Administrative Coordinator

The Administrative Coordinator at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) plays a critical support role in the execution of high-priority research and development acquisitions, facilitating the end-to-end procurement lifecycle for cutting-edge scientific initiatives. While not a contracting officer, this role ensures seamless coordination between technical program managers, legal counsel, and industry partners, enabling timely issuance and administration of prime contracts under DARPA’s mission to accelerate transformative military technologies. The Coordinator manages administrative workflows for solicitations, contract modifications, and compliance documentation, primarily supporting research and development contracts in physical, engineering, and life sciences. Their contractor relationships are centered on elite technology innovators including AEROSPACE & COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, AMD INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC, SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH LLC, and ABBOTT LABORATORIES INC., reflecting a focus on advanced computing, autonomous systems, bio-integrated platforms, and next-generation materials. These partnerships are typically long-term, mission-critical engagements with firms possessing deep technical expertise and proven capability in classified and unclassified R&D environments, often involving rapid prototyping and agile development cycles. This role operates within a non-set-aside procurement environment, with 100% of acquisitions conducted under full and open competition, consistent with DARPA’s mandate to source the most capable solutions regardless of business size or socioeconomic status. There is no formal preference for 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides, as the agency prioritizes technical excellence and speed of innovation over socioeconomic targeting. The Coordinator’s procurement focus is exclusively aligned with NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)—supporting programs in neurotechnology, quantum computing, autonomous systems, and advanced materials. Their work ensures that DARPA’s most ambitious scientific goals are matched with industry partners capable of delivering high-risk, high-reward technological breakthroughs under demanding timelines and performance criteria.