Denying U.S. Adversaries Access to Sensitive Nuclear, Missile, and Advanced Technical Expertise for Weapons of Mass Destruction Programs that Threaten America | DFOP0017252

Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0017252

This grant opportunity, titled "Denying U.S. Adversaries Access to Sensitive Nuclear, Missile, and Advanced Technical Expertise for Weapons of Mass Destruction Programs that Threaten America" (Funding Opportunity Number DFOP0017252), is a discretionary funding call from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN), specifically through its Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) efforts. The program behind it is the Nonproliferation Scientist Engagement Program (NSEP), and its core purpose is to reduce national security risk by engaging civilian scientists, technicians, and engineers who possess expertise that could be repurposed for nuclear weapons, ballistic missile development, or other advanced WMD-relevant programs. The emphasis is on people who are geographically displaced or financially vulnerable in ways that make them more likely to be targeted, recruited, or pressured by U.S. adversaries seeking to accelerate WMD capabilities.

NSEP is framed as a near-term, targeted engagement tool for FY 2025/2026, aligned with specific U.S. foreign policy and security priorities. The opportunity highlights three main threat concerns: countering Iran-related proliferation pressures in line with the Maximum Pressure Campaign, addressing North Korea's ongoing WMD and ballistic missile programs, and preventing the Chinese Communist Party from acquiring or leveraging sensitive technical know-how that could advance strategic weapons programs aimed at challenging U.S. security and leadership. In practical terms, the program is not broadly focused on science cooperation in general; it is narrowly designed for the subset of civilian technical experts whose skills could materially contribute to nuclear, missile, or similarly high-consequence weapons development if diverted.

A major theme of the opportunity is "expertise nonproliferation" rather than traditional material security. Instead of only focusing on safeguarding equipment or physical technologies, NSEP focuses on preventing the spread of human capital and specialized knowledge. The program description makes clear that it seeks to deny adversaries access to sensitive expertise by providing alternative pathways and constructive engagement for at-risk experts. It also aims to protect the U.S. technological edge by keeping advanced, WMD-relevant know-how from being transferred, whether directly or indirectly, to hostile state programs. At the same time, NSEP is designed to build connections between these scientists and the U.S. private sector and related scientific or technical partners, offering legitimate collaboration channels that reduce incentives or vulnerabilities that adversaries could exploit.

The funding instrument is a Cooperative Agreement, which typically means the U.S. government expects substantial involvement in the project beyond standard grant oversight. Applicants should generally anticipate active coordination with the agency on priorities, program design, and implementation details, especially given the sensitive national security focus and the need to tailor engagements to specific risk environments and target expert communities.

In terms of funding scale and competition structure, the award ceiling is $2,000,000 per award, with an anticipated total of 5 awards. The original application closing date is July 30, 2025, and the opportunity was created on May 30, 2025. The CFDA (Assistance Listing) number associated with the opportunity is 19.033, which aligns with State Department security and nonproliferation assistance programming.

Eligibility is intentionally broad to attract capable implementers with relevant technical, compliance, and international engagement capacity. Eligible applicants include U.S. for-profit organizations and businesses; U.S.-based non-profit or non-governmental organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); U.S.-based private, public, or state institutions of higher education; foreign-based NGOs; Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs); Public International Organizations (PIOs); Foreign Public Entities (FPEs); and foreign-based institutions of higher education. This range suggests the program is open to implementers that can combine scientific credibility, international networks, and strong risk management practices, including the ability to responsibly engage sensitive technical communities in a way that supports U.S. nonproliferation objectives.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a national security engagement and prevention program: it seeks to identify and work with vulnerable, highly skilled civilian technical experts, steer their expertise toward peaceful and legitimate avenues, and reduce the likelihood that adversarial governments can recruit or co-opt that expertise for nuclear, missile, or other advanced WMD programs that could threaten the United States.

• The Bureau of International Security-Nonproliferation in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Denying U.S. Adversaries Access to Sensitive Nuclear, Missile, and Advanced Technical Expertise for Weapons of Mass Destruction Programs that Threaten America" 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 2025-05-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-07-30. (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 $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for DFOP0017252

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