FA955027S0002.pdf

Frontiers in materials and Nanostructures AI Driven Discovery Quantum Geometry

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Fiscal Year 2027

I. OVERVIEW INFORMATION

This is a special Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement (NOFO) sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), which will hereafter generally be referred to as “we, us, our, or AFOSR.” We announce the solicitation for a three-year program entitled “Frontiers in Materials and Nanostructures: AI-Driven Discovery, Quantum Geometry, and Energy-Efficient Information Technologies.”

The US Air Force-Taiwan Nanoscience Program is one of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research’s (AFOSR) International Research Initiatives. This international program is focused on shaping the direction and advancing the state-of-the-art in nanoscience research. Starting in 2002, grants were provided to Taiwan investigators to focus on basic research in specific nanoscience areas of interest as described by program managers at AFOSR or at the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). In 2011 the program evolved to become a collaborative effort to pair US and Taiwan investigators to conduct basic science research on topics of common interest. In order to continue to provide opportunities for scientists to collaborate in emerging technology areas and to leverage their intellectual resources, AFOSR and NSTC are offering a new program dedicated to frontiers in materials and nanostructures in a variety of topic areas.

This is an open call with open competition; therefore, all applications are welcome. Initial applications (pre-proposals) must have two investigators - one from a US institution or DoD Lab, and one from a Taiwan institution. Teams consisting of a US investigator and his/her counterpart from Taiwan are invited to submit a joint pre-proposal (white paper) indicating what their collaboration could accomplish with three years of funding. Each US-Taiwan pair is to submit only one pre-proposal. The same pre-proposal is to be submitted to both AFOSR and NSTC.

Please see the Eligibility section below for further details.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Applicants should be alert for any amendments that may modify the announcement. Amendments to the original Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will be posted to the Grants.gov Webpage: https://www.grants.gov/.

Hyperlinks have been embedded within this document and appear as underlined, and or blue-colored words in the midst of paragraphs. The reader may “jump” to the linked section within this document by “clicking” (CTRL + CLICK, or CLICK).

II. BASIC INFORMATION

FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY NAME

Air Force Office of Scientific Research 875 North Randolph Street, STE 325, Room 3112 Arlington, VA 22203

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TITLE

AFRL/AFOSR-Taiwan NSTC Frontiers in Materials and Nanostructures: AI-Driven Discovery, Quantum Geometry, and Energy-Efficient Information Technologies 2027-2030

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE

Initial Announcement

ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER

FA955027S0002

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER

12.800 Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program

The authorization to make awards under this funding opportunity may be found via the Assistance Listing (CFDA) Number on sam.gov.

FUNDING DETAILS

AFOSR will fund the selected US investigators. Available funding for the selected set of US projects is $1,200,000 per year for three years. The examples listed are based on 8 funded projects; the final amounts to be allocated will be determined by the final number of team awardees. NSTC will similarly fund the selected Taiwan investigators.

Year 1 (2027-2028) – up to $150,000 for US PIs

Year 2 (2028-2029) – up to $150,000 for US PIs

Year 3 (2029-2030) – up to $150,000 for US PIs

KEY DATES

Pre-proposal (white paper) Phase: Each team consisting of a US PI and a Taiwan PI are to submit a joint pre-proposal (white paper). The technical narrative should be no more than three (3) pages and should include basic content such as problem statement, hypothesis, method of investigation, uniqueness of approach, and potential payoff. The following two items should be included as appendices (not counted against page count): biographic information on Taiwan and US research team members and simple budget.

Pre-proposals should be submitted via email to AFOSR Points of Contact (POC):

Lt Col Alexander Kamrud, alexander.kamrud.1@us.af.mil and to the NSTC online system by 18 November 2026.

Applicants in Taiwan can direct the questions to the NSTC POCs:

Dr. Tien-Ming Chuang, chuangtm@gate.sinica.edu.tw

Dr. Ian Liau, ianliau@nycu.edu.tw

All received pre-proposals will be reviewed independently by AFOSR and NSTC representatives.

Evaluation criteria will include the scientific merit of the proposal, the unique synergy enabled by the US-Taiwan team, and the potential for transition to systems with AFRL and NSTC interest. Up to twenty (20) investigator pairs will be invited to submit full proposals. The selection of the research teams recommended to submit full proposals will be announced by 15 January 2027.

Full Proposal Phase: Based on the technical content of the selected pre-proposals (white papers), full proposals will be developed independently by the US and Taiwan PI and submitted to their respective agency, AFOSR or NSTC, following the procedures of that agency. The full proposal should include a technical narrative of no more than eight (8) pages and expand on the ideas set forth in the pre-proposal to include a detailed plan of study. Though the full proposals will be submitted independently, each one should explain how collaboration with the counterpart from Taiwan or the US would create synergy and increase the potential for scientific breakthroughs beyond what could be accomplished separately.

Investigator CVs and a detailed budget should be appended (not counted against page count). Full proposals will be due by 19 February 2027.

