Information Processing Techniques Office Office-Wide

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, through its Information Processing Techniques Office, issued the Information Processing Techniques Office Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement under funding opportunity number HR001126S0011. IPTO seeks to create technological surprise through groundbreaking information science, technology development, and delivery of fundamentally new information capabilities for national security. Its current portfolio centers on AI Innovation and Execution, Inherent Security and Privacy, and Resilient Megasystems. IPTO may also consider work outside these thrust areas when it develops novel capabilities with the promise of providing a decisive information or computational advantage for the United States and its allies. The office specifically seeks unconventional approaches that challenge accepted assumptions and could radically change established practices. Research primarily producing evolutionary improvements to the existing state of the art is excluded. The technical scope includes energy-efficient and assured artificial intelligence, trustworthy and understandable AI for warfighters, mitigation of risks from misalignment between machine actions and human interests, inherently secure and private systems, adaptable security and privacy tools, trustworthy and resilient computing environments, and machine-derived abstractions and models for highly complex interconnected systems such as supply chains and power grids. Proposed research should enable revolutionary advances in science, technology, or systems. Proposers may not propose work they have already completed or work for which they have already received funding or a positive funding decision from DARPA or another Government agency. IPTO encourages creative and agile efforts, including approaches using shorter periods of performance. DARPA also emphasizes resilient software that is high quality, secure, and capable of withstanding and recovering from challenging conditions, with formal methods identified as DARPA's preferred method for achieving resilient software where appropriate. Multiple awards are anticipated, and possible instruments include procurement contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, Other Transaction agreements for prototypes, and Other Transaction agreements for research. The announcement does not state an individual award minimum, individual award maximum, total program funding amount, quantified number of awards, or general period of performance. Cost sharing may be required for certain Other Transaction agreements in accordance with applicable statutory requirements, but the announcement does not establish a universal required match or a specific matching amount. Proposed work may involve classified information. Unclassified submissions must follow the prescribed DARPA submission procedures, while classified submissions must not be transmitted through the DARPA Broad Agency Announcement Tool or Grants.gov. Proposers contemplating classified material must contact IPTOsecurity@darpa.mil and obtain the required solicitation security classification specification before generating classified material. All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs, including United States and non-United States sources, may participate subject to applicable requirements. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Small Businesses, Small Disadvantaged Businesses, and Minority Institutions are encouraged to participate, but no portion of the announcement is set aside for these organizations. Non-United States organizations and individuals may participate subject to applicable nondisclosure agreements, security regulations, export controls, and other governing statutes. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, University-Affiliated Research Centers, and Government Entities face additional eligibility requirements. FFRDCs and Government Entities must establish appropriate authority and demonstrate that proposed work is not otherwise available from the private sector, while UARCs proposed as prime performers or subawardees must provide an organizational conflict of interest mitigation plan. Required eligibility documentation for these entities must accompany the abstract. All proposers must also have an active SAM.gov Unique Entity Identifier with the appropriate registration type. An abstract is mandatory before a full proposal may be submitted, and full proposals are accepted by invitation only. Potential proposers are strongly encouraged to contact DARPA Program Managers before submitting a formal abstract to gauge interest and alignment with IPTO priorities. Abstracts must use the required IPTO Office Wide Abstract Template and comply with its content and formatting requirements. Unclassified abstracts are submitted through the DARPA Broad Agency Announcement Tool, with grant or cooperative agreement submissions also permitted through Grants.gov as applicable. A full proposal, when invited, must include IPTO OW Volume I for Technical and Management information, IPTO OW Volume II for Cost information, and the IPTO OW Proposal Summary Slide. The DARPA Standard Cost Spreadsheet is strongly encouraged but is not mandatory. Fundamental research submissions requesting a grant, cooperative agreement, or Other Transaction agreement must provide the required Common Form for Biographical Sketch and Common Form for Current and Pending Other Support for applicable key personnel. Abstract evaluation occurs in two steps. First, DARPA performs a Mandatory Technical Conformance review focusing on scientific or technological originality, depth of mission understanding, and operational realism. Generic, boilerplate, or broadly aggregated approaches lacking mission-specific synthesis are non-conforming. Conforming abstracts advance to comprehensive evaluation based, in descending order of importance, on Technical Comprehension, Technical Ability, and Cost Considerations. Abstract applicants are notified by email of a Non-Conforming determination, an Invitation to Proceed, or Non-Selection. Invited full proposals are likewise subject to Mandatory Technical Conformance followed by evaluation based on Overall Scientific and Technical Merit, Potential Contribution and Relevance to the DARPA Mission, Plans to Implement Resilient Software, and Cost Realism. DARPA seeks technically innovative, feasible, achievable approaches backed by qualified teams, meaningful key-personnel effort, identified technical risks and mitigation measures, mission relevance, resilient software practices, and substantiated realistic costs. The announcement was posted June 22, 2026. Required abstracts are due June 22, 2027 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time, and the period for submitting questions also closes June 22, 2027 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Full proposal deadlines are provided only to applicants receiving an Invitation to Proceed. No recurring annual or other periodic application cycle is stated. Administrative, technical, and award questions may be sent to HR001126S0011@darpa.mil. The BAA Coordinator is identified through this program inbox at DARPA IPTO, 675 North Randolph Street, Arlington, Virginia 22203-2114. The announcement does not provide a named individual contact, telephone number, award notification date, or general award performance period.

Avoid generic boilerplate or broadly aggregated content lacking mission-specific synthesis. Demonstrate scientific or technological originality, depth of mission understanding, operational realism, innovation, feasibility, and technical ability. Identify key technical challenges and risks. Ensure costs are realistic and proportional to scope. For full proposals, demonstrate scientific and technical merit, DARPA mission relevance, resilient software implementation, and cost realism, using formal methods where appropriate.