Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0006247
The "2020 CTR Securing WMD Expertise at Higher Education Institutions" opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0006247) is a U.S. Department of State grant program run through the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation under the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) mission. Its core purpose is to help universities and other higher education institutions strengthen their ability to stop the loss, theft, or improper transfer of sensitive knowledge, technology, and research capabilities that could support weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs. The program is framed around the risk that proliferator states and their procurement networks may target academic environments because universities often host advanced research, specialized equipment, and international collaborations that can be exploited if security and vetting systems are weak or inconsistent.
The opportunity is specifically focused on preventing transfers of proliferation-sensitive technology and expertise to countries identified in the announcement as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Iran, the People's Republic of China (PRC), Russia, and Syria. Rather than funding basic research itself, CTR is looking for practical, programmatic activities that improve institutional controls and decision-making. In plain terms, the Department of State is asking applicants to propose ways to help academic institutions know what they have (sensitive research and equipment), understand who is gaining access (students, faculty, visiting scholars, researchers, collaborators, and grant beneficiaries), and put durable processes in place to reduce the chance that WMD-relevant expertise or materials are diverted to hostile or sanctioned actors.
A major emphasis is on two complementary areas. The first is controlling access to proliferation-sensitive research and equipment, which typically involves strengthening internal compliance and security measures around laboratories, specialized instrumentation, controlled technical information, data, and research workflows. This can include improving how institutions identify which projects or assets carry proliferation risk, how they restrict physical and digital access, and how they monitor or manage high-risk activities such as certain kinds of international collaboration, equipment use, or sharing of technical data. The second emphasis is comprehensive vetting: establishing or improving processes to screen and evaluate individuals connected to WMD-applicable fields, including students, faculty, researchers, and recipients of research funding. The intent is to help institutions implement consistent, defensible due diligence practices that can detect red flags, reduce insider risk, and ensure that participation in sensitive work is appropriately reviewed.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement, meaning the government anticipates substantial involvement during the period of performance rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal federal interaction. The program is listed under CFDA 19.033 and is open eligibility-wise (described as "unrestricted," meaning any entity may apply unless additional eligibility details in the full notice narrow that scope). The announcement was created on November 1, 2019, with an original closing date of January 31, 2020. The award ceiling is listed as 1 (as shown in the source data), and the program anticipated making up to 10 awards, suggesting CTR intended to support multiple efforts across institutions or implementing partners rather than a single national program.
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as capacity-building for university security and compliance in WMD-relevant domains. It is designed to move institutions toward more mature, standardized controls that protect sensitive research ecosystems from exploitation by proliferator states, while also formalizing vetting and review processes that address the human side of the risk (who participates, who gets access, and under what conditions).Apply for SFOP0006247
- 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 Securing WMD Expertise at Higher Education Institutions" 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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FAQs: 2020 CTR Securing WMD Expertise at Higher Education Institutions (SFOP0006247)
What is the “2020 CTR Securing WMD Expertise at Higher Education Institutions” opportunity?
It is a U.S. Department of State grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0006247) under the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, aligned with the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) mission. The program supports practical efforts that help higher education institutions reduce the risk that sensitive knowledge, technology, or research capabilities could be lost, stolen, or improperly transferred in ways that could support weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs.
Which U.S. government office runs this program?
The opportunity is run through the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, under the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) mission.
What is the core goal of the program?
The core goal is to strengthen universities’ and other higher education institutions’ ability to prevent the loss, theft, or improper transfer of sensitive expertise, technology, and research capabilities that could be used for WMD-related purposes.
Why is the program focused on universities and academic environments?
The announcement frames universities as attractive targets because they often host advanced research, specialized equipment, and international collaborations. If security controls and vetting practices are weak or inconsistent, proliferator states and procurement networks may exploit academic settings to obtain sensitive capabilities or know-how.
Does the program fund basic research?
No. The opportunity is not described as funding basic research itself. Instead, it emphasizes practical, programmatic activities that improve institutional controls and decision-making around sensitive research, technology, equipment, and access.
What types of activities is CTR looking to support?
The opportunity emphasizes capacity-building activities that help institutions: identify what sensitive research and equipment they have, understand who is gaining access (including students, faculty, visiting scholars, researchers, collaborators, and grant beneficiaries), and implement durable processes to reduce the chance of diversion to hostile or sanctioned actors.
What are the two main focus areas highlighted in the announcement?
The opportunity highlights two complementary focus areas: (1) controlling access to proliferation-sensitive research and equipment, and (2) comprehensive vetting of people connected to WMD-applicable fields and activities.
What does “controlling access to proliferation-sensitive research and equipment” mean in practice?
It refers to strengthening internal compliance and security measures around laboratories, specialized instrumentation, controlled technical information, data, and research workflows. Examples described in the opportunity include improving how an institution identifies which projects or assets carry proliferation risk, restricts physical and digital access, and monitors or manages higher-risk activities such as certain international collaborations, equipment use, or the sharing of technical data.
What does the opportunity mean by “comprehensive vetting”?
Comprehensive vetting means establishing or improving processes to screen and evaluate individuals connected to WMD-applicable fields. The opportunity specifically mentions students, faculty, researchers, and recipients of research funding. The intent is to support consistent due diligence practices that can detect red flags, reduce insider risk, and ensure participation in sensitive work is appropriately reviewed.
Who are the people or roles that institutions are expected to evaluate under this program?
The announcement calls out screening and evaluation for individuals such as students, faculty, researchers, visiting scholars, collaborators, and grant beneficiaries or recipients of research funding, especially when linked to WMD-applicable fields or access to sensitive work.
Which countries are specifically named as destinations of concern for preventing sensitive transfers?
The opportunity specifically focuses on preventing transfers of proliferation-sensitive technology and expertise to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Iran, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Russia, and Syria.
What kind of award instrument will be used?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award is a “cooperative agreement”?
It means the government anticipates substantial involvement during the period of performance, rather than issuing a grant with minimal federal interaction.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 19.033.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as “unrestricted,” meaning any entity may apply unless additional eligibility details in the full notice narrow that scope.
When was the announcement created and what was the original closing date?
The announcement was created on November 1, 2019, and the original closing date was January 31, 2020.
How many awards were expected to be made?
The opportunity anticipated making up to 10 awards, indicating support for multiple efforts across institutions or implementing partners.
What does the “award ceiling is listed as 1” mean in the source data?
The source data lists the award ceiling as 1, while also stating that up to 10 awards were anticipated. Based on the information provided, this suggests the listing may be a data field artifact or a separate constraint in the source record, while the narrative expectation is multiple awards. The opportunity summary itself does not provide additional clarification beyond those two data points.
Is the program mainly about physical security, cyber/data controls, or administrative compliance?
It is framed as institutional capacity-building that can span multiple control areas. The description includes physical and digital access controls, handling of technical information and data, laboratory and equipment access practices, monitoring of higher-risk activities, and formalized vetting and due diligence processes.
What problem is the program trying to reduce?
The program aims to reduce the risk that sensitive academic research ecosystems are exploited by proliferator states and procurement networks, particularly through weak controls over access to sensitive research and equipment and inconsistent or insufficient vetting of individuals involved in WMD-applicable fields.
Is the opportunity focused on improving decision-making as well as controls?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes improving institutional controls and decision-making, including how institutions identify sensitive projects/assets, determine who should have access, and establish consistent processes for review and due diligence.
How is this opportunity best described at a high level?
It is a capacity-building opportunity to help higher education institutions mature and standardize security, compliance, access control, and vetting practices in WMD-relevant domains, with the goal of preventing improper transfers of sensitive expertise, technology, and research capabilities.
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