EconDefense
Record-specific actor routing

Follow through on ACQ-21

DARPA Contracts Management Office or Service contracting/grants/agreements office; Performing laboratory or external research performer

This is a record-specific route, not an additional institutional directory node. Current assignment must be verified.

Authority holder · recorded legal basis

Secretary of Defense acting through USD(R&E)

Executing office · routing lead

DARPA Contracts Management Office or Service contracting/grants/agreements office; Performing laboratory or external research performer

Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.

Intake

Use the responsible program or contracting office for this instrument.

The recorded role is not itself a general application endpoint.

Program process, intake and eligibility →Checked 2026-10-04 · program documented

Program process and intake

Checked 2026-10-04 · program documented. Program evidence is separate from legal authority, available funds and transaction approval.

A current DEPSCoR research-collaboration notice identifies the actual offices, mentor pairing, geographic eligibility and grant scale.

FY 26 DEPSCoR Research Collaboration

Who this route serves
Eligible-state university faculty paired with experienced defense-research mentors
Administering office / routing lead
OUSD(R&E) Basic Research Office; AFOSR awards; ONR administration
Direct implementation

This is the named DEPSCoR program implementing the geographically targeted research-capacity instrument, not a general state business subsidy.

What this evidence label means
White-paper deadline ahead

White papers due October 12, 2026; invited full proposals April 5, 2027.

Status reference date: 2026-10-04 · research checked 2026-10-04

Army research teaming: current academic opportunities · 2026 DEPSCoR Research Collaboration; white-paper and invited-proposal datesofficial program opportunity listing · Evidence record

Program eligibility

  • Applicant is a tenured/tenure-track faculty member in a listed eligible jurisdiction with no prior DoD prime-research PI award; mentor has qualifying active DoD prime-PI experience during October 2018–September 2026.

    FY26 DEPSCoR Research Collaboration notice · NOFOAFRLAFOSR20260004; description, eligibility, amendments and award informationofficial funding opportunity · published 2026-08-10 · Evidence record

Steps and preparation

  • Read eligibility table and latest amendments; prepare the paired research proposal and security/disclosure documents; full proposals follow the invitation process.

    FY26 DEPSCoR Research Collaboration notice · NOFOAFRLAFOSR20260004; description, eligibility, amendments and award informationofficial funding opportunity · published 2026-08-10 · Evidence record
Funding, limits and authority relationship

Funding and financial terms

  • research grants · FY2026 funds /2027 award cycle

    Up to24 three-year grants of$600,000 each; anticipated$14.4 million overall fromFY2026 appropriations, subject to availability. No matching requirement.

    FY26 DEPSCoR Research Collaboration notice · NOFOAFRLAFOSR20260004; description, eligibility, amendments and award informationofficial funding opportunity · published 2026-08-10 · Evidence record

Exclusions and limits

  • A listed state alone is insufficient: PI/mentor and institutional conditions also apply.

    FY26 DEPSCoR Research Collaboration notice · NOFOAFRLAFOSR20260004; description, eligibility, amendments and award informationofficial funding opportunity · published 2026-08-10 · Evidence record

Authority relationship source

FY26 DEPSCoR Research Collaboration notice · NOFOAFRLAFOSR20260004; description, eligibility, amendments and award informationofficial funding opportunity · published 2026-08-10 · Evidence record

Read DEPSCoR notice and amendments →

published guidance: Published process; verify the controlling notice before submission.

Research scope and sources checked

Read official Grants.gov mirror and current Army opportunity listing; checked updated September 16 amendments, geographic and prior-award eligibility, sponsor/awarder/administrator separation and dates.

What remains unverified

  • Individual awards and uncommitted balances not independently verified.

A dated source check is not continuing monitoring. Recheck the linked official notice before preparing a submission. Browse program research →

What this role does not control

A routing lead does not establish funds, an individual delegation or approval of the proposed action.

Legal basisSources linkedLegal sources and instrument limits are recorded.
RequirementsGates recordedRead the requirements for this instrument; applicability depends on the proposed action.
Public fundingRules recordedAvailable program appropriations; no entitlement from designation alone. Office budget figures are separate institutional context, not an allocation to this instrument.
Assigned rolesRoles recordedPublic sources describe institutional authority. The instrument identifies approval and execution roles; a specific signature remains transaction-dependent.
EngagementProcess sourcedA current DEPSCoR research-collaboration notice identifies the actual offices, mentor pairing, geographic eligibility and grant scale. Program check: 2026-10-04; see each route for intake status.

Selected instrument

ACQ-21 · University research & workforce

Build research capacity in eligible states through DEPSCoR

Competitively fund university research, instrumentation and graduate assistance, and facilitate laboratory collaboration in eligible states and territories.

What this is not / limit: Geographically targeted eligibility; not a universal state economic-development grant.

Executing role: DARPA Contracts Management Office or Service contracting/grants/agreements office; Performing laboratory or external research performer

Authority holder

Secretary of Defense acting through USD(R&E)

Eligibility gate

  • USD(R&E) designates eligible states using statutory funding and state-commitment criteria.
  • Awards support defense-responsive science/engineering and competitive research capacity.

Funding condition

  • Available program appropriations; no entitlement from designation alone.

All recorded limits

  • Geographically targeted eligibility; not a universal state economic-development grant.
Other statutory tools
Legal basisSources linked
RequirementsGates recorded
Public fundingRules recorded
Assigned rolesRoles recorded
EngagementProcess sourced
Continue to actor →
Actor sources & routing basis

Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.