Transcript Title of Presentation

Writing Proposals to the
Department of Defense
Proposal Development Workshop
UT San Antonio
April 13, 2015
Lucy Deckard
Academic Research Funding Strategies, LLC
[email protected]
Copyright 2015 Academic Research Funding Strategies. All rights reserved
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Academic Research Funding Strategies, LLC
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develop the skills they need to compete
successfully for research funding.
http://academicresearchgrants.com
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Lucy Deckard
President, Academic Research Funding Strategies
979-693-0825
[email protected]
Established 2010
Nine years in proposal development at Texas A&M
University
Junior Faculty Initiative, CAREER, instrumentation,
research, education, Center-level proposals
NSF, NIH, DOE, DoD, DoED, IMLS, Foundations
Research Engineer (16 years in applied research, with
extensive proposal writing experience to NSF, DARPA,
ONR, AFOSR, ARO, DoE)
Overview
Pursuing funding from mission agencies
DoD agencies that fund research
Identifying funding opportunities and getting to
know your P.O.
Quad charts, white papers and full proposals
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Mission agencies are different
from basic research agencies!
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Basic vs. Mission Agencies
Basic research agencies (NSF, NIH)
Relatively stable research agendas
Broad goals
Agenda relatively unaffected by changes in political
leadership
Mission agencies (DOE, DoD, ED, NASA, NOAA,
EPA, HUD, NIST, etc.)
Focused mission set by Congress
Agendas can change quickly
Strongly affected by changes in political leadership
Typically strong intramural research
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Intramural vs. Extramural Research
Some agencies fund only research by outside
scientists - extramural research
NSF and DARPA
Some agencies fund research by internal
scientists – intramural research
NIST and the National Labs
Many fund both intramural and extramural
research
E.g., NIH, DOE, DoD, USDA, etc.
If Intramural Research in Your Area
Often a good idea to develop relationships
and collaborate with internal scientists
Some agencies encourage faculty to
participate as visiting researchers during
the summer
Pursuing Funding at Mission Agencies
Step 1: Get to know your agency!
Learn the language
What are their current priorities?
How do they announce funding opportunities?
Do they fund unsolicited proposals and what proportion of
funded grants are unsolicited?
Are there particular organizations within the agency that
fund research?
Do they have a strong intramural research program in your
area?
Who reviews proposals?
Who is the Program Officer overseeing extramural research
in your area?
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Pursuing Funding at Mission Agencies
Step 2: Get to know your Program Officer
Talk to her on the phone
Visit him at his offices
Look for her at conferences
Find out what problems and issues the P.O. is tasked
with addressing
Talk about how your research might help the agency
address those issues
If your research doesn’t fit, look to another program
or agency
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Pursuing Funding at Mission Agencies
Step 3: Get to know intramural researchers in
your area (if applicable)
What do they see as important issues?
Can you collaborate?
Do they host academic researchers in their labs in
the summer?
Do they host students for internships?
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Pursuing Funding at Mission Agencies
Step 4: Understand the proposal process at the
agency
Do they fund unsolicited proposals?
Do you need to submit a white (concept) paper or
pre-proposal first?
What are the proposal structure and format
requirements?
What are the review criteria?
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The Department of Defense
Main DoD agencies that fund research
Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
Office of Naval Research (ONR)
Army Research Office (ARO)
Defense Advance Research Projects Agency
(DARPA)
National Security Agency (NSA)
US Army Medical Research & Materiel
Command, which oversees the Congressionally
Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)
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Missions
AFOSR, ONR, ARO – manage research to
support the goals and operations of their
respective services (Air Force, Navy and Army)
DARPA – oversee high risk, high pay-off research
that may benefit any of the DoD branches
NSA – information assurance, signals
intelligence, network warfare
CDMRP – conduct medical research as directed
by Congress (not part of DoD’s core mission)
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Other DoD and Similar Agencies
United States Strategic Missile Command
(USSTRATCOM)
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) &
USSTRATCOM Center for Combating WMD
Department of Homeland Security
Army Corps of Engineers (contract work)
Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office Technical Support Working Group (CTTSO)
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Agency
(IARPA) – under Director of National Intelligence
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Basic vs. Applied Research
6.1 Research
Most basic
Usually type funded at universities
6.2 Research
Applied research
May be continuation of 6.1
Often defense company partners with university
6.3 Research
Application research (new technology applied to
a defense system and tested)
Defense company in partnership with potential
user
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Intramural vs. Extramural Research
ARO, AFOSR and ONR fund both
Get to know your intramural researcher
counterparts
Conferences, workshops, publications
Visits
Summer faculty position
DARPA funds only extramural
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DoD Organization - Examples
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Air Force Research Laboratory
Air Force Office of Scientific Research
Eight technical directorates
Human Performance Wing
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AFOSR
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Army Research Lab
Army Research Office (ARO)
Six Directorates
Computational and Information Sciences
Human Research and Engineering
Sensors and Electron Devices
Survivability/Lethality Analysis
Vehicle Technology
Weapons and Materials Research
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Army Research Office
Engineering Sciences
Mechanical Sciences
Materials Sciences
Electronics
Environmental Sciences
Information Sciences
Computing Sciences
Mathematical Sciences
Network Sciences
Physical Sciences
Physics
Chemical Sciences
Life Sciences
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Navy Research Lab
Directorates
Divisions
Branches
Sections
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Navy Research Lab Directorates
http://www.nrl.navy.mil/research/directorates-divisions/
Systems
Radar, IT, Optical Sciences,Tactical Electronic Warfare
Materials Science & Component Technology
Chemistry, Material Sci & Tech, Lab for Computational
Physics & Fluid Dynamics, Plasma Physics, Electronics Sci &
Tech, Center for Biomolecular Sci & Eng
Ocean & Atmospheric Sci & Tech
Acoustics, Remote Sensing, Oceanography, Marine
Geosciences, Marine Meterology, Space Science
Naval Center for Space Technology
Space Systems Development, Spacecraft Engineering
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Office of Naval Research
Directorates
Office of Innovation
Office of Transition
Office of Research
Education and Outreach
Laboratory Research
National Naval Responsibility
Sponsored Research
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DARPA
All extramural research
Program Officers have a lot of discretion
Looking for high payoff
Expect results (e.g., a “feelie”)
Can cut your funding in the middle of a project
if progress is not satisfactory
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DARPA
Technology, Adaptability & Transfer (AEO)
Basic, Materials & Biological Science (DSO)
Information, Innovation & Cyber (I20)
Electronics, Photonics & MEMS (MTO)
Sensors, Communications & Energy (STO)
Weapons, Platforms & Space (TTO)
See http://www.darpa.mil/our_work/
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Funding Opportunities
Long range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)
Outlines research interests and priorities of agency
over a several-year range
Provides guidance for investigator-initiated
proposals
Targeted BAAs
Specific competitions
Other Targeted Solicitations (RFPs)
Address specific need or priority
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Programs for Universities
Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI)
Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP)
Young Investigator Programs
ONR Young Investigator Program (YIP)
AFOSR Young Investigator Program
DARPA Young Faculty Award Program (YFA)
Faculty Exchanges and Summer Facility Positions in DoD Labs
Summer Faculty Research Program (ONR)
University Resident Research Program (AFOSR)
Defense Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive
Research (DEPSCoR) – California not eligible
Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program
Other programs that may include industry/university
partnerships: SBIR, STTR
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Federally Funded Research &
Development Centers (FFRDCs)
You can find a list here
FFRDCs sponsored by DoD include Centers
administered by MITRE, Aerospace Corporation,
MIT (Lincoln Labs), RAND, and others
Have a close relationship with their sponsoring
agency
Often collaborate with academia
Sponsor workshops and conferences
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Finding BAAs
Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
Office of Naval Research (ONR)
Army Research Lab – All BAAs
Army Research Office (ARO) – Core BAA
Army Research Lab (ARL) – Core BAA (collab. with
intramural researchers)
Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration
(DARPA)
National Security Agency (NSA)
Standard solicitation (Mathematical Sciences)
Unsolicited Proposals
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Working with DoD:
General Considerations
DoD funds research not just for the research,
but also to produce the next generation of DoD
researchers (your students)
Be sure to understand your PO’s expectations
regarding scheduling and outcomes
Check if there are any classification or ITAR
restrictions
DoD usually requires review before publicly
presenting or publishing results
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Unsolicited Proposals
Understand the specific needs and interests of
the agency/service
Get to know the program officer (PO)
Get to know the intramural scientists
Consider partnering with a defense company or
a Federally Funded Research and Development
Center (FFRDC)
Discuss your idea with the PO
May ask for a white paper or quad chart
Will tell you whether to submit a full proposal
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Targeted BAAs/RFPs
Look for pre-release workshops or conferences
Get to know the program officer and intramural
scientists in your area
If BAA is out and you didn’t know about it already it’s
probably too late
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Resources Online
Defense Innovation Marketplace (portal)
Air Force Office of Scientific Research
(AFOSR)
Homepage
Organization
Funding Opportunity Websites:
Broad Agency Announcement
Office of Naval Research (ONR)
Homepage
Funding Opportunity Websites:
Current BAAs
Long range BAA
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Army Research Office (ARO)
Homepage
Organization
Funding Opportunity Website:
• Current BAAs
• ARO Core BAA
• ARL Core BAA
Defense Advanced Research Projects Office
(DARPA)
Homepage
Organization
Funding Opportunities
NSA and CDMRP
National Security Agency (NSA)
Homepage
Unsolicited Proposals
Congressionally Mandated Medical Research
Program (CDMRP)
Home page
Mission
Organization
Awards Search
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DoD Step by Step
Read the BAAs and identify possible programs that fit your research.
