Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0006248
The 2020 CTR Countering Threats from Acquisition or Misuse of Emerging and Advanced Technologies for WMD and WMD-Related Delivery Systems opportunity is a U.S. Department of State grant program run by the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN), specifically under its Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) efforts. It is framed around a central national security problem: preventing emerging and advanced technologies from being acquired or redirected in ways that could strengthen weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs or the delivery systems used to deploy them. The opportunity emphasizes that the risk is not limited to traditional smuggling or covert procurement networks. It also includes perfectly legal pathways that can still result in harmful transfer or exploitation, such as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, research collaborations, talent recruitment arrangements, and other forms of legitimate scientific and commercial engagement that can unintentionally (or intentionally) provide access to sensitive capabilities.
A defining feature of this funding notice is its explicit focus on countering the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the context of technology acquisition and misuse. The program is seeking practical ideas and implementable projects that reduce the likelihood that PRC-linked entities, intermediaries, or affiliated networks can obtain, replicate, or exploit high-impact technologies that could be applicable to WMD development or WMD-related delivery systems. The intent is to address both illicit acquisition (for example, theft of intellectual property, cyber-enabled theft, covert procurement, and forced technology transfer) and licit acquisition (such as investments, partnerships, or acquisitions that may provide access to sensitive know-how, equipment, data, or manufacturing processes). In other words, proposals are expected to take seriously the reality that the same technologies driving innovation in medicine, computing, and aerospace can also be repurposed for strategic weapons programs if adequate safeguards, policies, and controls are not in place.
The technologies highlighted as being of particular interest span several fast-moving, high-consequence areas. The notice specifically calls out certain biotechnologies, including tools such as DNA sequencers and DNA synthesizers, which can be central to advanced biological research but may also enable capabilities relevant to biological weapons development, novel agent engineering, or scaled experimentation. It also highlights microprocessor and high-performance computing, which can support complex modeling and simulation relevant to weapons design, materials research, and other advanced military applications. Quantum information and sensing appears as another priority area, reflecting concern that breakthroughs in quantum technologies could create strategic advantages, including in sensing, navigation, communications, or information processing. Finally, the notice points to guidance and propulsion systems, which are directly relevant to missiles and other delivery platforms, making them a natural focus for efforts aimed at preventing WMD-related delivery system advancement.
From an administrative and funding standpoint, this is a discretionary grant competition using a Cooperative Agreement instrument, meaning recipients should expect a more hands-on relationship with the U.S. government than a standard grant, often involving coordination, shared planning, or ongoing engagement with program staff during execution. The opportunity number is SFOP0006248, and it is associated with CFDA 19.033. The program lists eligibility as unrestricted, which generally means a wide range of applicant types may apply (such as nonprofits, universities, think tanks, private sector entities, and potentially others), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications that may be contained in the full notice. The posting indicates an expected number of awards of 10, with an award ceiling listed as 1 (as provided in the source data). The opportunity was created on November 1, 2019, with an original closing date of January 31, 2020.
Overall, the grant is best understood as a call for concrete, defensible measures that reduce technology-transfer risk tied to WMD and delivery systems, with an emphasis on the PRC as the primary counterproliferation challenge in this specific context. Competitive proposals would typically align to the program’s underlying logic: identify where and how high-value technologies are most vulnerable to acquisition or misuse (through both legal and illegal channels), then put forward actionable interventions that can block, deter, detect, or mitigate those pathways without unnecessarily undermining legitimate research and commerce.Apply for SFOP0006248
- The Department of State, Bureau of International Security-Nonproliferation in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2020 CTR Countering Threats from Acquisition or Misuse of Emerging and Advanced Technologies for WMD and WMD-Related Delivery Systems" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.033.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 01, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 31, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the 2020 CTR opportunity focused on?
This opportunity funds projects that help prevent emerging and advanced technologies from being acquired, redirected, or misused in ways that could strengthen weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs or WMD-related delivery systems. It is framed as a national security and counterproliferation problem focused on practical prevention and risk reduction.
Which U.S. government organization is offering this grant?
The program is offered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN), under its Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) efforts.
What is the official opportunity number and CFDA number?
The opportunity number is SFOP0006248, and it is associated with CFDA 19.033.
What is the central problem the program is trying to solve?
