Executive Summary
The FY27 Deployed Warfighter Protection Program funds U.S.-based organizations developing products that protect deployed troops from disease-carrying and biting arthropods. Awards run up to $975,000 over 36 months. Pre-applications are due 5:00 p.m. Eastern time (ET), November 20, 2026 through eBRAP.
The pre-application is the gate. Full applications are by invitation only, and invitations go out no later than January 20, 2027. Bite prevention (DWFP-1) and vector control (DWFP-2) are the highly prioritized focus areas, and the work must be advanced technology development at TRL 4 to 6, not basic research.
Solicitation at a Glance
- Agency: Department of War, Defense Health Program; Armed Forces Pest Management Board (AFPMB), with contracting by ACC-APG Edgewood
- Opportunity: FY27 Deployed Warfighter Protection (DWFP) Program Research Award
- Number: AFPMB-BAA-27-01
- Award Vehicle: Grants or cooperative agreements (other mechanisms may be considered)
- Funding: Up to $975,000 total costs per award ($325,000 per 12 months); no total program funding posted
- Technology Maturity: Advanced Technology Development (BA-3), TRL 4 to 6
- Due Date: Pre-application 5:00 p.m. ET, November 20, 2026; invited full application 11:59 p.m. ET, March 17, 2027
Think your company qualifies? Talk with BW&CO before the November 20, 2026 deadline.
What Is the Deployed Warfighter Protection Program?
The DWFP Program, run by the Armed Forces Pest Management Board, protects deployed military personnel from arthropod vectors of disease, including tick-borne pathogens, mosquito-borne arboviruses, nuisance biting arthropods and emerging threats such as the New World Screwworm fly. This FY27 Broad Agency Announcement funds product-oriented research: new insecticides or improved formulations, new personal protection from biting arthropods, and better equipment for applying pesticides. Extramural awards are typically grants, and there are no set-asides.
What Problem Is the AFPMB Trying to Solve?
Service members deployed to austere settings face mosquitoes, ticks and other arthropods that carry disease, often with limited logistical support. The AFPMB wants tools that work in that military environment and also benefit civilians. It is looking for prototypes that can move toward EPA registration and commercial or military use, not new fundamental knowledge.
Priority Capability Areas: What the AFPMB Is Looking For
- Bite Prevention (DWFP-1, high priority): New personal protection tools that prevent contact with medically relevant arthropods.
- Vector Control (DWFP-2, high priority): New insecticide application techniques, new toxicants, or adapting existing toxicants to medically relevant arthropods.
- Decision Support Tools or Software (DWFP-3, lower priority): Data-driven tools, such as predictive modeling, for vector surveillance, control and outbreak response.
- Vector Surveillance and Identification (DWFP-4, lower priority): New surveillance tools focused on better vector control outcomes.
- Vector Pathogen Diagnostics (DWFP-5, lower priority): Tools for rapid detection of multiple arthropod-borne pathogens in a single assay.
Funding and Award Terms
- Ceiling: Total costs up to $975,000 for 3 years ($325,000 per year), including all indirect and overhead costs.
- Period of performance: Up to 36 months. You may not request the full maximum for a project shorter than 36 months.
- No fee or profit: No fee or profit is allowed on grants or cooperative agreements.
- Program funding: No total program amount or number of awards is posted.
- Cost sharing: Not required.
- Excluded costs: Costs paid to EPA for registration, and manufacturing, packaging and production costs.
Eligibility Requirements and Participation
- U.S.-based organizations: Organizations based in the 50 states, D.C. or U.S. territories may apply, including academic institutions, non-profits, and commercial firms owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens. Foreign organizations are not eligible to apply.
- Foreign partners: An eligible applicant may partner with a foreign organization for work outside the United States, but at least 50% of the work must be performed in the United States by the applicant organization.
- SAM: Extramural applicants must have an "Active" SAM registration before submitting through Grants.gov.
- Required elements: Semi-field and/or field evaluation of prototype products, and a strategy for EPA registration where the end product releases a pesticide.
