Defense Sciences Office (DSO) Office-wide BAA

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office is soliciting innovative research proposals through a Broad Agency Announcement that seeks revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems for national security applications, specifically excluding evolutionary improvements to existing practices. The solicitation covers four technical thrust areas: Materials, Manufacturing, and Structures; Sensing, Measuring, and Affecting; Math, Computation, and Processing; and Complex, Dynamic, and Intelligent Systems. Proposals will be evaluated based on overall scientific and technical merit, potential contribution to the DARPA mission, and cost/schedule realism. The BAA operates on a rolling submission basis with proposals accepted from the June 3, 2025 posting date through June 2, 2026 at 4:00 PM ET. DARPA anticipates making multiple awards using various contract instruments including Procurement Contracts, Cooperative Agreements, and Other Transactions for Research and Prototype.

This solicitation does not include any set-aside designations, though it specifically encourages participation from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Small Businesses, Small Disadvantaged Businesses, and Minority Institutions. No incumbent contractors are identified in the documentation. While specific award values are not disclosed in the main BAA, an accelerated award option is available for proposals not exceeding $2 million, with DARPA committing to award within 30 days of selection notification for qualifying submissions. The solicitation is open to both U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including large businesses, small businesses, educational institutions, and nonprofits. Performance locations are not specifically restricted, as this is a research-focused BAA that can accommodate various organizational arrangements and geographic distributions depending on the proposed technical approach and team composition.