NDEP STEM Open NFO

Overview

The Department of Defense (DoD) Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) seeks innovative applications on mechanisms to implement and research the effectiveness of STEM education, outreach, and/or workforce initiative programs, here onto referred as STEM activities. 
In response to this NFO, the Department intends to release amendments and solicitations, such as Industry Days, Opportunity Days, etc., detailing funding opportunities through award(s) in STEM activities. 

These activities include, but are not limited to: 
(1) STEM Education and Outreach 
(2) Support for STEM Education at Two-Year Institutions/Community Colleges (2YI/CCs)
(3) Manufacturing Engineering Education Program 
(4) Education and Workforce Development aligned to the DoD Critical Technology Areas 
(5) Enhanced Civics Education 
(6) STEM Scholarship Programs 
(7) Strategic Partnerships 
(8) Program Evaluations and Assessments 
(9) Data Analytics and Visualizations 
(10) Activities aligned to the DoD STEM Strategic Plan
(11) Other NDEP Congressional Initiatives and Programs

This NFO competition is implemented in two stages: 
(1) Applicants must submit a white paper by the designated deadline specified in the NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement. 
(2) Based on assessment of the white paper, selected applicants will be invited to submit an application by the designated deadline.
White papers that fail to address the areas listed in the Program Description of the NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement will not be evaluated and will not receive an invitation to submit a full technical application.

Per 2 CFR § 200.216, funds may not be used to procure telecommunications equipment or video surveillance services or equipment produced by 

• Huawei Technologies Company 
• ZTE Corporation Hytera Communications Corporation
• Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company
• Dahua Technology Company
• Any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities 

Resultant grants will not allow reimbursement of pre-Federal award costs. The DoD will only fund salary, fringe benefits and indirect costs on awards under the announcement. Funds from an award may not be used to attain fee or profit.  

Mandatory White Paper Due: March 5, 2025  

In response to this NFO, applicants may be asked for a mandatory white paper submission, emailed to osd.dodstem@mail.mil. Use of the white paper is intended to determine which efforts are of merit preparatory to submission of a full application as described in Section IV. Applicants will be selected from the white paper submissions to be invited by the Government via email to submit a full application on Grants.gov for evaluation and possible award consideration. White papers that fail to address the areas listed in the Program Description of the NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement will not be evaluated and will not receive an invitation to submit a full technical application.

The submission of a white paper is dependent on the NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement. In addition to the submission requirements outlined in Section IV, all responses should address items in the specific NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement.

The white paper should be emailed to osd.dodstem@mail.mil with the subject line, “NFO White Paper Submission.”

For all personnel proposed as key personnel applicants must submit an SF424 Research and Related (R&R) 4040-001 Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) form.

All awards are expected to be in place by 8 February 2028.