DARPA Research Solutions Opening

The DARPA Research Solutions Opening (DARPA-PA-26-08) is a long-term open call issued on June 2, 2026, designed to engage academic researchers and Intergovernmental Personnel Act candidates from accredited U.S. colleges and universities. The program seeks to fund independent research ideas and revolutionary solutions that address complex technical challenges and hard problems within DARPA's investment portfolio. This initiative is structured as an Other Transaction (OT) for Research under 10 U.S.C. 4021, moving away from standard FAR-based contracts to a set of structured articles governing scope, term, and management. The solicitation is open for abstract submissions on a rolling basis until June 1, 2027. The award process follows a two-phase scientific review. In the first phase, eligible applicants must submit either a written abstract, limited to four pages, or an oral abstract consisting of a coversheet, certification statements, and a summary slide via the Broad Agency Announcement Tool. Only those who receive a formal government invitation may proceed to the second phase of submitting a full proposal. Evaluation is based on overall scientific and technical merit, technology transition strategy, and the nomination of at least one candidate for the DARPA IPA Mobility Program. While specific contract values are not listed in the solicitation, a sample streamlined agreement suggests a fixed-milestone approach for research valued at 2 million dollars or less, with payments processed through the Wide Area Work Flow system.