Special Program Announcement for the Office of Naval Research | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) released a Special Program Announcement (Funding Opportunity Number 13-SN-0001) seeking grant proposals that close specific research and technology gaps in ONR's nanoscience and nanotechnology portfolio. This is a discretionary, science-and-technology focused research funding opportunity under CFDA 12.300 (Basic and Applied Scientific Research). The intent is to support fundamental research efforts that both stand on their own scientifically and also complement ONR's existing related programs, with a clear emphasis on advancing naval-relevant capabilities through breakthroughs in nanoscale materials, processing, and device concepts.

The announcement anticipates making about five awards with an estimated total funding level of approximately $5.3 million. Cost sharing or matching is not required. The opportunity was posted on October 11, 2012, and while the original closing date was November 12, 2012, the current closing date was extended to January 17, 2013 (with an archive date of February 16, 2013). Proposers are directed to consult the full announcement on Grants.gov (by opening the "FULL ANNOUNCEMENT" section at the top of the synopsis page) for complete instructions, evaluation criteria, and submission requirements.

ONR is specifically interested in proposals aligned with three topic areas. Topic 1 focuses on graphene photonics in the infrared and terahertz regimes. In practical terms, this area targets the science and engineering needed to use graphene's unique electronic and optical behavior to create or improve sources, detectors, modulators, and other photonic components operating at infrared and terahertz frequencies. These spectral regions matter for a range of defense and naval applications, including sensing, imaging, communications, and spectroscopy, and the topic suggests ONR is looking for foundational advances that could enable new device concepts or significantly improve performance beyond what conventional materials and architectures can deliver.

Topic 2 addresses novel nanomaterial approaches to processing ultra-high-temperature (UHT) materials. This theme points to the challenge of manufacturing, densifying, joining, or otherwise processing materials designed to survive extreme thermal environments, where conventional processing routes can be limiting, expensive, or yield inadequate microstructures. By emphasizing nanomaterial approaches, ONR is signaling interest in research that uses nanoscale powders, additives, reinforcements, or engineered interfaces to control microstructure and properties during processing. The broader goal is likely to enable UHT materials with better reliability, improved thermal and mechanical performance, or more scalable and reproducible processing methods for demanding operational environments.

Topic 3 targets nanoscale non-line-of-sight conformal coatings with controlled electronic properties. This topic centers on coatings that can uniformly cover complex three-dimensional surfaces, including recessed features or hidden areas where direct line-of-sight deposition methods struggle. The phrase "controlled electronic properties" indicates ONR is not just looking for protective coatings, but coatings whose electrical behavior (for example conductivity, resistivity, dielectric response, carrier concentration, or interface states) can be engineered and tuned. Research in this area often involves advanced deposition and growth techniques, nanoscale characterization, and theory-informed process control to achieve reliable, repeatable coatings that perform as intended on real-world geometries.

Eligibility is summarized broadly as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," with the announcement pointing applicants to Section III of ONR BAA 13-001 for the definitive eligibility rules and conditions. For applicants, the key practical takeaway is that the special notice sits within ONR's broader BAA framework, so the governing eligibility, proposal structure, and administrative requirements are likely defined there, while this special announcement narrows the technical scope to these three nanotechnology-focused research gaps.

For access or technical issues obtaining the full announcement, the listed point of contact is Ryan Farrell, Contract Specialist, at 703-696-2025, with additional references provided via a link to ONR BAAs and general Grants.gov support for submission-related questions.

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