Research Interests of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), part of the Air Force Research Laboratory, oversees the U.S. Air Force and Space Force’s basic research investment. Its mission is to manage and fund research initiatives that yield revolutionary scientific breakthroughs to maintain U.S. technological superiority. This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), FA9550-23-S-0001 Amendment 0004, seeks proposals for fundamental, unclassified, and non-proprietary research in support of the Defense Research Sciences Program. This BAA remains open until superseded, with no fixed deadline for proposal submission. Proposals may be submitted at any time, though certain topic-specific instructions may recommend timing submissions to align with internal funding cycles. The announcement outlines various fields of research categorized under four primary teams: Engineering and Complex Systems, Information and Networks, Physical Sciences, and Chemistry and Biological Sciences. Each area contains subtopics with designated Program Officers who should be consulted before proposal submission. Collaborative proposals and multidisciplinary approaches are encouraged. The opportunity anticipates many types of awards, including grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, technology investment agreements, and other transactions. The types and numbers of awards, as well as funding amounts, are not predetermined. Proposals must include a detailed research plan, anticipated outcomes, and a proposed budget for a 3–5-year period. While cost-sharing is not required, the applicant must be registered with SAM.gov and possess a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and CAGE code. Evaluation criteria include the scientific and technical merit, the qualifications of the team, the reasonableness of cost, and relevance to Department of the Air Force goals. Proposals should be submitted electronically via Grants.gov, with detailed instructions provided in the announcement. All proposal submissions are evaluated as they are received, and selections may be made at any time. For inquiries, applicants are encouraged to contact relevant Program Officers listed in the announcement. Each topic includes a specific contact email and phone number. Additionally, the document contains embedded hyperlinks and a full table of contents to aid navigation of the many scientific topics covered.