Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF 22 HAB BAA
The Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Field Validation Program is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funding opportunity (Department of Defense) aimed at tackling freshwater harmful algal blooms, often driven by cyanobacteria, that disrupt waterways, infrastructure, and operations and create major economic and environmental costs. The core purpose is not basic research or small lab trials, but real-world field validation: taking prevention and management technologies that already have evidence from lab or pilot testing and proving how well they work at operationally relevant scales in actual freshwater environments. The program is looking for approaches that can be deployed broadly, perform reliably, and remain cost-effective across different waterbody types (for example, flowing rivers and streams versus still lakes and reservoirs) and across different climate and ecoregion conditions in the United States.
The announcement emphasizes practical HAB prevention and management outcomes tied to water resources development projects, meaning projects connected to Corps-related or similar engineered water systems and infrastructure. Proposed work is expected to focus on determining the causes of HABs and/or applying technologies to detect, prevent, manage, or eliminate HABs in those settings. A major expectation is that projects will produce decision-grade evidence, including detailed cost and performance data. That data is intended to guide future use, support technology transfer, and make it easier for other sites to adopt proven solutions. In other words, the deliverable is not just "it worked here," but "here is how well it worked, what it cost, what conditions mattered, and what it would take to scale or replicate elsewhere."
In terms of what the funder wants to see, proposals are expected to align with at least one of several stated objectives. Strong proposals will show clear potential to significantly reduce HAB frequency and impacts in water resources development contexts. They may also feature new or innovative methods, including technologies emerging from the Corps' Freshwater Harmful Algal Bloom Research and Development Initiative authorized under Section 1109 of WRDA 2018. Another priority is leveraging what already exists: using and integrating existing federal and state datasets and aligning with ongoing agency programs and activities, rather than duplicating monitoring or rebuilding data systems from scratch. There is also an explicit geographic preference: projects that address HAB problems associated with water resources development projects within certain focus areas are favored.
While projects can be located anywhere in the nation, preference is given to field validation efforts in six focus areas: the Great Lakes; tidal and inland waters of New Jersey; coastal and tidal waters of Louisiana; the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta waterways in California; the Allegheny Reservoir Watershed in New York; and Lake Okeechobee, Florida. Beyond those preference areas, the opportunity also signals an interest in producing results that can be applied more broadly, including across multiple water resources development projects or federally constructed reservoirs, with particular mention of the Upper Missouri River Basin and the North Platte River Basin. This reflects the program's emphasis on solutions that are scalable and transferrable, not one-off demonstrations that cannot be repeated.
There are also clear boundaries on what is and is not responsive. Proposals that focus extensively on general water quality issues, including drinking water impacts, are not needed under this topic at this time, which suggests the sponsor is trying to keep the scope centered on HAB prevention and management in operational water resource settings rather than broader public water supply treatment questions. In addition, proposals that use Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for monitoring or surveying will not be considered, so applicants need to plan field validation and monitoring using other methods (for example, in-water sensors, fixed platforms, sampling programs, satellite products where applicable, or other non-UAS approaches).
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity under a Broad Agency Announcement special topic area, using a cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically implies substantial involvement or collaboration with the government during the project. The CFDA number listed is 12.630. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity may apply, subject to any additional requirements in the full announcement. The posted maximum award amount is up to $4,000,000, with an expectation of around five awards. The opportunity was originally posted May 23, 2022, with an original closing date of July 15, 2022, under funding opportunity number W81EWF 22 HAB BAA.
Overall, the program is best understood as a push to move promising HAB technologies from controlled trials into credible, field-proven tools that water resource managers can justify adopting. The strongest applications are likely to be those that (1) target a real HAB problem tied to water resources development infrastructure, (2) validate a technology or integrated technology suite that is already beyond the concept stage, (3) produce rigorous cost and performance evidence suitable for broader adoption and permitting, and (4) demonstrate coordination with existing governmental datasets and programs while avoiding excluded approaches like UAS-based monitoring.Apply for W81EWF 22 HAB BAA
- The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- Corps of Engineers in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Harmful Algal Bloom Field Validation Program: Aquatic Nuisance Species, Broad Agency Announcement Special Topic Area." and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 23, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 15, 2022. (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 $4,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Field Validation Program
What is the HAB Field Validation Program?
The Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Field Validation Program is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Department of Defense) funding opportunity focused on addressing freshwater harmful algal blooms (often driven by cyanobacteria) that disrupt waterways, infrastructure, and operations and create significant economic and environmental impacts.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The main purpose is real-world field validation, not basic research. The program aims to take HAB prevention and management technologies that already have evidence from lab or pilot testing and validate how well they work at operationally relevant scales in actual freshwater environments.
Is this program intended for basic research or early-stage lab experiments?
No. The announcement emphasizes that it is not aimed at basic research or small lab trials. It is intended for technologies beyond the concept stage that are ready to be tested in the field at realistic operating scales.
What types of harmful algal blooms are in scope?
The scope is freshwater HABs, often driven by cyanobacteria. The program is focused on HABs that affect waterways and operational water resource settings connected to infrastructure and water resources development projects.
What kinds of projects are considered a good fit?
