NSP FOAAFRLAFOSR20240008_Amendment 0001.pdf

FOA-AFRL-AFOSR-2024-0008 Amendment 0001 1

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

OVERVIEW INFORMATION

Amendment 0001 – Changes Highlighted in Yellow

This is a special Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). AFRL/AFOSR recognizes the importance of diversity of thought in scientific and technological discovery and is therefore initiating the Basic Research National Science Portal (NSP) Initiative. The NSPs are designed to capitalize on the demonstrated excellence at Historically Black Colleges and Universities/ Minority Serving Institutions/ Tribal Colleges (HBCU/MSI/TCs) and build their research capacity while stimulating and accelerating scientific projects addressing critical Department of the Air Force (DAF) identified areas. The NSPs will create partnerships with the participating institutions in achieving mutually beneficial results.

This FOA for the NSP is intended to (1) attract faculty and students to conduct cutting-edge basic research in the technical areas listed in Section 1, (2) build capacity needed to support this research and

(3) attract students to pursue studies leading to STEM careers, including in government, the defense industry, and academia.

AFRL/AFOSR anticipates making at least three (3) awards of $750,000 to $1,500,000 per year per award for a maximum of three years. Awards will be in the form of project grants. All funding projects are based on availability of funds.

Proposers are encouraged to confer with the designated AFRL/AFOSR Program Officer(s) prior to submitting a full proposal. We will evaluate proposals using an internal review panel. AFRL/AFOSR reserves the right to select and fund all, some, or none of the proposals from one, two, or all the topics below.

White papers briefly summarizing the proposing institution’s ideas are encouraged but not required.

Submit white papers to our whitepaper portal, which is linked below. The topic points of contact (POCs) will coordinate to provide feedback to white papers.

The proposals will need to include a data management plan, outlining how samples and data collected

FOA-AFRL-AFOSR-2024-0008 Amendment 0001 2 in the program will be stored and managed. This includes but is not restricted to issues such as:

standards for data and metadata collection, content and format, data archiving, database management, and data sharing within, outside the awardee and beyond the lifetime of the grant. This precondition is modeled on the National Science Foundation Data Management Plan requirement (e.g., https://nsf.gov/eng/general/ENG_DMP_Policy.pdf).

Webinar Scheduled: AFRL/AFOSR will be hosting the Basic Research National Science Portal (NSP) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Informational Webinar. The primary purpose of the webinar is to provide additional insight regarding the topics referenced in this FOA. Please see the webinar registration link and agenda provided below. The Webinar presentation will be available on 30 May 2024 in the “Related Documents” section on grants.gov.

AGENDA

Friday, 31 May 2024 at 1100-1300 EDT

Zoom Webinar (General Attendees):

https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_NJ6pBSp1S2iG1keg-xgTGQ

Webinar ID: 160 794 2925 • Passcode: 598 670 97 (Webinar will open to general attendees at 1050)

Start End Duration Description/Topic

1100 1115 15min Opening Remarks

1115 1125 10min Acquisitions Overview

1125 1155 30min Technical Topic: Quantum Computing

1155 1210 15min Technical Topic: Unique Advantages to Biologically Based Materials for Space

1210 1225 15min Technical Topic: Ferrimagnetic Electronics

1225 1230 5min Final Remarks https://nsf.gov/eng/general/ENG_DMP_Policy.pdf https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_NJ6pBSp1S2iG1keg-xgTGQ

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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).

SUMMARY FUNDING OPPORTUNITY INFORMATION

1. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY NAME

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

2. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TITLE

Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Science Portal (NSP)

3. ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE

Initial Announcement

4. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER

FOAAFRLAFOSR20240008

5. CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER

12.800 Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program

6. KEY DATES

Pre-proposal inquiries and questions must be received in writing by electronic mail to the address(es) listed under section G.2. of this FOA not later than 30 May 2024 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time to be considered.

The Government will respond to any pre-proposal inquiries or questions via public posting no later than COB on 31 May 2024.

White papers must be received by submitting to https://community.apan.org/wg/afosr/p/submitawhitepaper by 10 June 2024 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.

Anticipated Schedule of Events *

Event Date Time (Local Eastern Time)

Questions Regarding Eligibility and Technical Requirements **

30 May 2024

White Papers Due (not required but strongly recommended)

10 June 2024 5:00 PM Eastern Time

Notifications of Initial Evaluations of White Papers*

25 June 2024 https://community.apan.org/wg/afosr/p/submitawhitepaper

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FOA-AFRL-AFOSR-2024-0008 Questions for Grants Officer Regarding Proposal Submission**

2 July 2024 5:00 PM Eastern Time

Proposals or Invited Proposals Due Date

26 July 2024 5:00 PM Eastern Time

Notifications of Selections or Non-Selections *

3 September 2024

*These dates are estimates as of the date of this announcement.

