Request for Information: Sequence Defined Polymer Synthesis with Molecular Machines for Microsystems Applications
Closed Special Notice Posted
- Solicitation number
- DARPA-SN-25-92
- Agency
-
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Department of Defense
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- NAICS code
- 541714 Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology)
- Points of contact
-
- MTO BAA Coordinator darpa-sn-25-92@darpa.mil
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
DARPA's Microsystems Technology Office has issued a Request for Information seeking innovative approaches for sequence-defined polymer synthesis using molecular machines for microsystems applications. The Special Notice, published on July 25, 2025, represents DARPA's interest in developing novel methods that combine the precision and selectivity of biological molecular machines with the chemical diversity and scalability of synthetic chemistry techniques. The agency recognizes that while biological systems like DNA polymerase and ribosomes demonstrate exceptional performance in creating sequence-defined polymers, they are limited in chemical diversity, and synthetic chemistry methods currently lag behind biological systems in efficiency and versatility. DARPA aims to bridge this gap by understanding potential approaches that could marry the best aspects of both biological and synthetic systems. This initiative falls under the Research and Development in Biotechnology NAICS category and represents applied research for national defense purposes.
The primary objective of this RFI is to gather information on three key technical challenge areas: engineering processive polymer-generating molecular machines, exploring purely synthetic techniques for polymer synthesis, and identifying unique microsystems applications enabled by sequence-defined polymers. Responses must be submitted by September 22, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. ET via email to DARPA-SN-25-92@darpa.mil, with submissions limited to 8 pages maximum using 11-point font and 1-inch margins. Eligible respondents include a broad range of entities such as private and public companies, individuals, universities, research centers, non-profit institutions, and U.S. government-sponsored laboratories. The RFI serves purely as an information-gathering mechanism and does not constitute a formal solicitation, with DARPA providing no reimbursement for response preparation costs. Required submission components include a cover page, technical challenge area discussions, references, and optional summary slides.
Notice text
The precise synthesis of sequence-defined polymers holds the potential to revolutionize a wide variety of fields by enabling unprecedented control over physical properties at the molecular scale. In nature, the templated synthesis of perfectly sequence-defined polymers enables essential functions such as information storage in the form of DNA and chemical catalysis in the form of protein-based enzymes. Within the cell, the template-directed synthesis of biological polymers is accomplished via molecular machines such as DNA polymerase and ribosomes. These machines have evolved unique performance characteristics such as exquisite substrate recognition, very fast reaction kinetics, low error rates, and high processivity. However, these machines are limited in the breadth of chemistries they can realize.
Despite decades of research, synthetic chemistry methods still lag behind the efficiency and versatility of biological systems, and struggle with throughput, polymer length, and the error rate. Conversely, the repurposing of natural molecular machines for the synthesis of chemically diverse sequence defined polymers outside of the cell has largely failed for several reasons. These include lack of robustness, limited chemical bond forming potential (i.e. peptide and phosphodiester bonds), solvent incompatibility, scalability and cost.
DARPA seeks to understand potential novel methods, approaches and platforms capable of marrying the exquisite selectivity, processivity, and throughput of molecular machines with the chemical diversity, scalability, and robustness of synthetic chemistry methods to produce novel, high-value sequence defined polymers.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| DARPA-SN-25-92.pdf |
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