NSF Disrupting Operations of Illicit Supply Networks

Sponsor Deadline: 

Jul 1, 2020

Sponsor: 

National Science Foundation

UI Contact: 

NSF Disrupting Operations of Illicit Supply Networks D-ISN
Publication 20-561  https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20561/nsf20561.htm
grants.gov  https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=326020
Directorate for Engineering - Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation 
Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering 
Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences


This solicitation is the first of what is envisioned to be a three-year program, based on availability of funds, to support the research needed to inform the economy, security, and resilience of the Nation and the world in responding to the global threat posed by illicit supply networks. The solicitation calls for fundamental research across engineering, computer and information science, and social science with two proposal submission tracks. Track 1 research proposals should address at least one or more of the five focus domain areas listed below. Under Track 2, D-ISN calls for proposals for planning grants to support activities leading to convergence research team formation and capacity-building within the research communities interested in addressing larger-scope challenges in the future.

Major goals of NSF’s D-ISN include:

  • Improve understanding of the operations of illicit supply networks and strengthen the ability to detect, disrupt, and dismantle them.
  • Enhance research communities that effectively integrate operational, computational, social, cultural and economic expertise to provide methods and strategies to combat this complex and elusive global security challenge.
  • Catalyze game-changing technological innovations that can improve discovery and traceability of illicitly sourced products and illicitly sourced labor inputs to products.
  • Provide research outcomes that inform U.S. national security, law enforcement and economic development needs and policies.

Track 1 – Research Grants:  The project must demonstrate domain knowledge in at least one, and preferably more than one, of the following five domain focus areas:

  • Human trafficking, including sex and labor trafficking, and specific agricultural, manufacturing and other supply chains known to use labor exploitation.
  • Illicit drug trafficking, including natural and synthetic opioids.
  • Natural resources trafficking, including wildlife, minerals, fishing, logging.
  • Counterfeit and pirated goods trafficking, including falsified pharmaceuticals and safety-critical products.
  • Trafficking in virtual products, e.g. credit cards, online identities.

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