**Questions submitted after the Q&A deadline may not be answered.

IMPORTANT NOTE: White Papers are OPTIONAL but strongly recommended.

White papers should minimally articulate:

1. An initial list of members of the proposed team with a complete biography or CV for each (CVs and/or bios will not count against page limit). Each Bio/CV must include all publications by the proposed member.

2. Current and Pending Support (no page limit; will not count against page limit): Applicants are required to provide information on all current and pending support for ongoing projects and proposals, including subsequent funding in the case of continuing contracts, grants, and other assistance agreements. Applicants shall provide the following information of any related or complementary proposal submissions from whatever sources (e.g., AFOSR, Federal, State, local or foreign government agencies, public or private foundations, industrial or other commercial organizations).

3. The main technical components of the proposed research and how it aligns with the goals of the solicitation.

4. The specific proposed activities with a demonstrated understanding of the basic science needs.

Government will respond on white paper determination before COB on 25 June 2024.

Proposals must be received electronically through Grants.gov by 26 July 2024 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time to be considered.

We anticipate that we will notify proposers of selection or non-selection for award no later than 3 September 2024.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

OVERVIEW INFORMATION

SUMMARY FUNDING OPPORTUNITY INFORMATION

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. SUMMARY

2. BACKGROUND

3. OBJECTIVE AND RESEARCH CONCENTRATION AREAS

4. TECHNICAL DETAILS OF PROPOSED RESEARCH

a. Access to DoD Resources

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

a. Covered Educational Institutions

b. Ineligible Entities

2. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

3. OTHER

a. Acknowledgment of Support and Disclaimer Requirements

b. Expectation of Public Dissemination of Research Results

c. Representation for Tax Delinquency, Felony Conviction and Internal Confidentiality Agreements

d. Conflict of Interest

e. Research Personnel Facility Access Requirements and Restrictions

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

2. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

a. Pre-proposal Inquiries and Questions

b. The Application as a Whole

c. Proposal Format

d. Proposal Length

e. No Confidential or Proprietary Information

f. Electronic Form and Proposal Attachments

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3. GRANTS.GOV APPLICATION SUBMISSION AND RECEIPT PROCEDURES

a. Electronic Delivery

b. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

c. How to Submit an Application to AFOSR via Grants.gov

4. COMPONENT PIECES OF THE APPLICATION

a. SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance

b. Representation for Tax Delinquency, Felony Conviction, and Internal Confidentiality Agreements

c. SFLLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Form

d. Certification Regarding Lobbying Form

e. R&R Other Project Information Form

f. R&R Publicly Releasable Project Summary / Abstract

g. Project Narrative

h. Bibliography and References Cited

i. R&R Senior / Key Person Profile Form

j. R&R Budget Form

k. R&R Sub award Budget Form

l. Budget Justification

m. R&R Project / Performance Site Locations Form

n. Data Management Plan (Required)

o. R&R Personal Data Form

5. INFORMATION YOU MUST SUBMIT IF SELECTED FOR POSSIBLE AWARD

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

MANAGEMENT (SAM)

a. SAM Registration Required

b. SAM Exemption or Exceptions Not Available Under This Announcement

c. Questions about SAM Registrations and Updates

d. Consequences of Non-Compliance with SAM Registration Requirements

7. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

a. Pre-Proposal Inquiries and Questions Deadline

b. How Submission Time for Pre-Proposal Inquiries and Questions is Determined

c. Effect of Missing Pre-Proposal Inquiries and Questions Deadline

d. Proposal Submission Deadline

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e. How Proposal Submission Time is Determined

f. Grants.gov Tracking Number is Application Receipt

g. Effect of Missing the Proposal Submission Deadline

8. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

9. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

a. Proposal Preparation Costs

b. Air Force Office of Scientific Research No-cost Extension (NCE) Policy

c. Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements—Representation

d. Other Submission Requirements

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. CRITERIA

a. Principal Evaluation and Selection Criteria

b. Additional Evaluation and Selection Criteria

2. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

a. Merit-based, Competitive Procedures

b. Cost Analysis for Reasonableness and Realism

3. DISCLOSURE OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSING BY CONTRACTOR

PERSONNEL

4. NO GUARANTEED AWARD

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. SELECTION NOTICES

a. Electronic Notification

b. Selection for Possible Award Does Not Authorize Work

2. AWARD NOTICIES

a. Federal Award Document

b. Electronic Federal Award Distribution

3. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

a. Reporting of Matters Related to Recipient Integrity and Performance

b. Agency Review of Risk Posed by Applicants

c. Cross-Cutting National Policy Requirements

d. Acknowledgment of Research Support

e. Disclaimer Language for Research Materials and Publications

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f. Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements

g. DoD Research and Development General Terms and Conditions

h. Conditions of Award for Recipients Other Than Individuals

i. Minimum Record Retention Requirements

4. REPORTING

a. Monitoring and Reporting Program Performance

b. Technical Performance Report Format

c. Department of Defense (DD) Form 882 Report of Inventions and Subcontracts

d. Standard Form (SF) 425 Federal Financial Report

e. Electronic Payment Requests and Electronic Payment

f. Property Reports

g. Other Reports

h. Electronic Submission of Reports

G. AGENCY CONTACTS

1. TECHNICAL INQUIRES AND QUESTIONS

2. GENERAL INQUIRIES AND QUESTIONS

H. OTHER INFORMATION

1. OMBUDSMAN

2. GRANTS AND CONTRACTING OFFICERS AUTHORITY

3. ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

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A. Program Description

The Basic Research National Science Portals (NSPs) seek to accelerate DoD critical scientific areas and flood the United States with diverse STEM talent by capitalizing on the demonstrated excellence of Historically Black Colleges and Universities/ Minority Serving Institutions/ Tribal Colleges (HBCU/MSI/TCs) and building their research capacity in critical research areas. The topic areas that we seek to support with this FOA are independent from those described in our open Broad Agency Announcement (Research Interests of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research) and do not fall completely within any one research program. We seek to support multidisciplinary research efforts, creating synergies to speed DoD-relevant research and development.

This FOA is a pilot for the NSPs and is intended to (1) attract faculty and students to conduct cutting-edge basic research in the technical areas listed in Section 1, (2) build capacity needed to support this research and (3) attract students to pursue studies leading to STEM careers, including in government, the defense industry, and academia.

Basic and applied research are 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).

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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 industry collaborations, 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.

The schedule for this announcement is given in Section B, Award Information.

In fiscal year 2025, we seek proposals in three topic areas: Quantum Computing, Unique Advantages to Biologically Based Materials for Space and Ferrimagnetic Electronics. Each is described in the following section.

1. Leveraging Quantum Computing to Explore Computational Challenges Background: The field of quantum computing has traditionally been dominated by quantum physicists who aspired to exploit the proposed quantum devices for simulation of other quantum systems [1,2]. Early on, it was speculated that quantum computing could have a transformative impact on chemistry and materials science due to the fundamental quantum mechanical nature of the fields. While several germinal papers emerged over the years, Shor’s cryptographically-relevant algorithm presented in 1994 [3] marked a paradigm shift and sparked a surge of excitement that has helped drive advancements in quantum computing, in particular of the hardware with various cloud-based quantum computers now commercially available. However, quantum computing hardware is still in its infancy and limited in functionality by noise. Current state-of-the-art quantum computers, for example, are not yet sufficient for performing cryptographically-relevant algorithms. Furthermore, while promising, it is still unclear what economically-relevant problems quantum computers would be able to address.

Nevertheless, with the ascent of the commercial Quantum Information Science (QIS) products and the accompanying publicity is the growth of interest by researchers outside the realm of quantum physics.

It is an opportune time to probe a broader research community – beyond the traditional quantum physics field – as to what computational challenges could be advanced by quantum computers.

Objective: This topic seeks to explore the viability of novel quantum algorithms relevant for the DoD and DAF and build QIS research capabilities in technical disciplines outside the usual framework of QIS. Technical sub-areas of interest include (a) plasma and turbulent flow problems, wall-bounded turbulent flows, fluid-structure interaction, and/or turbulent combustion; (b) biomolecular-based

FOA-AFRL-AFOSR-2024-0008 Amendment 0001 11 material design (e.g., protein, DNA, and RNA); (c) innovative computational approaches to improving upon or bypassing Density Functional Theory (DFT) (e.g., determination of accurate exchange-correlation functionals from electron density for input into DFT calculations, non-adiabatic quantum mechanics, etc.); (d) biochemical processes design (e.g., catalyst efficiency or selectivity);

(e) and novel neural network representations (e.g., non-binary output units). Proposers do not have to address multiple topic sub-areas within a submission.

