Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0009442
The Proof of Concept for Biosecurity Science and Technology Review International Advisory Body grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0009442) is a U.S. Department of State program, run through the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, aimed at helping Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) States Parties keep pace with fast-moving biotechnology developments. The central idea is that biotechnology, and especially synthetic biology, is advancing quickly and spreading beyond traditional research institutions. These advances can deliver major public benefits, but they also introduce new security concerns that can affect public safety and global stability. The opportunity is framed as a "proof of concept," meaning it is intended to pilot or demonstrate an approach rather than stand up a large, permanent institution at full scale. In practical terms, it supports work that helps governments understand emerging bioscience and biotechnology capabilities and translate that understanding into informed biosecurity and nonproliferation decision-making within the BWC context.
The problem the funding is responding to is the growing accessibility of powerful biological tools and techniques. Capabilities that once required specialized facilities and tightly supervised environments are increasingly available to a broader set of users, including nontraditional consumers who may operate outside formal laboratory settings and outside standard oversight structures. This shift creates a different risk landscape: it can complicate the detection of misuse, strain existing governance models, and raise the chance that benign tools could be repurposed for harmful ends. The opportunity emphasizes that BWC States Parties need better ways to track, interpret, and discuss the security implications of these scientific and technological developments. An international advisory body focused on science and technology review is presented as a possible mechanism to help close that gap by providing structured, credible, and timely assessments to inform multilateral discussions.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant made through a cooperative agreement, which usually implies more substantial involvement by the funding agency during the period of performance than a standard grant. The program is listed under CFDA 19.033. The anticipated funding level is modest and focused: the award ceiling is $175,000, and only one award was expected. This setup reinforces the pilot nature of the project, suggesting the Department of State was looking for a targeted demonstration that could be evaluated and potentially scaled or replicated later depending on results and stakeholder interest.
Eligibility for this opportunity was limited to for-profit organizations that are not small businesses, which is a notable constraint compared to many federal opportunities that prioritize universities, nonprofits, or small businesses. The opportunity was posted on February 21, 2023, with an original closing date of April 16, 2023. In terms of what a successful project would likely need to deliver, the description points toward outputs that help BWC States Parties understand and engage with emerging biotech risks and benefits. That could reasonably include developing methods for horizon scanning of relevant biotech advances, establishing processes for translating technical information into policy-relevant findings, convening expert input in a way that supports international participation, and producing trial assessments or briefing products that demonstrate how an advisory mechanism could operate in practice. The overall intent is to strengthen international biosecurity awareness and decision support at a time when scientific progress is accelerating and the boundary between specialized and widely accessible biotechnology is becoming increasingly thin.Apply for SFOP0009442
- 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 "Proof of Concept for Biosecurity Science & Technology Review International Advisory Body" 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 Feb 21, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 16, 2023. (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 $175,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: For profit organizations other than small businesses.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Proof of Concept for Biosecurity Science and Technology Review International Advisory Body."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is SFOP0009442.
Which U.S. government agency is offering this opportunity?
This is a U.S. Department of State program run through the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation.
What is the purpose of this funding opportunity?
The purpose is to help Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) States Parties keep pace with fast-moving developments in bioscience and biotechnology, especially synthetic biology, and to support informed biosecurity and nonproliferation decision-making in the BWC context.
Why is this opportunity being offered now?
The opportunity responds to the growing accessibility of powerful biological tools and techniques. As biotechnology spreads beyond traditional research institutions and formal oversight structures, it can become harder to detect misuse and easier for benign tools to be repurposed for harmful ends. The program emphasizes the need for better ways to track, interpret, and discuss the security implications of emerging scientific and technological developments.
What does "proof of concept" mean in this program?
"Proof of concept" indicates the project is intended to pilot or demonstrate an approach rather than create a large, permanent institution operating at full scale. The goal is to produce a targeted demonstration that can be evaluated and potentially scaled or replicated later.
What type of award is this?
This is a discretionary grant made through a cooperative agreement.
What does a cooperative agreement imply for this project?
A cooperative agreement usually implies more substantial involvement by the funding agency during the period of performance than a standard grant.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 19.033.
How much funding is available?
The award ceiling is $175,000.
How many awards were expected?
Only one award was expected.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to for-profit organizations that are not small businesses.
Are universities, nonprofits, or small businesses eligible?
Not under the eligibility description provided. The opportunity specifically limited eligibility to for-profit organizations that are not small businesses.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on February 21, 2023.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was April 16, 2023.
What problem is the project designed to address?
The project is designed to address the changing risk landscape created by rapid advances in biotechnology and the wider availability of tools and techniques beyond traditional laboratories. This shift can strain existing governance models, complicate detection of misuse, and increase the chance of harmful repurposing.
What kinds of activities does the opportunity suggest supporting?
Based on the description, the work would likely support activities that help governments understand emerging bioscience and biotechnology capabilities and convert that understanding into policy-relevant biosecurity and nonproliferation decision-making within the BWC context.
What kinds of deliverables might a successful project produce?
The description points toward outputs such as methods for horizon scanning relevant biotech advances, processes for translating technical information into policy-relevant findings, convening expert input that supports international participation, and producing trial assessments or briefing products demonstrating how an advisory mechanism could work in practice.
What is meant by "horizon scanning" in this context?
In this context, horizon scanning refers to developing methods to track and identify emerging bioscience and biotechnology advances that could have security implications, so they can be interpreted and discussed in a timely way.
How does this opportunity relate to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC)?
The opportunity is explicitly framed around helping BWC States Parties understand and engage with the risks and benefits of emerging biotechnology, and to support multilateral discussions and decision-making in the BWC context.
What is the "international advisory body" concept described here?
An international advisory body focused on science and technology review is presented as a possible mechanism to provide structured, credible, and timely assessments of scientific and technological developments, with the intent of informing multilateral discussions among BWC States Parties.
What is the broader intended impact of this project?
The overall intent is to strengthen international biosecurity awareness and decision support as scientific progress accelerates and the boundary between specialized and widely accessible biotechnology becomes thinner, affecting public safety and global stability.
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