Expeditionary Power- and Energy-Dense Implementations (ExPEDitions) Proposers Day

The ExPEDitions Proposers Day, announced under solicitation number DARPA-SN-26-70, is a pre-solicitation event designed to introduce the research community—including industry, academia, and government—to the vision and objectives of the Expeditionary Power- and Energy-Dense Implementations program. The initiative aims to develop next-generation, electrically rechargeable batteries with high energy and power density to extend mission endurance in weight-constrained platforms, particularly electric aviation. The Proposers Day serves to explain DARPA’s program structure, outline expected research directions, and foster collaboration among organizations with complementary expertise. Registration for the event, held in Arlington, Virginia on May 14, 2026, closed on May 4, 2026, with attendance limited to 100 in-person participants and 350 via webcast. Organizations may send up to five representatives, with no more than two per division or department. Non-U.S. citizens must submit either a DARPA Form 60 or an Official Visit Request by the registration deadline to gain access, and all attendees are required to present government-issued photo identification. While no formal contract or solicitation has been issued, DARPA is preparing a Program Solicitation expected in May 2026, which will detail full requirements, performance goals, and submission guidelines. To facilitate teaming, participants are encouraged to submit a one-page profile by May 18, 2026, detailing their technical capabilities and desired partnerships, as well as a single PDF Lightning Talk slide for public release by May 12, 2026. These materials are not formal proposals and do not constitute binding commitments but are intended to assist in forming collaborative teams before the official solicitation. All publicly shared content, including presentation slides, must be unclassified and free of ITAR-controlled or proprietary information. DARPA stresses that participation in the Proposers Day is voluntary and does not guarantee inclusion in any future award, nor does it entitle participants to cost reimbursement. The event is sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Defense Sciences Office, with administrative inquiries directed to ExPEDitions@darpa.mil. The contract is not yet funded, and no dollar value, line items, or payment terms have been established. No formal evaluation criteria, inspection protocols, packaging requirements, or contract clauses are included in this announcement, as these will be defined in the upcoming Program Solicitation. The NAICS code 541