Protective Equipment for Responders | DHS ST 18 108 FR02 SUPPLEMENTAL

Opportunity Information: Apply for DHS ST 18 108 FR02 SUPPLEMENTAL

The Protective Equipment for Responders opportunity is a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology-focused supplemental funding award aimed at finishing and strengthening a specialized powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) designed specifically for wildland firefighters. The core project centers on a wildland firefighter respirator (WFR) that has already been developed to deliver HEPA-level protection against particulate matter, while also meeting Class II protection requirements under NFPA 1984:2022 for certain chemical vapor hazards. In practical terms, the effort supports respiratory protection that addresses both smoke particulates and relevant vapor exposures encountered in wildland fire environments, with an emphasis on meeting the latest applicable NFPA performance expectations.

The description indicates the recipient has already completed substantial in-house work tied to a prior notice of funding opportunity. That earlier work included aligning the respirator's carbon bed performance to comply with NFPA 1984:2022 requirements, redesigning or modifying the battery pack so it better resists heat exposure and reduces flammability risk, and building a compartmented backpack system intended to properly house and support the WFR in the field. Together, these improvements speak to real operational constraints wildland firefighters face: high heat, rugged movement, long shifts, and the need for equipment that can be carried, protected, and deployed quickly without creating additional hazards.

A notable part of the progress described is the completion of three operational field assessments in FY22 and FY23. These assessments involved experienced wildland firefighters using the WFR during realistic wildland simulation exercises, then providing direct evaluator feedback. According to the opportunity summary, that feedback was overwhelmingly positive, especially in areas that typically make or break respirator adoption in the field: battery life, airflow, noise level, mounting systems, and the ability to communicate while wearing the unit. Those points matter because PAPRs can fail operationally even if they perform well in a lab; if they are too loud, interfere with radios or speech, shift uncomfortably during line work, or do not last through operational periods, responders often will not use them consistently. DHS is highlighting that this WFR has demonstrated both compliance and practical usability in a way that commercially available PAPRs currently do not.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement instrument, reflecting that DHS expects to remain meaningfully involved in oversight and project direction rather than simply issuing a pass-through grant. The activity category is science and technology and other research and development, and the CFDA/Assistance Listing number provided is 97.108. The award has an anticipated ceiling of $750,000 and DHS expects to make one award under this supplemental announcement, indicating the funding is narrowly tailored to a single ongoing project rather than an open competition for multiple teams.

Eligibility is restricted: only TDA Research, Inc. may apply. The opportunity is explicitly described as supplemental funding tied to a recipient that was previously selected under the First Responder Group Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) 13-012, Solicitation Call 0005, within the DHS Science and Technology Directorate. The original selection was peer-reviewed for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate Scientific Review Group following standard peer review policies, and this supplemental package continues that pathway rather than reopening the topic to new applicants. Applications for the supplemental funding are to be submitted through GrantSolutions, and the listed original closing date is July 24, 2024. The awarding office is identified as the Office of Procurement Operations, Grants Division.

• The Office of Procurement Operations - Grants Division in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Protective Equipment for Responders" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 97.108.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-06-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-24. (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 $750,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for DHS ST 18 108 FR02 SUPPLEMENTAL

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: