Naval Research Laboratory Postdoctoral Fellowship Program | N00173 20 S HD01

Opportunity Information: Apply for N00173 20 S HD01

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (PFP) funding opportunity (FOA number N00173-20-S-HD01, CFDA 12.300) was a competitive federal solicitation to stand up and run NRLs flagship postdoctoral fellowship program through one or more cooperative agreements. The central aim of the program is to attract postdoctoral scientists and engineers who show exceptional promise and give them the chance to pursue largely self-directed research topics, as long as those topics align with NRL and broader government interests. The fellowship-supported research is intended to advance fundamental science and technology and is framed as work that may have both civilian and military relevance, contributing to NRLs overall research mission.

This FOA is not simply a call for individual postdocs to apply. Instead, NRL sought an external organization (or organizations) capable of administering the entire fellowship enterprise in partnership with the government. Because the award mechanism is a Cooperative Agreement under 31 U.S.C. 6305 (and governed by DoD Grant and Agreement Regulations, DoDGARs), the relationship is described as a true collaboration rather than a standard procurement. NRL anticipated substantial government involvement in planning, managing, and executing the research program, including active coordination with the selected administrator(s) and with the fellows once placed at NRL.

Applicants to the FOA (the entities proposing to run the program) were expected to propose a full operational approach for recruiting, selecting, onboarding, and supporting fellows. The required capabilities included building a targeted advertising and outreach plan tied to NRL mission areas and facilities, with deliberate consideration of broadening participation pipelines such as outreach to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), as well as major domestic universities and professional communities. The administrator would also be responsible for developing marketing and informational materials in coordination with NRL, maintaining an ongoing application intake process, and establishing a rigorous competitive review and selection system. Beyond selection, the FOA emphasized the need for a clear vetting and recommendation workflow to NRL, plus a program management structure that covers fellow support, progress reporting, performance evaluations, recordkeeping, and all payment and financial reporting requirements.

From the fellowship perspective, the program is designed around fellows performing research primarily on-site at NRL locations, with historical performance locations noted as Washington, DC; Stennis, Mississippi; and Monterey, California. While the administering organization could perform many program operations from any location, the actual research appointments are centered at NRL facilities. Participation as a fellow was restricted to US citizens and US permanent residents, reflecting the nature of the work environment and access requirements typical of defense research settings. The FOA referenced historical estimates for the number of fellows and stipend levels, indicating that those details were informed by prior program experience and budgeting patterns.

The period of performance for the cooperative agreement(s) was planned for five years total, structured as four years during which new fellowship awards could be made, followed by a final closeout year with no new fellowship awards. The opportunity was categorized as discretionary funding in science and technology and other research and development, with eligibility listed as unrestricted for organizations capable of running the program.

Administratively, proposals had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov; faxed or emailed proposals were explicitly not accepted. The original closing date was December 14, 2020. An amendment (Amendment 0001) extended the time available for potential applicants to submit questions, keeping the Q&A window open until November 25, 2020 at 12:00 pm, with questions directed to the listed point of contact (heather.dinsmore@nrl.navy.mil) and answers to be posted publicly on Grants.gov.

Finally, the posting includes an award announcement for FY21 indicating that awards under this FOA were made to the National Academy of Sciences (contract/action number N00173-21-2-C004) and the American Society for Engineering Education (N00173-21-2-C003). This reflects that NRL ultimately selected established national organizations with experience managing competitive research fellowships to administer the program under cooperative agreements and partner with NRL on recruiting top postdoctoral talent and supporting research aligned with Navy and national priorities.

• The Naval Research Laboratory in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Naval Research Laboratory Postdoctoral Fellowship Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-11-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-12-14. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

Apply for N00173 20 S HD01

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: