Opportunity Information: Apply for AFOSR BAA 2009 4
Apply for AFOSR BAA 2009 4
- The Air Force Office of Scientific Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowship (NSSEFF)" 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 Oct 8, 2009 and posted on May 21, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 22, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $42,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $4,250,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Any accredited, U.S. doctoral degree granting academic institution is eligible to apply. No portion of this BAA is set aside for a specific group. Foreign institutions are not eligible for awards granted in response to this BAA.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowship (NSSEFF) is a Department of Defense (DoD) basic research grant competition released as a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). Its central purpose is to identify and support exceptional university faculty researchers who can pursue innovative, unclassified basic research aligned with long-term national security interests, while also building durable, two-way relationships between the selected fellows (and their research groups) and the DoD. The program is positioned not just as a funding mechanism, but as a career-enhancing fellowship intended to connect leading academic scientists and engineers with DoD missions, senior leaders, and evolving technical challenges.
A key emphasis of NSSEFF is the DoD definition of basic research: work aimed at expanding fundamental understanding of phenomena and observable facts, without aiming at a specific product, system, or near-term application. In practical terms, the fellowship is meant to fund farsighted, high-payoff research that can eventually underpin future defense technologies, even if the immediate outcomes are new knowledge, theories, methods, or foundational experimental results. The DoD frames this as a broad investment strategy meant to keep pace with emerging scientific discoveries and to ensure early awareness of new directions that could become strategically important.
The research scope is intentionally wide across science and engineering disciplines that have historically produced major advances in military capability. The announcement highlights areas such as electronics, materials science, physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, mechanics, biological and life sciences, atmospheric and space sciences, cognitive and neural sciences, terrestrial sciences, and ocean sciences. Rather than prescribing narrow topics, the BAA signals that transformative foundational work in these domains is welcome, especially when it plausibly connects to long-term defense needs.
NSSEFF also places strong value on workforce development and training. A stated priority is the active engagement of students in DoD-funded research, with the expectation that fellows will educate and mentor the next generation of highly capable scientists and engineers through the fellowship-supported work. The broader objective is to strengthen the national research and engineering portfolio by attracting and retaining top-tier faculty and their students in areas relevant to defense, helping ensure a sustained pipeline of talent that can contribute to national security over the long run.
The program objectives are both scientific and strategic. They include recruiting and retaining highly innovative, results-oriented researchers who support defense needs; recognizing and rewarding outstanding researchers; demonstrating DoD commitment to high-quality university research; familiarizing selected researchers and their students with DoD missions, operations, and technology; fostering long-term relationships between faculty and the DoD; and increasing the number of exceptionally talented technical experts who can become cleared contributors and potential participants on DoD advisory boards, panels, and other expert groups.
From an applicant and eligibility standpoint, proposals are to be submitted by accredited, U.S. doctoral degree-granting academic institutions. Foreign institutions are explicitly not eligible for awards under this announcement, and the BAA notes that no part of the opportunity is reserved for a particular subgroup. The funding instrument is a grant, with no cost sharing or matching requirement.
The funding profile in the source data indicates an estimated total program funding of $42,500,000. Individual awards are listed with both an award ceiling and award floor of $4,250,000, which implies a fixed award amount per fellow under this specific competition structure. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 12.630 (Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering), and the activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
Key administrative details include the funding opportunity number AFOSR BAA 2009-4 and an original closing date of October 16, 2009, later extended to October 22, 2009 via Amendment 02. Amendment 02 also removed all references to oral presentations, while Amendment 01 clarified a section of the full announcement and provided a complete agency contact address. For access issues related to the full announcement, the listed point of contact is Jeanette Snyder, Procurement Analyst, AFOSR Contracting.
NSSEFF (National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowship) FAQ
What is the National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowship (NSSEFF)?
NSSEFF is a Department of Defense (DoD) basic research grant competition released as a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). It is designed to identify and support exceptional university faculty who want to pursue innovative, unclassified basic research aligned with long-term national security interests, while also building durable, two-way relationships with the DoD.
Which agency runs this opportunity?
The opportunity is issued by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) as a DoD basic research BAA.
What is the main purpose of the fellowship?
The central purpose is to support outstanding faculty researchers conducting innovative, unclassified basic research that aligns with long-term national security interests and to strengthen long-term, two-way connections between fellows (and their research groups) and the DoD.
