Fiscal Year 2026 BioWatch Grant Program
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- DHS-26-GPD-091-00-99
- Agency
-
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Department of Homeland Security
- Applications due
- Award size
- $100,000 to $6,000,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement
- Category
-
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
- Eligible applicants
-
- County Governments
- City/Township Governments
- State Governments
- Other
- Special District Governments
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is soliciting cooperative agreement applications for the Fiscal Year 2026 BioWatch Grant Program to support field operations and optional laboratory operations for biodetection activities across designated metropolitan areas, with applications due July 30, 2026. Eligible applicants are county governments, city or township governments, state governments, special district governments, regional governmental organizations, public institutions of higher education, and federally recognized tribal governments; recipients must be affiliated with public health, first response, emergency management, law enforcement, or fire department agencies and demonstrate the ability to provide 24/7/365 sample collection, delivery, and processing support. No cost share is required.
The program expects to distribute $35 million among up to 40 awards, with individual awards ranging from $100,000 to $6 million. The period of performance runs five years from August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2031, though only the first budget period (August 1, 2026–July 31, 2027) is funded under this NOFO. Field operations include deploying and maintaining air monitoring units, collecting and replacing filters daily, and transporting filters to BioWatch laboratories in metropolitan areas across 22 states covering more than 30 metropolitan areas.
Applicants must complete mandatory pre-application coordination by contacting BioWatch@hq.dhs.gov and signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement by July 27, 2026. Required deliverables include SF-424 forms, budget narrative, and program narrative addressing operational readiness, staffing plans, facilities, and fiscal capability. Selection criteria emphasize relevant BioWatch experience, operational readiness, staffing qualifications, facilities and logistics, and administrative capability. Post-award recipients must submit quarterly financial reports and annual performance reports, maintain active SAM.gov and FEMA GO registrations, and comply with DHS Standard Terms and Conditions.
The program operates under CFDA 97.091.
Synopsis
The BioWatch program, managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is designed to detect aerosolized biological attacks by continuously monitoring the air for specific biological threats using strategically placed air collectors. This federally managed, locally operated system provides early warnings of biological incidents, enabling state and local authorities to respond quickly and effectively, thereby reducing casualties and fatalities. BioWatch supports the National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan (2022) by informing decision-making, enhancing preparedness, and providing post-incident support to limit the impacts of biological threats. Operating in over 30 metropolitan areas across 22 states, BioWatch protects roughly one-third of the U.S. population and extends its coverage to high-visibility special events. Its core activities include operating air samplers, collecting and analyzing air samples, assisting partners with planning and preparedness through guidance, training, and exercises, and alerting and coordinating response actions upon detection of a threat. The program's objectives are to maintain a robust biodetection capability, engage stakeholders in preparedness and response, and establish coordination mechanisms across federal, state, local, and tribal levels to ensure rapid and effective public health responses to bioterrorist attacks. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is for the performance of field operations--including deploying and maintaining a fleet of air monitoring units, collecting and replacing filters from those units, and transporting filters daily to BioWatch laboratories in metropolitan areas identified below. As optional for specific metropolitan areas listed below, field operations further include laboratory operations, such as sample processing, analysis, and results reporting. Eligible recipients of this cooperative agreement are state and local government agencies, regional governmental organizations, public institutions of higher learning, and federally recognized tribal governments.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| BioWatchInfographic_2026-v1.pdf | ||
| BioWatchfactSheet_May 2026.pdf | ||
| FY 26 NOFO_BioWatch.pdf |
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