STO BAA Coordinator

STO BAA Coordinator serves as a Strategic Technical Officer within the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), overseeing the procurement of high-risk, high-reward research and development initiatives aligned with DARPA’s mission to enable transformative military technologies. Responsible for managing Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs), they facilitate competitive solicitation processes that attract top-tier scientific and engineering talent from academia, industry, and national laboratories. Their acquisitions focus on early-stage innovation across physical, engineering, and life sciences, with an emphasis on rapid prototyping, proof-of-concept validation, and technology transition pathways. As a key liaison between program managers and contractors, they ensure alignment with DARPA’s strategic priorities in autonomous systems, next-generation computing, bio-integrated technologies, and advanced materials. The STO maintains consistent partnerships with leading R&D contractors including AEROSPACE & COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, AMD INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC, SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH LLC, and ABBOTT LABORATORIES INC., leveraging their technical depth in defense-critical domains. These relationships are characterized by agile, performance-driven engagements rooted in BAA-based competitive awards rather than traditional fixed-price or cost-reimbursement contracts. The STO prioritizes technical merit and innovation potential over cost competitiveness, fostering long-term collaborations with firms capable of delivering breakthrough capabilities under tight timelines and evolving requirements. Set-aside preferences are uniformly non-targeted, with 100% of awards issued under unrestricted, open competition. The STO does not employ socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, reflecting DARPA’s emphasis on selecting the most technically capable performers regardless of business size or certification status. The STO’s procurement portfolio is exclusively focused on NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)—encompassing advanced materials, neurotechnology, quantum computing architectures, autonomous navigation systems, and next-generation sensor platforms. Their expertise lies in identifying and contracting for foundational scientific advancements that bridge laboratory innovation and operational military capability.