Opportunity Information: Apply for W911NF 13 R 0006
Apply for W911NF 13 R 0006
- The Dept of the Army Materiel Command in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency (DFBA) BAA for Basic, Applied" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630 Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 18, 2013 and posted on Jul 15, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 30, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $5,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 40 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Individuals Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- Foreign owned, controlled, or influenced organizations are advised that security restrictions may apply that could preclude their participation in these efforts. Countries included on the U.S. State Department List of Countries that Support Terrorism are excluded from participation in these efforts.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency (DFBA) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), Funding Opportunity Number W911NF-13-R-0006, is a Department of the Army (Army Materiel Command) research solicitation intended to fund basic, applied, and advanced research that improves Department of Defense forensic and biometric capabilities. Issued under FAR 6.102(d)(2), it uses a competitive process typical of BAAs, and awards made from it are treated as the product of full and open competition under the Competition in Contracting Act. In practical terms, the opportunity is designed to attract R and D ideas that can be turned into useful knowledge, methods, devices, or systems that strengthen how DoD identifies people, analyzes evidence, and supports operations ranging from criminal investigations to deployed battlefield environments.
The announcement is rooted in the relatively new DFBA structure created by the Army Office of the Provost Marshal General, which serves as DoD's executive agent for forensics and biometrics casework, research, and capability development. DFBA's mission focus is denying adversaries and criminal actors anonymity, which directly supports force protection and operational decision-making. DFBA is made up of two main operational organizations. The Defense Forensics Science Center (DFSC), formerly the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL) at the Ft. Gillem Enclave in Forest Park, Georgia, provides full-service forensic laboratory support across major disciplines including DNA/serology, digital evidence, drug chemistry, firearms and toolmarks, forensic documents, latent prints, and trace evidence. DFSC's core objectives are to analyze evidence and provide expert testimony, deliver expeditionary forensic services in active theaters, and coordinate research that advances forensic capabilities. The Biometrics Identity Management Activity (BIMA) in Clarksburg, West Virginia serves as DoD's primary proponent for biometrics and works on development, implementation, and sustainment of biometric technologies and databases so warfighters can identify unknown persons using measurable traits such as face, fingerprints, voice/speech, and gait.
The BAA is tied to the Department of Defense Forensic and Biometric Research and Development Program administered by the U.S. Army Research Office in partnership with DFBA. The program funds projects that directly improve forensic science and biometric applications for DFBA customers in both traditional law enforcement settings and expeditionary conditions. In addition to DFBA missions, the BAA highlights the needs of other supported customers, including the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES), the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3), and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command Central Identification Laboratory (JPAC-CIL). That means proposed work can be relevant to areas like medicolegal investigations and human identification, cyber and digital crime analysis, and identification and recovery of human remains, so long as it fits the program's forensic and biometric mission space.
On the forensic side, the government is looking for proposals that create new or improved field or lab capabilities that make the recognition, identification, collection, preservation, and analysis of evidence faster, more robust, more informative, less costly, or less labor intensive. This is broad by design and can encompass new analytic methods, improved sampling and preservation approaches, instrumentation concepts, workflow automation, and systems that improve reliability or throughput. On the biometrics side, projects should advance biometric applications or operations that map to military use cases such as combat identification (friend/foe/neutral), intelligence support to targeting, force protection and physical access control, detention operations, civil-military operations that require tracking members of a population, personnel recovery and identification, and the recognition and recovery of human remains. Across both areas, the solicitation places special emphasis on solutions that work in real-world, deployed conditions rather than only in controlled laboratory settings.
A consistent theme in the BAA is expeditionary usefulness. The most attractive concepts are those that can be packaged into equipment or systems that are portable, sustainable, and practical for field use. The announcement explicitly calls out constraints typical of deployed operations: systems should be lightweight, portable, inexpensive, fast, and able to operate in harsh environments involving heat or cold, dust, humidity, and other extremes. It also underscores that solutions must support secure data communications, reflecting the operational reality that forensic and biometric data can be sensitive and may need to move reliably between tactical users and enterprise databases or analytic centers without compromising security.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, the opportunity supports multiple award mechanisms including cooperative agreements, grants, other transaction-like instruments as labeled in the notice, and procurement contracts, reflecting the mix of research partnership models the Army may use depending on the project. The estimated total funding listed is $5,000,000 with an expected 40 awards, and typical individual award sizes range from a $100,000 floor to a $500,000 ceiling. The CFDA number is 12.630 (Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering). There is no cost sharing or matching requirement stated, which can make it more accessible for applicants who may not have non-federal funds available.
Eligibility is broad and includes small businesses, other for-profit organizations, nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and individuals. At the same time, the notice flags national security limitations: foreign owned, controlled, or influenced organizations may face security restrictions that could prevent participation in some efforts, and countries on the U.S. State Department list of state sponsors of terrorism are excluded. Those constraints matter because many forensic and biometric projects can involve controlled data, operational tactics, or integration with DoD systems.
