Executive Summary
The Army DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center BAA funds research on chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) defense. Universities, nonprofits and companies can send 3-page pre-proposals at any time. SAM.gov lists the response date as August 20, 2029, 4:30 PM ET.
Everything starts with a short pre-proposal. If DEVCOM CBC accepts it, the Army sends a request for a full proposal, and the Contracting or Agreements Officer decides whether the award becomes a procurement contract, a cooperative agreement or an Other Transaction. No funding amount is posted, and the BAA says no funds were identified for award at publication.
Solicitation at a Glance
- Agency: U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC), with contracting by Army Contracting Command Aberdeen Proving Ground, Edgewood Contracting Division
- Opportunity: Broad Agency Announcement for CBRNE Defense Efforts under Procurement Contracts, Cooperative Agreements, and Prototypes under Other Transaction Agreements
- Number: W911SR-24-R-DEVB
- Award Vehicle: Procurement contracts, cooperative agreements, prototype Other Transactions (10 U.S.C. 4022) and research Other Transactions (10 U.S.C. 4021)
- Funding: No amount posted. The BAA states there are no specified funding limitations and that awards depend on the availability of funds
- Technology Maturity: Basic research, applied research and development not tied to a specific system or hardware (RDT&E 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3a)
- Due Date: Pre-proposals accepted on a rolling basis. SAM.gov response date: August 20, 2029, 4:30 PM ET
Think your company qualifies? Talk with BW&CO before you write your pre-proposal.
What Is the DEVCOM CBC BAA?
This is the standing research solicitation for the Army's chemical and biological defense laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. It reflects the Center's technical base program and lists 20 mission areas, each with its own topics of interest. The BAA is continuously open: organizations send a pre-proposal describing a specific idea, and DEVCOM CBC decides whether to request a full proposal. The Center may also issue separate calls or Requests for Project Proposals under the same BAA for specific requirements.
What Problem Is DEVCOM CBC Trying to Solve?
DEVCOM CBC's mission is to provide CBRNE defense capabilities for the Joint Warfighter and interagency defense of the homeland. The BAA seeks new materials, sensors and methods that improve how forces detect chemical and biological threats, protect people and equipment, and clean up after contamination. Many topics stress lower size, weight and power, longer operating life and a smaller logistics burden than current equipment.
Priority Capability Areas: What DEVCOM CBC Is Looking For
- Advanced materials and manufacturing: Two mission areas cover surface and interface science, thin films, catalysis, modeling of material behavior under chemical and biological exposure, metal-organic frameworks, 3D bio-printing and combined traditional and additive manufacturing.
- Sensor technologies and biomaterials: Enzymatic systems that degrade nerve agents and toxins, self-decontaminating coatings, nanobiotechnology, next generation reagents such as aptamers and peptides, and scale-up biomanufacture of recombinant proteins.
- Detection and sensing: Biological and chemical point detection, standoff early warning, explosives detection and microsensors with lower size, weight, power and cost for solid, liquid and gas hazards.
- Decontamination: Novel chemical and biological decontaminant formulations, reactive or resistant coatings and surfaces, sorbent solids, vapor and gaseous decontaminants, and methods for sensitive equipment and vehicle interiors.
- Protection: Collective protection using regenerative filtration, new sorbents and membranes, and respiratory protection with integrated mask and helmet concepts, fit indicators and better air management.
- Other mission areas: Aerosol technology, smoke and obscurants, modeling and simulation, counter-terrorism countermeasures, flame and incendiary technology, chemical forensics, analytical toxicology, target defeat and artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Funding and Award Terms
- Amount: No funding amount or ceiling is posted. The budget "should be commensurate with the nature and complexity of the proposed effort."
- Funding availability: The BAA says that at publication "there are no funds identified for award," and funds availability is one of the evaluation factors.
- Instrument choice: You may suggest an instrument, but the Contracting or Agreements Officer decides. A cost-type contract requires an accounting system adequate for government contract costs.
- Prototype OT cost share: Prototype OTs are directed toward nontraditional defense contractors and small businesses. Other businesses can still receive one, but a third of the award costs must come from non-Government sources.
- No set-asides: The BAA states there are no set-asides for awards under this announcement.
Eligibility Requirements and Participation
- Who can apply: Proposals are sought from all eligible sources, including educational institutions, nonprofit organizations and private industry. Awards go to organizations, not individuals.
- Foreign organizations: Organizations outside the U.S. may submit, but they are responsible for complying with AR 380-10 on foreign disclosure.
