Status: Open. 5-page pre-proposals due January 7, 2027, 2:00 p.m. ET through SEMS.
Executive Summary
The Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) is the Department of War's environmental research and development program, run in partnership with the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. It funds research that improves outcomes, manages risk, or cuts the cost and time of solving environmental problems on military installations.
Its FY 2028 core call for research ideas (Broad Agency Announcement, BAA W912HQ27S0001), posted November 5, 2026, lists nine research needs (Statements of Need, SONs) in water, stormwater, PFAS, land management, coatings and critical minerals. SERDP expects multiple awards totaling about $10 million. The first step is a 5-page pre-proposal, due January 7, 2027, 2:00 p.m. ET.
Solicitation at a Glance
- Agency: Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP), Department of War, with contracting by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mission Support Battalion (UMSB)
- Solicitation: FY 2028 SERDP Core Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), W912HQ27S0001
- Who submits under it: Private-sector organizations of any size and universities (federal organizations use the separate Federal Call)
- Funding: Multiple awards totaling about $10 million, subject to funds; no per-award cap posted
- Award type: Generally cost-type contracts; fixed-price possible
- Pre-proposals due: January 7, 2027, 2:00 p.m. ET
- Full proposals (by request only): March 12, 2027, 2:00 p.m. ET
- Anticipated awards: June 2028
Think your company fits a SERDP research need? Talk with BW&CO before you write the 5-page pre-proposal.
What Is SERDP?
SERDP funds basic research, applied research and advanced technology development that addresses Department of War installation and environmental challenges. Projects are led by researchers from industry, universities and government labs. The program runs an annual competition with a short pre-proposal, a full proposal on request, and an oral presentation to the SERDP Technical Review Board.
The Nine Research Needs (Statements of Need)
Each pre-proposal answers one SON. Official titles, grouped by theme:
- Water and stormwater: Development of Alternative Water Production and Resilience Technologies; Development of Residuals Management Options of PFAS-Impacted Wastewater Streams; Integrated Flow Diversion, Retention, and Synergistic Treatment Trains for Stormwater Management; Development of Integrated Conceptual Site Models and Coupled Modeling Frameworks for Stormwater and Transport of Chemicals of Concern
- Land on military installations: Data Fusion for Monitoring Conditions of Natural Infrastructure and Decision Support on Military Installations; Evaluating Performance of Resource Management Practices on Military Installations
- Materials and supply chain: Advanced Performance Coatings; Technologies for Critical Mineral Refining Unit Operations; Identification of Plants and Favorable Growing Conditions to Produce Optimal Nitrocellulose
SERDP program areas: Environmental Restoration, Resource Conservation and Resilience, and Weapons Systems and Platforms. Each SON on the SERDP site names a technical contact.
Funding and Contract Terms
- Total: About $10 million across multiple awards, depending on proposal quality and available funds
- Contract type: SERDP projects are generally cost-type contracts, which require an approved accounting system and an accepted, current government audit. If that is not in place and the work suits it, SERDP may offer a firm-fixed-price contract
- Pricing data: Certified cost or pricing data is required above $10 million
- Cybersecurity: DFARS 252.204-7012 (safeguarding covered defense information) is in every SERDP contract
Eligibility
- Who: Small businesses, large businesses and educational institutions submit under this BAA
- One need per pre-proposal: Separate pre-proposals are needed for more than one SON
- Content limits: No ITAR, EAR, controlled unclassified information (CUI), company proprietary or limited-distribution material
- SAM: Active registration in the federal System for Award Management at submission
- Subcontracting plan: Required if selected for large businesses, universities and nonprofits proposing more than $900,000
How to Submit
- Register the proposal: Enter the details in SEMS, the SERDP and ESTCP Management System, to get a proposal number
- Write 5 pages: 11-point minimum, 1-inch margins, one PDF: proposal number, title, lead PI and organization, objective, background, a hypothesis-driven approach (the main focus), schedule with milestones, total estimated cost by year (no line-item budget) and research team
- Add appendices: 1-page CVs and an acronym list (required), citations if used, up to 3 pages of supporting data and existing support (optional); appendices do not count toward the 5 pages
- Submit, not just save: Proposals left in Saved status are not reviewed. Deadline January 7, 2027, 2:00 p.m. ET
How SERDP Reviews It
- SERDP Relevance: Pass/fail: does it answer the SON and fit the SERDP mission
- Technical Merit: Significantly more important than the other factors
- Personnel: Qualifications and time commitment of the PI and key staff
- Cost: Reasonableness; cost sharing or leveraged resources are considered
- Transition Plan: Full proposals only
What Happens After You Submit?
- Early February 2027: Requests for full proposals sent
- March 12, 2027: Full proposals due, 2:00 p.m. ET
- July to August 2027: Proposers notified
- September to October 2027: Presentations to the SERDP Technical Review Board
- June 2028: Anticipated awards (not guaranteed)
SERDP does not debrief pre-proposals that are not asked to continue.
Is This Opportunity a Good Fit for Your Company?
It fits water treatment, reuse and PFAS destruction companies; stormwater, groundwater and environmental modeling firms; remote sensing, geospatial and decision-support software teams; coatings, corrosion and surface engineering startups; critical minerals refining and separations companies; plant science and biomass labs; and university research groups. A company with an earlier-stage idea can look at the smaller SERDP Exploratory Development (SEED) call instead.
How BW&CO Can Help
BW&CO has helped deep-tech and dual-use founders secure more than $350M in non-dilutive funding. For research calls like SERDP, we help you:
- Pick the Statement of Need that fits your technology
- Frame the hypothesis-driven approach SERDP scores first
- Write the 5-page pre-proposal and appendices
- Plan the cost estimate and the right contract type
- Prepare the full proposal and Technical Review Board presentation if invited
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the pre-proposal due?
January 7, 2027, 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, through SEMS.
How much funding is available?
SERDP anticipates multiple awards totaling about $10 million, depending on proposal quality and available funds. No per-award cap is posted.
Can a startup lead?
Yes. Small and large businesses and educational institutions submit under this BAA.
Do I need an approved accounting system?
For a cost-type contract, yes. If you do not have one and the work suits it, SERDP may offer a firm-fixed-price contract.
Can I answer more than one research need?
Yes, with a separate pre-proposal for each SON.
Can I include proprietary data?
No. Proprietary, ITAR, EAR, CUI and limited-distribution content is not accepted.
Is there a smaller option?
Yes. SERDP SEED (W912HQ27S0002) funds about one-year proof-of-concept projects up to $350,000, with proposals due March 11, 2027, 2:00 p.m. ET.
Is there a webinar?
Yes. SERDP leadership and program managers hold a funding webinar on November 20, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. ET; registration is on the SERDP website.
Can BW&CO help with a SERDP pre-proposal?
Yes. We can help you choose the SON and write the pre-proposal with your team. Book a call with our team.
Source: SAM: W912HQ27S0001, SERDP Core BAA (posted November 5, 2026) and SERDP: FY 2028 Core Solicitation and Statements of Need