FY 2009 IC POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM COMBINED | Apply Online

FY 2009 IC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program (Combined) - FAQs

What is the FY 2009 IC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program (Combined)?

It is a competitive federal funding opportunity run under a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the CIA Office of the Chief Scientist, with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) listed as the agency. The program funds focused postdoctoral-level research projects in pre-defined scientific and technical topic areas that directly support Intelligence Community (IC) missions.

What is the main goal of this program?

The program is designed to connect high-level postdoctoral researchers with specific scientific and technical problems that matter to IC missions. Proposals are expected to address mission-relevant challenges in the topic areas the IC has identified as priorities.

Is this opportunity a grant, a contract, or both?

Awards may be made through either grants or procurement contracts, depending on what the government determines is most appropriate for the work being supported.

What type of announcement is this?

This opportunity is issued as a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), which supports competitive selection of proposals aligned to defined research needs and topic areas.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applicants are required to be associated with a U.S. domestic nonprofit or not-for-profit organization. Eligible applicant types include 501(c)(3) nonprofits (other than institutions of higher education) and both private and public/state-controlled institutions of higher education.

Does the applicant need to be a U.S.-based organization?

Yes. The applicant must be associated with a U.S. domestic nonprofit or not-for-profit organization.

Does the program fund any research topic, or only specific ones?

The program funds research projects in pre-defined topic areas where the IC is seeking advances. Proposals are expected to align to those mission-relevant topic areas rather than open-ended topics.

How many awards does the government expect to make?

The opportunity lists an expected number of awards of 13, subject to proposal quality, relevance to IC needs, and the availability of funds.

What is the estimated total funding for this opportunity?

The opportunity lists an estimated total program funding amount of $3,120,000.

What is the award size range?

The notice indicates an award floor of $240,000 and an award ceiling of $3,120,000. As written in the notice, the ceiling appears to function more like a program-level upper bound rather than a typical per-award cap.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants are not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving an award.

How long is each project typically funded?

Each project is typically funded for two years.

Is funding provided all at once?

No. Funding is incremental, meaning it is provided in stages rather than as a single upfront amount.

Is a third year of support possible?

Yes. A third year of support may be offered if the research remains relevant to IC priorities and the recipient demonstrates solid progress and active participation in the program.

How are proposals evaluated?

The review process is described as rigorous and competitive. Selections are based primarily on merit, relevance to the IC mission, and the availability of funds.

Is scientific merit alone enough to be selected?

No. The opportunity emphasizes that strong scientific quality alone is not sufficient; proposals must also clearly connect to intelligence mission needs and fit within budget realities.

Can the government decide not to fund certain topic areas?

Yes. The government anticipates awards tied to particular research topics, but it may choose not to fund a topic area if proposals are not strong enough or do not align well with IC needs.

Can additional awards be added later?

Yes. If additional money becomes available after the initial selections, the agency may add awards later, using the results of the first-round evaluations as the basis for those decisions.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this announcement?

The Funding Opportunity Number is HM1582 09 BAA 0001.

What is the CFDA number associated with this program?

The CFDA number listed for the program is 12.630 (Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering).

What is the funding activity category?

The funding activity category is listed as Science and Technology and Other Research and Development.

When was the opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?

The announcement was created and posted on December 4, 2008. The original and current closing date is January 16, 2009. The archive date is February 15, 2009.

Who is the point of contact for administrative or access issues?

The listed point of contact is Andrew J. Karl, Grant Officer, who can be reached by phone at 703-264-2175 for administrative or access issues related to the full announcement.

Which organizations are identified with running or listing this opportunity?

The opportunity is run under a BAA by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the CIA Office of the Chief Scientist, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is listed as the agency.