- Research security: Proposals selected for fundamental research grants or cooperative agreements go through an Army Research Risk Assessment of senior and key personnel before award.
- Scope limit: Efforts tied to developing a specific system or hardware will not be considered, except to demonstrate a concept.
- Regulatory items: Work involving human subjects, animals or dual use research of concern must address the applicable reviews, and dual use research of concern must be identified in the pre-proposal.
How to Apply
- Choose a mission area: Match your idea to one or more of the 20 mission areas in Section VII of the BAA.
- Write the pre-proposal: No longer than three pages. Describe the technology with supporting data, the scope with a high-level work breakdown structure, your qualifications and an anticipated cost.
- Submit: Email the pre-proposal to usarmy.apg.acc.mbx.devcom-cbc-baa@army.mil. Brochures or general capability descriptions are not accepted as pre-proposals.
- Ask questions: Technical questions go to usarmy.apg.devcom-cbc.mbx.technical-outreach@army.mil.
- Full proposal on request: If invited, follow the request for full proposal. Contract and prototype OT proposals include a 20-page technical section, in 12-point Times New Roman, submitted as PDF.
What Happens After You Submit?
- Acknowledgment: Each pre-proposal is assigned and acknowledged by email.
- Decision: The project manager usually receives a decision letter or email within 60 to 90 days.
- Full proposal: Accepted pre-proposals receive a request for full proposal with a set number of days to respond.
- Evaluation: Contract proposals get a peer or scientific review on technical merit, military and program relevance, funds availability, technology readiness, project objectives and regulatory compliance, in descending order of importance.
Is This Opportunity a Good Fit for Your Company?
This BAA fits teams with research-stage materials, sensing, decontamination or protective technology that addresses chemical or biological threats. It is a strong match for advanced materials companies working on sorbents, coatings, membranes or metal-organic frameworks, and for biotech teams working on enzymes, reagents or biomanufacturing. Because the three-page pre-proposal is low effort and the BAA stays open, it suits companies that want to test Army interest before investing in a full proposal. It is a weaker fit for mature products that need system or hardware development funding.
How BW&CO Can Help
BW&CO has helped deep-tech and dual-use founders secure more than $350M in non-dilutive funding. For open defense research BAAs like the DEVCOM CBC BAA, we help you:
- Find the right mission area: Map your technology to the DEVCOM CBC topics where it is most relevant.
- Write the pre-proposal: Fit your data, work breakdown structure and cost into three pages.
- Pick an instrument: Weigh contracts, cooperative agreements and Other Transactions for your situation.
- Prepare the full proposal: Build the technical, management and cost sections when the Army requests them.
- Plan a sequence: Line up follow-on pre-proposals as your technical milestones are reached.
Plan Your DEVCOM CBC Submission
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the DEVCOM CBC BAA due?
Pre-proposals are accepted on a rolling basis. SAM.gov lists a response date of August 20, 2029, 4:30 PM ET.
How much funding is available?
No amount is posted. The BAA states there are no specified funding limitations and that at publication there were no funds identified for award, so awards depend on available funds.
What award types are possible?
Procurement contracts, cooperative agreements, prototype Other Transactions and research Other Transactions. The Contracting or Agreements Officer selects the instrument before award.
How long is the pre-proposal?
No longer than three pages. It should describe the technology with supporting data, the scope with a high-level work breakdown structure, your qualifications and an anticipated cost.
How quickly will I hear back?
The BAA says the project manager usually receives a decision letter or email within 60 to 90 days of submission.
Can startups and small businesses apply?
Yes. The BAA seeks proposals from private industry, educational institutions and nonprofits. There are no set-asides, and prototype OTs are directed toward nontraditional defense contractors and small businesses.
Does the BAA fund advanced materials work?
Yes. Two mission areas cover chemical biological advanced materials and manufacturing science and advanced manufacturing and material science, and materials also appear in the decontamination, protection and biomaterials topics.
Is cost share required?
Not in general. For a prototype OT, a business that is neither a nontraditional defense contractor nor a small business must cover a third of the award costs from non-Government sources.
Will the Army fund hardware development?
Generally no. Efforts related to developing a specific system or hardware will not be considered, except to demonstrate a concept.
Can BW&CO help with a DEVCOM CBC BAA submission?
Yes. BW&CO can help you pick a mission area, write the three-page pre-proposal and prepare a full proposal if the Army requests one. Book a call with our team.