DHS BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D) COUNTERING WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION (CWMD)

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD) is announcing a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Research and Development (R&D) proposals to counter attempts by terrorists or other threat actors to carry out an attack against the United States or its interests using a weapon of mass destruction. The BAA will remain open for 5 years, and white papers and proposals will be solicited and accepted during the timeframes specified within the Areas of Interest (AOIs) posted periodically throughout the life of this over-arching BAA. Key areas of research include: • Biological Defense Portfolio (BDP): improving sensor detection technologies, developing technologies that can detect agents faster, identifying new or emerging pathogens autonomously, and promoting field-forward technologies with agnostic detection capabilities. • Chemical Defense Portfolio (CDP): improving checkpoint and mass transit chemical threat detection, wide area monitoring for early chemical threat warning, and improved fieldable detection and identification for chemical threats. • Radiological/Nuclear Portfolio (R/N): cost-effective R/N equipment with sufficient performance and reduced operational burden, detection of special nuclear material even when heavily shielded, monitoring along challenging pathways and in between ports of entry for R/N threats. • Data Analytics Portfolio (DAP): increasing CBRN detection sensitivity, increasing CBRN detection selectivity, increasing the speeds of scanning and detection, devising sensor networking methodologies, capturing sensor and program data, and improving the DHS ability to maintain WMD awareness by developing advanced algorithms. Proposers are encouraged to submit white papers and proposals in response to the various AOIs under this BAA.