Attachment_A_MXO-PitchDay_Abstract_Template.docx

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Program Announcement: DARPA-PA-26-07 MXO Pitch Day 2026

Attachment A: Abstract Instructions and Template

Use of this template is mandatory for all abstract submissions to this solicitation. All red text below the title page is instructional. This document must include all components described herein and must be submitted in .pdf format. All submissions must be written in English and all pages shall be formatted for printing on 8-1/2 by 11-inch paper with 1-inch margins and font size not smaller than 12 point. Font sizes of 8 or 10 point may be used for figures, tables, and charts.

Submission Portal: DARPA Broad Agency Announcement Tool (BAAT) (See Attachment B for Submission Portal Guide)

Abstracts must not exceed 5 pages. Anything over 5 pages will not be considered

Technical Papers (Optional, no more than 2)

DARPA will only accept unclassified Abstract submissions.

Abstracts must clearly be marked as responding to one (1) of the Thrust Areas identified in Section I.C. of the PA.

Use this Coversheet. Note that it does not count against the page limit.

[ORGANIZATION NAME / LOGO]

MXO Pitch Day 2026 Abstract Abstract Title

Thrust Area (only 1 per abstract)

Organization Name

Mailing Address:

Telephone:

Email:

Mailing Address:

Telephone:

Email:

Mailing Address:

Telephone:

Email:

Organization CAGE Code

Has the proposer completed or started its SAM.GOV and PIEE registration? (Yes/No and identify which website)

Estimated Period of Performance (not to exceed 12 months)

Estimated total cost (not to exceed $500K)

The PI must be present at the scheduled Pitch Day Event. Confirm that, if selected, your PI will be present at Pitch Day. (Yes/No)

Did you use AI tools to assist in preparing this proposal? (If yes, what tools did you employ and how were they utilized?)

Table of Contents

Cover Letter The proposer must certify that if invited to submit a Pitch Day Presentation (PDP) package and pitch their discovery solutions via in-person oral presentations, the Principal Investigator will be at the MXO Pitch Day event held in Chicago, IL.

The proposer shall also include a statement that no individuals in the proposer’s organization work for DARPA as Scientific, Engineering, and Technical Assistance (SETA); Advisory and Assistance Services (A&AS); or similar support service contractors, as DARPA has a policy prohibiting such individuals from working as technical performers.

The proposer must confirm that they have either completed or have started their SAM.gov and PIEE registration. If proposers do not have an existing CAGE code, they must at a minimum start the process to obtain a CAGE code at the time of Abstract submission. All proposers MUST have an active CAGE code before Award.

The cover letter does not count against the page limit.

Technical Approach Carefully read the evaluation criteria in Section II of the PA.

Provide a summary of the proposed technical approach. Identify meaningful, impactful, and ambitious metrics relative to the current state of the art that the proposed approach seeks to achieve. The proposed metrics must align to one of the MXO Thrust Areas. Identify major technical risks and corresponding mitigation strategy. Highlight the novelty and uniqueness of the proposed work. What are your innovative claims? Support claims with sound scientific and engineering principles. Provide evidence (e.g. prior modeling or test results). Present a plausible path toward achieving the proposed objectives, metrics, and anticipated outcomes. Ensure the proposed work plan, tasks, milestones, deliverables, and dependencies are clearly defined and logically structured.

Clearly state the impact of the proposed work and its potential to significantly advance, redefine, or establish a new state of the art. Provide defensible rationale to support how the proposed effort could inspire new research initiatives, enable transformational capabilities, and create opportunities for breakthrough advances beyond current approaches. NO more than 3 pages are recommended. This is included in the page limit. This section is fundamental.

Technical Ability and Proposer Qualifications Carefully read the evaluation criteria in Section II of the PA.

Detail why the proposer believes their team has the ability to be successful at achieving the metrics and goal(s) of the proposed effort within the allotted time and budget. Include past experience, organizational capabilities, team members’ qualifications, prior work, or anything else that demonstrates that the key personnel possess the vision, expertise, and relevant experience necessary to effectively pursue the proposed effort and provide confidence in advancing the concept toward meaningful technical outcomes. This is included in the page limit Estimated Budget and Schedule Note: Proposed efforts are limited to a period of performance not to exceed twelve (12) months and a total proposed price not to exceed $500,000. Government funding will only cover labor and materials, equipment, other direct costs, and reasonable profit. Travel costs, publication costs, and subawards are not permitted.

Include the total labor categories, hours, materials, equipment, and other price elements. Ensure each element is commensurate with the complexity, scope, and anticipated outcomes of the proposed work and technical approach.

Include a high-level program schedule.

Each price element must provide commensurate technical, schedule, or execution value, and must be necessary to accomplish the proposed work. This may be presented as no more than half a page narrative or table and is included in the page limit.

Bibliography Provide a list of papers, citations, references, reports, or end notes. References are not included in the page limit. However, submit no more than 2 pages.

Proposers may attach a maximum of two technical papers to the submission and are not counted towards the page limit.

DARPA-PA-26-07: Abstract Template 1