DARPAVERSEQAv2.pdf

DARPAVERSE

QuesƟons and Answers

Q1: Will submissions to the DARPAVERSE special topic be assessed in monthly collecƟon periods like the main ERIS announcement or only at the end of the 12/31/25 closing date?

A1: DARPAVERSE submissions will be assessed on a monthly collecƟon schedule as stated in the main ERIS announcement.

Q2: The DARPAVERSE announcement does not specify a target TRL for submissions, is it open to the full range of TRL similar to the main announcement (i.e., innovaƟve research idea thru established prototype soluƟon)?

A2: DARPAVERSE is open to all TRL submissions that demonstrate a path to solving the challenges outlined in the special noƟce.

Q3. There is no menƟon of recommended, expected, or planned cost for submissions to DARPAVERSE, which may result in a large range of complexity and scope in the submission offerings. In addiƟon, under the main ERIS announcement, cost is not an evaluaƟon factor. We understand that there is a planned program negoƟaƟon event that will include presentaƟon of pricing informaƟon, but guidance will have direct impact on the project scope and complexity during the iniƟal stage. Can any guidance on anƟcipated or recommended cost be provided to aid in scoping the submissions?

A3: The DARPAVERSE program for performers has an 8-month Period of Performance (PoP) and is meant to validate the feasibility of iniƟal approaches. Performers should propose costs based on their technical approach, ensuring compeƟƟve pricing.

Q4: What is the anƟcipated period of performance duraƟon?

A4: The period of performance is 8 months.

Q5: What is the anƟcipated size of effort (e.g. people, organizaƟons or dollars)?

A5: See answer A3.

Q6: Is the government open to commercial organizaƟons parƟcipaƟng that assert rights on exisƟng baseline soŌware and provide government rights on newly developed soŌware?

A6: Yes, the government is open to mixed rights soluƟons and will evaluate these soluƟons for suitability for transiƟon. The goal of DARPAVERSE is to deliver an architecture and soluƟon that can be delivered to and used by the warfighter.

Q7: Are FFRDCs eligible to parƟcipate in this opportunity?

A7: There are no restricƟons for FFRDC’s submission to the ERIS market place. However, FFRDC eligibility will sƟll need to adhere to DARPA Policies.

Q8: Could you please share some specific example use cases that you envision the DARPAVERSE ecosystem would address? Specifically, we are curious about end user applicaƟon scenarios, including problems to be addressed; examples of choices a user might want to specify within their inputs and what kinds of informaƟon they might want in the system response; what inputs and outputs might be expected for the underlying physics-based model(s), for the purpose of interfacing with TA1 and TA2.

A8: DARPAVERSE is open to all government use cases related to the missions of all DARPA offices.

Q9: What are the anƟcipated human/machine interacƟon modaliƟes – AR/VR, tablet or phone, text based vs. verbal, mulƟmodal, or something else?

A9: Proposers may include any human/machine modaliƟes they believe will achieve program goals. This includes those listed in Q9.

Q10: Are real-Ɵme model adjustments planned – e.g. if a current 3-day weather model is insufficient, would you envision the end user requesƟng model changes on the fly?

A10: Yes.

Q11: Which TA is responsible for generaƟng (not specifying) the integrated/composed mulƟ-domain model for the user? Is that a responsibility of TA1 (owners of the repository of reduced order models), TA2 (owners of the orchestraƟon design), or TA3 (owners of the orchestrated workflow specificaƟon)?

A11: TA1

Q12: Can you clarify the role of the 3D immersive environment? Is the development of such an environment (e.g., using Omniverse, OpenUSD) in-scope for TA3?

A12: The goal of DARPAVERSE is not to develop another 3D Immersive environment but to solve the DARPAVERSE technical objecƟves, including the ability to visualize results on tradiƟonal monitors or immersive environments. TA3 seeks the ability to map outcomes to mulƟple visualizaƟon assumpƟons.

Q13: Is the focus of TA3 on specificaƟon/disambiguaƟon of the modeling request and the analysis of the resultant composed model, or should TA3 interfaces also enable the *use* of the resultant mulƟ-domain model during concept/capability development?

A13: TA3 focus is to enable the use of the resultant model and present model specificaƟon issues, incompaƟbiliƟes, and ambiguiƟes to the user if present.

Q14: Does the TA3 error localizaƟon focus only on model specificaƟon errors, or should it also consider errors in the execuƟon of the model during use?

A14: SpecificaƟon errors and execuƟon errors are both relevant to TA3.

Q15: Is teaming allowed for DARPAVERSE? In other words, will DARPA accept / consider proposals that involve two performer organizaƟons (a prime and a sub)?

A15: Yes

Q16: For performers who pursue a single TA, can you describe how you anƟcipate inter-TA coordinaƟon occurring? Will this be brokered by the government?

A16: Inter-TA coordinaƟon will be defined by the government developed API which will be released to selected performers at kickoff.

Q17: Will there be a test & evaluaƟon team? Can you provide any details about how performers will be tested and evaluated?

A17: Yes. Performers will be evaluated to the program metrics provided in the ERIS announcement.

Q18: Will the government provide any shared compute infrastructure or should performers plan to provide their own?

A18: DARPA will provide shared compute infrastructure for evaluaƟon and encourages performers to provide their program development efforts.

Q19: Can you clarify the type of visualizaƟon expected of TA3 performers? Is visualizaƟon intended to visually enable the overall design of a simulated scenario, be the user’s experience of the simulaƟon as it unfolds, or be a means of visualizing the outputs of simulaƟons? Or should performers address all or mulƟple of these aspects?

A19: Proposers may propose visualizaƟon approaches to achieve DARPAVERSE program objecƟves and reasons for those choices.

Q20: Do you anƟcipate any follow-on phases/contracts/transiƟon opportuniƟes beyond the 8-month period of performance?

A20: The results of the DARPAVERSE program that meet or exceed program metrics are intended to transiƟon aŌer the end of the program.

Q21: Will the program specify which simulaƟon environment will be used? NVIDIA Omniverse was menƟoned as an exemplar in the video. Should performers be expected to integrate with Omniverse or something similar?

A21: Responsive TA1 submissions must be modeling and simulaƟon environment agnosƟc. The government will provide mulƟple reference environments for tesƟng purposes.