Is NSSEFF a research grant or a fellowship?
It is a grant competition positioned as a career-enhancing faculty fellowship. In addition to funding, it is intended to connect leading academic researchers with DoD missions, senior leaders, and evolving technical challenges.
What kind of research does NSSEFF fund?
NSSEFF emphasizes DoD basic research, defined as work that expands fundamental understanding of phenomena and observable facts without aiming at a specific product, system, or near-term application. The fellowship is meant to fund farsighted, high-payoff research where immediate outcomes may be new knowledge, theories, methods, or foundational experimental results.
Does the research need to be classified?
No. The opportunity specifically emphasizes innovative, unclassified basic research.
Is NSSEFF focused on near-term military applications?
No. The program emphasizes basic research rather than research aimed at a specific product, system, or near-term application. The intent is to support foundational work that may eventually underpin future defense technologies.
How broad is the research scope?
The scope is intentionally wide across science and engineering disciplines that have historically produced major advances in military capability. The BAA does not prescribe narrow topics and indicates that transformative foundational work is welcome, especially when it plausibly connects to long-term defense needs.
What research areas are highlighted in the announcement?
The announcement highlights (among others) electronics, materials science, physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, mechanics, biological and life sciences, atmospheric and space sciences, cognitive and neural sciences, terrestrial sciences, and ocean sciences.
What does the DoD mean by "basic research" in this program?
Basic research is described as work aimed at expanding fundamental understanding of phenomena and observable facts, not targeted at a specific product, system, or near-term application. The emphasis is on foundational knowledge creation and early awareness of emerging directions that could become strategically important.
How does NSSEFF connect researchers to the DoD?
Beyond funding, the program is intended to build long-term, two-way relationships between selected fellows and the DoD. It aims to familiarize researchers and their students with DoD missions, operations, and technology, and to foster durable engagement with evolving DoD technical challenges and leaders.
Does NSSEFF include workforce development or student training expectations?
Yes. Workforce development and training are emphasized, including a stated priority for active engagement of students in DoD-funded research. Fellows are expected to educate and mentor the next generation of scientists and engineers through the fellowship-supported work.
What are the stated objectives of the program?
The objectives include recruiting and retaining highly innovative, results-oriented researchers who support defense needs; recognizing and rewarding outstanding researchers; demonstrating DoD commitment to high-quality university research; familiarizing selected researchers and their students with DoD missions, operations, and technology; fostering long-term relationships between faculty and the DoD; and increasing the number of exceptionally talented technical experts who can become cleared contributors and potential participants on DoD advisory boards, panels, and other expert groups.
Who is eligible to submit a proposal?
Proposals are to be submitted by accredited, U.S. doctoral degree-granting academic institutions.
Are foreign institutions eligible?
No. Foreign institutions are explicitly not eligible for awards under this announcement.
Is any part of the opportunity reserved for a particular subgroup?
No. The BAA notes that no part of the opportunity is reserved for a particular subgroup.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument is a grant.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
How much total funding is estimated for the program?
The estimated total program funding is $42,500,000.
How much is each individual award?
The award ceiling is $4,250,000 and the award floor is also $4,250,000, which implies a fixed award amount per fellow under this competition structure.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 12.630 (Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering).
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is AFOSR BAA 2009-4.
What was the closing date for submissions?
The original closing date was October 16, 2009, and it was extended to October 22, 2009 via Amendment 02.
What changes were made in Amendment 02?
Amendment 02 extended the closing date to October 22, 2009 and removed all references to oral presentations.
What changes were made in Amendment 01?
Amendment 01 clarified a section of the full announcement and provided a complete agency contact address.
Are oral presentations required as part of the application?
No. Amendment 02 removed all references to oral presentations.
Who should be contacted for issues accessing the full announcement?
For access issues related to the full announcement, the listed point of contact is Jeanette Snyder, Procurement Analyst, AFOSR Contracting.
What is the broader strategic value of NSSEFF to the DoD?
The program is framed as a broad investment strategy to keep pace with emerging scientific discoveries, ensure early awareness of new research directions that could become strategically important, and strengthen a long-term talent pipeline aligned with national security needs.
Does the announcement limit proposals to narrow, pre-defined topics?
No. The scope is intentionally wide and the BAA signals interest in transformative foundational work across many disciplines, particularly when there is a plausible connection to long-term defense needs.
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