Expeditionary Power- and Energy-Dense Implementations (ExPEDitions)

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is seeking innovative solutions through the Expeditionary Power- and Energy-Dense Implementations (ExPEDitions) program, soliciting proposals under solicitation number DARPA-PS-26-118 for the development of high-energy-density, high-power-density electrically rechargeable batteries and fuel cells capable of surpassing current technology in performance for military and civilian applications. The program targets power and energy densities exceeding 1 kWh/kg and 1 kW/kg in Phase 1, escalating to over 2 kWh/kg and 3 kW/kg in Phase 2, with cycle life targets of 500 to 5,000 cycles and cost targets of $100/kWh down to a materials floor of $50/kWh. Proposals must focus on platform-agnostic architectures suitable for integration across ground vehicles, heavy equipment, and unmanned aerial systems, with an emphasis on both technical advancement and manufacturability. The solicitation is structured as an Other Transaction (OT) agreement under 10 U.S.C. § 4022, bypassing traditional Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) contracting procedures, and will be awarded to performers who demonstrate innovative, feasible, and achievable technical approaches supported by strong scientific rationale and preliminary data. All proposers must be U.S.-based entities, registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) with a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), and must comply with the Procurement Integrity Act and DFARS requirements regarding Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), which mandates adherence to NIST SP 800-171 for cybersecurity and protective handling protocols. The program follows a two-phase submission process—abstracts must be submitted via DARPA’s Broad Agency Announcement Tool (BAAT) by August 19, 2026, with a subset of proposers invited to submit full proposals by August 6, 2026. Full proposals must adhere to strict formatting guidelines, including structured technical and cost volumes, and are evaluated on technical merit, feasibility, cost and schedule realism, and potential for commercial application, with direct cost sharing viewed favorably. The project spans 36 months, divided into an 18-month base phase focused on prototype development and a 18-month option phase for integration with End Users, culminating in a public demonstration at the "Powered by DARPA" Expo. Key deliverables include battery cells and packs delivered at Months 9, 27