Protean

The DARPA “Protean” solicitation (DARPA‑RA2601) seeks proposals that advance chemical and biological defense capabilities through either fundamental or non‑fundamental research, or a combination of both. Offerors must clearly delineate which portions of their effort constitute fundamental research and justify that classification, recognizing that DARPA will retain final authority and may impose publication restrictions. Proposals must include a concise statement of the primary goal, the proposed strategy’s relationship to the current state‑of‑the‑art, DoD impact/national‑security relevance, and the innovation element. A detailed Technical Approach (2.5‑3 pages) must describe objectives, execution plan, novel aspects, risk‑mitigation tactics, and how each sub‑task supports program milestones; a Technical Ability section (0.5‑1 page) must summarize team expertise, including sub‑awardees and consultants, and address any Organizational Conflicts of Interest with OCI mitigation plans per FAR 9.5. Additional required elements are novelty disclosures, program financial and procurement observables, foreign‑personnel/treaty‑compliance plans, and a cost estimate (0.5‑1 page) broken out by fiscal year. Evaluation will focus on innovation relative to the state‑of‑the‑art, feasibility and risk mitigation, team capability, relevance to DARPA’s mission, and cost‑task realism. Offerors must submit the appropriate DARPA representations and certifications for Other Transactions or Cooperative Agreements, acknowledge unlimited government rights to IP not expressly restricted, and be prepared for a separate DARPA risk‑assessment of senior personnel. Eligibility inquiries should be directed to the point of contact listed in the Overview before the proposal due date.

Notice ID

fdfe0e2c0a074033b7238802e3d87d14

Solicitation Number

DARPARA2601

NAICS Code

541714

Classification Code

AC12