DEVCOM ARL HBCU/MI Research Partnerships | W911NF24S0002

Opportunity Information: Apply for W911NF24S0002

The DEVCOM ARL HBCU/MI Research Partnerships opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number W911NF24S0002) is a U.S. Army basic research funding program run by the Department of the Army, Materiel Command, through the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL). Its purpose is to bring Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MIs) into closer, working research relationships with major ongoing Army research efforts. The Army is specifically looking to expand innovative, high-impact basic research in areas that matter to future Army capabilities by integrating competitively selected HBCU/MI research teams into established Army Futures Command (AFC) collaboration structures, including Collaborative Research Alliances (CRAs), Collaborative Technology Alliances (CTAs), and ARL-affiliated research centers. These alliances and centers are designed to connect Army labs with industry and academia to not only conduct research, but also transition promising results toward technology demonstrations, which makes the partnerships more applied and team-based than a standalone academic award.

The entry point for this program is a whitepaper submission. HBCUs/MIs are invited to submit whitepapers that describe their interest, fit, and potential contribution to one of seven ARL research program opportunities referenced in the solicitation (described in Section II.B of the full announcement). The whitepaper process functions as an initial screening step: institutions submit concise technical concepts and partnership approaches, and selected teams may then be invited to submit full proposals. The program is explicitly framed as both a research and workforce development effort. In addition to producing quality basic research, applicants are expected to strengthen the pipeline of talent by recruiting, educating, and training students and postdoctoral researchers through direct participation in collaborative Army-relevant science and technology work.

In terms of what the Army plans to fund, the solicitation anticipates establishing approximately three to five new HBCU/MI research partnerships. Each partnership is meant to enhance and extend research already underway within a specific CRA, CTA, and/or center, rather than creating an entirely separate research track. Awards are anticipated as cooperative agreements, which typically means more active government involvement than a standard grant, with structured collaboration, coordination, and engagement with Army program teams. The posted award ceiling is $2,020,000, and the opportunity lists an expectation of about five awards, indicating that individual partnership awards can be substantial and are intended to support meaningful participation in large-scale research ecosystems.

There are a few key submission rules that shape how institutions should plan their responses. Whitepapers may be submitted to more than one of the seven ARL programs, but each program requires a separate submission tailored to that program area. While an institution can submit multiple whitepapers overall, there is a limit at the principal investigator level: each named PI may submit only one whitepaper to each of the seven programs. This encourages institutions to coordinate internally and avoid duplicative submissions under the same PI for a given topic area, while still allowing broader institutional participation across multiple ARL opportunities.

Eligibility is strictly limited. This competition is only open to HBCUs and MIs that qualify as "covered educational institutions" under 10 U.S.C. 4144. In practice, that includes institutions of higher education eligible for assistance under Title III or Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as well as accredited postsecondary minority institutions. The listing categorizes eligible applicants under "Others," reflecting that the program is not broadly open to all universities or nonprofits, but specifically reserved for these designated institution types.

Administrative details provided in the source information include an original closing date of March 29, 2024, a CFDA/Assistance Listing number of 12.431, and an activity focus in science, technology, and other research and development. The opportunity was created on November 28, 2023. Overall, the solicitation is best understood as a targeted Army basic research partnership mechanism designed to expand HBCU/MI participation in major Army research programs, strengthen collaborative ties with ARL and its alliance structures, and build a stronger, more diverse STEM workforce aligned to Army modernization needs.

• The Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DEVCOM ARL HBCU/MI Research Partnerships" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.431.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-11-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-03-29. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,020,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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