Research Concentration Areas: Suggested research areas include, but are not limited to:

1. Appropriate translation of classical computational challenges into algorithms that can be processed by quantum computers with a computational speedup. Both purely quantum and hybrid quantum-classical algorithms are of interest.

2. Assessment of the trade-off between the computational cost and the speed and accuracy of the quantum or hybrid algorithm relative to state-of-the art classical computational approaches

3. No-go theorems or proofs of computational gains of quantum computers for the proposed computational challenge.

Anticipated Resources: We anticipate three-five awards ranging from $150k to $250k per year for 3 years supporting one to two faculty researchers per award. Projects should be supported by but not led by QIS experts. While proposed efforts can include employing quantum cloud computers, proposed budgets should not include access to quantum cloud computing costs. Purely theoretical proposals are acceptable. Exceptions warranted by specific proposal approaches should be discussed with the Program Officers during the white paper phase of the solicitation. All funding projects are based on availability of funds.

AFOSR Topic Chiefs:

Select the appropriate POC that aligns with the technical area above under “Objective”

(a) Drs. Gregg Abate (gregg.abate@us.af.mil) and Fariba Fahroo (fariba.fahroo@us.af.mil)

(b) Dr. Bennett Ibey (bennett.ibey@us.af.mil)

(c) Drs. Arje Nachman (arje.nachman@us.af.mil) and Andrew Stickrath (andrew.stickrath@us.af.mil)

(d) and (e) Dr. Jennifer Talley (jennifer.talley.1@us.af.mil) QIS support: Dr. Grace Metcalfe (grace.metcalfe@us.af.mil)

References:

(1) Feynman, R. P., “Simulating Physics with Computers,” International Journal of Theoretical Physics, Vol. 21, Nos. 6/7, 2018, p. 467.

(2) Lloyd, S., “Universal Quantum Simulators,” Science, Vol. 273, No. 5278, 1996, pp. 1073–1078.

(3) Shor, P. W., “Algorithms for Quantum Computation: Discrete Logarithms and Factoring,” Proceedings 35th Annual Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science, IEEE, New York, 1994,

pp. 124–134.

mailto:gregg.abate@us.af.mil mailto:fariba.fahroo@us.af.mil mailto:bennett.ibey@us.af.mil mailto:arje.nachman@us.af.mil mailto:andrew.stickrath@us.af.mil mailto:jennifer.talley.1@us.af.mil mailto:grace.metcalfe@us.af.mil

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2. Unique Advantages to Biologically Based Materials for Space Background: This basic research initiative is focused on identifying distinct advantages of biologically-derived materials for use in space-specific applications. Successful proposals will emphasize closing the fundamental knowledge gaps in how biology overcomes environmental stresses by building specific robustness into its materials. Ultimately, this research will contribute to evaluating the tradeoffs between alternative materials using natural biological materials, synthetic biology, biological manufacturing, and traditional materials, enabling informed decision-making and the development of optimized solutions for space exploration and defense applications [1].

The exploration of biologically-derived materials in the context of space activities presents a unique opportunity to revolutionize space mission capabilities by addressing challenges in weight, radiation resistance, thermal management, and large thermal fluctuations. The unique challenges posed by the high up-mass [2, 3] cost and severe resource constraints inherent to space missions necessitate innovation. Launching payloads into space is a costly endeavor, with every additional kilogram of mass significantly increasing the overall mission expense. Therefore, the development of lightweight and efficient solutions is critical. Biological systems offer inherent advantages such as lightweight structures, self-repair capabilities, and resource efficiency, making them particularly appealing for space applications. However, the translation of biological principles into functional space assets requires a deep understanding of both biology and engineering, ensuring that solutions are both feasible and reliable in the harsh environment of space [4].

Objective: The objective is to advance the understanding and potential applications of biologically-derived materials for space exploration. Specifically, to evaluate synthetic biological materials, bio-manufactured products, and traditional engineered alternatives in space launch applications in the context of the space environment.

Research Concentration Areas: Suggested research areas include, but are not limited to:

(1) Mechanical Strength at Low Weight: Explore the mechanical strength of biologically derived materials at low-weight, with a focus on applications in spacecraft design and construction.

(2) Self-healing materials: Explore the capacity of living biological materials to self-heal with a focus on extension into the space environment.

Anticipated Resources: It is anticipated that awards under this topic will be no more than $750k per year for 3 years, supporting up to 4 faculty researchers.

