The NBAF Think and Do Challenge is an opportunity to get involved right now and plant the seeds for future success.

The U.S. agriculture industry comprises a critical infrastructure that contributes more than $1 trillion to the U.S. economy every year. In 2022, the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) will open the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, Kansas. This state-of-the-art maximum biocontainment facility will offer leading-edge capabilities to help protect our food supply and the nation’s public health.

Without a smart strategy, a new laboratory facility may struggle to capitalize on the benefits of collaboration, innovation, talent and training. These benefits are key components of what DHS S&T envisions as an innovation ecosystem around NBAF that will be necessary to support the mission over time.

Help Us Shape the Future of Bio/Agro Security

The NBAF Think and Do Challenge is a prize competition under the America COMPETES Act (2010). It’s an opportunity for thinkers, doers and entrepreneurs to offer fresh approaches, unique ideas or proven methods to jumpstart development of an instrument that enhances the NBAF’s role in shaping bio/agro security for the 21^st Century.

We’re offering up to $100,000 in total prize award funding to seed development or implementation of winning submission(s). Challenge winner(s) may also opt for their solution to be considered for grants from the State of Kansas, administered by Kansas State University. 

Eligibility 

This competition is open to:

• Citizens or legal permanent resident of the United States who have reached majority age in the jurisdiction for which they live
• Entities incorporated in and whose primary place of business is in the United States

The submission ending date is Nov. 30, 2015.

Please see this competition’s Federal Register Notice for comprehensive information regarding eligibility.

Requirements

Please note that this prize competition requires a detailed business plan that clearly articulates an understanding of the proposed need and its impact in providing high-value, creative and specialized economic, scientific, educational and technical capacity toward development of system-level benefits for NBAF and its mission space. Submissions lacking this understanding and in-depth approach will not be considered for an award.  

For illustrative purposes only, examples of relevant submission plans may include the following:

• A fleshed out approach, idea or method to accelerate deployment or use of novel tools to facilitate virtual research collaboration across long distances or other barriers (i.e. from within biocontainment).
• A fleshed out approach, idea or method to jump-start a business plan that would accelerate agricultural technologies to market.
• A fleshed out approach, idea or method to develop a large animal veterinary student exchange program for exposure to the research in a biocontainment environment.
• A fleshed out idea, approach or method to develop a certificate program for the training of animal care handlers in a biocontainment environment.

 Learn more about requirements for the NBAF Think and Do Challenge.