Timing information in the listing shows it was posted July 15, 2013, created July 18, 2013, and remained open through a closing date of June 30, 2015, with an archive date of July 30, 2015. The administrative point of contact listed for access issues is Ernest Dixon, Procurement Analyst, at 919-549-4270, described as the BAA administrative POC.
FAQs: DFBA Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) W911NF-13-R-0006
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency (DFBA) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), Funding Opportunity Number W911NF-13-R-0006. It is a Department of the Army (Army Materiel Command) research solicitation intended to fund basic, applied, and advanced research that improves Department of Defense (DoD) forensic and biometric capabilities.
What is the main purpose of the DFBA BAA?
The purpose is to attract research and development ideas that can be turned into useful knowledge, methods, devices, or systems that strengthen how DoD identifies people, analyzes evidence, and supports operations ranging from criminal investigations to deployed battlefield environments.
Is this a competitive opportunity?
Yes. The BAA is issued under FAR 6.102(d)(2) and uses a competitive process typical of BAAs. Awards made from it are treated as the product of full and open competition under the Competition in Contracting Act.
Who is the sponsoring/lead organization behind DFBA?
DFBA is described as a relatively new structure created by the Army Office of the Provost Marshal General, which serves as DoD's executive agent for forensics and biometrics casework, research, and capability development.
What is DFBA's mission focus?
DFBA's mission focus is denying adversaries and criminal actors anonymity, supporting force protection and operational decision-making.
What are the two main operational organizations within DFBA?
DFBA is made up of (1) the Defense Forensics Science Center (DFSC) and (2) the Biometrics Identity Management Activity (BIMA).
What does the Defense Forensics Science Center (DFSC) do?
DFSC (formerly the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL) at the Ft. Gillem Enclave in Forest Park, Georgia) provides full-service forensic laboratory support and coordinates research that advances forensic capabilities.
What forensic disciplines does DFSC support?
The disciplines listed include DNA/serology, digital evidence, drug chemistry, firearms and toolmarks, forensic documents, latent prints, and trace evidence.
What are DFSC's core objectives?
DFSC's stated objectives are to analyze evidence and provide expert testimony, deliver expeditionary forensic services in active theaters, and coordinate research that advances forensic capabilities.
What does the Biometrics Identity Management Activity (BIMA) do?
BIMA, located in Clarksburg, West Virginia, serves as DoD's primary proponent for biometrics and works on development, implementation, and sustainment of biometric technologies and databases so warfighters can identify unknown persons using measurable traits.
Which biometric traits are explicitly mentioned?
The announcement explicitly mentions face, fingerprints, voice/speech, and gait as measurable traits used for identification.
How is this BAA administered?
The BAA is tied to the DoD Forensic and Biometric Research and Development Program administered by the U.S. Army Research Office in partnership with DFBA.
What kinds of settings or environments is the research expected to support?
The program funds projects that improve forensic science and biometric applications for DFBA customers in both traditional law enforcement settings and expeditionary (deployed) conditions.
Are there other DoD customers mentioned besides DFBA?
Yes. The BAA highlights needs of other supported customers including the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES), the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3), and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command Central Identification Laboratory (JPAC-CIL).
What topic areas could be relevant for AFMES, DC3, and JPAC-CIL?
The announcement indicates proposals may be relevant to medicolegal investigations and human identification (AFMES-related), cyber and digital crime analysis (DC3-related), and identification and recovery of human remains (JPAC-CIL-related), as long as they fit the forensic and biometric mission space.
What types of forensic research does the government want?
On the forensic side, the government seeks proposals that create new or improved field or lab capabilities that make the recognition, identification, collection, preservation, and analysis of evidence faster, more robust, more informative, less costly, or less labor intensive.
What are examples of the kinds of forensic improvements contemplated?
The BAA describes this broadly and includes new analytic methods, improved sampling and preservation approaches, instrumentation concepts, workflow automation, and systems that improve reliability or throughput.
What types of biometric research does the government want?
On the biometrics side, projects should advance biometric applications or operations that map to military use cases and help warfighters identify unknown persons and support operational needs.
What military use cases for biometrics are specifically listed?
The listed use cases include combat identification (friend/foe/neutral), intelligence support to targeting, force protection and physical access control, detention operations, civil-military operations that require tracking members of a population, personnel recovery and identification, and the recognition and recovery of human remains.
Does the BAA prioritize field-ready solutions?
Yes. A consistent theme is expeditionary usefulness, with special emphasis on solutions that work in real-world, deployed conditions rather than only in controlled laboratory settings.
What constraints should expeditionary solutions be designed for?
The BAA calls out constraints typical of deployed operations: systems should be lightweight, portable, inexpensive, fast, and able to operate in harsh environments involving heat or cold, dust, humidity, and other extremes.
Are there requirements or expectations related to data security and communications?
Yes. The announcement underscores that solutions must support secure data communications, reflecting that forensic and biometric data can be sensitive and may need to move reliably between tactical users and enterprise databases or analytic centers without compromising security.