AFOSR Topic Chief(s):

Primary: Dr. Jennifer Talley (jennifer.talley.1@us.af.mil) Additional: Dr. Bennett Ibey (bennett.ibey@us.af.mil)

Please email all topic chiefs with any technical inquiries you may have but address your proposal to the primary topic chief.

References:

1. SPACE FORCE WASHINGTON DC. “Space Capstone Publication: SPACE POWER.

mailto:gregg.abate@us.af.mil mailto:douglas.smith.82@us.af.mil

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Doctrine for Space Forces.” (2020).

2. Averesch, Nils JH, et al. “Microbial biomanufacturing for space-exploration—what to take and when to make.” Nature Communications 14.1 (2023): 2311.

3. Santomartino, Rosa, et al. “Toward sustainable space exploration: a roadmap for harnessing the power of microorganisms.” Nature communications 14.1 (2023): 1391.

4. Chen, Po-Yu, Joanna McKittrick, and Marc André Meyers. “Biological materials: functional adaptations and bioinspired designs.” Progress in Materials Science 57.8 (2012): 1492-1704.

3. Ferrimagnetic Electronics Background: Ferrimagnets composed of antiferromagnetically coupled magnetic elements exhibit promise for applications such as spintronics, memory, and neuromorphic computing. Unlike in an antiferromagnet, each sublattice in a ferrimagnet has its own magnetic moment. Ferrimagnets offer advantages of (1) easy control and detection of net magnetization by an external field, (2) fast dynamics, and (3) potential for high-density devices [1]. The different magnetizations and gyromagnetic ratios of the sublattices of a ferrimagnet can lead to ultrafast magnetic dynamics that can rival those of antiferromagnets. The two magnetic sublattices react independently to changes of external parameters, and so the magnetization and magnetic dynamics of a ferrimagnet can be readily manipulated by tuning chemical composition or temperature [2]. Optimizing magnetization switching is crucial to, for example, realizing write operations in spintronic devices. Stimulation for such switching has been accomplished light, current, or voltage. This topic is focused only on electronic means.

Much progress has been made recently in synthesizing and characterizing ferrimagnets and their heterostructures. Research is needed to identify and produce materials with increased Curie temperatures and magnetization compensation points. Compositional homogeneity and perhaps intentional engineering of compositional gradients must be studied and controlled to improve properties. Effects of temperature require study. Means to increase magnetoresistance and tunneling magnetoresistance should be explored [2]. Fundamental properties of ferrimagnets requiring further study include transport phenomena, dynamics of spin waves and spin textures, and relations between charge, spin, and heat [1].

Modeling will be an essential part of any multidisciplinary study of ferrimagnets. By combining first-principles simulations with Monte Carlo methods, a wide range of fundamental material characteristics can be predicted, including Curie temperature, magnons, and spin textures. First-principles simulations integrated with machine-learning techniques should aid searches for improved ferrimagnetic materials in films and heterostructures. Foundational properties derived from first-principles simulations can also serve as inputs for continuous large-scale models, such as the widely adopted Landau-Lifshitz-Bloch equation. Doing so allows for inclusion of grain boundaries and various imperfection.

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Finally, these models and simulations can provide direct predictions for spin transport and spin-current conversion.

Objective: The objectives of this topic are (1) to advance fundamental understanding of materials properties and spin-charge dynamics in films and heterostructures of ferrimagnets; (2) to identify ferrimagnetic films with properties suitable for applications.

Research Concentration Areas: Research subjects include: (1) modeling in search of ferrimagnetic films and heterostructures with properties suitable for high-speed, low-power applications; (2) growth and nanoscale characterization of thin films and heterostructures; (3) study of ferrimagnetic dynamics;

and (4) study of magnetic and transport properties.

Anticipated Resources: It is anticipated up to $750,000 per year will be available for a maximum of three years to support a team of up to four faculty researchers. Approval for an additional funded faculty must be obtained from the topic chiefs during the white-paper stage.

AFOSR Topic Chief(s):

Primary: Dr. Kenneth Goretta (kenneth.goretta@us.af.mil) Additional: Dr. Arje Nachman (arje.nachman@us.af.mil)

Please email all topic chiefs with any technical inquiries you may have but address your proposal to the primary topic chief.

References:

1. S. K. Kim, G. S. D. Beach, K.-J. Lee, T. Ono, T. Rasing, and Yang, Ferrimagnetic spintronics, Nature Mater. 21, 24–34 (2022).

