U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Research Grant for Defense and Engineering Innovation

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is seeking proposals through its Broad Other Transaction Authority Announcement (BOTAA) 25-01, issued in October 2024. ERDC is a premier public engineering and environmental sciences research and development organization that operates under the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. It aims to solve critical challenges in military and civil engineering. The BOTAA is issued under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 4022 and is designed to fund prototype projects that support the Department of Defense (DoD) mission.

The funding opportunity is open to nontraditional defense contractors (NDCs), traditional defense contractors, and nonprofit research institutions. ERDC is particularly interested in prototype projects within the focus areas of Military Engineering and Engineered Resilient Systems. Specific topics of interest include protective structures and systems, geophysical sensors and data fusion, infrastructure maintenance and repair, cybersecurity, high-performance computing (HPC) for advanced manufacturing, system engineering techniques, and on-the-edge computing capabilities. A full list of focus areas is provided in the announcement.

This BOTAA follows a continuous open submission process, meaning white papers can be submitted at any time. Submitted white papers will be reviewed against the evaluation criteria specified in the announcement, with selection based on the degree to which the proposed solution meets a government need, funding availability, and the extent of participation by nontraditional contractors or nonprofit research institutions. White papers that pass initial review may be selected for further consideration, which could include a solution pitch, technical demonstration, or a Request for Prototype Proposal (RFPP). If funding is unavailable at the time of selection, selected white papers may be stored in an electronic library for potential funding within three years of submission.

To apply, offerors must submit a white paper through ERDCWERX’s submission portal. The white paper should be no longer than three pages and include background, technical approach, anticipated data rights assertions, and a rough order of magnitude (ROM) price estimate. If a white paper is selected and funding is available, an RFPP will be issued, requiring a more detailed proposal including a statement of work, milestone payment schedule, security requirements, data rights assertions, key personnel qualifications, and pricing details. Proposals will be evaluated based on scientific and technical merit, qualifications of key personnel, significant participation by required entities, and the budget's appropriateness.

The ERDC points of contact for this funding opportunity include Timothy D. Black, Allison B. Hudson, Alicia K. Bounds, and Jessica B. Wright, with specific contact details provided in the announcement. Offerors are required to register in the System for Award Management (SAM) before an award can be made. The BOTAA also allows for follow-on, noncompetitive production Other Transactions (OTs) following the successful completion of a prototype OT.