Reliability of Alternative Methods for Energy Generation and Storage Alternatives (Research)

The U.S. Army DEVCOM Analysis Center (DAC) is soliciting whitepapers and proposals for applied research under the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) titled “Reliability of alternative methods for energy generation and storage alternatives.” This opportunity is identified as DAC BAA-018 and falls under the domain of Data The DEVCOM Analysis Center (DAC), operating under the U.S. Army, administers the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) W911NF-23-S-0003 for applied research proposals. This BAA aims to support the Army’s strategic objectives by funding exploratory research in emerging technologies and methodologies. One of the active research topics under this BAA is the investigation into the Reliability of Alternative Methods for Energy Generation and Storage Alternatives, listed as Topic ID: DAC BAA-018. The DAC’s overarching mission includes understanding, modeling, and assessing the performance and integration of new technologies into Army systems, with the intent of ensuring operational effectiveness and resilience. Under Topic DAC BAA-018, the research focuses on innovative energy generation and storage technologies that can enhance the performance and sustainability of Army operations. Although specific details for this topic are not explicitly listed in the published materials, it falls within the BAA’s broader framework of scientific research supporting Army modernization. The DAC is particularly interested in approaches that align with their core competencies, including human-systems integration, system effectiveness, and modeling and simulation for performance analysis. The DAC BAA is designed as an open solicitation, and applicants may submit whitepapers or full proposals in response to this or other listed topics. Proposals must demonstrate strong alignment with DAC’s foundational research competencies. Interested applicants are encouraged to consult Appendix A of the BAA for a comprehensive understanding of DAC’s mission areas. Whitepapers are reviewed on a rolling basis, with full proposal submissions invited at the discretion of the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) following whitepaper evaluation. While whitepapers are not strictly required, submitting one is recommended to gauge interest before committing to a full proposal. Submissions must be made through the designated portals: [Grants.gov](https://www.grants.gov/) or [SAM.gov](https://sam.gov/), referencing the announcement ID W911NF-23-S-0003. There are no specific due dates for submission, as this is an open BAA; however, the opportunity remains open only as long as funding is available. Proposals should address how the research will improve reliability, survivability, and energy efficiency for Army systems in operational contexts. The key point of contact for this topic is not explicitly named, but general BAA inquiries can be directed to DACBAA@army.mil. Applicants should routinely monitor the DAC research topic website, which is updated daily to reflect current research priorities and submission alignment requirements. Since DAC may revise or close topics without prior notice, researchers should ensure their topic is current at the time of submission. Awards under this BAA will vary depending on the scope and quality of submissions and may involve single or multiple years of funding. & Analysis and Lifecycle Engineering. The research is supported by the DAC Foundational Research Competencies, specifically in Integrated Materiel Performance and Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability. The BAA aligns with the Army’s modernization priority for the Next Generation Combat Vehicle. This funding opportunity responds to the growing demand for alternative energy generation and storage methods as Army systems become increasingly electrified. The objective is to explore and assess novel technologies, including electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered systems, and fuel cells, for their technical maturity, complexity, and reliability. A central aim is to determine how these systems can support Army operations while minimizing the logistics footprint, in alignment with the principles of Multi-Domain Operations. In addition to military considerations, this opportunity also evaluates the implications of adopting alternative energy solutions within commercial sectors. It seeks to understand the impact of wide-scale deployment of technologies like large solar arrays and residential rooftop panels on system reliability. The research further explores whether these systems increase energy system robustness or introduce unreliability and added sustainment costs. Researchers are encouraged to develop methods to model and assess these trade-offs between increased capabilities and system reliability. The BAA invites research proposals that focus on understanding and modeling the interplay between the enhanced functionality of electrified systems and the risks of increased complexity, cost, and potential unreliability. Topics of interest include integration with electronic control systems, long-term maintenance costs, and evaluating overall system resilience under real-world operational conditions. Eligibility is open to a wide range of applicants including academia, industry, non-profits, and other research institutions. Proposals that align strongly with DAC’s core competencies and address critical Army challenges are encouraged, even if they do not directly match a predefined topic. Whitepapers may be submitted prior to full proposals to receive feedback from a DAC Technical Point of Contact. Interested applicants should consult the full announcement W911NF-23-S-0003, available on Grants.gov and SAM.gov, for submission instructions and deadlines. There is no fixed close date as proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis. For further information or technical inquiries related to this specific topic, contact Dr. Richard Heine at (443) 643-8317 or richard.w.heine.civ@army.mil.

Submit a whitepaper before preparing a full proposal to assess program interest and alignment.