US PIs: If your pre-proposal is selected for the full proposal phase, you will be provided with a template package and instructions at that time. Full proposals are to be submitted through this funding opportunity FA955027S0002 at grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/362681), Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development (AOARD), PKG00293126. The evaluation of full proposals w0069ll be made independently by AFOSR and NSTC representatives. The announcement for the awards will be made by 30 April 2027. Applicants funded by the AFOSR are subject to the terms and conditions described in the current AFOSR Broad Agency Announcement. Evaluation criteria and review are subject to the terms and conditions described in the current AFOSR Broad Agency Announcement. The approximate starting time for the selected projects is October 2027, and the period of performance will continue for three years until approximately October 2030 (actual dates will depend on the Grant award process).

Funded investigators are expected to attend joint annual program reviews and present research progress.

Though subject to change, the intent is to alternate program review locations between Taiwan and the US. Annual and final reporting requirements for US PIs are in accordance with AFOSR Grant policy.

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

Each award under this Announcement will be governed by the general terms and conditions in effect at the time of the award that conform to DoW’s implementation of OMB guidance applicable to financial assistance, as follows:

a. For Universities and Non-Profit Entities, these terms and conditions are identified in Parts 1126 through 1138 of the DoDGARS (2 CFR Parts 1126 through 1138, which comprise 2 CFR 1100 Subchapter D).

b. For For-Profit Entities, requirements to be included in the general terms and conditions are identified in Part 34 of the DODGARS (32 CFR Part 34).

c. For All Entities, National Policy Requirements are identified in Part 1122 of the DoDGARS (2 CFR Part 1122).

Any resulting awards will be subject to the DoW Research and Development (R&D) General Terms and Conditions (Ts&Cs), located at: https://www.nre.navy.mil/work-with-us/manage-your-award/manage-grant-award/grants-terms-conditions. In addition, the AFRL Addendum to the DoW R&D General Ts&Cs and AFRL Award-Specific Ts&Cs (attached to this NOFO) include additional Ts&Cs that may be applicable to any resulting awards. This AFRL document is a supplement to the DoW R&D General Ts&Cs. To understand the entire AFRL requirement for a given article, the DoW R&D General Ts&Cs must be read in tandem with this document.

NATIONAL PRIORITY

In accordance with Executive Order 14332, all technical program descriptions contained in this NOFO reflect the basic research priorities for the Department of the Air Force and are defined to advance the administration and agency priorities (c.f., OMB memo M-25-34 “Fiscal Year 2027 Administration Research and Development Budget Priorities and Cross-Cutting Actions”). More information about the Department of the Air Force Priorities can be found at www.af.mil.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The US Air Force-Taiwan Nanoscience Program is one of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research’s (AFOSR) International Research Initiatives. This international program is focused on shaping the direction and advancing the state-of-the-art in nanoscience research. Starting in 2002, grants were provided to Taiwan investigators to focus on basic research in specific nanoscience areas of interest as described by program managers at AFOSR or at the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). In 2011 the program evolved to become a collaborative effort to pair US and Taiwan investigators to conduct basic science research on topics of common interest. In order to continue to provide opportunities for scientists to collaborate in emerging technology areas and to leverage their intellectual resources, AFOSR and NSTC are offering a new program dedicated to frontiers in materials and nanostructures in a variety of topic areas.

This is an open call with open competition; therefore, all applications are welcome. Initial applications (pre-proposals) must have two investigators - one from a US institution or DoD Lab, and one from a Taiwan institution. Teams consisting of a US investigator and his/her counterpart from Taiwan are invited to submit a joint pre-proposal (white paper) indicating what their collaboration could accomplish with three years of funding. Each US-Taiwan pair is to submit only one pre-proposal. The same pre-proposal is to be submitted to both AFOSR and NSTC. Please see the Eligibility section below for further details.

http://www.af.mil/

Expected outcomes are that basic scientific research funded under this program will have results published in the open literature, will complement existing basic and applied research efforts at AFRL and NSTC, and will foster greater scientific collaborations between the US and Taiwan at the investigator level. The scientific focus will be on frontiers in materials and nanostructures that can advance science in the following concentration areas:

1. AI-driven materials discovery: We seek fundamental studies that integrate artificial intelligence, physics-based modeling, and experimental feedback to accelerate the discovery, synthesis, and understanding of solid-state materials, nanostructures, interfaces, molecules, and hybrid systems. Rather than purely data-driven screening or incremental database mining, this call emphasizes physically interpretable, uncertainty-aware, and experimentally validated approaches that reveal structure-property-function relationships across unexplored chemical, structural, and processing spaces. These efforts should enable predictive design of materials with targeted functionalities. Proposals are expected to align with one or more of the following core research tracks:

* Physics-informed AI and quantum-level modeling: Proposals may integrate machine learning with ab initio electronic-structure methods, quantum chemistry, molecular dynamics, many-body theory, or multiscale simulations to improve the accuracy, transferability, and efficiency of materials prediction.

