Project on Advanced Systems and Concepts for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (PASCC) | USAFA PASCC BAA 2016 CALL 0003

Opportunity Information: Apply for USAFA PASCC BAA 2016 CALL 0003

The Project on Advanced Systems and Concepts for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (PASCC) grant opportunity is a Department of Defense research call issued through the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), specifically by the Air Force Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in partnership with PASCC. It is designed to fund unclassified research efforts that strengthen U.S. and Department of Defense (DoD) capabilities to deter, prepare for, and respond to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threats. In this context, WMD is defined broadly to include chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons, along with related improvised threats. The opportunity emphasizes forward-looking research and dialogue that can shape policy, strategy, and operational concepts relevant to countering WMD.

A central feature of this call is the request for research white papers, with full proposals submitted only if the government later requests them. Submissions must be unclassified and are expected not to contain proprietary information. If an applicant does include proprietary content, the burden is on the applicant to clearly mark the relevant sections according to the instructions in USAFA-PASCC-BAA-2016 Amendment 0001. The overall intent is to make it easier for the government to share and use the resulting work across appropriate DoD and U.S. Government stakeholders while still giving offerors a defined method to protect properly marked proprietary material.

This FY19 call for papers was issued at the request of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), which asked INSS/PASCC to solicit white papers proposing either research studies or strategic dialogues. The strategic dialogues are also described as Track 2 dialogues, meaning structured engagements that typically bring together non-government or unofficial subject-matter experts (and sometimes former officials) to explore sensitive or complex security issues, build shared understanding, and generate actionable ideas without the constraints of formal government-to-government negotiations. The program is therefore not limited to traditional academic research outputs; it also supports expert convenings that can produce insights, options, and frameworks useful for real-world deterrence and counter-WMD problem sets.

The solicitation highlights three broad types of desired projects. First, it seeks work that facilitates meaningful engagement between U.S. and foreign subject-matter experts on priority WMD, countering WMD (CWMD), or nuclear deterrence issues, with an emphasis on critical exchange rather than superficial networking. Second, it calls for studies that directly address current and emerging challenges facing CWMD stakeholders and the DoD, signaling interest in timely, policy-relevant analysis that can respond to shifting threat environments, technological change, and adversary adaptation. Third, it supports efforts to expand the knowledge base or develop new concepts tied to national security missions and requirements of the DoD and the Armed Services, which can include novel strategies, analytic frameworks, operational concepts, or methods that improve how the U.S. thinks about and manages WMD risks.

From an administrative and funding standpoint, the opportunity is listed as discretionary and allows multiple funding instrument types, including cooperative agreements, grants, and procurement contracts. The activity category is science and technology and other research and development, and the listing includes CFDA number 12.800. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to a wide range of applicants, including academia, research institutions, and non-profit organizations, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications contained in the full announcement text. The award ceiling is identified as $200,000, and the opportunity anticipated up to 30 awards, suggesting an intent to fund a portfolio of smaller, targeted projects rather than a single large effort. The posting indicates a creation date of April 3, 2018, and an original closing date of June 7, 2018, corresponding to the timeline for submitting the initial white papers under this call.

In practical terms, this PASCC call is best understood as a mechanism for the Air Force Academy INSS, working with PASCC and responding to DTRA priorities, to rapidly source high-quality unclassified ideas from the research community. The output is expected to help the DoD and the broader U.S. Government strengthen nuclear deterrence, improve preparedness for WMD incidents, and sharpen the concepts and partnerships needed to counter both traditional WMD programs and improvised or emerging threat pathways.

• The Department of Defense, Air Force Academy in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Project on Advanced Systems and Concepts for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (PASCC)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.800.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 03, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 07, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for USAFA PASCC BAA 2016 CALL 0003

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