Circe Bioscience Inc.

Circe Bioscience Inc. is a for-profit corporate entity located in Somerville, Massachusetts, specializing in advanced biotechnology and synthetic biology solutions. Registered in SAM.gov since December 2021, the company focuses on developing innovative biological technologies that leverage synthetic ecology and advanced scientific approaches to address environmental and industrial challenges. The company provides sophisticated scientific research and development services primarily to defense and advanced research agencies, with a particular emphasis on biotechnology, bioremediation, and carbon-efficient industrial processes.

In terms of federal contract awards, Circe Bioscience Inc. has demonstrated expertise in advanced scientific research, particularly with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Their most notable contract is a $250,000 Firm Fixed Price contract for the CORNUCOPIA PROGRAM SEEDLING project, which focuses on leveraging plants and rhizosphere microbiomes for autonomous bioremediation of fuel and explosives in soil. The contract, awarded on July 24, 2024, involves using synthetic biology and synthetic ecology to create and optimize synthetic communities (SynComs) for environmental remediation purposes. The contract is not set aside and is directly awarded to Circe Bioscience Inc. as a prime contractor.

Regarding federal grant awards, Circe Bioscience Inc. has received a significant cooperative agreement from the Advanced Research Projects Agency focused on developing innovative carbon-efficient technologies. Specifically, their grant (DEAR0001676) supports a project titled "Circularizing Industries by Raising Carbon Efficiency," which aims to develop a two-stage fermentation process for producing carbon-neutral or carbon-negative tailored triglycerides. The grant, awarded on September 29, 2022, has an ultimate completion date of March 28, 2025, and involves developing advanced biotechnology processes for creating alternative food products through innovative carbon-efficient methodologies.

In the federal contract Indefinite Delivery Vehicle (IDV) space, Circe Bioscience Inc. has secured an Other Transaction (OT) IDV with DARPA's Biological Technologies Office. The IDV, valued at $291,996.00 and awarded on January 21, 2025, is associated with the SWITCH program, which aims to develop advanced biotechnology capabilities. As an OT IDV, this contract provides DARPA flexibility outside traditional Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)-based procurement processes. The IDV does not have specific set-asides and represents a strategic approach to supporting cutting-edge biotechnological research and development through a flexible contracting mechanism.