Emphasis should be placed on physically constrained and interpretable models that can predict key material properties while revealing the underlying structure–property relationships.

* Predictive discovery, inverse design, and synthesis optimization: Proposals may develop AI-guided approaches to identify stable or metastable materials, molecules, nanostructures, defects, interfaces, and heterostructures with targeted properties. Particular emphasis should be placed on uncertainty quantification, synthesis-aware design rules, closed-loop optimization, and experimentally testable predictions.

* AI-enabled multiscale modeling of complex materials: Proposals may leverage AI to bridge atomistic, mesoscale, and continuum descriptions of heterogeneous, disordered, interfacial, or nonequilibrium systems, including complex solids, molecular assemblies, low-dimensional heterostructures, multifunctional interfaces, and nanostructures whose properties emerge across multiple length and time scales.

2. Materials and nanostructures for energy-efficient electronic, photonic, and quantum information technologies: High energy demand driven by the rapid development of artificial intelligence represents a major challenge, making sustainable computing infrastructure highly desirable. We seek innovative materials and nanostructures that enable high-performance, low-power operation across computation, memory, data storage, optical interconnects, photonic or optoelectronic information processing, and emerging quantum information functionalities. Rather than system-level optimizations or conventional CMOS iterations, this call targets the synthesis, deterministic manipulation, and microscopic characterization of novel material phases, low-dimensional heterostructures, functional interfaces, and nanoscale photonic structures engineered to approach fundamental limits of energy-efficient information processing. Emphasis should be placed on material mechanisms, interfacial phenomena, nanoscale control, and experimentally measurable physical observables relevant to energy-efficient information processing.

3. Quantum geometry in solids:

Quantum geometry describes how electronic wavefunctions evolve in momentum space and governs emergent properties of solids, including topological and anomalous transport, nonlinear optical responses, and flat-band superconductivity. We seek scientific breakthrough to advance our understanding of quantum-geometric responses in materials. These efforts may guide the prediction and realization of new materials with enhanced emergent properties, potentially including robust high-temperature topological states. Proposals are expected to align with one or more of the following core research tracks:

* Advanced Experimental Methodologies to Resolve Quantum Geometry: We seek new experimental methodologies to resolve quantum geometry in crystalline solids. Applicants are encouraged to extend these approaches to broad classes of quantum materials, such as topological materials, flat-band systems, moiré heterostructures, and superconductors. Methods that quantitatively isolate intrinsic Berry curvature and quantum metric contributions from conventional or extrinsic background responses, and benchmark experimental results against realistic first-principles or model calculations are desirable.

* Novel Theoretical Frameworks Beyond DFT: We seek new theoretical frameworks in which quantum geometry serves as a central descriptor of solids, complementing conventional band dispersion, symmetry, and Fermi-surface-based descriptions. Such frameworks should address realistic multiband, strongly correlated, disordered, and many-body systems, including, where relevant, interband mixing, electronic interactions, finite quasiparticle lifetimes, and non-translational configurations through Green’s-function, diagrammatic, or kinetic approaches. They should clarify how quantum geometry governs nonlinear optical responses, transport, superconductivity, and collective phases, while providing experimentally testable criteria for separating intrinsic quantum-geometric effects from extrinsic contributions. The ultimate goal is to establish predictive design principles for quantum materials with enhanced novel functionalities.

AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

a) Technical Inquires and Questions

You should submit your questions in writing by electronic mail to the AOARD International Program Officer, Lt Col Alexander Kamrud at alexander.kamrud.1@us.af.mil. You should include the NOFO number in the subject line.

Please submit all inquiries in written format to ensure a response.

b) General Inquires and Questions

You must send all general questions and inquiries about this announcement by email. Your questions will generally be consolidated with other questions and posted on grants.gov so everyone gets the same information. We may provide an individual response by email if your question does not apply to everyone else.

AFOSR/RBKS2

GRANTS OFFICER Shelby Bonneville

Email: shelby.bonneville@us.af.mil

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. OVERVIEW INFORMATION

II. BASIC INFORMATION

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

C. ELIGIBILITY

C.1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

C.2. COST SHARING

C.3. GOLD STANDARD SCIENCE

C.4. OTHER

C.5. AFOSR-SPECIFIC FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH SECURITY RISK REVIEW (FRSR) INFORMATION

D. APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

D.1. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

D.2. APPLICATION CONTENTS

D.3. GRANTS.GOV APPLICATION SUBMISSION

D.4. COMPONENT PIECES OF THE APPLICATION……………………………………………..28

D.5. INFORMATION YOU MUST SUBMIT IF SELECTED FOR POSSIBLE AWARD

D.6. UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER (UEI), CAGE, AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………...…37

E. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

E.1. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

E.2. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

F. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

F.1. CRITERIA

F.2. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

F 3. DISCLOSURE OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSING BY CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL42

