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This Solicitation opportunity from Department Of Defense was posted on October 24, 2025. The submission period has ended. Browse the details below for market research, or find similar active opportunities.

DSO Pitch Day Solicitation

Closed
DARPA-PA-26-01Federal

Contract Overview

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The DARPA Defense Science Office (DSO) is issuing a solicitation for innovative research proposals through its Pitch Day event, aimed at fostering transformative scientific advances in targeted technical areas. The initiative emphasizes short-term, high-impact efforts with awards up to $400,000 for a nine-month period, encouraging participation from small, non-traditional, and first-time performers to broaden DARPA’s engagement. Proposers must submit an abstract package by October 27, 2025, at 12:00 PM ET via the DARPA Broad Agency Announcement Tool (BAAT), adhering to strict formatting and content limits—specifically, a four-page maximum for the abstract, excluding cover, executive summary, references, and optional technical papers. The abstract must outline the proposed approach, technical ability, and support scope, with all submissions requiring certification of SAM registration, non-prohibited foreign involvement, and in-person presentation readiness for the Pitch Day event. The contractual framework is structured as an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) under 10 U.S.C. § 4021, with a fixed approach for research under $2 million, incorporating milestone-based payments and deliverables. The agreement emphasizes compliance with federal regulations, including safeguarding of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and Controlled Technical Information (CTI), and prohibits the use of funds for covered telecommunications equipment per Public Law 115-232 Section 889. It also mandates that all data and proprietary information be properly marked, with no explicit physical packaging or MIL-STD standards specified. The performance period begins in early 2026, with milestones including technical plans, interim progress, and a final out-brief, reports, and data sets, all to be electronically submitted through DARPA’s VAULT system. The evaluation process assesses proposals based on technical merit, innovation, alignment with program goals, and potential impact, with only those proposals deemed meritorious invited to advance to the Pitch Day and subsequent award stage.

General Info

DARPA seeks innovative, high-risk short-term research from new performers for defense advancements.

NAICS

541715 - Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

Place of Performance

VA

Set-Aside

NONE

Documents

19

Amendment 1 to DARPA-PA-26-01 Pitch Day Solicitation

DOCX, High priority: read this firstamendment
High

Amendment 2 to Model Other Transaction for Research Agreement HR0011-XX-3-XXXX

DOCX, High priority: read this firstamendment
High

Attachment C Schedule of Payments and Milestones Amendment 1

XLSX, High priority: read this firstamendment
High

Current and Pending Support Common Form - DARPA November 2023

DOCX, High priority: read this firstother-support-disclosure
High

DARPA Biographical Sketch Common Form November 2023

DOCX, High priority: read this firstbiosketch
High

DARPA PA-26-01 Amendment 1 - DSO Pitch Day Solicitation

PDF, High priority: read this firstamendment
High

DARPA-PA-26-01 Amendment 2 - DSO Pitch Day Solicitation

PDF, High priority: read this firstamendment
High

DARPA-PA-26-01 Attachment A Abstract Instructions and Template Amendment 1

DOCX, High priority: read this firstamendment
High

DARPA-PA-26-01 DSO Pitch Day Abstract Instructions and Template

DOCX, High priority: read this first3 pages · abstract-instructions-template
High

DARPA-PA-26-01 DSO Pitch Day Program Announcement

PDF, High priority: read this firstprogram-announcement
High

DARPA-PA-26-01 DSO Pitch Day Solicitation FAQs 10-10-25

PDF, High priority: read this firstq-and-a
High

DARPA-PA-26-01 DSO Pitch Day Solicitation FAQs 10-16-25

PDF, High priority: read this firstq-and-a
High

DARPA-PA-26-01 DSO Pitch Day Solicitation FAQs 10-20-25

PDF, High priority: read this firstq-and-a
High

DARPA-PA-26-01 Pitch Day Amendment 2 Summary of Changes

DOCX, High priority: read this firstamendment
High

Model Streamlined Other Transaction for Research Agreement under $2M

DOCX, High priority: read this firstcontract-document
High

Model Streamlined Other Transaction for Research Amendment 1

DOCX, High priority: read this firstamendment
High

Schedule of Payments and Milestones Template

XLSX, High priority: read this firstschedule-of-payments
High

DARPA BAAT Submission Portal Guide Attachment B

DOCX, Low priorityuser-guide
Low

DARPA-PA-26-01 DSO Pitch Day Solicitation FAQs 10-21-25

PDF, Low priorityq-and-a
Low

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Timeline

2 updates
PhaseClosed
Posted

Solicitation

Notice updated

The notice description changed.

Notice updated

Notice details unchanged. Attachments may have changed.

Response Deadline

Deadline has passed

Submission Closed

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Organization & Contact Information

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AgencyDepartment Of Defense → Defense Advanced Research Projects Agcy
Contacts1 person available
OfficeARLINGTON, VA, 222032114, USA
Office AddressARLINGTON, VA, 222032114, USA
Contacts
BAA Coordinator

Full Description

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The mission of DARPA’s Defense Science Office (DSO) is to identify and sponsor scientific discovery to fuel innovation in research and development for defense. DSO develops and executes an aggressive and forward-leaning portfolio that accelerates the development and maturation of scientific advances across a broad set of technical areas to create asymmetric advantage for U.S. National Security. DSO aims to create strategic surprise by pushing technology toward its fundamental scientific limits, thereby expanding the art of the possible. In addition, DSO looks for transformative trends at the global scale and their potential impact on our nation.
The goals of the DSO Pitch Day are to: 1. fund proposals for targeted, short-term efforts with the potential to grow into groundbreaking new DARPA programs, and 2. employ an acquisition strategy to encourage participation by new and first-time or non-traditional proposers. This funding opportunity will aim to broaden DARPA’s reach with small businesses, educational institutions, and other non-traditional performers to break down barriers of entry for performers new to DARPA and the national security space.

NOTE: Due date reflected is for Abstract submissions (10/27/2025 at 12:00PM ET noon).

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