The program is intended to reduce the risk that sensitive, high-impact emerging and advanced technologies are obtained or exploited in ways that enable WMD development or improve delivery systems used to deploy WMD.
Is the program only concerned with illegal technology theft and smuggling?
No. The notice explicitly highlights both illicit pathways (such as cyber-enabled theft, theft of intellectual property, covert procurement, and forced technology transfer) and licit pathways that may be legal but still risky (such as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, research collaborations, and talent recruitment arrangements).
Why does the opportunity emphasize licit (legal) acquisition pathways?
The opportunity recognizes that legitimate scientific and commercial activity can unintentionally (or intentionally) provide access to sensitive know-how, equipment, data, or manufacturing processes. The program encourages proposals that address these real-world routes of technology transfer risk.
Does this opportunity have a specific country focus?
Yes. A defining feature of this notice is its explicit focus on countering the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the context of technology acquisition and misuse related to WMD and WMD-related delivery systems.
What types of PRC-linked actors or pathways are in scope?
The notice describes concern about PRC-linked entities, intermediaries, or affiliated networks obtaining, replicating, or exploiting high-impact technologies. It also highlights risk from both direct acquisition and indirect acquisition through partnerships, investments, and other legal mechanisms that can provide access.
What technologies are specifically highlighted as priorities?
The notice calls out several fast-moving areas of interest, including:
- Biotechnologies such as DNA sequencers and DNA synthesizers
- Microprocessors and high-performance computing
- Quantum information and sensing
- Guidance and propulsion systems
Why are DNA sequencers and DNA synthesizers mentioned?
They are central tools in advanced biological research but may also enable capabilities relevant to biological weapons development, novel agent engineering, or scaled experimentation. The opportunity is aimed at reducing the risk that such tools and related know-how are misused.
Why are microprocessors and high-performance computing (HPC) included?
These technologies can support complex modeling and simulation relevant to weapons design, materials research, and other advanced military applications. The program seeks measures that reduce the likelihood of risky access or exploitation.
Why are quantum information and sensing technologies included?
The notice reflects concern that breakthroughs in quantum technologies may create strategic advantages in areas such as sensing, navigation, communications, or information processing, and could be relevant to advanced defense or WMD-related capabilities.
Why are guidance and propulsion systems a focus area?
Guidance and propulsion are directly relevant to missiles and other delivery platforms, making them a natural focus for efforts intended to prevent advancement of WMD-related delivery systems.
What kinds of projects is the program looking for?
The notice seeks practical ideas and implementable projects that reduce the likelihood of acquisition, replication, or exploitation of high-impact technologies for WMD or delivery system purposes. Proposals are expected to identify vulnerabilities and present actionable interventions that can block, deter, detect, or mitigate risky pathways.
Does the opportunity require balancing security with legitimate research and commerce?
Yes. The opportunity is framed around reducing technology-transfer risk without unnecessarily undermining legitimate research and commercial engagement.
What funding instrument will be used?
The notice describes this as a discretionary grant competition using a Cooperative Agreement instrument.
What does it mean that this is a Cooperative Agreement?
A Cooperative Agreement typically involves a more hands-on relationship with the U.S. government than a standard grant. Recipients should expect coordination, shared planning, or ongoing engagement with program staff during execution.
Is eligibility restricted to a narrow set of applicants?
The posting lists eligibility as unrestricted, which generally suggests a wide range of applicant types may apply (such as nonprofits, universities, think tanks, private sector entities, and potentially others), subject to any additional clarifications in the full notice.
How many awards are expected?
The posting indicates an expected number of awards of 10.
What is the award ceiling?
The posting lists an award ceiling of 1 (as provided in the source data for this opportunity).
When was the opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on November 1, 2019, and the original closing date was January 31, 2020.
What should a competitive proposal generally demonstrate?
Based on the notice framing, competitive proposals would typically (1) identify where and how high-value technologies are vulnerable to acquisition or misuse through both legal and illegal channels, and (2) propose concrete measures that reduce that risk in a defensible and implementable way, with attention to the PRC-linked acquisition and misuse challenge described in the opportunity.
Is this grant specifically about WMD, or also about delivery systems?
It addresses both WMD and WMD-related delivery systems. The notice explicitly includes technologies relevant to delivery platforms (for example, guidance and propulsion systems).
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