U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences Broad Agency Announcement for Basic Research (Fiscal Year 2024) | W911NF 23 S 0009

Opportunity Information: Apply for W911NF 23 S 0009

The U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI), through its Foundational Science Research Unit (FSRU), released a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for its Fiscal Year 2024 basic research program in behavioral science. The opportunity is designed to fund competitively selected research that strengthens the scientific foundations behind how the Army recruits, develops, employs, and retains Soldiers and leaders over the next two decades. The BAA is framed under Federal Acquisition Regulation provisions for acquiring basic and applied research (including early development not tied to a specific weapons system or hardware procurement) and cites multiple U.S. Code authorities that support Army research investments.

At its core, the BAA is looking for research that helps Soldiers and teams operate effectively in the kinds of environments the Army expects to face: fast-changing missions, uncertain and unpredictable conditions, culturally diverse settings, and information-heavy operational contexts. ARI emphasizes the need for people who can perform both independently and within larger systems, sustain performance through extended and hybrid operational tempos, and collaborate across joint-service and multinational partners. Proposals are expected to be basic research, meaning the focus is on advancing theory, methods, and generalizable knowledge rather than building or buying a specific tool, system, or piece of equipment.

The program is organized around four strategic scientific focus areas. First is the Science of Measurement of Individuals and Collectives, which centers on advanced psychometric theory and measurement approaches capable of producing valid, reliable indicators from complex assessments and continuous data streams. This includes the kinds of measurement problems that show up when performance and readiness are inferred from many small signals over time rather than from a single test or survey. Second is Understanding Multilevel and Organizational Dynamics, aimed at theory and methods that explain how complex organizations restructure, coordinate, and evolve, including how teams form, shift, and recombine and how coordination and composition processes affect outcomes across levels (individual, team, unit, organization). Third is Formal/Informal Learning and Development, seeking holistic models that explain how learning and development unfold across settings and contexts throughout a Soldier's career, including training, on-the-job learning, and other informal pathways that shape expertise and adaptability. Fourth is Context of Behavior in Military Environments, which targets integrative theories about how individual characteristics interact with contextual drivers to predict behavior, recognizing that performance, decision-making, and collaboration depend heavily on the situation as well as the person.

From an applicant standpoint, eligibility is described broadly (the listing indicates "Others" with additional details to be clarified in the full announcement), but awardees must meet standard federal responsibility requirements. These include having adequate financial resources and management controls, being able to meet the performance schedule, demonstrating satisfactory past performance, maintaining integrity and business ethics, and showing the necessary experience, technical capability, and facilities to carry out the work. The announcement also reiterates nondiscrimination requirements consistent with federal statutes and Department of Defense and Army policy, stating that participation in programs receiving Army financial assistance cannot be denied on the basis of race, color, age, sex, national origin, or disability.

Several funding mechanisms are contemplated, including grants, cooperative agreements, procurement contracts, and other instruments, reflecting the BAA format where the government can choose the most appropriate vehicle depending on the nature of the proposed work and the level of anticipated government involvement. The opportunity is classified as discretionary and falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category, with CFDA number 12.431. The funding opportunity number is W911NF-23-S-0009, and the issuing organization is the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, Materiel Command. The posting indicates an expected volume of awards (listed as 100), while the award ceiling is shown as 0, which typically signals that a specific per-award maximum was not stated in the summary listing and would need to be confirmed in the full solicitation.

The submission process uses a two-step timeline that begins with a white paper, followed by a full proposal if invited or encouraged under the BAA process. White papers were due by 5:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time on March 31, 2023, and full proposals were due by 5:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time on July 15, 2023 (the original closing date). For questions, the point of contact listed is Alexander P. Wind, reachable via email at Alexander.P.Wind.civ@army.mil. Questions about white papers were due by 5:00 PM EDT on March 15, 2023, and questions about proposals were due by 5:00 PM EDT on July 1, 2023.

• The Department of Defense, Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences Broad Agency Announcement for Basic Research (Fiscal Year 2024)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.431.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 01, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 15, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 100 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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