Department of War Cyber Academic Engagement Office

In accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act, the Department of War's Office of the Chief Information Officer established a central office to manage all cyber-related academic engagement. This office provides grants to strengthen, modernize, and expand cybersecurity curriculum, talent, and institutional capabilities. To achieve its mission of unifying efforts and cultivating talent, the office focuses on several key areas. It supports the development and modernization of cybersecurity curricula at all educational levels, from K-12 through university, and provides professional education to upskill the existing military and civilian workforce. The office fosters a robust talent pipeline through a variety of experiential learning programs, including scholarships, internships, fellowships, apprenticeships, and competitive cyber challenges. Furthermore, it promotes collaboration and innovation by facilitating research opportunities, hosting seminars and conferences, and developing a shared information infrastructure to support academic and government partners. These comprehensive efforts aim to build a sustainable and highly skilled cybersecurity workforce for the Department.

This assistance listing is for designated partner institutions seeking funding to support capacity building projects. To be eligible to apply for and receive award, institutions must be in good standing, be current on all reporting requirements, and demonstrate a history of successfully executing such grants.

Proposals for funding will be evaluated based on a comprehensive set of criteria to ensure the selection of high-quality, viable, and impactful projects. Initially, applicants must meet all fundamental Eligibility requirements and demonstrate a strong history of Past Performance in managing grant funding, which establishes the institution's capacity and reliability. The core of the evaluation will then focus on the proposal's clarity and substance, requiring a clear articulation of the project's Objectives and a Sound Methodology for achieving them, including a reasonable timeline. Successful proposals must also specify plans for all required Deliverables and demonstrate the Quality & Experience of the proposed team, certifying their time commitments. If collaborators are involved, Identified Partners and their responsibilities must be clearly delineated. Where solicited, the project's degree of Project Innovation will also be assessed. Finally, the proposed Cost must be reasonable for the project's scope; in cases where proposals are evaluated as equal, cost will be a determining factor in the final selection.