanical
phenomena (e.g., quantum states and spins, matter-wave duality, coherence, superposition,
entanglement [1], and/or quantum correlations) to broaden sensing capabilities. They represent a
new generation of transformative sensors with potential to exceed the standard limit for sensing in
terms of precision, accuracy, bandwidth, speed, or other factors, such as size, weight, and power.
Matter-wave optic technologies, such as atom interferometry, neutron interferometry, and electron
holography systems, have demonstrated exclusive sensitivity to atomic, molecular, and solid-state
properties and have potential for sensitive environmental monitoring [2,3]. Quantum biosensing
also has the potential to revolutionize investigation of complex biological systems, where
traditional modes of exploration are often limited by studies of microscopic phenomena with
macroscopic tools [4].
Impact: This topic will accelerate the development of new quantum sensing approaches to
ultimately enable a sensitive and rapid response to the presence of CB threats in the operational
environments, thereby increasing situational awareness. If successful, it will also identify
promising technological approaches that advance to applied research on quantum sensors to
address the agency mission. Advances in quantum sensing components may also potentially aid
in the development of quantum computing and networking capabilities.
Objective: This topic is focused on design concepts [5] and proof-of-concept demonstration of
quantum sensing systems that can be expanded into novel quantum metrology to perform
ultrasensitive and selective measurements of CB threats in operational environments.
Fundamental questions to address may include but are not limited to:
• What materials/design approaches can be developed to measure quantum behavior (spin
state, superposition, polarization, entanglement) to interrogate the environment beyond the
current-state-of-the art (i.e., NV-center diamonds, non-linear crystals)?
• What design principles can be defined to inform emerging quantum sensing technologies
to detect CB threats?
• What novel concepts in Quantum information science and technology can be generated for
molecular sensing?
• What fundamental processes and designs will result in quantum sensing technologies with
reduced SWAP, compared to current conventional systems?
• What are fundamental properties of quantum sensors that will indicate promising avenues
of research (e.g., quantum entanglement)?
Offerors are encouraged to develop R&D collaborations with other organizations in Government,
academia, and the private sector to broaden and strengthen their knowledge, experience, and
capabilities. Additionally, offerors are encouraged to take advantage of specialized resources in
the DoD and other Government agencies such as facilities/capabilities. Multidisciplinary
approaches are strongly encouraged.
References:
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