What types of award instruments might be used?
The opportunity supports multiple award mechanisms, including cooperative agreements, grants, other transaction-like instruments as labeled in the notice, and procurement contracts. The mechanism may vary depending on the project.
What is the estimated total funding and number of awards?
The estimated total funding listed is $5,000,000, with an expected 40 awards.
What is the typical award size range?
Typical individual award sizes range from a $100,000 floor to a $500,000 ceiling.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number provided is 12.630 (Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering).
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is stated in the information provided.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes small businesses, other for-profit organizations, nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and individuals.
Are there national security or foreign participation limitations?
Yes. The notice flags national security limitations, including that foreign owned, controlled, or influenced organizations may face security restrictions that could prevent participation in some efforts, and countries on the U.S. State Department list of state sponsors of terrorism are excluded.
Why might foreign ownership or control matter for this BAA?
Because many forensic and biometric projects can involve controlled data, operational tactics, or integration with DoD systems, the announcement notes that security restrictions may limit participation for foreign owned, controlled, or influenced entities.
When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?
The listing shows it was posted July 15, 2013, created July 18, 2013, and remained open through a closing date of June 30, 2015. The archive date is July 30, 2015.
Who is the administrative point of contact for access issues?
The administrative point of contact listed for access issues is Ernest Dixon, Procurement Analyst, at 919-549-4270, described as the BAA administrative POC.
Browse more opportunities from the same agency: Dept of the Army Materiel Command
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Next opportunity: COOPERATIVE ECOSYSTEM STUDIES UNIT, SOUTH FLORIDA/CARIBBEAN CESU
Previous opportunity: Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, South Florida Caribbean CESU
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for W911NF 13 R 0006
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (W911NF 13 R 0006) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| COOPERATIVE ECOSYSTEM STUDIES UNIT, SOUTH FLORIDA/CARIBBEAN CESU Apply for G13AS00100 Funding Number: G13AS00100 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, South Florida/Caribbean CESU Apply for G13AS00099 Funding Number: G13AS00099 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HUMAN EXPLORATION RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES NASA RESEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT Apply for NNJ13ZSA002N Funding Number: NNJ13ZSA002N Agency: NASA Johnson Space Center Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,350,000 |
| Computing and Communication Foundations (CCF) Core Programs Apply for 13 579 Funding Number: 13 579 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| Information and Intelligent Systems (IIS) Core Programs Apply for 13 580 Funding Number: 13 580 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| Computer and Network Systems (CNS) Core Programs Apply for 13 581 Funding Number: 13 581 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace Apply for 13 578 Funding Number: 13 578 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| LCC Addressing National Science, Conservation Information, and Related Decision Support Needs Apply for F13AS00244 Funding Number: F13AS00244 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| B.2 System Wide Safety Assurance Technologies (SSAT) Apply for NNH13ZEA001N SSAT Funding Number: NNH13ZEA001N SSAT Agency: NASA Headquarters Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Full Spectrum Optimized Conversion and Utilization of Sunlight (FOCUS) Apply for DE FOA 0000949 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000949 Agency: Headquarters Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| ROSES 2013 Heliophysics Grand Challenges Research Apply for NNH13ZDA001N GCR Funding Number: NNH13ZDA001N GCR Agency: NASA Headquarters Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| SBIR/STTR FY 2013 Phase II Release 3 Apply for DE FOA 0000957 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000957 Agency: Office of Science Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Gulf Coast CESU Apply for G13AS00103 Funding Number: G13AS00103 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Enterprise GIS Decision Support Models and Web Mapping System Apply for P13AS00140 Funding Number: P13AS00140 Agency: National Park Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $39,999 |
| Austere Environment Consortium for Enhanced Sepsis Outcomes (ACESO) Award Apply for N62645 PA 13 1 Funding Number: N62645 PA 13 1 Agency: NAVAL MEDICAL LOGISTICS COMMAND Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| YELL MTFWP Native Broodstock Development Apply for P13AC00321 Funding Number: P13AC00321 Agency: National Park Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Special Program Announcement for 2013 Apply for 13 SN 0022 Funding Number: 13 SN 0022 Agency: Office of Naval Research Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| ESTABLISHMENT OF A UNIVERSITY CENTER OF EXCELLENCE CIVILIAN MILITARY DUAL USE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER Apply for HQ0034 13 R 0124 Funding Number: HQ0034 13 R 0124 Agency: Department of Defense Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| FISCAL YEAR 2014 DEFENSE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION PROGRAM (DURIP) Apply for PA AFOSR 2013 0001 Funding Number: PA AFOSR 2013 0001 Agency: Air Force Office of Scientific Research Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Optimized Integrated Multidisciplinary Systems (OPTIMUS) Apply for BAA RQPKC 13 08 Funding Number: BAA RQPKC 13 08 Agency: Air Force Research Lab Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "W911NF 13 R 0006", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.