Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative | N00014 20 S F003

Opportunity Information: Apply for N00014 20 S F003

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI) is a competitive grant program run for DoD by the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Its purpose is to fund high-impact basic research in science and engineering at U.S. universities when that research has clear long-term relevance to national security interests. The core idea behind MURI is that major breakthroughs often happen when multiple fields are brought together, so the program is built specifically to support multidisciplinary teams rather than single-investigator efforts.

The opportunity is strictly focused on basic research as defined in DoD financial policy: fundamental, systematic study aimed at increasing knowledge and understanding of underlying phenomena, without tying the work to a specific product, system, or near-term application. In practice, that means MURI is meant to support farsighted, high-payoff research that can lay the groundwork for future technological progress important to defense needs. DoD also uses programs like MURI to stay aware of emerging scientific directions early, before they mature into applied technology.

FY 2021 MURI proposals must address one of the specific research topics identified in the official solicitation. Each topic comes with a more detailed description and an assigned Topic Chief (the technical lead for that area). Those topic descriptions are intended to set boundaries and provide context, but they are not meant to dictate a single method or narrow approach. Applicants are encouraged to propose creative, innovative research plans as long as they clearly align with the topic goals and fit the basic-research nature of the program.

A defining feature of MURI is the expectation of a true multidisciplinary approach, where more than one traditional discipline is integrated to accelerate progress. The program anticipates that the necessary expertise may be spread across different universities, so multi-university teams are explicitly allowed and often appropriate. Even so, each proposal must name one Principal Investigator (PI) who serves as the primary technical point of contact, and one institution must be designated as the primary awardee responsible for award execution. The PI must be affiliated with the primary institution. The proposal must clearly explain how all participating institutions will work together, what each partner will do, and how funds will be allocated, including any subawards, with consistent detail in both the narrative and the budget.

Eligibility is limited to U.S. institutions of higher education that have degree-granting programs in science and/or engineering, including DoD institutions of higher education. University Affiliated Research Centers or other university-affiliated laboratories can participate and receive funds only if they are part of an eligible U.S. university and are not designated as Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs). Organizations that are not eligible applicants such as companies, DoD laboratories, FFRDCs, and foreign entities may collaborate scientifically, but they cannot receive MURI funds either directly or through a subaward under the MURI grant.

The announcement also describes how the government assesses award risk and applicant responsibility. As part of the review, the government may check the application and other data sources designated by the Office of Management and Budget under relevant federal statutes and regulations (including 2 CFR 200.205 and 32 CFR 22.410) to confirm the applicant is qualified, responsible, and eligible for an award. This is a standard federal grants compliance step, but it is specifically called out in the solicitation.

If a project needs additional funding to enable participation by an ineligible organization, the solicitation allows for a workaround: the ineligible organization may submit a separate supplemental proposal. That supplemental package must be attached to the main MURI proposal and will be evaluated using the MURI review criteria by the appropriate Topic Chief. If the supplemental proposal is approved, it may be supported using non-MURI or non-government sources rather than MURI funds, which preserves the rule that ineligible organizations cannot be paid from MURI grant dollars.

Key administrative details provided in the source listing include the Funding Opportunity Number N00014-20-S-F003, the funding instrument type as a grant, the activity category as science and technology and other research and development, and the CFDA number 12.300. The original closing date listed for submissions is September 14, 2020, with the opportunity posted on February 24, 2020. The announcement directs applicants to consult the full solicitation under the related documents for complete topic descriptions and additional instructions, since the summary itself is not intended to replace the full requirements.

• The Office of Naval Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-02-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-09-14. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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