BAA Coordinator

The BAA Coordinator at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) plays a pivotal role in advancing the agency’s mission of fostering high-risk, high-reward scientific innovation. Responsible for managing the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) process, they oversee the solicitation, evaluation, and award of research and development contracts aimed at accelerating breakthroughs in physical, engineering, and life sciences. This role is central to DARPA’s strategy of identifying and partnering with cutting-edge research entities to develop transformative military technologies, including autonomous systems, bio-integrated platforms, and next-generation computing architectures. The coordinator ensures rigorous technical alignment between proposers and DARPA’s strategic priorities, facilitating agile, mission-driven acquisitions that bypass traditional procurement timelines. The BAA Coordinator maintains consistent relationships with leading research and technology firms including AEROSPACE & COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, AMD INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC, SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH LLC, PENNSYLVANIA & SOUTHERN RAILWAY LLC, and ABBOTT LABORATORIES INC. These partnerships reflect a preference for established technical experts with proven capabilities in advanced R&D, often involving classified or sensitive programs. The coordinator fosters collaborative, performance-based engagements that prioritize innovation speed and technical excellence over cost competitiveness, frequently engaging contractors with deep domain expertise in defense-critical sciences. There is no set-aside preference in the coordinator’s portfolio; all acquisitions are competed on an open, unrestricted basis. This reflects DARPA’s singular focus on technical merit and mission readiness, rather than socioeconomic criteria. While small businesses may win awards, they are selected solely on the basis of technical capability and innovation potential, not certification status. The coordinator’s procurement activity is exclusively focused on NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences. They procure advanced scientific services including prototyping of novel materials, bio-hybrid system development, AI-driven sensor integration, and quantum computing architectures, ensuring DARPA maintains technological superiority through elite R&D partnerships.