F.4. NO GUARANTEED AWARD

G. AWARD NOTICES

G.1. SELECTION NOTICES

G.2. ADMINISTRATION AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

H. POST-AWARD REQUIREMNTS AND ADMINISTRATION

H.1. MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM PERFORMANCE

H.2. REPORTS

I. OTHER INFORMATION

I.1. TECHNICAL INQUIRIES AND QUESTIONS…………………………………………….…..51

I.2. OMBUDSMAN……………………………………………………………………………………51

I.3. GRANTS AND CONTRACTING OFFICERS AUTHORITY………………………………..51

I.4. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ………………………………………………………………….51

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The US Air Force-Taiwan Nanoscience Program is one of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research’s (AFOSR) International Research Initiatives. This international program is focused on shaping the direction and advancing the state-of-the-art in nanoscience research. Starting in 2002, grants were provided to Taiwan investigators to focus on basic research in specific nanoscience areas of interest as described by program managers at AFOSR or at the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). In 2011 the program evolved to become a collaborative effort to pair US and Taiwan investigators to conduct basic science research on topics of common interest. In order to continue to provide opportunities for scientists to collaborate in emerging technology areas and to leverage their intellectual resources, AFOSR and NSTC are offering a new program dedicated to frontiers in materials and nanostructures in a variety of topic areas.

This is an open call with open competition; therefore, all applications are welcome. Initial applications (pre-proposals) must have two investigators - one from a US institution or DoD Lab, and one from a Taiwan institution. Teams consisting of a US investigator and his/her counterpart from Taiwan are invited to submit a joint pre-proposal (white paper) indicating what their collaboration could accomplish with three years of funding. Each US-Taiwan pair is to submit only one pre-proposal. The same pre-proposal is to be submitted to both AFOSR and NSTC. Please see the Eligibility section below for further details.

Expected outcomes are that basic scientific research funded under this program will have results published in the open literature, will complement existing basic and applied research efforts at AFRL and NSTC, and will foster greater scientific collaborations between the US and Taiwan at the investigator level. The scientific focus will be on frontiers in materials and nanostructures that can advance science in the following concentration areas:

1. AI-driven materials discovery: We seek fundamental studies that integrate artificial intelligence, physics-based modeling, and experimental feedback to accelerate the discovery, synthesis, and understanding of solid-state materials, nanostructures, interfaces, molecules, and hybrid systems.

Rather than purely data-driven screening or incremental database mining, this call emphasizes physically interpretable, uncertainty-aware, and experimentally validated approaches that reveal structure-property-function relationships across unexplored chemical, structural, and processing spaces. These efforts should enable predictive design of materials with targeted functionalities.

Proposals are expected to align with one or more of the following core research tracks:

* Physics-informed AI and quantum-level modeling: Proposals may integrate machine learning with ab initio electronic-structure methods, quantum chemistry, molecular dynamics, many-body theory, or multiscale simulations to improve the accuracy, transferability, and efficiency of materials prediction.

Emphasis should be placed on physically constrained and interpretable models that can predict key material properties while revealing the underlying structure–property relationships.

* Predictive discovery, inverse design, and synthesis optimization: Proposals may develop AI-guided approaches to identify stable or metastable materials, molecules, nanostructures, defects, interfaces, and heterostructures with targeted properties. Particular emphasis should be placed on uncertainty quantification, synthesis-aware design rules, closed-loop optimization, and experimentally testable predictions.

* AI-enabled multiscale modeling of complex materials: Proposals may leverage AI to bridge atomistic, mesoscale, and continuum descriptions of heterogeneous, disordered, interfacial, or nonequilibrium systems, including complex solids, molecular assemblies, low-dimensional heterostructures, multifunctional interfaces, and nanostructures whose properties emerge across multiple length and time scales.

2. Materials and nanostructures for energy-efficient electronic, photonic, and quantum information technologies: High energy demand driven by the rapid development of artificial intelligence represents a major challenge, making sustainable computing infrastructure highly desirable. We seek innovative materials and nanostructures that enable high-performance, low-power operation across computation, memory, data storage, optical interconnects, photonic or optoelectronic information processing, and emerging quantum information functionalities. Rather than system-level optimizations or conventional CMOS iterations, this call targets the synthesis, deterministic manipulation, and microscopic characterization of novel material phases, low-dimensional heterostructures, functional interfaces, and nanoscale photonic structures engineered to approach fundamental limits of energy-efficient information processing. Emphasis should be placed on material mechanisms, interfacial phenomena, nanoscale control, and experimentally measurable physical observables relevant to energy-efficient information processing.

3. Quantum geometry in solids:

Quantum geometry describes how electronic wavefunctions evolve in momentum space and governs emergent properties of solids, including topological and anomalous transport, nonlinear optical responses, and flat-band superconductivity. We seek scientific breakthrough to advance our understanding of quantum-geometric responses in materials. These efforts may guide the prediction and realization of new materials with enhanced emergent properties, potentially including robust high-temperature topological states. Proposals are expected to align with one or more of the following core research tracks:

* Advanced Experimental Methodologies to Resolve Quantum Geometry: We seek new experimental methodologies to resolve quantum geometry in crystalline solids. Applicants are encouraged to extend these approaches to broad classes of quantum materials, such as topological materials, flat-band systems, moiré heterostructures, and superconductors. Methods that quantitatively isolate intrinsic Berry curvature and quantum metric contributions from conventional or extrinsic background responses, and benchmark experimental results against realistic first-principles or model calculations are desirable.

