Countering Chemical Weapons Threats | DFOP0017264

Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0017264

The "Countering Chemical Weapons Threats" opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DFOP0017264) is a U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) grant competition focused on chemical counterproliferation through the Chemical Security Program (CSP). The core purpose is to prevent U.S. adversaries from obtaining the materials, equipment, and specialized know-how needed to develop or expand chemical weapons capabilities that could threaten U.S. national security. Rather than concentrating only on response after an incident, the program is framed as preventive and disruption-oriented, aiming to close practical gaps that adversaries exploit in trade controls, enforcement, investigations, and chemical industry security.

Program activities center on working with "frontline" partner countries and the stakeholders who can realistically stop or expose illicit chemical weapons-related activity. The opportunity emphasizes building partner capacity to identify, interdict, and investigate high-risk transfers, including shipments and procurements that could support chemical weapons production. It also highlights strengthening the ability of partner governments to enforce U.S. sanctions where applicable, improve recognition of chemical weapons use, and support attribution efforts after chemical attacks. A notable focus area is disrupting attempts to weaponize pharmaceutical-based agents (PBAs) for offensive or military use, alongside broader efforts to stop illicit chemical shipments and improve detection of precursors, dual-use materials, and enabling equipment.

CSP also places strong weight on coordination between governments and the private sector, recognizing that chemical manufacturers, distributors, logistics providers, and related industry actors are often on the front lines of identifying suspicious inquiries, unusual purchasing patterns, diversion risks, and weak points in supply chains. The program seeks to promote U.S. chemical security standards and risk-based best practices in partner-country chemical industries while explicitly aiming to reduce unnecessary burdens on legitimate businesses. In practice, this points to assistance that improves security and compliance in targeted, practical ways (such as better risk screening, secure handling and storage, stronger due diligence, and clearer coordination channels) rather than imposing broad, one-size-fits-all requirements.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary opportunity using a Cooperative Agreement, which generally means the U.S. government expects substantial involvement during project implementation compared with a standard grant. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 19.033. The posting indicates an award ceiling of $1,000,000, with an expectation of up to 10 awards. The opportunity was created on 2025-06-02, and the original closing date is 2025-07-31.

Eligibility is broad and includes both U.S.-based and non-U.S. entities. Eligible applicants include U.S. for-profit organizations or businesses; U.S.-based nonprofit/NGOs (with or without 501(c)(3) status); U.S. private, public, or state institutions of higher education; foreign-based nonprofit/NGOs; federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs); public international organizations (PIO); foreign public entities (FPE); and foreign-based institutions of higher education. Overall, the opportunity is designed for implementers that can deliver hands-on, partner-facing programming that measurably improves interdiction, investigative capacity, sanctions-related enforcement support, attack recognition and attribution capacity, and chemical industry security cooperation in countries most exposed to chemical weapons proliferation pathways.

• The Bureau of International Security-Nonproliferation in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Countering Chemical Weapons Threats" 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 2025-06-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-07-31. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for DFOP0017264

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