Amplification of AFOSR BAA - FA9550-23-S-0001
AFOSR – IITP : RoK-US Artificial Intelligence Initiative
2025-2028
The US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) / Asian Office of Aerospace Research & Development (AOARD), the Institute of Information & communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP) announce the solicitation for a three-year program which is co-funded by the AFOSR/AOARD, and the IITP
History:
IITP has had a long 14-year relationship with the USAF and sister services for supporting basic scientific research efforts. In order to bring multiple scientists from several nationalities together in scientific collaboration in emerging technology and to leverage their intellectual resources and unique cultural background, AFOSR, and IITP are pursuing multi-parallel programs in Artificial Intelligence.
Eligibility:
This is an open call with open competition, so all are welcome to apply. All teams applying must have at least one principal investigator (PI) from an US institution, and one from a Korean institution. Such teams are invited to submit a joint proposal indicating what could be accomplished with three years of funding. Identical proposal narratives from each team should be submitted to AFOSR, and IITP.
In order to identify the range of potential interest, each team will be asked to submit a white paper with a technical narrative of no more than 3 pages. White papers should describe the proposed effort to be undertaken. Based on the evaluation of these white papers, the finalist teams will be invited to submit full proposals.
The proposals will be reviewed by AFOSR, and IITP. It is expected that basic-research efforts funded under this program will publish their results in the open literature and would foster greater scientific collaboration between the US, and Korea.
Collaborative Funding Opportunity:
The proposed work is expected to utilize next generation artificial intelligence (AI) themes to develop AI-enabled human-robotic collaborative systems through the development of new machine learning (ML) architecture, human-machine teaming, co-learning, swarm autonomy, and other unique and complex developments. Research topic of primary interest is in human-machine teaming, co-learning Teams should take into consideration ethical decision-making in its various forms, frameworks, formalisms, and governance in direct relation to AI. Research areas in scientific discovery with human-robot interactions and the development of new and exciting algorithms for autonomous robotic navigation are preferred.
More specific scientific focus areas under this collaboration is:
The IITP will support projects under this BAA Amplification, thus the Korean team must choose to submit their proposal to the IITP.
Each are supporting basic research in artificial intelligence. It is recommended proposals include an AI component with an emphasis on the collaborative system design.
Selection will be based upon (1) the technical merits of the proposed research and development, (2) potential relationship of the proposed research and development to Department of Defense missions, and (3) the unique synergy enabled by the RoK-US collaboration.
Funding Level:
All funding is estimated and based on budget availability of the US, and the Korean governments. We anticipate three years of funding - AFOSR will fund about one US PI at $178,000 per year in areas related to human-machine teaming / co-learning. IITP will fund their corresponding Korean PI 250,000,000 KRW per year in areas related to human-machine teaming / co-learning.
Focus Area
Funding Level (per year)
No. of selected Teams
Human-Machine Teaming / Co-Learning
(KOR) 250 million KRW
(US) $178,000
1
Year 1 (2025.7-2026.6) –250 million KRW for Korean PIs, US $178,000 for US PIs.
Year 2 (2026.7-2027.6) –250 million KRW for Korean PIs, US $178,000 for US PIs.
Year 3 (2027.7-2028.6) –250 million KRW for Korean PIs, US $178,000 for US PIs.
The specific dates each team will be funded will vary due to the different funding cycles.
Application Process, Timeline, and Submission Information
The proposal submission process is in two stages. White Papers are encouraged to minimize the labor and cost associated with the production of detailed full proposals that have very little chance of being selected for funding.
White Paper Phase: Each team consisting of a US PI, and a Korean PI will be asked to submit a joint white paper with a technical narrative of no more than 3 pages. The white papers should include research highlights (problem, method of investigation, uniqueness of approach, potential relevance to Department of Defense missions), and the following two items as appendices (not counted against page count): biographic information on US, and Korean, research team members, along with a simple budget. White papers should be submitted via email to the AFOSR Point of Contact (POC), and the following website of the IITP by 13 February 2025, 18:00 Korean Standard Time.
AFOSR POC: Capt. Daniel Pomerico, daniel.pomerico@us.af.mil
IITP POC: Through the IRIS system, https://www.iris.go.kr/
All submitted white papers will be reviewed independently by AFOSR, and IITP representatives. Up to 2 mutually agreed teams will be invited to submit full proposals. Based on the evaluation of these proposals up to 2 teams at US $178,000/250M KRW will be funded. The selection of the research teams qualified to submit full proposals will be announced by 15 April 2025.
Full Proposal Phase: Each application must be from a team as previously described. Full proposals will include a narrative of no more than 10 pages to compete for the final selection. The proposals should include research highlights such as the problem, method of investigation, uniqueness or novelty of approach, synergy value of the specific US/Korean team, coordination plan, personnel exchanges, and relevance to Department of Defense missions with the following items as appendices (which do not count against the page count): CV’s for all PIs, and a joint budget summary. More information can be found in the AFOSR Broad Agency Announcement (FA9550-23-S-0001). In addition, each team member will need to submit supplemental documents, forms, and budget justification required by the US/Korea funding agency from which the team member will be seeking funding. Identical joint proposal narratives and appendices with all funding-agency specific associated supplemental documents should be submitted to the following websites of IITP, and AFOSR by 14 May 2024, 18:00 Korean Standard Time.
Korean PIs: Submit applications, to include white papers, in accordance with the IITP call and domestic regulations. IITP operates the online system and applicants should log in to submit their proposals using this online system. After evaluation of the white papers, candidates for full grant application will be notified to submit a full proposal. The candidates should submit their full proposals through the online system in a similar way as they submit white papers.
Questions regarding submission of proposals may be sent to:
IITP – Mr. JongHyeok Yoon : jhyoon0423@iitp.kr
US PIs: Please see Part II for the template. Submit white papers to daniel.pomerico@us.af.mil and the full proposals through the funding opportunity FA9550-23-S-0001 (https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=345653). Please use the AOARD international package. In box 4b of the SF424 enter “Pomerico, Daniel” to direct your submission to the correct office. Once submitted, please e-mail both the full grant application package with the Grants.gov ID number to daniel.pomerico@us.af.mil.
The evaluation of full proposals will be made by AFOSR, and IITP representatives. The announcement for the awards will be made by 14 June 2024, 18:00 Korean Standard Time. Applicants funded by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), are subject to the terms and conditions described in the current AFOSR Broad Agency Announcement. Evaluation criteria and review are subject to the terms and conditions described in the current AFOSR Broad Agency Announcement.
Timeline:
16 January 2025 – Publish call for white papers
20 February 2025 – White papers are due (obligation of 30 days)
15 April 2025 – Down select 2 white papers for full proposal and notify applicants
14 May 2025 – Full proposals are due
14 June 2025 – Publish results of selection
The following items should be discussed between the Korean PI’s institution, the US PI’s institution. :
Addressing these issues well in advance will expedite the grant process and minimize delays in starting the research collaboration.
Joint Reporting:
When awarded, the Korean, and US PI's shall submit joint annual and final reports to AFOSR, and IITP as required in the grant paperwork. In addition, mandatory annual program reviews will be held, and all PI's are expected to attend the review and to make a joint oral presentation. Please ensure to budget for travel to these reviews.
Click here for the Preliminary Proposal Template