- Not allowed: Fundamental basic research, vector pathogen research, clinical or vaccine research in humans (including clinical trials), acute toxicity testing, and testing of EPA-registered or commercial products unless for a new use or as part of prototype testing.
How to Apply
- Register in eBRAP: The PI starts the pre-application at eBRAP.org and selects extramural or intramural status.
- Submit the pre-application: Complete the Preproposal Narrative fields (problem, methods, significance, military relevance, transition plans), a one-page Quad Chart and a one-page References file by 5:00 p.m. ET, November 20, 2026.
- Wait for an invitation: Invitations to submit full applications go out no later than January 20, 2027.
- Submit the full application: Extramural applicants submit through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET, March 17, 2027, including a 12-page Project Narrative, Statement of Work and 3-page Transition Plan.
- Verify in eBRAP: Check and correct components before the verification period ends at 5:00 p.m. ET, March 26, 2027.
What Happens After You Submit?
- Peer review runs April to July 2027. Research Strategy and Feasibility is weighted highest, followed by Transition Plan, Statistical Plan, Impact, Background/Rationale and Personnel.
- Programmatic review runs July to August 2027 and weighs relevance, portfolio composition and military benefit. Top peer review scores are not automatically funded.
- Awards are expected September to December 2027. Each PI receives a peer review summary statement.
- Research with animals or human subjects requires DoW second-tier approval before work begins.
Is This Opportunity a Good Fit for Your Company?
This fits a U.S. company or lab with a prototype repellent, insecticide formulation, treated material or application system that has passed early lab work and is ready for semi-field or field testing. Products with a credible path to EPA registration and civilian sales line up best with the two highly prioritized focus areas. It is a weaker fit for early discovery work, diagnostics or software (lower priority this year), or for teams that need fee or profit built into the budget.
How BW&CO Can Help
BW&CO has helped deep-tech and dual-use founders secure more than $350M in non-dilutive funding. For defense research grants like the Deployed Warfighter Protection Program, we help you:
- Pick the focus area: Frame your product against DWFP-1 or DWFP-2 and the TRL 4 to 6 range.
- Write the pre-application: Draft each eBRAP narrative field within its character limit, plus the Quad Chart.
- Plan the field work: Shape a semi-field or field evaluation plan and an EPA registration strategy reviewers can follow.
- Build the full application: Prepare the Project Narrative, Statement of Work, Transition Plan and budget if you are invited.
- Handle submission: Manage eBRAP, SAM and Grants.gov steps and the verification period.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much funding is available per award?
Total costs up to $975,000 over 3 years, or $325,000 per 12-month period, including indirect costs. No total program amount is posted.
When is the pre-application due?
5:00 p.m. Eastern time (ET), November 20, 2026, through eBRAP. There are no grace periods.
Can I submit a full application without a pre-application?
No. Full applications are by invitation only, and invitations go out no later than January 20, 2027.
When is the full application due?
11:59 p.m. ET, March 17, 2027, for invited applicants.
Which focus areas are prioritized?
Bite Prevention (DWFP-1) and Vector Control (DWFP-2) are prioritized highly. Decision support tools, vector surveillance and vector pathogen diagnostics (DWFP-3 to DWFP-5) are not prioritized highly this year.
Can foreign organizations apply?
No. A U.S.-based applicant may partner with a foreign organization, but at least 50% of the work must be performed in the United States by the applicant organization.
Can the budget include fee or profit?
No. No fee or profit is allowed on grants or cooperative agreements awarded by the Department of Defense.
Is basic research eligible?
No. Applications consisting solely or primarily of basic research may be administratively withdrawn. Work should align with Advanced Technology Development at TRL 4 to 6.
Does my product need an EPA plan?
Yes, where it applies. The research should include a strategy for subsequent EPA registration for end-use products that release a pesticide. EPA registration fees themselves cannot be charged to the award.
Can BW&CO help with a DWFP submission?
Yes. BW&CO can run the full application, from the pre-application now through the invited full application in March. Book a call with our team.
Source: Grants.gov: AFPMB-BAA-27-01