PENG_Amendment_1_Summary_of_Changes.docx

This is an amendment summary document for DARPA-PS-26-129, the Protein ENGineering (PENG) Program Solicitation. Amendment 1 updates the original Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) with four substantive changes: an updated amendment posting date on page 2; revised fundamental research language on pages 16-17; updated Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) compliance requirements on pages 18-19; and modifications to Attachment D Volume 1 cover page to include a CMMC compliance level verification checkbox. All changes are highlighted in yellow throughout the document for easy identification.

The PENG program, issued by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), seeks innovative proposals for developing a multifunctional, target-agnostic platform for precise, programmable editing of endogenous proteins. Performers are expected to integrate novel splicing, ligation, and co-translational techniques to recognize, modify, and rewrite endogenous proteins within complex biological systems, progressing from foundational validation through robust demonstrations of efficacy. The platform will ultimately be validated in high-fidelity cellular models such as organoids to establish tissue-level proof-of-concept. This amendment does not introduce changes to other aspects of DARPA-PS-26-129 beyond the specifically referenced updates.