GlobalX Challenge: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Non-federal entities from academia and industry may participate. ONR Global requires that the proposing team be led by an eligible non-U.S.-based research entity, whether from academia, industry and/or the broader scientific community. U.S.-based non-federal entities may also participate as part of a multi-national team but are not required. Eligibility requirements are detailed in the BAA, specifically under Section C. Eligibility Information (page 5) and the ONR Global overview (page 11). As stated above, this Challenge is an opportunity specifically directed toward international performers; therefore, ONR Global expects the majority of team members will be entities outside of the U.S. Each team shall designate a lead Principal Investigator (PI) whose organization outside of the U.S. will submit the white paper or proposal and will be responsible for distributing funding to co-PIs and other sub-recipients. For a given project team, one award is made to the PI’s institution. Only the PI’s institution will be the prime awardee, and that institution is responsible for all aspects of the grant, including adhering to the conditions on the use of funds and other terms and conditions of the grant.

No, teams are not required to be led by a U.S. university. ONR Global expects teams to be led by performers from outside of the U.S. Researchers from U.S. research entities may also participate but are not required. Each team shall designate a lead Principal Investigator (PI) from outside of the U.S. whose research organization will submit the white paper or proposal, and that will distribute funding to co-PIs and other subrecipients.

Rights to inventions made under an ONR Global grant are governed by 37 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) Part 401, implementing the requirements of the Bayh-Dole Act. This regulation provides that a grantee will have an option to retain ownership of a “Subject Invention,” subject to certain terms and conditions, including a license to the U.S. Government. There are particular requirements for the grantee to exercise this option. Grant applicants may wish to consult their own legal counsel for specific information about how the various intellectual property terms and conditions of the grant may affect them.

37 C.F.R. 401 is available online at the following link: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=01f8752ac4b5fcbf5bd737da15c863d9&mc=true&node=pt37.1.401&rgn=div5

In regard to copyright assertions, the Department of Defense (DoD) Research General Terms and Conditions (March 2025) say, “The DoD reserves a royalty free, nonexclusive and irrevocable license to: a. Reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work for Federal Government purposes; and b. Authorize others to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work for Federal Government purposes.”

In addition, the same DoD Research General Terms and Conditions (March 2025) say the following about data in general, “The Federal Government has the right to: a. Obtain, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the data produced under this award; and b. Authorize others to receive, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the data produced under this award for Federal Government purposes.”

Grant applicants can view the model grants, and grant terms and conditions at the following ONR webpage URLs:
https://www.onr.navy.mil/work-with-us/how-to-apply/submit-grant-application

Should a follow-on research effort result from the GlobalX Challenge, specific issues related to IP will be addressed at that time.

ONR Global may award one grant or multiple grants. The number of grants and amounts of funding for each grant will depend on the scope of work within the proposals submitted.

ONR Global has allocated up to $250,000 for initial awards in response to the GlobalX Challenge. ONR Global encourages each team to consider providing a detailed budget breakdown that clearly delineates the scope of the 12-month initial effort, separating any costs that would be part of a follow-on effort.

Cost sharing is not expected and will not be used as a factor during the merit review of any proposal hereunder. However, the Government may consider voluntary cost sharing if proposed.

To the extent that by “cash contribution” the question refers to “cost-sharing,” then no, cost-sharing is not expected and will not be used as a factor during the merit review of any proposal hereunder. However, the Government may consider voluntary cost sharing if proposed.

ONR Global expects to award only research grants under this GlobalX Challenge. ONR Global anticipates successfully demonstrated concepts will attract additional funding from other sources (including possibly for contracts or other acquisition vehicles) for potential follow-on accelerated research efforts under a separate agile acquisition mechanism; however, this does not imply the promise of additional funding.

A non-U.S. research entity submitting the white paper or proposal will be the “prime” grantee. A U.S. research entity may partner with the non-U.S. “prime.” For a given project team, one award is made to the PI’s institution. Only the PI’s institution will be the prime awardee, and that institution is responsible for all aspects of the grant, including conditions on the use of funds and other terms and conditions of the grant.

U.S. research entities may participate on a team but cannot serve as the lead principal investigator’s organization.