(Look for Technical Point of Contact, Program Officer or similar.)
Use the web to investigate the programs in the labs (through the web)
and identify researchers doing similar research.
Look for conference presentations, workshops, publications,
roadmaps, etc.
Email or meet Program Officer and/or intramural researchers in your
area.
Pitch your idea to the P.O.
If she likes it she will ask you for a white paper or quad chart for an
unsolicited proposal, or she will encourage you to submit for a
particular BAA
Listen closely to feedback.
If they like your white paper, you’ll be invited to submit a full proposal
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Planning Your Project
Start with your great idea

Translate it into a project
What will your outputs be?
How long will it take?
What will your approach be?
What have you done so far?
How will the outcomes advance DoD program
goals and DoD mission?
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Define Your Project Story
The Need/Motivation
Goals
Gaps in Knowledge/Capabilities
New Knowledge/Capabilities
Hypotheses/Research Questions
Innovations
Approach
Objectives
How it’s Different
Significance
Outcomes
How they support DoD mission
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Put Your Project in Context
Preliminary Work Funded project 1
Further work
Project Goals/Specific Aims
 Outcomes
The Big Question or
The Big Need
Quad Chart Example
(Format varies by agency and program)
Project Title
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TOP LEFT QUADRANT
The Objectives
TOP Right QUADRANT
Illustration
WHAT you will do using bullet format.
A representative illustration
BOTTOM LEFT QUADRANT
Approach
BOTTOM RIGHT QUADRANT
Key Milestones and Cost
How the task will be accomplished
using bullet format. This quadrant also
lists any Co-Pis/Partners
When the key milestones of the project
will be accomplished
How much it will cost
So what is a white paper?
Also called a “concept paper”
Provides critical info to help P.O.
determine fit for agency and program
Usually very brief
P.O. provides guidance
Example White Paper Format (AFOSR)
White paper directions in BAA (your P.O. may
ask for something different)
Max. 2 pages – 6 pages, depending on program
Objective
General approach
Impact on DoD and civilian technology
Unique capabilities or experience you have (e.g.,
collaborative research with DoD labs)
Approximate yearly cost for a 3 – 5 year effort
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Writing a Compelling White Paper
Focus on the outcomes and benefits of your
research to the funder
Describe the problem clearly
Place your research in context of the state of
the art
Explain why your approach is different
Provide a concise overview of what you will do
Not “We will explore phenomenon x” – too vague
Instead, “In Task 1 we will measure x; in Task 2 we
will develop y; in Task 3 we will evaluate z…”
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AFOSR Unsolicited Full Proposal
Format
Margins: 1 inch
Spacing: single or double spaced
Font: Times New Roman, 10 or 12 pt
Submit using SF424 form
Abstract (300 words)
Project Narrative (no page limit)
Statement of Objectives
Research Effort
PI Time
Facilities
Special Test Equipment
Equipment
High Performance Computing Availability
Budget Form
Other SF 424 forms: Key Person Profile, Project/Performance Site Locations, Human
Subject, Animal Use, Environmental Compliance
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ONR Young Investigator Proposal Elements
Project Summary/Abstract
Project Narrative (25 pages)
Cover Page
Table of Contents
Technical Approach
Project Schedule, Milestones and Deliverables
Management approach
Bibliography and References Cited
Research and Related Budget
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Cut to the Chase!
Reviewer’s Attention Level
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Get to the
exciting
Concise background
stuff here! Strong,
that provides context
Unique Intro
10
8
Generic Intro
6
4
2
Long, scholarly
background
0
First
Paragraph
Zzzzzzz
Get to the
exciting stuff
here!
Heilmeier Catechism
Have a clear structure
For example…
Project Goals
Objectives
Research
Questions/Hypotheses
Phases
Tasks
Subtasks
Schedule and Milestones
What do you expect to have accomplished
after 6 months? After 1 year? After 18
months? Etc.
Provides easy-to-find synopsis of your
approach for reviewers
Demonstrates that your project is properly
scoped
Shows that your project is well thought out
Example Flow Charts and Schedules
Year 1
Objective 1: Development of the hoosits
Integration and calibration
Optimization of frumpits measurement methodology
Objective 2: Assess XYZ
XYZ spectroscopy
MOA microscopy
ABC testing
Pandax studies
Objective 3: Integrate hoosits with XYZ
Instrument integration
Instrument testing
Demonstration
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Review Criteria
Primary criteria
Technical merits of the proposed research and development
Potential relationship of the proposed research and
development to DoD missions
Other evaluation criteria
Likelihood of the proposed effort to develop new research
capabilities and broaden the research base in support of US
national defense
Proposers capabilities integral to achieving ASAF objectives
(PI’s and team’s qualifications, facilities, etc.)
Overall realism and reasonableness of the proposed costs
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
Failure to connect research to outcomes of
interest to DoD
Long, wordy academic introduction
Vague plan
Unclear outcomes and deliverables
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Questions?
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