Mapping and Understanding Illicit Proliferation Networks

The Department of State's Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (ISN/CTR) is pleased to announce an open competition for awards through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). ISN/CTR focuses on mitigating proliferation risk from state and non-state actors. States of proliferation concern often employ external procurement and related trade networks to acquire and/or finance the acquisition of WMD, delivery systems, and related items. Such illicit networks flout global restrictions on these activities, including restrictions rooted in national authorities, nonproliferation treaties, multilateral export control regimes, and international and national sanctions aimed at curbing the spread of WMD. In particular, multiple UN Security Council Resolutions obligate all states to prevent the proliferation of WMD and delivery systems; require them to establish appropriate domestic controls over related materials to prevent their illicit trafficking; and impose restrictions on dealing with entities identified as engaging in or facilitating this trade. ISN/CTR requires a comprehensive understanding of the threat posed by these proliferation-related procurement and trade networks, including through the use of relevant open source information. Such open-source information and related analysis would assist with international efforts to proactively monitor and enforce prohibitions on such activities. This project will facilitate future capacity building activity by ISN/CTR. Objectives: By the end of the award's period of performance, the recipient will have successfully developed and implemented a project to advance CTR's mission by: (1) Gathering publicly available data about proliferation and related trade networks; (2) Using subject matter experts to analyze the data and identify proliferation concerns and illicit technology transfers; (3) Providing a series of reports with original data that can be used to inform policy and threat reduction activities