Homeland Security BioWatch Program
Grant Opportunity Analysis
The Department of Homeland Security’s BioWatch Program, administered through the Office of Procurement Operations - Grants Division, is offering a cooperative agreement to support an early warning bio-detection capability for selected jurisdictions. The work is to establish and maintain a 24/7/365 operational system for the early detection of aerosolized biological agents and related sample collection and delivery to a testing laboratory. Eligible applicants are public-sector and related entities such as public health, emergency management, law enforcement, and similar organizations in specified metropolitan areas, with no cost sharing required and research and development not permitted; personnel must meet U.S. citizenship, training, and DHS security requirements. The program anticipates about 20 awards totaling up to $10 million, with individual awards ranging from $150,000 to $2 million, and applications are due April 30, 2026 with a mandatory pre-application contact by the same date.
Eligible Applicants
Regional Organization: Examples - Airports Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), Railroads, Port AuthoritiesOther: Law enforcement, first response, or emergency management agencies that are part of the city, township, or county.Eligibility for Federal Assistance (FA) contingent on verified documentation that:1. Recipients will be located within the following jurisdictions:• Phoenix, Arizona• Bay Area/San Francisco, California• Los Angeles, California• San Diego, California• Miami, Florida• Tampa, Florida• Detroit, Michigan• St. Louis, Missouri• Cincinnati, Ohio• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania• Milwaukee, Wisconsin• Austin, Texas• Dallas, Texas• El Paso, Texas• Fort Worth, Texas• Galveston, Texas• Houston, Texas2. Applicants in the following jurisdictions are further limited as follows:• Los Angeles, California – County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health• Los Angeles (South Coast), California – City of Long Beach• Austin, Texas – City of Austin, Austin Public Health• Dallas, Texas – City of Fort Worth• El Paso, Texas– City of El Paso• Fort Worth, Texas– City of Fort Worth• Galveston, Texas– Galveston County Health District, Air Pollution Program• Houston, Texas– Houston Health Department, Bureau of Pollution Control and PreventionApplications in the jurisdictions listed in number 2 above will only be accepted from the listed entities.1. Recipients will be affiliated with Public Health departments, first responders, emergency management, safety, environmental health, risk management, law enforcement, fire departments, universities, or agencies with or without current air monitoring programs.2. Ability to provide support 24/7/365 sample collection and delivery to a testing laboratory through staff or contract.3. Recipients will satisfy the requirements outlined in subsection C. “Requirements for Personnel, Partners, and Other Parties”.