UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY Broad Agency Announcement

The United States Military Academy (USMA) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), identified as W911NF-20-S-0008, invites research proposals across a comprehensive and multidisciplinary range of campaigns. Operating under the authority of the U.S. Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG) and issued through the Research Triangle Park Division, this BAA reflects the Army’s ongoing interest in fundamental and applied research with potential to improve military capabilities and address both current and emerging defense challenges. The USMA at West Point, New York, serves as both a center of academic excellence and a hub for defense innovation. Through its Office of Research and affiliated institutes and centers, USMA conducts mission-oriented research that enhances cadet education, supports professional faculty development, and fosters innovation critical to national defense. This BAA supports a wide array of research campaigns aligned with key military and national security priorities. These include, but are not limited to, Ballistics and Weapons; Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability; Materials and Prototyping; Unmanned Systems and Space; Human Support Systems; Emerging Technologies; Life Sciences; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Curriculum and Outreach; Simulations Modernization; Combating Terrorism; and Resilient Supply Chains. Each campaign area is broken into multiple specific thrusts with detailed technical points of contact (TPOCs), encouraging focused, collaborative exploration in areas such as blast protection, additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, neurophysiology, microbiology, ethics education, supply chain modeling, and many others. The BAA particularly encourages innovative, high-impact research that can inform Army doctrine, enhance operational effectiveness, and support future warfighter performance. USMA accepts proposals from a wide range of entities including higher education institutions, non-profits, local and state governments, for-profit organizations (large and small), foreign organizations, and public entities. Proposals must be centered on novel study and experimentation that advances the state of the art or increases fundamental understanding; proposals focused solely on specific devices or components fall outside the scope of this BAA. There is no matching or cost-sharing requirement for most awards, although cost sharing may apply in the case of certain agreements like Technology Investment Agreements (TIAs) or Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs). Funding awards may be made as contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or other instruments based on the nature of the proposed research and the level of government involvement. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the open period of this announcement, which spans from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2027. There is no specific application deadline. Instead, the process is conducted via a whitepaper-first system, where applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the designated TPOC for their research area of interest before submitting a whitepaper. The whitepaper will be reviewed, and feedback will be provided indicating whether a full proposal should be submitted. Although submission of a whitepaper is not required, it is highly encouraged to improve alignment with program needs. Full proposals must follow the detailed guidelines provided in the BAA document, including structured technical, budgetary, and administrative sections. Applications must be submitted electronically, and registration in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) is required. Applicants must also obtain a Unique Entity Identifier and be prepared to disclose potential conflicts of interest and proprietary information handling preferences. Award announcements are made on a rolling basis depending on funding availability and evaluation outcomes. Evaluation criteria include scientific merit, relevance to Army needs, and the potential impact of the proposed research. Administrative inquiries should be directed to Brandon S. Hill at [email protected], while technical questions should be directed to the specific TPOCs listed throughout the BAA. This BAA will remain open until March 31, 2027, unless otherwise amended. Interested applicants are advised to monitor updates through Grants.gov, SAM.gov, or the USMA research website. The USMA emphasizes its commitment to diversity and inclusion, ensuring that no person shall face discrimination in any program or activity receiving Army financial assistance. This long-term, open BAA represents a vital mechanism for the USMA and the broader Department of Defense to engage with the research community and drive forward technological advancements critical to national defense.

Contact TPOC prior to submission to ensure research alignment and improve success probability.