Accelerated Computation for Efficient Scientific Simulation (ACCESS) | Apply Online

ACCESS (DARPA BAA 16-38) Grant Opportunity FAQs

What is the ACCESS opportunity?

ACCESS stands for Accelerated Computation for Efficient Scientific Simulation. It is a DARPA Defense Sciences Office research solicitation focused on radically speeding up scientific simulations of physical systems governed by coupled partial differential equations (PDEs).

What is the core goal of the program?

The core aim is to move beyond incremental improvements in conventional high-performance computing and instead create new computational architectures that dramatically increase simulation speed and efficiency for predictive, high-fidelity PDE-based simulations.

What kind of performance is DARPA aiming for?

DARPA is seeking approaches that can provide what amounts to petaflops-class capability in a benchtop-sized system, while still supporting strong scaling typically associated with large traditional supercomputers.

What does "benchtop-sized system" mean in this context?

In practical terms, it means achieving extremely high simulation throughput without relying on a room-sized cluster. The target is a compact prototype system that can deliver supercomputer-like capability for the intended PDE simulation workloads.

What problem domain is ACCESS primarily targeting?

The solicitation is centered on scientific simulations of physical systems governed by coupled PDEs, particularly predictive and high-fidelity PDE-based simulations.

What makes ACCESS different from typical HPC improvement efforts?

ACCESS is positioned as a step-change effort rather than an incremental one. The opportunity emphasizes fundamentally different approaches to representing and executing the computation associated with coupled PDE solvers, not just faster versions of familiar processors or modest accelerator upgrades.

Does ACCESS focus only on hardware improvements?

No. A key theme is that achieving the program goals likely requires rethinking the full stack at once. The solicitation emphasizes parallel development of non-traditional component technologies along with integration into prototype systems, including architecture, algorithms, instruction sets, control, and system-level optimization.

What types of technical approaches are highlighted as relevant?

The opportunity explicitly calls out exploration of hybrid analog and digital computation techniques, new algorithms tailored to unconventional architectures, novel instruction sets, specialized controllers, and system-level integration and optimization into prototypes.

Is hybrid analog/digital computation within scope?

Yes. Hybrid analog and digital computation techniques are specifically mentioned as a potential direction, alongside other unconventional architectural approaches.

Are new algorithms expected as part of a proposal?

The solicitation highlights the importance of algorithms tailored to these non-traditional architectures. The overall message is co-design: architectural innovation paired with matching algorithmic and software ideas, brought together in integrated prototypes.

Does DARPA expect integrated prototype development?

Yes. The announcement emphasizes integrating non-traditional components into prototype systems and validating progress through integrated prototype development rather than isolated component research alone.

What types of work are explicitly not the target of ACCESS?

DARPA clearly excludes work that primarily produces evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice. Proposals centered on incremental tuning of conventional architectures, modest upgrades to standard digital accelerators, or routine optimizations that do not materially depart from established approaches are not the target.

Is this considered high-risk, high-reward research?

Yes. ACCESS is positioned for high-risk, high-reward research, aiming for a step change in simulation throughput, energy efficiency, and scalability for PDE-based scientific computing.

What is the solicitation number and issuing office?

The solicitation is issued as DARPA BAA 16-38 under the DARPA Defense Sciences Office, within the U.S. Department of Defense.

What is the funding activity category and CFDA listing?

The funding activity category is listed as science and technology and other research and development, with CFDA 12.910.

Is this opportunity discretionary?

Yes. The opportunity is described as discretionary.

What award instrument types may be used?

The listing indicates multiple award instrument types may be used, including cooperative agreements, grants, other transaction-like mechanisms, and procurement contracts. This suggests DARPA may structure awards differently depending on the performer type and the proposed work.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to a wide range of entities (for example, companies, universities, nonprofit research organizations, and potentially teams or consortia), subject to any additional eligibility details that may appear in the full announcement text.

Are consortia or teams allowed?

The eligibility description indicates broad openness and notes that teams or consortia may be possible, subject to any additional details in the full announcement.

Does the posting list an award ceiling?

No. The provided fields in the listing do not specify an award ceiling. If such information exists, it would typically be found in the full BAA document or vary by topic area and negotiated scope.

Does the posting specify the expected number of awards?

No. The listing does not specify the expected number of awards in the provided fields, which commonly means the number of awards (if stated) would appear in the full BAA or may depend on available funding and submitted proposals.

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was created and posted on May 06, 2016.

What was the closing date?

The original and current closing date listed is Jun 28, 2016.

What is the best high-level summary of what DARPA is inviting?

ACCESS can be summarized as DARPA inviting proposals that demonstrate a credible path to benchtop petaflops-equivalent performance for coupled PDE simulations by combining unconventional computing hardware with co-designed software and algorithms, validated through integrated prototype development rather than incremental optimization of conventional systems.