2. Y. Zhang, X. Feng, Z. Zheng, Z. Zhang, K. Lin, X. Sun, G. Wang, J. Wang, J. Wei, P. Vallobra, Y. He, Z. Wang, L. Chen, K. Zhang, Y. Xu, and W. Zhao, Ferrimagnets for spintronic devices: From materials to applications, Appl. Phys. Rev. 10, 011301 (2023).

4. TECHNICAL DETAILS OF PROPOSED RESEARCH

The proposal submission process has two stages:

• Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a white paper; and

• Applicants must submit a proposal through Grants.gov.

Prospective awardees are encouraged to submit white papers to minimize the labor and cost associated with the production of detailed proposals that have very little chance of being selected for funding. Based on an assessment of the white papers, the responsible Research Topic Chief will provide informal feedback notification to the prospective awardees to encourage or discourage submission of proposals. The Research Topic Chief may also, on occasion, provide feedback encouraging re-teaming to strengthen a proposal.

mailto:fariba.fahroo@us.af.mil mailto:ali.sayir.1@us.af.mil

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A strong proposal should outline, as specifically as possible, the technical details of the proposed research. In addition, proposals should articulate how research goals align with the research topic being addressed. Because of the breadth of research that spans our challenge categories, it is anticipated that groups that submit proposals will include researchers of diverse technical perspectives and technical backgrounds. Finally, efforts integrating a variety of approaches are preferred to those using a single approach, especially as these may provide increased opportunities for technology transfer.

a. Access to DoD Resources

Proposals may request access to AFRL facilities or DoD high performance computing resources in order to conduct the proposed research. Proposals should make this request in accordance with the instructions given in the D.4.g. Project Narrative section of this announcement. 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

Through this competition, AFOSR intends to award approximately $12 million, subject to the availability of funds. Awards will be in the form of project grants.

AFOSR expects projects to be completed within the three-year performance period. Requests for no-cost extensions will not be automatically granted. Any such request must be fully justified and submitted sufficiently in advance of the end of the performance period for AFOSR to give it due consideration and determine whether to approve or deny the request. Applications for renewal or supplemental awards will not be considered under this FOA.

Typical annual funding per grant will range $750,000 to $2.25M per year. Any proposer wishing to submit a proposal outside of this range should discuss their research plan with the relevant Program Officer during the whitepaper phase of this FOA. The total amount of funding and resources made available to fund a successful proposal may vary based on the quality of proposals received and funds availability.

The anticipated period of performance is a three-year base period.

AFOSR reserves the right to select and fund for award all, some, part, or none of the proposals received. There is no guarantee of an award.

Awards are made under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 4001 in the form of grants, or cooperative agreements. We rely on discretionary appropriated funds for this program. We select what kind of award instrument we can use based on requirements in the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement

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Act 31 U.S.C. 6301 – 31 U.S.C. 6308. We discuss regulations, terms, and conditions that generally apply to our awards in Section F. Federal Award.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

a. Covered Educational Institutions

You are eligible to submit an application and be the submission team lead if you are a Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions (HBCUs/MSIs) or Tribal College and University.

PI eligibility for this competition is open only to “covered educational institutions,” which are defined as:

a. institutions of higher education eligible for assistance under Title III or V of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1051 et seq.); or

b. accredited post-secondary minority institutions.

Eligible applicants include community colleges or other two-year degree granting institutions meeting the definition of a “covered educational institution.”

Enrollments, accreditation, and other factors may affect an institution’s eligibility in any Given year. With the exception of HBCUs and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), an Institution must apply to the Department of Education (DoEd) each year for Title III or Title V eligibility to meet the eligibility criterion above. A copy of the DoEd letter dated April 2021 or later that certifies the institution’s eligibility for Title III or Title V assistance must be included with each application submitted under this FOA. The eligibility letter will not be included in the page limitation of the application.

If the DoEd eligibility letter is not submitted with the application, the applicant will be deemed ineligible and the application will not be considered for funding.

No other entities are eligible to submit applications under this competition. However, lead proposals may include participation of other institutions of higher education or for-profit companies through the use of subawards or subcontracts, whichever is determined appropriate in accordance with requirements under 2 CFR 200.331.

We will 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.

b. Ineligible Entities https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-C/section-200.205 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-32/subtitle-A/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-22/subpart-D/section-22.410

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

1) Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs)

2) Individual persons or people

3) Federal agencies (to include Military Educational Institutions)

4) For-profit institutions

5) All institutions other than Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority

Serving Institutions (HBCUs/MSIs) or Tribal College and University

2. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

Cost sharing or matching is neither required nor an evaluation criterion for proposals under this announcement. You may propose voluntary committed or uncommitted cost sharing or matching, for example, additional support for students. Any voluntary committed cost sharing amount will be included in the total award value.

