Defense Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Consortium (DSEC) Cooperative Agreement | W911NF 18 S 0008

Opportunity Information: Apply for W911NF 18 S 0008

The Defense Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Consortium (DSEC) Cooperative Agreement is a Department of Defense funding opportunity designed to strengthen and better coordinate K-16 STEM education and outreach efforts that connect directly to the DoD workforce needs. Grounded in the authority of 10 USC 2192 (improvement of education in technical fields), the opportunity positions DSEC as a central "vehicle" to help identify, standardize, and promote stronger guidelines and proven practices for STEM programs spanning kindergarten through undergraduate education. The larger intent is to expand and diversify DoD's approach to STEM engagement in ways that support the "Force of the Future" and align with both Federal STEM priorities and the DoD STEM Strategic Plan.

At its core, the opportunity is about building a more reliable pipeline of STEM talent while making DoD a more attractive and durable career destination for that talent. The DoD describes its STEM mission as attracting, inspiring, and developing exceptional STEM talent across the education continuum to address defense technology challenges. DSEC is expected to work collaboratively with the Government to deliver a cohesive strategy that supports the DoD STEM Strategic Plan's major outcomes: strengthening the national and DoD STEM pipeline, reducing the loss of STEM professionals from DoD over time, and keeping DoD competitive with industry and other nations that are also aggressively pursuing STEM expertise. A key theme is improving the "permeability of ideas" into the DoD workforce, meaning the consortium should help ideas, innovations, and people move more smoothly between education, industry, and defense-related work through partnerships that are scalable and sustainable.

The cooperative agreement is structured around five fundamental elements that define what the consortium must be able to do. First is consortium management, which includes the organizational backbone for coordinating multiple stakeholders and activities under a unified framework. Second is program evaluation and data collection, analysis, and reporting, emphasizing that DoD wants evidence-based decision-making, measurable outcomes, and consistent reporting that can guide improvements across programs. Third is outreach and communications, reflecting the need for clear messaging, broader awareness, and coordinated engagement with target audiences. Fourth is STEM alumni management, which points to maintaining long-term relationships with program participants and tracking educational and career trajectories, including potential pathways into DoD opportunities. Fifth is strategic outreach initiatives, which covers the targeted efforts and partnerships intended to expand reach, fill gaps, and align outreach activities with DoD workforce priorities and the strategic plan.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity issued by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army - Materiel Command, under Funding Opportunity Number W911NF-18-S-0008 and CFDA 12.560. The instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial involvement by the Government in the execution of the project compared with a standard grant. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status), and other eligible entities as described in the full announcement. The opportunity was created on May 22, 2018, with an original closing date of June 25, 2018. The listed award ceiling is $82,000,000, and the announcement anticipated up to 20 awards, indicating an intent to support multiple efforts under the consortium framework rather than a single stand-alone project.

Overall, DSEC is presented less as a single program and more as an enabling structure that DoD can use to coordinate, assess, and scale K-16 STEM education and outreach activities. The emphasis on evaluation, communications, alumni tracking, and strategic partnerships signals that DoD is seeking an integrated ecosystem approach: recruiting and inspiring students early, supporting them through key transitions in the education continuum, and maintaining connections that can lead to sustained participation in the defense STEM workforce.

• The Department of Defense, Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Defense Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Consortium (DSEC) Cooperative Agreement" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.560.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 22, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 25, 2018. (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 $82,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for W911NF 18 S 0008

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