Perrseus

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is seeking innovative proposals under solicitation DARPA-PS-26-127, titled Perrseus, to advance compact cold-atom devices and environmentally-decoupled ultra-high Q microelectromechanical (MEMS) and photonics systems through the development of microscale ultra-high-vacuum (µUHV) technologies. This effort is governed by an Other Transaction (OT) agreement under 10 U.S.C. § 4022, which allows DARPA to partner with nontraditional defense contractors and academic or commercial entities without being bound by standard Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements. Proposals must be submitted by September 23, 2026, and successful applicants will enter into a flexible, milestone-driven agreement structured around either fixed-support or expenditure-based payment models, with funding tied to the achievement of defined technical objectives. The agreement will require adherence to specific administrative and technical obligations, including the submission of a Data Management Plan within 30 days of award, annual program reports, and a final executive summary documenting accomplishments and the value of the OT approach. Deliverables will be reviewed and accepted by the DARPA Agreement Officer’s Representative, with electronic invoicing and acceptance processed through the Wide Area Workflow (WAWF) system. The performer must comply with stringent cybersecurity and information safeguarding requirements, including the protection of Covered Defense Information as defined in the Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Registry, and must report any cyber incidents promptly. All contractors must maintain active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM), provide accurate payee data including Cage Code, UEI, and TIN, and certify compliance with federal laws regarding felony convictions and unpaid tax liabilities. The agreement prohibits the use of certain telecommunications and video surveillance equipment and requires that all subcontractors inherit key contractual provisions related to data rights, cybersecurity, export controls, and lobbying disclosures. Intellectual property rights are negotiated but generally remain with the performer, subject to government rights for national security purposes. The performer is obligated to safeguard all program-related data, requires prior written approval from DARPA before publicly releasing any findings, and must retain records for audit purposes for up to three years post-project. Additionally, if government funding exceeds $5 million, the Comptroller General of the United States is granted audit rights. Proposals are to be submitted via email, with the Data Management Plan uploaded to the DARPA Vault, and invention disclosures submitted through I-Edison. All activities