3. OTHER

a. Acknowledgment of Support and Disclaimer Requirements

You must include the F.3.d. Acknowledgment of Research Support on all materials created or produced under our awards. The F.3.e. Disclaimer Language must be included on materials as required. The 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.

b. Expectation of Public Dissemination of Research Results

AFOSR expects public dissemination of research results if you receive an award. This is a basic requirement for unclassified research results.

AFOSR intends, 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 DoD as described in the DoD Instruction 3200.12, “DoD Scientific and Technical Information Program (STIP).”

AFOSR follows DoD Directive 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 Officer’s advice and consent.

https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/320012p.pdf?ver=2018-12-17-130508-423 https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/523024p.pdf https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/523027p.pdf?ver=2019-04-04-095230-883 https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/523027p.pdf?ver=2019-04-04-095230-883

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All exclusions must be authorized or required by law and must cite a valid legal authority.

c. Representation for Tax Delinquency, Felony Conviction and Internal Confidentiality Agreements

You must complete the “Representation for Tax Delinquency, Felony Conviction, and Internal Confidentiality Agreements” provided with the Grants.gov package. More specific information about this requirement is provided in section D.4.b.

Your eligibility for funding cannot be determined unless this form is received.

d. Conflict of Interest

This announcement requires that all current and pending research support, as defined by Section 223 of the FY21 National Defense Authorization Act must be disclosed at the time of proposal, for all covered individuals. Such disclosure will be updated annually during the performance of any research project selected for funding, and whenever covered individual are added or identified as performing under this project. Covered Individuals are those who are listed as key personnel on proposals including but not restricted to the principal investigator or co-principal investigator.

Any decision to accept a proposal for funding under this announcement 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 materials statement within the meaning of the federal False Claims Act and constitute a violation of law.

The funding agency may 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.

Definitions

Conflict of interest (financial conflict of interest): is a situation in which an individual, or the individual’s spouse or dependent children, has a financial interest or financial relationship that could directly and significantly affect the design, conduct, reporting, or funding of research.

Conflict of commitment (non-financial conflict of interest): is a situation in which an individual accepts or incurs conflicting obligations between or among multiple employers or other entities. Many institutional policies define conflicts of commitment as conflicting commitments of time and effort, including https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/010422-NSPM-33-Implementation-Guidance.pdf

FOA-AFRL-AFOSR-2024-0008 Amendment 0001 19 obligations to dedicate time in excess of institutional obligations, including obligations to improperly share information with, or withhold information from, an employer or funding agency, can also threaten research security and integrity, and are an element of a broader concept of conflicts of commitment.

The funding agency may also conduct subsequent conflict of interest/conflict of commitment reviews of proposals after their selection for funding. Offerors are advised that any significant conflict of interest/conflict of commitment identified may be a basis for the termination of an awarded proposal.

Applicants for assistance are required to comply with 2 CFR 200.318(c), Codes of Conduct, to prevent real or apparent conflicts of interest in the award and administration of any contracts by which a recipient or subrecipient purchases property or services, supported by federal funds.

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 sub recipient you include in your proposal. You must provide enough information for AFRL/AFOSR to evaluate your disclosure.

AFRL/AFOSR may have to ask you more questions if more information is needed.

At AFRL/AFOSR’s sole discretion, you may be asked for a conflict of interest mitigation plan after you submit your proposal. Your plan is subject to AFRL/AFOSR approval. If a mitigation plan has been established, failure to follow the mitigation plan is grounds for AFOSR to rescind an award and terminate support.

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.

You must provide a copy of all peer-reviewed publications developed or produced from research conducted with Air Force & DAF funds to the AFOSR Program Officer.

You are not eligible to submit a proposal if you cannot accept these terms.

FOA-AFRL-AFOSR-2024-0008 Amendment 0001 20

e. Research Personnel Facility Access Requirements and Restrictions

AFRL contains facilities and equipment that could be useful to the proposed research.

Access to these facilities will be restricted to US citizens.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

All the application forms you need are available electronically on Grants.gov. From the “View Grant Opportunity” page, you can click on the “Application Package” tab to download the application package.

You can find the electronic application package on Grants.gov by searching for the announcement number shown on page one. Paper copies of this announcement will not be issued.

Please contact us at denise.johnson.19@us.af.mil to request a reasonable accommodation for any accessibility requirements you may have.

2. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

a. Pre-proposal Inquiries and Questions

You are encouraged to contact the Program Officer listed in section G.1. Technical Inquires and Questions before you submit your proposal.

If you need help with general matters, you should contact the individual listed in

G.2. General Announcement Questions.

Your pre-proposal inquiries and questions should be submitted not later than 5:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time on 30 May 2024. AFOSR may not be able to answer questions received later. This is discussed more in section D.7. Submission Dates and Times.

The Program Officer does not have the authority to make commitments for the government.

Grants and Contracting Officers acting within their warranted capacity are the only people authorized to make commitments for the Government.

b. The Application as a Whole

You must submit your proposal electronically through Grants.gov. AFOSR will not accept or evaluate any proposal submitted by any means other than through Grants.gov. AFOSR must receive your proposal before the D.7.d. Proposal Submission Deadline.

You must use the electronic Standard Form (SF) 424 Research and Related (R&R) Form https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:denise.johnson.19@us.af.mil

FOA-AFRL-AFOSR-2024-0008 Amendment 0001 21

Family, OMB Number 4040-0001. The SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal assistance form must be your cover page. No pages may precede the SF 424 (R&R).

You must mark your application with the announcement number.

A summary of what is required for a complete proposal is summarized below:

The forms and attachments in bold text are required with all applications.

Some applications require the attachments in italics.

More instructions are provided in D.4. Component Pieces of the Application.

R&R FORM, OMB No. 4040-0001 FIELD ATTACHMENT

SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance, including an authorized signature

18. Certification Regarding Lobbying Form or SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Per instructions in D.4

R&R Other Project Information Form 7. Project Summary / Abstract

8. Project Narrative

9. Bibliography & References Cited

10. Facilities and Other Resources

11. Equipment

12. Other Attachments

R&R Senior / Key Person Profile Form (Expanded)

Biographical Sketch

Current & Pending Support

R&R Personal Data Form

None

R&R Budget Form

Budget Justification

R&R Subaward Budget Attachments Form

Subaward Budget

FOA-AFRL-AFOSR-2024-0008 Amendment 0001 22

R&R Project / Performance Site Locations Form

None

The SF 424 (R&R) must include the signature of an authorized representative from your organization. The signature is affixed electronically by Grants.gov upon submission. You are still required to submit any documentation, including disclosure of any unpaid delinquent tax liability or a felony conviction under any Federal law (see FAR 52.209-11). This signature is considered the signature for the application as a whole.

c. Proposal Format

Paper Size – 8.5 x 11-inch paper Margins – 1 inch Spacing – Single, 1.5, or 2.0-line spacing Font – Times New Roman or Garamond, 12 point Page Limitation – No more than twenty-five (25) single-sided pages. The cover page, table of contents, list of references, letters of support, curriculum vitae and list of on- going and pending research support are excluded from the page limitations. The pages of proposals exceeding the page limit may not be included in the evaluation.

Attachments – Electronic Portable Document Format (PDF) Content – As described below

d. Proposal Length

No more than twenty-five (25) single-sided pages. You must not include elaborate brochures, reprints, or presentations beyond those sufficient to present a complete and effective proposal.

AFOSR will not consider more than the maximum number of pages in its evaluation;

however, not all pages are counted. This list below is intended to help you understand how to calculate your page count.

NOT INCLUDED IN PAGE COUNT

Current & Pending Support (no page limit; will not count against page limit): Applicants are required to provide information on all current and pending support for ongoing projects and proposals, including subsequent funding in the case of continuing contracts, grants, and other assistance agreements. Applicants shall provide the following information of any related or complementary proposal submissions from whatever sources (e.g., AFOSR, Federal, State, local or foreign government agencies, public or private foundations, industrial or other commercial organizations).

FOA-AFRL-AFOSR-2024-0008 Amendment 0001 23

SF 424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance and all attachments except field 18 representations or disclosures

R&R Budget and Budget Justification attachments, R&R Other Project

Information Form, and all attachments

R&R Sub award and Budget Justification attachments, R&R Senior / Key Person Profile Form, and all attachments for the personnel

Documents that support the budget or particular items of cost R&R Project /

Performance Site Locations FormOptional R&R Personal Data Form

Budget related information is not included in the page count because AFOSR cannot make an award unless it can determine the cost of your proposal is reasonable and realistic and complies with 2 CFR 200 Subpart E — Cost Principles.

Not having enough information in your proposal to understand if your costs are reasonable and realistic is the most common reason awards are delayed.

e. No Confidential or Proprietary Information

You must not include confidential or proprietary information in your proposal.