UNCLASSIFIED

Program Solicitation (PS)

Deep Thoughts

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

Tactical Technology Office (TTO)

DARPA-PS-26-05

Release Date April 23, 2026

PROGRAM SOLICITATION OVERVIEW INFORMATION

Federal Agency Name: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Tactical Technology Office (TTO)

Funding Opportunity Title: Deep Thoughts Announcement Type: Initial Announcement Funding Opportunity Number: DARPA-PS-26-05 Dates/Times: All Times are Eastern Time Zone (ET) o Final Solicitation Posting Date: April 23, 2026 o Industry Day: February 6, 2026 o Proposers Video Update: Released with CUI Addendum o Abstract Questions: May 7, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET o Last Day to Request CUI Addendum: May 14, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET o Abstracts Due Date and Time: May 21, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET o Oral Proposal Package (OPP) Questions Due: 14 days prior to OPP deadline.

o OPPs due: July 20, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. ET (tentative; invitation only) o Oral Presentations: Late July, 2026 (tentative; invitation only) o Estimated period of performance (PoP) start: November 2026

Concise description of the funding opportunity: DARPA is soliciting innovative approaches to address challenges in the following technical areas: autonomous undersea vehicle (AUV) and pressure vessel (PV) designs, materials science, manufacturing techniques, embedded AUV subsystems and payloads, and supporting mission engineering and digital engineering capabilities.

Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in uncrewed access to the full-ocean depths at a fraction of the size of current state-of-the-art AUV systems.

Multiple awards are anticipated.

Types of instruments that may be awarded: Other Transaction (OT) for Prototype Agreement Cost Sharing Requirements: in accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 4022, cost sharing may be required for

OT for prototype awards.

Proposer Requirements: Proposers may submit to Technical Area 1 (TA1) or Technical Area 2 (TA2), but not to both. All proposers must comply with export control laws and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and be able to protect sensitive and controlled data, including critical technologies. Participation is limited to U.S. citizens and U.S. organizations. TA1 work will involve CUI and TA2 will involve both CUI and SECRET collateral information. All proposers must implement appropriate CUI safeguards and, for TA2 performers, possess and maintain facility and personnel clearances at the SECRET level. Performers must provide and maintain a program security plan addressing operational security (OPSEC), export-control compliance, foreign supply chains, and public affairs/communications.

Additional Information (Available only upon request and verification of eligibility):

o Program Solicitation CUI Addendum o Attachment A: Abstract Summary Slide Template o Attachment B: Abstract Template o Attachment C: Oral Proposal Package Instructions and Template o Attachment D: Cost Proposal Spreadsheet o Attachments E1, E2, E3, and E4: Four (4) SAMPLE Model OT for Prototype Agreements o Attachment F: Task Description Document (TDD) o Attachment G: Milestones and Payments o Attachment H: Data Rights Assertion List

Reference Files:

o Deep Thoughts CUI Guide (CUIG) o Proposers Video Update

Agency Contact: The Program Solicitation Coordinator for this effort can be reached at:

DARPA-PS-26-05@darpa.mil

DARPA/TTO

ATTN: DARPA-PS-26-05

675 North Randolph Street Arlington, VA 22203-2114

• List of Sections to Follow:

1. Program Information

2. Guidelines for Abstracts and Written Proposals

A formal request for the Program Solicitation CUI Addendum and Attachments may be submitted by filling out the online DARPA-PS-26-05 PROGRAM SOLICITATION REQUEST FORM.

CUI items will be transmitted electronically via DoD SAFE.

Proposers are required to submit this request no later than May 14, 2026, by 4:00 PM ET to allow for adequate time for delivery of the material. Proposers who do not request the Program Solicitation CUI Addendum and Attachments will be deemed non-compliant.

Requests submitted after this date will be disregarded. Requestors should allow up to 48 business hours for a response. The Request Form is the only method of request that will be accepted.

mailto:DARPA-PS-26-05@darpa.mil https://forms.osi.office365.us/r/8tqejSfH7U

1. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Deep Thoughts is a single-phase, 24-month, hardware-centric program focused on compressing the development cycle for deep-ocean autonomous systems from initial concepts to disruptive, mission-relevant, full-ocean depth AUVs by program completion. Deep Thoughts will leverage advancements in materials science and manufacturing, next-generation structural and mechanical design technologies, and digital engineering to dramatically reduce size, cost, and producibility of deep-ocean AUV systems.

Key areas of innovation include but are not limited to, the following:

• Novel materials, alloys, and structural geometries

• Advanced manufacturing methods and techniques

• Non-traditional approaches to subsystem and component architecture that enable free-form design, structural consolidation, and multi-functionality

• A multi-level secure digital engineering ecosystem optimized for collaborative design, continuous integration/development/prototyping (CI/CD/CP), intellectual property (IP) protection, and supporting development and analysis across classification levels

To accelerate innovation and enable rapid learning, performers must consider access to production and testing capabilities to support fast-paced iterative design-build-test-learn cycles. Performers will be encouraged to rapidly develop new concepts, test them to their limits, and quickly apply the results to improve subsequent designs.

2. GUIDELINES FOR ABSTRACTS AND OPPs

2.1. Abstracts Basis of Evaluation

Abstracts will be evaluated using the evaluation criteria, their relative importance, and the method of evaluation contained in the CUI Addendum.

2.2. OPPs Basis of Evaluation

Oral Proposal Packages and accompanying oral presentations will be evaluated using the evaluation criteria, their relative importance, and the method of evaluation contained in the CUI Addendum.