The National Science Foundation has provided this Synopsis of Program – Program solicitation NSF 20-561.

Major goals of NSF’s D-ISN include:

• Improve understanding of the operations of illicit supply networks and strengthen the ability to detect, disrupt, and dismantle them.
• Enhance research communities that effectively integrate operational, computational, social, cultural and economic expertise to provide methods and strategies to combat this complex and elusive global security challenge.
• Catalyze game-changing technological innovations that can improve discovery and traceability of illicitly sourced products and illicitly sourced labor inputs to products.
• Provide research outcomes that inform U.S. national security, law enforcement and economic development needs and policies.

This solicitation is the first of what is envisioned to be a three-year program, based on availability of funds, to support the research needed to inform the economy, security, and resilience of the Nation and the world in responding to the global threat posed by illicit supply networks. The solicitation calls for fundamental research across engineering, computer and information science, and social science with two proposal submission tracks. Track 1 research proposals should address at least one or more of the five focus domain areas listed below. Under Track 2, D-ISN calls for proposals for planning grants to support activities leading to convergence research team formation and capacity-building within the research communities interested in addressing larger-scope challenges in the future.

Please be aware of the new NSF requirements regarding Biographical Sketches and Current and Pending.  If you are interesting in applying for this funding opportunity, please start a routing sheet as soon as possible. As a reminder, proposals must be completed and submitted to OSRP at least two business days prior July 1, 2020. If you should have any questions, please contact OSRP.