Data-Driven Discovery of Optimized Multifunctional Material Systems Center of Excellence (D³OM²S CoE) | FOA AFRL RQKM 2019 5011

Opportunity Information: Apply for FOA AFRL RQKM 2019 5011

The Data-Driven Discovery of Optimized Multifunctional Material Systems Center of Excellence (D3OM2S CoE) funding opportunity (FOA AFRL RQKM 2019 5011) is a U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) effort to create a collaborative center focused on using modern computational approaches to speed up and improve materials research that matters to the U.S. Air Force. The core aim is to develop and apply artificial intelligence, data analytics, and decision science methods to real materials problem areas, with an emphasis on work that is tightly connected to Air Force researchers rather than operating in isolation. In practice, the opportunity is trying to build an enduring, integrated research relationship where academic and USAF teams jointly shape research questions, share insights, and translate data-driven methods into useful materials understanding.

A defining feature of the program is that it is designed to grow and sustain those collaborations by directly funding graduate students at the recipient institution or institutions. Those students are expected to carry out basic research in materials-related problem spaces while applying and adapting data-analytic techniques. The emphasis on “basic research” signals that the program is not purely about near-term product development; it is about pushing the underlying science forward. At the same time, the program is not looking for vague or purely exploratory work. It explicitly calls for results that are “actionable” and “quantifiable,” meaning the research should produce outputs that can be used to make decisions, test hypotheses, or guide follow-on experimentation and development. Examples of the types of outputs implied by this language include validated predictive models, measurable performance tradeoffs, quantified uncertainty, prioritized experimental plans, or data-driven evidence that clarifies relationships between processing, structure, properties, and performance in materials systems.

The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial involvement from the government partner compared to a standard grant. That aligns with the stated goal of “strong, organic collaborations” between the recipient and USAF researchers. Cooperative agreements generally imply that AFRL expects to actively engage with the awardee through technical coordination, joint planning, data or resource sharing where appropriate, and ongoing alignment to Air Force materials challenges. The opportunity is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development (CFDA 12.800), reinforcing that this is an R&D-centered program within the Department of Defense.

In terms of competitiveness and scale, the FOA lists an expectation of a single award, suggesting AFRL intended to select one primary recipient or one lead organization (potentially with partners) to serve as the Center of Excellence. The eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning the competition is broadly open to different entity types, as long as they meet any conditions described in the full announcement’s eligibility clarifications. The posting was created on November 30, 2018, with an original closing date of January 3, 2019, placing it in a timeframe where proposals would have been expected to quickly outline a credible plan for building a data-driven materials research hub and integrating graduate student research with Air Force priorities.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a workforce-and-collaboration-driven research center effort: it aims to develop a pipeline of graduate researchers working at the intersection of materials science and data/AI methods, while simultaneously delivering measurable advances in fundamental understanding of Air Force-relevant materials systems. The desired end state is not just publications, but decision-ready knowledge and analytic tools that improve how materials are discovered, optimized, and evaluated for multifunctional performance in defense-relevant contexts.

• The Department of Defense, Air Force -- Research Lab in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Data-Driven Discovery of Optimized Multifunctional Material Systems Center of Excellence (D³OM²S CoE)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.800.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 30, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 03, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 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.

Apply for FOA AFRL RQKM 2019 5011

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