University-led Networks for Innovation, Technology, and Expertise (UNITE)

The U.S. Department of State Embassy Riyadh is soliciting applications for a cooperative agreement to establish and manage the University-led Networks for Innovation, Technology, and Expertise (UNITE) program, with applications due September 14, 2026, at 23:59 Arabia Standard Time. A single award of $150,000 will support approximately four to five applied university-industry partnership teams addressing Saudi workforce and development gaps in Artificial Intelligence, critical minerals, cybersecurity, emerging technologies, and workforce development.

Eligible applicants are U.S. not-for-profit organizations and educational institutions, with preference for higher education entities; for-profit entities are ineligible as prime recipients. Each participating project team must provide a 1:1 cost-share match calculated against the Embassy-funded support that specific team receives, with contributions structured as direct cash or audited in-kind support such as faculty time, facility access, training resources, software licensing, and travel. Faculty and staff time spent on partner identification, team formation, and joint design during mobilization and project design phases count toward cost-share. For-profit entities may participate only as vendors through procurement or by contributing voluntary cost-share, not as subaward recipients.

The award covers four mandatory phases: mobilization and project selection (months 1–3), onboarding and project design (months 4–5), co-design and deliverable production (months 6–10), and transition and sustainability activation (months 11–12), concluding with reporting through month 18 (performance end date March 31, 2028). Each project team receives up to $25,000 in seed funding to produce U.S.-linked deliverables such as curricula, technical roadmaps, or standards briefs creating durable pathways for Saudi investment in American academic and industry collaboration.

Applicants propose allocation of the $150,000 total between technical package support (capped at $25,000 per partnership) and prime recipient management costs, including all indirect costs calculated under a negotiated NICRA rate or the 15% de minimis rate. Budgets must present complete cost scenarios for both four and five active partnerships and will be scored on cost-effectiveness and scalability. Applications are evaluated on program quality and feasibility (25 points), Saudi partnership strategy (20 points), organizational capacity (15 points), ability to achieve objectives (15 points), budget reasonableness (15 points), monitoring and evaluation plans (10 points), and sustainability (10 points). Tie-breakers prioritize lower indirect cost rates and voluntary cost-sharing strength. Assistance Listing 19.040 (Public Diplomacy Programs); funding source is FY26 Smith-Mundt Public Diplomacy funds.