Research NewsletterIssue: ORN-2025-18

U.S. Army xTech Program

The U.S. Army xTech Program is now accepting concept white paper submissions for the xTechOverwatch competition and awarding up to $1 million in cash prizes and up to $40 million in Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract awards.  

The xTechOverwatch competition is seeking innovative autonomous systems capable of conducting overwatch and terrain-shaping tasks by leveraging advanced AI, robotics, secure networking, and real-time data processing. The key technical areas of interest and their corresponding technologies, located in the RFI include: 

• Autonomous Unmanned Systems (UAVs, UGVs, Stationary Sensors) 
• Sensor Fusion, Data Integration, and AI-Driven Target Recognition & Classification 
• Secure Communications and Networking 
• Human-Machine Interface (HMI) for Effective Decision-Making 
• Edge Computing for Onboard Processing 
• Resilient Robotics for Adaptive Terrain Navigation 
• Automated Self-Recovery Mechanisms 
• Collaborative/Mission-Focused Autonomy 
• UGV and UAS Payloads 
• Modular & Open Architecture 

In addition to cash prizes and the opportunity to submit an Army SBIR proposal, the competition provides valuable benefits, including technical feedback from Department of Defense (DoD) experts. xTechOverwatch also connects companies with Army stakeholders and addresses real-world military needs. Participants gain direct access to key decision-makers, networking opportunities, and critical insights that can accelerate technology development and transition, driving innovation to support mission success. 

Finalists of the competition will have the opportunity to participate in an optional collider event in August 2025, designed to foster networking, exchange expertise, and explore strategic collaborations with other finalists and industry partners beyond the competition. The finals are tentatively scheduled to take place at the Bush Combat Development Center (BCDC) in Bryan, TX, in conjunction with the HMI Summit, between October 27-29, 2025. 

Concept white paper submissions must be received by 5:00 PM ET on May 21, 2025.  

NSF: Responsible Design, Development, and Deployment of Technologies (ReDDDoT)

NIH: Investigator Gateway Awards for Collaborative T1D Research (R03)

Department of Defense/US Army/DARPA/ONR: Alzheimer’s Research Program Transforming Research Award; Broad Agency Announcement for Fundamental AI Research

Department of Energy: 2025 Exploratory Research for Extreme-Scale Science

NASA: University Leadership Initiative 2 (ULI2)

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Policy on F&A: NSF has posted a Policy Notice: Implementation of Standard 15% Indirect Cost Rate | NSF - National Science Foundation on May 2, 2025. NSF Business Applications sent the following email to Principal Investigators of the NSF grants and co-operative agreements: U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is updating its policy regarding the reimbursement of indirect costs in federally funded financial assistance. The Foundation is adopting a standard 15% indirect cost rate for NSF grants and cooperative agreements awarded to Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs).  The policy will apply to all new NSF financial assistance awards to IHEs made on or after May 5, 2025.  This change is intended to streamline funding practices, increase transparency, and ensure that more resources are directed toward direct scientific and engineering research activities. For more details, please see the Policy Notice: Implementation of Standard 15% Indirect Cost Rate.

• Institutions are not required to amend budgets for awards issued before this effective date, nor will they be required to return previously reimbursed indirect costs.
• Award supplements that are effectuated via amendments to awards in existence prior to May 5, 2025, are not subject to this policy.
• Continuing grant increments are awarded under the original award terms and conditions; continuing grant awards in existence prior to May 5, 2025, are not subject to this policy.

_____________________________

Tech Takeaways from The President’s FY 2026 Discretionary Budget Request Proposal: The Trump administration released the outline of its 2026 budget request Friday morning, calling for a reduction in non-defense discretionary funding by $163 billion, or about 23% from 2025.  The so-called “skinny budget” includes cuts to a range of nondefense discretionary spending — which doesn’t include mandatory programs like Social Security — and increases in some places like the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Aviation Administration. The administration says that it is proposing a 13% increase in defense spending. Some of the increases for defense and border security would come from a reconciliation package the administration is working on with congressional Republicans. 

            The White House says that current levels of funding for AI and QIST — and associated disciplines like high performance computing, fusion energy and critical minerals research — will also keep their prior fiscal 2025 funding levels. “The Budget maintains funding for research in artificial intelligence and quantum information science at key agencies, to ensure the United States remains on the cutting edge of these critical technologies’ development and responsible use,” the summary budget request reads. 

            Among specific agencies based proposed budgets, U.S. Department of Education is budgeted for $66.7 billion, a decrease of $12 billion or 15.3% below the FY25 enacted level. The U.S. Department of Energy is budgeted for $45.1 billion, a decrease of $4.7 billion or 9.4% below the FY25 enacted level. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is budgeted for $93.8 billion, a $33.3 billion or 26.2% decrease from FY25. The U.S. National Science Foundation is budgeted for $3.9 billion, a decrease of $4.9 billion or 55.8% below the FY25 level in the President’s budget request proposal. More information is posted on the NextGov website.