Project on Advanced Systems and Concepts for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (PASCC) | USAFA PASCC BAA 2016 CALL 0004

Opportunity Information: Apply for USAFA PASCC BAA 2016 CALL 0004

Project on Advanced Systems and Concepts for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (PASCC) is a Department of Defense opportunity managed through the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), specifically the Air Force Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) working in partnership with PASCC. The call seeks research that strengthens U.S. and allied understanding of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threats and improves approaches to countering WMD (CWMD), with an emphasis on producing practical, policy-relevant insights for Department of Defense and Armed Services missions. Submissions begin with unclassified research white papers, and the government may later request full proposals from selected or promising concepts.

A key feature of this opportunity is its focus on unclassified work that can be shared and discussed broadly within appropriate professional communities. Offerors are asked to avoid proprietary information; if proprietary material is included, it must be clearly marked in line with the instructions referenced in USAFA-PASCC-BAA-2016 Amendment 0003. In other words, the program is designed to encourage open, rigorous analysis and collaboration while still providing a mechanism to protect any limited proprietary content an applicant chooses to include.

The research scope is intentionally broad, covering studies connected to countering the threat posed by WMD, CWMD challenges, and nuclear deterrence issues. The solicitation highlights three main types of contributions it wants to support. First, it funds projects that facilitate serious engagement between U.S. and foreign subject matter experts on major WMD-related questions, including CWMD policy and nuclear deterrence. Second, it supports work that addresses current and emerging challenges affecting CWMD and the Department of Defense, meaning applicants can propose studies tied to evolving threats, changing adversary capabilities, or new operational and strategic realities. Third, it invites projects that expand the knowledge base or develop new concepts that can inform national security missions and requirements across DoD and the military services, so conceptual frameworks, methods, and forward-looking strategic analysis are all in-bounds as long as they are rigorous and innovative.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is listed as discretionary and falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category, with CFDA number 12.800. The funding opportunity number is USAFA PASCC BAA 2016 CALL 0004, indicating it operates under a broader Broad Agency Announcement structure where the government can solicit and select research ideas as needs evolve. Multiple award instruments are contemplated, including cooperative agreements, grants, and procurement contracts, which signals flexibility in how projects may be structured depending on the nature of the work, the level of government involvement anticipated, and the deliverables proposed.

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning the call is open to a wide range of applicants, including academia, research institutions, and non-profit organizations (and generally any entity type unless otherwise limited by the additional eligibility language in the full announcement). This wide eligibility aligns with the program goal of drawing in diverse expertise and encouraging high-quality analytical work from across the research community.

The specific posting details for this call show it was created on December 18, 2018, with an original closing date of January 23, 2019. The expected number of awards is listed as 1, and the award ceiling is $30,000, suggesting this particular call may have been intended for a single, relatively small research effort (such as a focused study, a workshop-driven engagement effort, or a tightly scoped analysis) rather than a large multi-year research program. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted mechanism for USAFA INSS and PASCC to commission unclassified, innovative research and expert engagement that advances U.S. thinking and readiness on WMD-related national security challenges.

• 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 Dec 18, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 23, 2019. (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 $30,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 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 0004

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