Defense Innovation Funding Opportunities | Edition 71

About the Series

The NSIN Defense Innovation Funding Opportunities Series on LinkedIn provides a resource for innovators to access national security challenges and opportunities. Subscribe above and follow NSIN on LinkedIn for more opportunities like these.

Note: opportunities are arranged by submission date deadline, meaning the newest opportunities do not necessarily appear near the top of the document. Search [NEW] to discover the most recent additions. Please find the opportunities linked to the submission date deadlines.

Closing This Month?

Funding Available for Net Zero Design and Renovation | March 11, 2024?| Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) | Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)

Innovators with solutions to improve energy and water efficiency across DoD infrastructure and reduce ongoing maintenance may submit their solutions to DIU for the potential to receive a prototype Other Transaction (OT) award. Submissions are due March 11.

$24,000 Available during OSD Bias Bounty | March 11, 2024 | Bias Bounty | DoD Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO)

Innovators with the ability to identify biases against protected classes of individuals in open-source large language models (LLMs) may take part in the OSD bias bounty for the opportunity to receive cash prizes. The qualifying round will conclude on Feb. 19 OR when the first 35 hackers successfully submit at least 5 valid reports, whichever comes first. Final submissions are due March 11.

Funding Available for Multiple Technologies | March 20, 2024 | Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grants | 美国军队

Innovators with solutions for biometrics, quantum-enhanced radio frequency (RF) components, heads-up displays, non-RF transceivers, user and entity behavioral analysis tools, analysis for large-scale mobilization operations, or dual-band mid-wave infrared/long-wave infrared (MWIR/LWIR) focal plane arrays may submit their solutions to the U.S. Army for the opportunity to receive SBIR funding. Submissions are due March 20.

[NEW] Funding Available for UAS Communication in Electromagnetic Interference Environments | March 25, 2024 | Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) | Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)

Innovators with solutions that could enable small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) to operate in environments where the electromagnetic spectrum is contested, where challenges may include jamming, interference, and spoofing, may submit their solutions to DIU for the opportunity to receive a prototype Other Transaction (OT) award. Submissions are due March 25.

$300,000 Grants Available for IAC Implementation | March 31, 2024 | Open Solicitation?| U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Small and medium-sized manufacturing firms (SMMs) interested in implementing recommendations received during industrial assessment centers (IAC) energy assessments may submit applications for the opportunity to receive grants of up to $300,000, at 50% cost share, to implement changes. Submissions are due March 31.

Next Month

$1.7M Available for Synthetic Data Generation | April 10, 2024 | Other Transaction Solicitation Call | U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Innovators with synthetic data generation capabilities for both structured and unstructured data that maintain data privacy and security may submit their solutions to DHS for the opportunity to receive up to $1.7 million in funding. Submissions are due April 10.

Funding Available for Innovative AI/ML, Data, and Analytics Capabilities | April 29, 2024 | Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) | DoD Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO)?

Innovators with technologies and methodologies for data readiness, artificial intelligence (AI) assurance, machine learning operations (MLOPS), AI ethics, or the foundational enablers that provide for faster delivery of critical softwares and capabilities may submit their solutions to CDAO for the opportunity to receive funding. Submissions are due April 29.

$22.5M Available for AI-Powered Cybersecurity | April 30, 2024 | Prize Challenge | Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

Innovators with the ability to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically secure the critical code that underpins Americans’ daily lives may submit applications to DARPA to take part in the AIxCC AI Cyber Challenge for the opportunity to win part of the $22.5 million prize pool. There are two tracks of competition, registration for the Open Track is due April 30.

Further Out

$75,000 Available for Resilient Communications Technologies | May 1, 2024 | Prize Challenge | NSIN - National Security Innovation Network

NSIN, in partnership with the Washington Air National Guard (WA ANG), 194 Communications Squadron, seeks innovative solutions to establish two-way communication during the eruption of Mt. Rainier and other natural disasters. The challenge launch accompanies the launch of the Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub: Washington, a new “open door” to the Department of Defense (DoD), where entrepreneurs can learn how to enter the Defense Innovation Base and solve DoD challenges. Attend the AMA on March 13. Submissions are due May 1.

[NEW] $500,000 Available for Multiple Technologies | May 3, 2024 | Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) | National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)

Innovators with technologies for apertures, communications, remote sensing, satellite system designs, data processing, fusion, analysis, and contextual understanding, and more are invited to submit their solutions for an opportunity to receive up to $500,000 from NRO. Submissions are due May 3, 2024.

$1.85M Available for Digital Systems and Data Analytics for Utilities | May 7, 2024 | Prize Challenge | U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Innovators with digital systems and data analytics tools that could reduce cybersecurity risks may submit solutions to the DOE’s Digitizing Utilities: Round 2 challenge for the opportunity to receive part of a $1.85 million prize purse. Submissions are due May 7.

Funding Available for Research in Multiple Topic Areas | May 16, 2024 | Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) | Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Innovators with research that addresses one of the FBI Enterprise BAA Problem Sets and could improve artificial intelligence (AI), counterintelligence and security, mission-enhancing science and technology, or mission support capabilities may submit their research to the FBI for the opportunity to receive funding. Submissions are due May 16.?

$1.7M Available for Power at Sea | July 26, 2024 | Prize Challenge | U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

Innovators with innovative technologies that are powered by the ocean and enable sustainable and responsible use of resources, better prediction and tracking of tropical storms, better monitoring of aquaculture, a greater understanding of the ocean’s role in climate change mitigation, and more may submit their solutions to the DOE and NOAA for the opportunity to win part of the $1,700,000 prize purse. Submissions are due July 26.

Funding Available for Information and Communication Technologies Research | Aug. 9, 2024 | Research Announcement (RA) | Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

Innovators with fundamental research that could enable novel information and communications technologies covering topics including high-performance, energy efficient devices; monolithic and heterogeneous integration; memory and storage; systems and architecture for distributed computing; intelligent sensing; connectivity; and cognition may submit their solutions to DARPA for the opportunity to receive funding. Submissions are due Aug. 9.

Funding Available for Multiple Technologies | Sept. 9, 2024 | Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) | Office of Naval Research (ONR) and Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL)

Innovators with research that covers the topic areas of interest of ONR or MCWL (find topic areas under the “BAA” tab) may submit their proposals for the opportunity to receive funding from ONR or MCWL. Submissions are due Sept. 9.

Other Opportunities

[NEW] DLA AI Hackathon | March 20, 2024 | Hackathon | Defense Logistics Agency

Contractors with advanced data scraping capabilities, innovative methodologies, and the potential to create impactful artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) may submit proposals for the opportunity to participate in the 2024 DLA Hackathon. Proposals must be submitted by March 20, 2024.

[NEW] Submit Information on Biomimetic and Bio Enabled Supercapacitors | April 15, 2024 | Request for Information (RFI) | Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity ( IARPA )

Innovators with information about advancements in biomimetic and bioinspired supercapacitors (BBS) that could achieve a substantial leap in power storage may submit information to IARPA. Submissions are due April 15.?