FISCAL YEAR 2021 DEFENSE UNIVERSITY INSTRUMENTATION PROGRAM (DURIP) | N00014 20 S F004

Opportunity Information: Apply for N00014 20 S F004

The Fiscal Year 2021 Defense University Instrumentation Program (DURIP) is a Department of Defense (DoD) funding opportunity designed to help U.S. universities buy major research equipment and instrumentation that directly supports scientific and engineering research aligned with DoD priorities. Instead of paying for the research project itself, DURIP is focused on strengthening the research infrastructure at academic institutions by purchasing the tools needed to carry out high-quality work in disciplines that matter to national defense. A key theme throughout the announcement is that the requested instrument has to do more than improve a lab; it needs to measurably enhance research-based education by giving students hands-on opportunities to learn through real research in areas important to DoD missions.

The opportunity is administered across three main DoD basic research organizations: the Army Research Office (ARO), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). These are collectively referred to in the announcement as the "administering agency." Applicants are expected to align their instrumentation request with the research interests published by these offices in their Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs). The announcement directs applicants to review the current research interest information on each organization’s website and strongly encourages early communication with the relevant program managers before submitting a proposal. That outreach is positioned as a practical step to confirm fit and identify mutual technical interest, which can be especially important because DURIP proposals are judged in the context of DoD research priorities.

A notable feature of DURIP is flexibility in how proposals can be routed. A single proposal may be submitted to more than one administering agency (for example, both ONR and ARO) if the instrumentation supports research of interest to multiple services, but only one agency will ultimately fund the proposal if it is selected. At the same time, institutions are not restricted to one submission overall: there is no limit on the number of different proposals an organization can submit and no cap on how many awards a single university can receive under this competition. The DoD also makes clear that it may choose to fund all, some, part, or none of the proposals received, and that submission does not imply any guarantee of award.

Eligibility is limited to accredited U.S. institutions of higher education that have degree-granting programs in science, mathematics, and/or engineering. For-profit educational institutions are excluded. The government also signals that it will conduct standard eligibility and responsibility checks as part of its risk review process, using the application materials and government-wide data sources as permitted under federal regulations. In other words, beyond the technical and educational case for the instrument, institutions should expect the typical federal due diligence steps that confirm the applicant is qualified and able to manage an award.

From the listing details provided, this is a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Instrument: Grant) in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category, with the Office of Naval Research shown as the posting agency. The funding opportunity number is N00014-20-S-F004, and the original closing date listed is May 15, 2020, reflecting the timeline for the FY2021 cycle. The announcement references additional instructions and specifics in the full solicitation, which applicants would need to follow for formatting, required sections, budget rules for equipment purchases, and any submission requirements when applying through the appropriate federal portals.

• 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 2021 DEFENSE UNIVERSITY INSTRUMENTATION PROGRAM (DURIP)" 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 2020-02-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-05-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for N00014 20 S F004

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