TrojAI | W911NF 19 S 0012

Opportunity Information: Apply for W911NF 19 S 0012

TrojAI is a Department of Defense research and development funding opportunity led by the U.S. Army Research Office (ARO) in partnership with the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA). The program focuses on a growing security problem in modern machine learning: an adversary can tamper with the training pipeline of an AI system and quietly embed a hidden "Trojan" behavior that only activates when a specific trigger appears. The grant is structured as a roughly two-year effort with multiple awardees who are expected to operate as a coordinated performer team, collaborating toward shared program goals rather than working in isolation.

The core technical objective is to create software that can automatically inspect neural-network-based AI models and predict whether they have been compromised by a Trojan attack. The solicitation frames the threat using an intuitive example from autonomous driving: if an attacker poisons training data so that stop signs with a small yellow square are mislabeled as speed limit signs, the deployed model may later misclassify a real stop sign as a speed limit sign whenever a similar trigger (like a sticky note) is present. TrojAI is essentially trying to develop practical defenses against this kind of backdoor behavior by detecting it before the model is trusted and deployed.

From a technical scope standpoint, the initial emphasis is on classification models, starting with small image classifiers similar in spirit to traffic sign recognition tasks, while explicitly cautioning applicants not to assume the datasets or class labels will match any public benchmark. Over time, the program may expand beyond images to other data types and tasks, including audio and text classification. Performers should be prepared to handle different neural network families over the course of the program, beginning with feedforward architectures common in vision (for example, convolutional neural networks such as ResNet-style models) and later incorporating recurrent architectures used in sequence domains (for example, LSTM-style networks). The Trojan attacks of interest involve altering part of the model so it responds to particular triggers by causing targeted misclassification, meaning the model can appear to perform well under normal testing while failing in a specific, adversary-chosen way.

A key operational detail is what the detection software is expected to work with. According to the opportunity description, performer-developed tools will receive access to the model source code, the model architecture, and a compiled binary. In some cases, the tools may also be provided a small number of valid examples from the model's problem domain, which suggests the program is interested in approaches that can function with limited clean reference data and still produce reliable Trojan detection decisions.

The application process follows a two-step Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) workflow designed to reduce wasted proposal effort. Applicants must first submit a Concept Paper, and only the highest-rated, timely, and compliant concept papers will be invited to submit a full Proposal. Not submitting a concept paper, or not receiving an invitation after the concept paper stage, makes an applicant ineligible to submit a proposal for funding consideration. Applicants who are invited to the full proposal stage will receive feedback intended to strengthen their final submission. In addition, the government plans to support teaming by sharing invited proposers' contact details and concept papers with one another, excluding budget information, so organizations can more easily form collaborations and submit stronger joint efforts if they choose.

Important dates are clearly defined. Concept Papers were due May 31, 2019 by 4:00 PM Eastern Time. The government planned to select which concept papers would be invited to submit full proposals by June 10, 2019. Full Proposals were due July 25, 2019 by 4:00 PM Eastern Time. The opportunity was posted May 2, 2019, with an original closing date of July 25, 2019.

Administratively, the funding opportunity is titled "TrojAI" with Funding Opportunity Number W911NF-19-S-0012. It falls under the Science and Technology / Research and Development activity category (CFDA 12.431) and is offered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army - Materiel Command. The listed funding instruments include cooperative agreements, grants, and procurement contracts, and the opportunity anticipates multiple awards (expected awards: 10). Eligible applicants are broad and include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), small businesses, and even individuals, indicating the program is open to a wide range of technical performers as long as they can meet the R and D and delivery expectations.

• The Department of Defense, Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "TrojAI" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.431.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 02, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 25, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for W911NF 19 S 0012

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