* Novel Theoretical Frameworks Beyond DFT: We seek new theoretical frameworks in which quantum geometry serves as a central descriptor of solids, complementing conventional band dispersion, symmetry, and Fermi-surface-based descriptions. Such frameworks should address realistic multiband, strongly correlated, disordered, and many-body systems, including, where relevant, interband mixing, electronic interactions, finite quasiparticle lifetimes, and non-translational configurations through Green’s-function, diagrammatic, or kinetic approaches. They should clarify how quantum geometry governs nonlinear optical responses, transport, superconductivity, and collective phases, while providing experimentally testable criteria for separating intrinsic quantum-geometric effects from extrinsic contributions. The ultimate goal is to establish predictive design principles for quantum materials with enhanced novel functionalities.

Application Process, Timeline, and Submission Information

Pre-proposal (white paper) Phase: Each team consisting of a US PI and a Taiwan PI are to submit a joint pre-proposal (white paper). The technical narrative should be no more than three (3) pages and should include basic content such as problem statement, hypothesis, method of investigation, uniqueness of approach, and potential payoff. The following two items should be included as appendices (not counted against page count): biographic information on Taiwan and US research team members and simple budget.

Pre-proposals should be submitted via email to AFOSR Points of Contact (POC):

Lt Col Alexander Kamrud, alexander.kamrud.1@us.af.mil and to the NSTC online system by 18 November 2026.

Applicants in Taiwan can direct the questions to the NSTC POCs:

Dr. Tien-Ming Chuang, chuangtm@gate.sinica.edu.tw

Dr. Ian Liau, ianliau@nycu.edu.tw

All received pre-proposals will be reviewed independently by AFOSR and NSTC representatives.

Evaluation criteria will include the scientific merit of the proposal, the unique synergy enabled by the US-Taiwan team, and the potential for transition to systems with AFRL and NSTC interest. Up to twenty (20) investigator pairs will be invited to submit full proposals. The selection of the research teams recommended to submit full proposals will be announced by 15 January 2027.

Full Proposal Phase: Based on the technical content of the selected pre-proposals (white papers), full proposals will be developed independently by the US and Taiwan PI and submitted to their respective agency, AFOSR or NSTC, following the procedures of that agency. The full proposal should include a technical narrative of no more than eight (8) pages and expand on the ideas set forth in the pre-proposal to include a detailed plan of study. Though the full proposals will be submitted independently, each one should explain how collaboration with the counterpart from Taiwan or the US would create synergy and increase the potential for scientific breakthroughs beyond what could be accomplished separately. Investigator CVs and a detailed budget should be appended (not counted against page count). Full proposals will be due by 19 February 2027.

US PIs: If your pre-proposal is selected for the full proposal phase, you will be provided with a template package and instructions at that time. Full proposals are to be submitted through this funding opportunity FA955027S0002 at grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/362681), Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development (AOARD), PKG00293126. The evaluation of full proposals w0069ll be made independently by AFOSR and NSTC representatives. The announcement for the awards will be made by 30 April 2027. Applicants funded by the AFOSR are subject to the terms and conditions described in the current AFOSR Broad Agency Announcement.

Evaluation criteria and review are subject to the terms and conditions described in the current AFOSR Broad Agency Announcement. The approximate starting time for the selected projects is October 2027, and the period of performance will continue for three years until approximately

October 2030 (actual dates will depend on the Grant award process).

Funded investigators are expected to attend joint annual program reviews and present research progress.

Though subject to change, the intent is to alternate program review locations between Taiwan and the US. Annual and final reporting requirements for US PIs are in accordance with AFOSR Grant policy.

Basic and applied research is defined in the DoD Financial Management Regulation:

Basic research is systematic study directed toward greater knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts without specific applications towards processes or products in mind. It includes all scientific study and experimentation directed toward increasing fundamental knowledge and understanding in those fields of the physical, engineering, environmental, and life sciences related to long-term national security needs. It is farsighted high payoff research that provides the basis for technological progress (DoD 7000.14-R, vol. 2B, chap. 5, para. 050201.B).

Applied research is systematic study to understand the means to meet a recognized and specific need. It is a systematic expansion and application of knowledge to develop useful materials, devices, and systems or methods. It may be oriented, ultimately, toward the design, development, and improvement of prototypes and new processes to meet general mission area requirements. Applied research may translate promising basic research into solutions for broadly defined military needs, short of system development. This type of effort may vary from systematic mission-directed research beyond that in Budget Activity 1 to sophisticated breadboard hardware, study, programming and planning efforts that establish the initial feasibility and practicality of proposed solutions to technological challenges. It includes studies, investigations, and non-system specific technology efforts. The dominant characteristic is that applied research is directed toward general military needs with a view toward developing and evaluating the feasibility and practicality of proposed solutions and determining their parameters. Applied research precedes system specific technology investigations or development. Program control of the applied research program element is normally exercised by general level of effort. Program elements in this category involve pre-Milestone B efforts, also known as Concept and Technology Development phase tasks, such as concept exploration efforts and paper studies of alternative concepts for meeting a mission need (DoD 7000.14-R, vol. 2B, chap. 5, para. 050201.C).

Detailed descriptions and the government point(s) of contact can be found below. The descriptions are intended to provide the applicant a frame of reference and are not meant to be restrictive to the possible approaches and component solutions to achieving the goals of the topic and the program.

Innovative ideas addressing these research topics are highly encouraged.

Proposals from an investigator team from multiple university departments and universities are warranted to assemble the expertise necessary to address the topics. Teams are also highly encouraged to leverage collaborations with the technical directorate, where appropriate, to demonstrate an ability to develop solutions that can be eventually applied to a specific application. Proposals shall name one Principal Investigator (PI) as the responsible technical point of contact. Similarly, one institution shall be the primary awardee for the purpose of award execution. The PI shall come from the primary institution. The relationship among participating institutions and their respective roles, as well as the apportionment of funds including sub-awards, if any, shall be described in both the proposal text and budget.

Access to DoW Resources

Proposals may request access to AFRL facilities or DoW high performance computing resources in order to conduct the proposed research. If authorized, there is no cost to the research for these resources.

Applicants are advised that routine access of educational institution researchers to AFRL buildings and facilities is limited to U.S. citizens. Individuals eligible for access are subject to background checks.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

The award is for three (3) years, with options to extend to five (5) years to maintain consistency with long-term research goals. Available funding for the selected set of US projects is $1,200,000 per year for three years, with individual US Principal Investigators (PIs) eligible for up to $150,000 annually. To qualify for this collaborative program, each proposal must feature a joint bilateral team consisting of one (1) investigator from a US institution or DoD Lab and one (1) collaborating counterpart from a Taiwan institution. Proposers are highly encouraged to demonstrate deep integration between the US and Taiwan researchers, as proposals will be heavily evaluated on the active synergy and scientific collaboration of the paired investigators.

The projected starting time for the selected projects is October 2027, and the period of performance will continue for three years until approximately October 2030 (actual dates will depend on the Grant award process and the availability of the fiscal year 2027 budget).

We anticipate approximately eight (8) awards may be awarded under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 4001 in the form of research grants. We rely on discretionary appropriated funds for this program, and awards are strictly contingent upon the availability of funds and mutual alignment of selections between AFOSR and the Taiwan National Science and Technology Council (NSTC).

AFOSR will fund the selected US investigators. Available funding for the selected set of US projects is $1,200,000 per year for three years. The examples listed are based on 8 funded projects; the final amounts to be allocated will be determined by the final number of team awardees. NSTC will similarly fund the selected Taiwan investigators.

Year 1 (2027-2028) – up to $150,000 for US PIs

Year 2 (2028-2029) – up to $150,000 for US PIs

Year 3 (2029-2030) – up to $150,000 for US PIs

We select what kind of award instrument we can use based on requirements in the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act 31 U.S.C. 6301 – 31 U.S.C. 6308.

• A grant or cooperative agreement award may be made to U.S. institutions of higher education (IHE) or nonprofit organizations as described in 2 CFR 25.345

Awards are made under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 4001 strictly in the form of Research Grants. We rely on discretionary appropriated funds for this program and can only execute awards if sufficient funds are made available. In accordance with the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act (31 U.S.C. 6301 – 31 U.S.C. 6308), the following describes the legal instrument used under this competition:

Grant: A legal instrument consistent with 31 U.S.C. 6304, used to enter into a relationship where:

The principal purpose is to transfer a thing of value to the recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by United States law, rather than acquiring property or services for the Federal Government’s direct benefit or use.

Substantial involvement is not expected between the Federal Government and the recipient when carrying out the activity contemplated by the grant.

No fee or profit is allowed.

We reserve the right to select and fund for award all, some, part, or none of the proposals received in response to this announcement. There is no guarantee of an award.

C. ELIGIBILITY

C.1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

C.1.a. General You are eligible to submit an application if you are a qualified and responsible organization from academia. Academia includes educational institutions of higher education in the United States as defined at 10 U.S.C. 2199. Educational institutions mean a local educational agency, college, university, or any other nonprofit institution dedicated to improving science, mathematics, and engineering education. We review your application, proposal, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) designated repositories of government-wide public and non-public data, including comments you have made, as required by 41 U.S.C. 2313 and described in 2 CFR 200.205 and 32 CFR 22.410 to assess risk posed by applicants, and confirm applicants are qualified, responsible, and eligible to receive an award.