Yes. Funding to U.S. members of a research team will come through the lead international research organization that is awarded the grant.

No. The research entity submitting the white paper/proposal will be the prime and must be an entity outside the U.S.

Yes, although ONR Global encourages multi-national teaming.

No.

The intent of the GlobalX Challenge is for multi-national multidisciplinary teams to submit white papers and proposals for revolutionary concepts; however, individual/solo investigators are not prohibited from submitting a white paper or proposal for the GlobalX challenge assuming they meet other eligibility requirements.

Yes. Researchers from a U.S. Government research organization such as NPS, or any other U.S. Government organization, may participate on a team, but cannot receive funding directly from ONR Global under a grant issued from this GlobalX Challenge Call.

Since ONR Global is a part of ONR, any support contract terms would still apply. These terms should indicate if a company is eligible to submit a proposal.

Yes, students may participate as part of a multi-national team.

Each team shall designate a lead Principal Investigator (PI) whose research organization outside of the U.S. will submit the white paper or proposal, and that will distribute funding to co-PIs and other subrecipients. Only the PI’s institution will be the prime awardee, and that institution is responsible for all aspects of the grant, including conditions on the use of funds and other terms and conditions of the grant.

No. ONR Global will evaluate white papers and proposals as described in Section II (E) of the ONR FY25 Long Range BAA N0001425SB001. These evaluation criteria include overall scientific and technical merit, potential Naval relevance and the availability of funds.

Research organizations and individuals that are not subject to U.S. sanctions, or otherwise excluded from doing business with the U.S. Government, may participate. Please note the grant applicant is responsible for complying with any applicable sanctions, export controls, and similar limitations. Each key personnel will be assessed to ensure eligibility and compliance.

ONR Global does not expect there to be any classified information involved with research projects associated with the GlobalX challenge. Thus, no requirements are expected for security clearance for the GlobalX Challenge projects. The final research progress report must be unclassified and publicly releasable.

Possibly, but the grant applicant is responsible for complying with any applicable sanctions, export controls, and similar limitations.

Applicants should be aware of recent changes in export control laws. Applicants are responsible, as applicable, for ensuring compliance with all U.S. export control laws and regulations, including:

The International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) (22 C.F.R. Parts 120 – 130), available online at:.

Export Administration Regulation (EAR) (15 C.F.R. Parts 730 – 774), available online at: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR).

In some cases, developmental items funded by the Department of Defense are now included on the United States Munition List (USML) (22 C.F.R. Part 121), and are therefore subject to ITAR jurisdiction. In other cases, items that were previously included on the USML have been moved to the EAR Commerce Control List (CCL). Offerors should address in their proposals whether ITAR or EAR restrictions apply to the work they are proposing to perform for ONR.

The USML is available online at: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=c03b6dab423a5da3724f0ed5dafce670&mc=true&node=pt22.1.121&rgn=div5.

Applicants must comply with all U.S. export control laws and regulations, including the ITAR and EAR, in the performance of any award or agreement resulting from the BAA. Applicants shall be responsible for obtaining any required licenses or other approvals, or license exemptions or exceptions if applicable, for exports of hardware, technical data, and software (including deemed exports), or for the provision of technical assistance.

There is no requirement for a specific number of countries or institutions. ONR Global expects, but does not require, that multi-national teams will consist of at least two research entities outside of the U.S.

Not directly, although participants within entities physically based in the U.S. may receive funding from the principal investigator’s research organization outside of the U.S. that was awarded the grant.

All qualified researchers may participate on a research team, including students and postdoctoral researchers. The non-U.S. research entity submitting the white paper or proposal will be the “prime” grantee. A U.S. research entity may partner with the non-U.S. “prime.”

For a given project team, one award is made to the PI’s institution. Only the PI’s institution will be the prime awardee, and that institution is responsible for all aspects of the grant, including conditions on the use of funds and other terms and conditions of the grant.

Yes. Researchers from any eligible research entity may participate on more than one team and a given research entity may submit multiple white papers/proposals.

