TTO Office Wide (OW) BAA

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Description

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Tactical Technology Office (TTO) seeks innovative research and development proposals that can create technological surprise and provide new options for national security. This opportunity is a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) that supports revolutionary platforms and systems, with a focus on demonstrating compelling hardware and managing complexity to reduce risk and cost. The BAA is open to a wide range of performers and encourages submissions that address at least one of the following focus areas:

• Platform Innovation: Design and demonstration of new, innovative platforms at credible scale, including nontraditional systems engineering for rapid innovation.
• Missionized Autonomy: Application of autonomy as a force multiplier, emphasizing trustworthiness, security, heterogeneous platform cooperation, and scalable human-systems interfaces.
• Managing Complexity: New methods for design space exploration and high-capacity computing to improve system architecture insight, risk reduction, and efficient testing.
• Freedom’s Forge 2.0: Innovations in manufacturing, maintainability, and testing to enable portable, affordable, and responsive processes, supporting rapid evolution from concept to production.
• Disruptive Emergent Technology: Exploration of emergent technologies with the potential to disrupt the tactical battlefield in unexpected ways, laying the groundwork for future DARPA programs.

Proposals should aim for revolutionary advances rather than incremental improvements. The BAA supports a variety of award instruments, including contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and other transactions.

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Due Dates

• Proposers Day: July 31, 2024 – August 1, 2024 (Special Notice anticipated on SAM.gov)
• Executive Summary Deadline: April 18, 2025, 4:00 p.m. ET (submissions accepted any time before this date)
• Full Proposal Deadline: June 20, 2025, 4:00 p.m. ET (submissions accepted any time before this date)
• Questions Deadline: April 19, 2025, 4:00 p.m. ET

DARPA recommends submitting an executive summary before a full proposal to gauge program interest and minimize unnecessary effort.

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Funding Amount

• Award Size: Not specified; varies by project scope and technical approach.
• Number of Awards: Multiple awards anticipated.
• Award Duration: Varies; determined by proposed effort.
• Funding Instrument: Procurement contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and other transactions.
• Cost Sharing: Not required, but may be a positive evaluation factor for efforts with commercial application.

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Eligibility

• Who Can Apply: All responsible sources capable of meeting the Government’s needs, including U.S. and non-U.S. organizations and individuals.
• Encouraged Applicants: Small businesses, minority institutions, HBCUs, and nontraditional performers are encouraged to apply or team.
• FFRDCs/UARCs/Government Entities: May apply but must contact the Agency POC before submission to discuss eligibility and provide required documentation.
• Non-U.S. Participation: Permitted, subject to compliance with export control, security, and other applicable regulations.

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Application Process

1. Executive Summary (Recommended)

• Format: Max 2 pages, narrative form, includes organization name, submission title, and technical POC.
• Submission: Via the Broad Agency Announcement Tool (BAAT); not accepted via Grants.gov.
• Response: DARPA will respond within ~45 days, indicating interest or discouragement (not binding).

2. Full Proposal

• Format: Must use mandatory templates (Attachments B, C, D, and E).
• Technical/Management Volume: Max 25 pages (excluding cover, resumes, references).
• Cost Volume: No page limit; must use the provided cost spreadsheet.
• Submission: Through BAAT for unclassified; classified submissions must follow Attachment E instructions.
• Required Attachments:
  • Technical & Management (Attachment B)
  • Cost Proposal (Attachment C)
  • Cost Spreadsheet (Attachment D)
  • Classified Submission Instructions (Attachment E, if applicable)
• Additional Requirements:
  • Abstract for public posting (if requesting a grant)
  • Human/animal research compliance documentation (if applicable)
  • Representations and certifications (as required by award type)

3. Other Submission Types

• Pitch Day: Periodic oral proposal events; announced separately.
• TTO Workshop Awards: Special notices may be released for workshop-related proposals.

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Additional Information

• Evaluation Criteria:

  • Overall scientific and technical merit
  • Potential contribution and relevance to DARPA’s mission
  • Cost realism
  • Schedule realism
  • Proposer’s capabilities and related experience

• Proposal Guidance:

  • Proposals should be concise, technically sound, and clearly address one or more focus areas.
  • Disjointed or unrelated efforts should not be combined in a single submission.
  • Review current TTO programs and active DARPA solicitations to avoid duplication.

• Classified Submissions:

  • Must follow special mailing and handling instructions (see Attachment E).
  • Proposers must have or obtain appropriate facility and personnel clearances.

• Resources for Proposers:

  • DARPAConnect for learning and networking
  • APEX Accelerators for government contracting support
  • Project Spectrum for cybersecurity compliance

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External Links

• Grants.gov Opportunity Page
• SAM.gov Contract Opportunity
• DARPA TTO Office
• DARPA Opportunities
• DARPAConnect
• APEX Accelerators
• Project Spectrum

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Contact Information

For classified submission coordination, contact the DARPA Classified Document Registry at 703-526-4052.

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