As the individual Principal Investigator, you must hold a full-time, non-contractor permanent, career-competitive, or tenure-track position (based on your institution’s definition) with your organization, or your proposal must include a letter from your organization stating that you will be considered for a permanent, career- competitive, or tenure-track non-contractor position if you currently hold a short-term appointment. This is in addition to the requirement you are a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident. You are not eligible to submit a proposal if you do not meet these requirements. You must have permanent residency at the time of proposal submission.

Individual awards are made to U.S. institutions of higher education, where the individual principal investigator is a U.S. citizen, national, or has permanent residency at time of proposal submission; employed on a full-time basis and holds a permanent position. All PIs must meet all eligibility requirements.

C.1.b. Eligibility Notice for All Applicants

We review your application, proposal, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) designated repositories of government-wide public and non-public data, including comments you have made, as required by 31 U.S.C. 3321 and 41 U.S.C. 2313 and described in 2 CFR 200.205 and 32 CFR 22.410 to assess risk posed by applicants, and confirm applicants are qualified, responsible, and eligible to receive an award. If we cannot determine you or your organization qualified and responsible, you are not eligible to receive an award. You are required to submit a white paper. White papers must be submitted by 18 NOV 2026, at 11:59PM EST. Upon the PO white paper review and feedback, an invitation to submit a full proposal may be extended.

You may submit more than one white paper to a single or multiple research disciplines, but you must acknowledge doing so on each submission. Joint white papers must be submitted electronically via email directly to the AFOSR Point of Contact, Lt Col Alexander Kamrud, at alexander.kamrud.1@us.af.mil, and concurrently by your Taiwan collaborator through the NSTC online system. If you do not submit a joint white paper under this NOFO that is received by both AFOSR and NSTC, you will be ineligible to submit a full proposal.

C.1.c. Ineligible Entities

None of the following entity types are eligible to submit proposals as primary award recipients under this announcement.

• Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs)

• Individual persons or people

C.2. COST SHARING

We do not require cost sharing for proposals under this announcement (except as may be required for transactions other than contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements entered into under 10 U.S.C. 4021 and 10 U.S.C. § 4022). Cost sharing is not an evaluation or selection criterion.

C.3. GOLD STANDARD SCIENCE

C.3.a. Definition of Gold Standard Science

Gold Standard Science (GSS): In accordance with Executive Order (E.O.) 14303; GSS is science conducted in a manner that is:

(1) reproducible;

(2) transparent;

(3) communicative of error and uncertainty;

(4) collaborative and interdisciplinary;

(5) skeptical of its findings and assumptions;

(6) structured for falsifiability of hypotheses;

(7) subject to unbiased peer review;

(8) accepting negative results as positive outcomes; and,

(9) without conflicts of interest.

C.3.b. Expectation of Adherence to Gold Standard Science

AFOSR expects the highest standards of scientific rigor, integrity and adherence to appropriate tenets of GSS. For more on these standards and DoW expectations, see https://www.cto.mil/gold-standard-science-implementation-plan/.

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=dc0e04ed18bcc6c499bee1e082d0eaea&amp%3Bamp%3Bmc=true&amp%3Bamp%3Bnode=se2.1.200_1205&amp%3Bamp%3Brgn=div8 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=dc0e04ed18bcc6c499bee1e082d0eaea&amp%3Bamp%3Bmc=true&amp%3Bamp%3Bnode=se2.1.200_1205&amp%3Bamp%3Brgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-32/subtitle-A/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-22/subpart-D/section-22.410 https://www.cto.mil/gold-standard-science-implementation-plan/ https://www.cto.mil/gold-standard-science-implementation-plan/

To demonstrate compliance with E.O. 14332, applications/proposals shall:

(1) Include clear benchmarks for measuring success and progress towards relevant goals and a commitment to achieving GSS;

(2) Identify areas of demonstrating success in implementing GSS; and

(3) Include a commitment to complying with administration policies, procedures, and guidance respecting GSS.

By responding to this NOFO, you explicitly agree to the following statements:

(1) Our institution understands the definition of Gold Standard Science as outlined above.

(2) Our institution and all personnel involved in the proposed project will adhere to all administration policies, procedures, and guidance respecting Gold Standard Science in the execution of this project, if funded.

C.4. OTHER

C.4.a. Acknowledgement of Support and Disclaimer Requirements

You must include the G.2.g. Acknowledgement of Research Support on all materials created or produced under our awards.

You must include the G.2.h. Disclaimer Language on materials as required.

Our award document may provide additional instructions about specific distribution statements to use when you provide research materials to us. You are not eligible to submit a proposal if you cannot accept these terms.

C.4.b. Expectation of Public Dissemination of Research Results

We expect research funded by this announcement will be fundamental. We expect public dissemination of research results if you receive an award. This is a basic requirement for unclassified research results.

We intend, to the fullest extent possible, to make available to the public all unclassified, unlimited peer-reviewed scholarly publications and digitally formatted scientific data arising from research and programs funded wholly or in part by the DoW as described in the OUSW, AT&L Memorandum, “Public Access to Department of Defense-Funded Research” dated 09 Jul 2014.

