ARMY RESEARCH LABORATORY BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FOUNDATIONAL RESEARCH
🏛 Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command (DOD-AMC)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Sep 4, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for foundational research projects aligned with U.S. Army research priorities.
Eligible applicants include universities, nonprofits, state and local governments, foreign organizations, and for-profit businesses of all sizes. Proposals must address Army research topics listed on the ARL BAA website and support basic research (6.1), applied research (6.2), or in some cases advanced development (6.3-6.4).
Projects focus on creating and exploiting scientific knowledge for military advantage. Awards are competitive and merit-based, issued under FAR authority.
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Program description
The purpose of this combined Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 35 and Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) under 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 200.204 (henceforth referred to as “BAA”) is to solicit research proposals for submission to the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Army Research Laboratory (ARL) for funding consideration.
Prior to this announcement, ARL announced two separate BAAs to support the mission: 1) W911NF-17-S-0002 titled “Army Research Laboratory Army Research Office Broad Agency Announcement for Fundamental Research”; and 2) W911NF-17-S-0003 titled “Army Research Laboratory Broad Agency Announcement for Basic and Applied Scientific Research”. This announcement succeeds BAA W911NF-17-S-0002 and BAA W911NF-17-S-0003 combining the opportunities into a single announcement.
ARL’s mission as the Army’s foundational research laboratory is to Operationalize Science to ensure overmatch in any future conflict. ARL’s foundational research mission spans basic research (budget activity 6.1) and applied research (budget activity 6.2) as defined by 32 CFR 22.105 but may include advanced technology development (budget activity 6.3) and advanced component development and prototypes (budget activity 6.4) when opportunities arise to directly or indirectly help achieve ARL’s mission. ARL partners across the national security enterprise to deliver fundamentally advantageous change that is rooted in the creation and exploitation of scientific knowledge.
This publication constitutes a BAA for awards as contemplated in FAR 6.102(d)(2) and 35.016 as well as a merit-based, competitive procedure in accordance with the Department of Defense Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARS) at 32 CFR 22.315(a) and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Other Transaction Guide version 2.0 dated July 2023.
This BAA document, and the online list of research topics found on the ARL BAA topics website at https://www.arl.devcom.army.mil/opportunities/arl-baa/, sets forth ARL’s research topics of interest for whitepapers and proposals. This BAA is issued under FAR 6.102(d)(2), which provides for the competitive selection of basic and applied research proposals, and 10 U.S.C. 4001, 10 U.S.C. 4021, and 10 U.S.C. 4022, which provide the authorities for issuing awards under this announcement for basic and applied research. The definitions of basic and applied research may be found at 32 CFR 22.105.
Proposals submitted in response to this BAA and selected for award are considered to be the result of full and open competition and in full compliance with the provision of Public Law 98-369, “The Competition in Contracting Act of 1984” and subsequent amendments.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Whitepaper (typically required as first submission step)
- Full research proposal with technical approach
- Cost/budget justification
- Organizational capabilities and past performance documentation
- Curriculum vitae or biographical sketches of key personnel
- Letters of commitment from collaborators (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 Kia S McCormick Procurement Analyst
- 📞 919-549-4281
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 12.431 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$213,594,079
-
$88,655,689
-
$54,356,555
-
$49,736,421
-
$48,908,501
-
$44,035,942
-
$38,292,265
-
$34,850,000
-
$31,526,562
-
$27,457,336
Top States by Funding
- MD 10 awards $367.6M
- MA 13 awards $202.2M
- CA 11 awards $190.8M
- TX 7 awards $139.0M
- PA 9 awards $126.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 12.431). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $764,057,529 | |
| 2025 | $750,782,726 | |
| 2026 est. | $800,000,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Universities, nonprofits, state/local governments, foreign organizations, and businesses of all sizes are eligible. Some focused funding tracks have additional eligibility requirements.
When is the deadline?
The fixed deadline is November 20, 2027. Rolling submission is available before that date.
What types of projects are funded?
Basic research, applied research, and sometimes advanced technology development aligned with Army research topics. Check the ARL BAA website for specific topic areas.
Do I need cost-sharing?
No cost-sharing is required for this grant.
What funding mechanisms are available?
ARL offers grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and other transactions. The specific instrument depends on your project type and organization.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Review the ARL BAA topics website carefully before writing your proposal. Alignment with listed research priorities is critical.
- Clearly articulate how your work supports Army operational advantage and strategic goals. Connect basic science to practical military applications.
- Budget realism matters. Detail personnel costs, equipment needs, and travel carefully. Federal reviewers scrutinize cost estimates closely.
- For universities: emphasize partnerships with industry or government labs when relevant. ARL values collaborative approaches.
- Submit early. Competitive proposals benefit from internal feedback loops. Rolling deadlines allow revision opportunities before the final deadline.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Proposals misaligned with published ARL research topics face rejection. Applicants must demonstrate clear connection to Army priorities. Weak technical merit or unclear innovation reduces competitiveness. Poor cost justification or unrealistic budgets undermine otherwise strong proposals.
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