Projects are expected to focus on determining causes of HABs and/or applying technologies to detect, prevent, manage, or eliminate HABs in water resources development contexts. A strong fit is a project that validates a deployable, scalable approach and produces decision-grade cost and performance evidence.
What does "field validation" mean in this announcement?
Field validation means proving performance in real freshwater environments at operationally relevant scales, rather than showing a technology works only in controlled lab conditions or small pilot trials. The goal is to demonstrate reliability, cost-effectiveness, and applicability across different waterbody types and conditions.
What kinds of freshwater environments does the program care about?
The program is interested in solutions that can work across different waterbody types (for example, flowing rivers and streams versus still lakes and reservoirs) and across different U.S. climate and ecoregion conditions.
How important are cost and performance measurements?
They are a major expectation. Projects are expected to produce decision-grade evidence, including detailed cost and performance data, so other sites can understand what worked, what it cost, under what conditions it performed well, and what would be required to scale or replicate it.
What is meant by "decision-grade evidence"?
Decision-grade evidence refers to results that are credible and detailed enough to support future use and technology transfer. The emphasis is on reporting how well a solution performed, what conditions mattered, and what it would take to deploy the approach elsewhere, not just reporting that it worked at one location.
What objectives should proposals align with?
Proposals are expected to align with at least one of the stated objectives in the announcement. Based on the summary provided, strong proposals show potential to significantly reduce HAB frequency and impacts in water resources development contexts, may incorporate innovative methods (including those emerging from the Corps' WRDA 2018 Section 1109 initiative), and leverage existing federal and state datasets and ongoing programs rather than duplicating efforts.
Does the opportunity encourage innovative technologies?
Yes. The announcement notes interest in new or innovative methods, including technologies emerging from the Corps' Freshwater Harmful Algal Bloom Research and Development Initiative authorized under Section 1109 of WRDA 2018.
Does the program expect applicants to use existing datasets?
Yes. A stated priority is leveraging and integrating existing federal and state datasets and aligning with ongoing agency programs and activities, rather than duplicating monitoring or rebuilding data systems from scratch.
Where can projects be located?
Projects can be located anywhere in the United States, but the program gives preference to field validation efforts in certain focus areas.
Which geographic areas are preferred?
Preference is given to six focus areas: (1) the Great Lakes; (2) tidal and inland waters of New Jersey; (3) coastal and tidal waters of Louisiana; (4) the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta waterways in California; (5) the Allegheny Reservoir Watershed in New York; and (6) Lake Okeechobee, Florida.
If a project is outside the preferred focus areas, is it still eligible?
Yes. The opportunity states projects can be located anywhere in the nation, although proposals in the six focus areas are favored.
Is the program interested in results that apply beyond a single site?
Yes. The program emphasizes scalable and transferable solutions and signals interest in results that can be applied across multiple water resources development projects or federally constructed reservoirs.
Are any additional regions mentioned as examples of broader applicability?
Yes. The announcement specifically mentions interest in broader application across projects or reservoirs, with particular mention of the Upper Missouri River Basin and the North Platte River Basin.
What kinds of impacts is the program trying to reduce?
The program is looking for approaches that significantly reduce HAB frequency and impacts in water resources development contexts, where HABs disrupt waterways, infrastructure, and operations and generate major economic and environmental costs.
What is meant by "water resources development projects" in this context?
The announcement ties desired outcomes to water resources development projects associated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or similar engineered water systems and infrastructure. Proposed work is intended to address HABs affecting those operational settings.
Are proposals about general water quality issues responsive?
Not if they focus extensively on general water quality issues. The announcement indicates proposals centered heavily on general water quality topics, including drinking water impacts, are not needed under this topic at this time.
Can the project focus on drinking water treatment impacts from HABs?
The summary indicates that proposals focusing extensively on drinking water impacts are not needed under this topic at this time, suggesting the sponsor wants to keep the scope centered on HAB prevention and management in operational water resource settings.
Are Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) allowed for monitoring or surveying?
No. Proposals that use Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for monitoring or surveying will not be considered under this opportunity.
If UAS cannot be used, what monitoring approaches are implied as alternatives?
The summary suggests planning monitoring using other methods such as in-water sensors, fixed platforms, sampling programs, satellite products where applicable, or other non-UAS approaches.
What type of funding mechanism is being used?
The opportunity is described as a discretionary funding opportunity under a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) special topic area, using a cooperative agreement mechanism.
What does a cooperative agreement imply for project execution?
In general terms as described in the summary, a cooperative agreement typically implies substantial involvement or collaboration with the government during the project.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 12.630.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity may apply, subject to any additional requirements in the full announcement.
What is the maximum award amount?
The posted maximum award amount is up to $4,000,000.
How many awards are expected?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of around five awards.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is W81EWF 22 HAB BAA.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close (originally)?
The opportunity was originally posted on May 23, 2022, with an original closing date of July 15, 2022.
What should a strong application emphasize?
Based on the summary provided, the strongest applications are likely to: (1) target a real HAB problem tied to water resources development infrastructure; (2) validate a technology or integrated technology suite that is already beyond the concept stage; (3) produce rigorous cost and performance evidence suitable for broader adoption and technology transfer; and (4) demonstrate coordination with existing governmental datasets and programs while avoiding excluded approaches such as UAS-based monitoring.
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