What may be included in a budget and the associated cost allowability are determined primarily by the terms and conditions (T&Cs) of the grant. Specific T&Cs will apply from among those listed at the following link depending on the nature of the project and the grantee’s status (e.g. for-profit, non-profit, etc.): https://www.onr.navy.mil/work-with-us/how-to-apply/submit-grant-application.

Cost Principles are outlined in Title 2 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200, Subpart E (2 C.F.R. 200, Subpart E), and are available at the following link: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=688692a455257e7dbc2edcd457b983d8&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5

Yes. ONR Global will consider proposed equipment as part of the overall evaluation of white papers and proposals. As a result, equipment proposed should clearly support concept demonstration and not be just to modernize facilities that will be used for future research. Cost Principles are outlined in Title 2 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200, Subpart E (2 C.F.R. 200, Subpart E), and are available at the following link: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=688692a455257e7dbc2edcd457b983d8&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5.

No. Please submit white papers as described in Section V of the Call (https://www.onr.navy.mil/work-with-us/funding-opportunities/globalx-innovation-joint-challenge-ai-advancing-maritime).

No. White papers are submitted via email, per Section V of the Call.

Please see Section V of the Call for white paper format guidelines.

No. Please follow the format guidelines indicated in Section V of the Call.

Please address in your white paper what you intend to accomplish in both the initial research period and any contemplated optional research period.

No. ONR Global will provide feedback on white papers submitted.

No. See FY25 ONR Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for more details on “contracted fundamental research.”

The initial period of a GlobalX Challenge grant is not to exceed twelve months, with an optional research period of another twelve months if exercised, for a total of twenty-four months.

Please refer to the Call for a more detailed description of the challenge statements and expectations of the GlobalX Challenge.

No. In the Call, each challenge lists descriptive attributes and potentially enabling technical disciplines, but the Call is open-ended to allow teams to formulate their own revolutionary concept that best achieves the attributes. These attributes are not all encompassing and a revolutionary concept may exceed those listed.

Due to the multidisciplinary and open-ended nature of the GlobalX Challenge statements, ONR Global expects revolutionary concepts to be a mixture of fundamental science and more applied technologies.

ONR Global seeks new and revolutionary concepts, without any requirement for TRL. A revolutionary concept has both a high payoff and high technical risk. Therefore, proposed concepts will likely be at a lower TRL. The GlobalX Challenge is not intended to mature successfully demonstrated concepts. Such technology maturation may require subsequent follow-on efforts.

As stated in the Long-Range BAA, potential naval relevance and contribution to the ONR and Department of Navy mission are factors in the evaluation of white papers and proposals. ONR Global expects promising revolutionary concepts to result in capability advances that have both military and commercial value.

In certain situations, no cost extensions are allowable for grants. However, the GlobalX Challenge is not a typical research effort. The intent is to demonstrate a revolutionary concept that may meet objectives within twelve months of grant award. ONR Global will evaluate the technical merit of white papers and proposals, which includes the ability of a team to successfully demonstrate their concept in eight months.

Subject matter experts within ONR Global and the signatory nations of the International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research (ICE-PPR) will evaluate white papers and proposals. ONR Global will select proposals for award.

There is no required number of partners to participate in the GlobalX Challenge.

We understand the word “blue-sky” to mean “Creative or visionary and unconstrained by practicalities.” Yes, ONR Global seeks to stimulate “blue-sky” ideas from multiple disciplines that can be innovatively integrated to demonstrate a revolutionary capability.

The innovations may be relevant to sea, land and air-based activities.

While important, these elements are not a consideration in the GlobalX Challenge unless they affect the overall technical merit of the proposal.

ONR Global grants do not have deliverables, per se, but there are required reports. Grant terms and conditions describe the required reports. A summary of the required reports can be found in the Terms and Conditions found at the following site: https://www.onr.navy.mil/work-with-us/manage-your-award/manage-grant-award/grants-terms-conditions.

Yes. Innovative research ideas in white papers and proposals may be submitted to an ONR Program Officer or to ONR Global under the ONR FY25 Long Range BAA N0001425SB001.

If this year’s challenge is successful, ONR Global will consider issuing new GlobalX Challenges in future years.

Please direct any questions not addressed here to: usn.ncr.onrghq.list.grantsproposals@us.navy.mil.