We follow DoD Instruction 5230.24 and DoD Instruction 5230.27 policies and procedures to ensure broad dissemination of unclassified research results to the public and within the Government. The DoD Instruction 5230.27 policy and procedures allowing publication and public presentation of unclassified fundamental research results will apply to all research proposed under this competition unless the Program Officer gives you an explicit, written exclusion to these policies with the Grants or Contracting Officer’s advice and consent. All exclusions must be authorized or required by law and must cite a valid legal authority.

You must provide a copy of all peer-reviewed publications developed or produced from https://discover.dtic.mil/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/memo_public_access_kendall_20140709.pdf https://discover.dtic.mil/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/memo_public_access_kendall_20140709.pdf https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/523024p.pdf?ver=2020-06-12-112557-280 https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/523027p.pdf?ver=2019-04-04-095230-883 research conducted with Air Force and Space Force funds to our Program Officer.

You are not eligible to submit a proposal if you cannot accept these terms, and by your submission, you agree to the terms set forth herein.

C.4.c. Disclosure of Conflict of Commitment and Conflict of Interest

In accordance with 42 U.S.C. § 6605 this announcement requires that all current and pending research support be disclosed at the time of proposal, for all Covered Individuals. Covered Individuals includes those individuals as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 6605 as well as those who are listed as key personnel on proposals including, but not limited to the principal investigator or co-principal investigators. Such disclosure will be updated annually during the performance of any research project selected for funding, and whenever Covered Individual(s) are added or identified as performing under this project.

Any decision to accept a proposal for funding under this NOFO will include full reliance on the applicant’s statements. Failure to report fully and completely all sources of project support and outside positions and affiliations may be considered a material statement within the meaning of the federal False Claims Act, and constitute a violation of law.

The funding agency must conduct a pre-award conflict of interest/conflict of commitment review of any proposal selected for funding, as defined in the National Security Strategy for United States Government-Supported Research and Development (NSPM-33). Offerors are advised that any significant conflict of interest/conflict of commitment identified may be a basis for the rejection of an otherwise awardable proposal.

(1) General Requirement for Disclosure You and your organization must disclose any potential or actual scientific or non-scientific Conflict of Interest(s) to us. You must also disclose any potential or actual conflict(s) of interest for any subrecipient you include in your proposal.

You must provide enough information for us to evaluate your disclosure.

We may have to ask you more questions if we need more information.

At our discretion, we may ask you for a conflict-of-interest mitigation plan after you submit your proposal. Your plan is subject to our approval.

(2) Scientific Conflict of Interest Scientific collaborations on research and development projects are generally the result of close collaboration prior to the submission of applications for support. Accordingly, virtually all of these collaborations might be considered to include a potential conflict of interest. The potential conflict is mitigated by the disclosure of these collaborations, and the list of current and pending support you provide for senior and key researchers.

C.5. AFOSR-SPECIFIC FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH SECURITY REVIEW (FRSR)

https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/010422-NSPM-33-Implementation-Guidance.pdf https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/010422-NSPM-33-Implementation-Guidance.pdf

INFORMATION

(1) Security Risk Review. Each proposal submission will be subject to a risk-based Security Review, (FRSR), prior to selection for award. The FRSR is applied to federally funded research designed to help protect Department of the Air Force Science and Technology (S&T) by identifying possible vectors of undue foreign influence. AFRL will follow all policies and procedures outlined in Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Instruction AFRLI 61-113, Science and Technology Protection for the Air Force Research Laboratory and Department of the Air Force Instruction DAFI 63-101/20-101, Integrated Lifecycle Management. The FRSR will be conducted in accordance with OUSD(R&E)’s “Policy for Risk Based Security Reviews of Fundamental Research.”

(2) Covered Individual.

An individual who contributes to a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or execution of a research and development project proposed to be carried out with a research and development award from a federal research agency; and is designated as a covered individual by the federal research agency concerned. AFOSR further defines that all positions identified in the proposal are Covered Individuals and thereby subject to disclosure requirements and should have a corresponding Standard Disclosure Forms for Biosketch, Current and Pending (Other) Support, and Collaborators and Other Affiliations.

See 42 U.S.C.§ 6605, Definitions. (Note: For purposes of a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) solicitation, “covered individuals” are all Senior/Key Personnel.)

(3) Security risk review for these subject proposals will be developed for all proposed Senior/Key personnel and “Covered Individuals”.

These risk reviews will be based on information disclosed in a Research and Related Senior and Key Person Profile and Security Questionnaire. In addition, any accompanying or referenced documents, and publicly available information, will be utilized in risk reviews. Nationality or citizenship is not a factor in the security risk reviews.

(4) External Engagements. When considering all external engagements, AFRL incorporates a holistic decision-making process that encompasses technical and security factors. The security review method implemented by AFRL measures risk factors to identify the appropriate Risk Acceptance Level (RAL) within the organization.