Opportunity Information: Apply for DARPA 13 03
Apply for DARPA 13 03
- The DARPA Defense Sciences Office in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Autonomous Diagnostics to Enable Prevention and Therapeutics Prophylactic Options to Environmental and Contagious Threats (ADEPT PROTECT)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.910 Research and Technology Development.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 21, 2012 and posted on Nov 1, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 15, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The ADEPT PROTECT opportunity (DARPA BAA 13-03) was a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office solicitation focused on fast, flexible medical countermeasures against environmental and contagious biological threats. The central aim was to support research and development of nucleic acid-based platforms that could be administered to adults and work inside the body (in vivo) to drive short-lived, or transient, production of immune prophylaxis. In practical terms, DARPA was looking for technologies that could rapidly confer temporary protective immunity without relying on the slower timelines associated with conventional vaccine development and manufacturing. This effort sat under the broader Autonomous Diagnostics to Enable Prevention and Therapeutics (ADEPT) program, which emphasized the ability to quickly respond to emerging threats with adaptable, platform-style solutions.
The technical idea behind the solicitation was to use nucleic acids as an information carrier that instructs host cells to produce protective molecules for a limited period. Rather than delivering a pre-made biologic in a traditional way, the platform concept implied a "deployable blueprint" approach: administer a nucleic acid construct and allow the body to produce the prophylactic agent on demand. The word "transient" is important because it signals a design goal of temporary expression, potentially reducing long-term exposure and enabling repeated or rapidly updated use when the threat landscape changes. The solicitation language also highlights prophylaxis for adults specifically, indicating the targeted population for the intended countermeasure capability.
From an administrative and funding standpoint, the opportunity was categorized as discretionary funding and supported multiple potential award instruments, including cooperative agreements, grants, other transactions, and procurement contracts. That mix is typical for DARPA announcements and reflects the agency's flexibility in structuring relationships depending on the maturity of the effort, the intended deliverables, and the level of government involvement during execution. The activity category was science and technology and other research and development, and the CFDA listing included 12.910 (Research and Technology Development). There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement stated in the summary information provided.
Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning proposals were open to any type of entity, subject to any clarifications contained in the full text of the announcement. In general, that kind of eligibility language is meant to encourage participation from a broad range of performers such as universities, nonprofit research institutes, small businesses, large industry, and other qualified organizations, as long as they can meet the requirements laid out in the BAA.
Key dates in the posting record show the opportunity was posted on November 1, 2012, with a creation date of November 21, 2012. The original and current closing date were both January 15, 2013, and the archive date was March 15, 2013, indicating the solicitation is no longer active. The Additional Information link pointed to the full announcement text, "DARPA BAA 13-03," which would have contained the detailed technical areas of interest, submission instructions, evaluation criteria, and any compliance requirements. For access problems, the listed point of contact was the DARPA BAA Coordinator within the Defense Sciences Office.
Overall, ADEPT PROTECT can be summarized as a DARPA effort to fund R and D on in vivo nucleic acid delivery and expression systems aimed at rapidly generating short-term immune protection in adults, with the broader strategic goal of enabling quicker, more adaptable responses to biological threats than traditional countermeasure pipelines typically allow.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - ADEPT PROTECT (DARPA BAA 13-03)
What is the ADEPT PROTECT opportunity (DARPA BAA 13-03)?
ADEPT PROTECT (DARPA BAA 13-03) was a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office solicitation focused on research and development of fast, flexible medical countermeasures against environmental and contagious biological threats.
What was the main goal of ADEPT PROTECT?
The central aim was to support nucleic acid-based platforms that could be administered to adults and work inside the body (in vivo) to drive short-lived (transient) production of immune prophylaxis, enabling temporary protective immunity faster than conventional vaccine development and manufacturing timelines.
Which DARPA office managed this solicitation?
The solicitation was managed within DARPA's Defense Sciences Office.
How does this approach differ from traditional vaccines or biologics?
Rather than delivering a pre-made biologic or relying on the longer timelines typical of conventional vaccine development and manufacturing, the platform concept focused on delivering nucleic acids as an information carrier so host cells produce protective molecules for a limited period after administration.
What does "in vivo" mean in the context of this opportunity?
In vivo indicates the technology was intended to function inside the body after administration, driving expression of a prophylactic agent within the recipient rather than producing the agent externally and then administering it as a finished product.
What does "transient" mean in the context of ADEPT PROTECT?
"Transient" refers to short-lived, temporary expression of the protective molecules produced by the body after receiving the nucleic acid construct. The design goal emphasized temporary expression rather than long-term or permanent activity.
Who was the intended population for the countermeasure capability?
The solicitation highlighted prophylaxis for adults specifically, indicating adults were the targeted population for the intended capability.
What kinds of threats was ADEPT PROTECT intended to address?
The effort was described as targeting environmental and contagious biological threats, with an emphasis on responding quickly to emerging threats.
How does ADEPT PROTECT relate to the broader ADEPT program?
ADEPT PROTECT sat under the broader Autonomous Diagnostics to Enable Prevention and Therapeutics (ADEPT) program, which emphasized rapid response to emerging threats using adaptable, platform-style solutions.
What type of funding opportunity was this?
The opportunity was categorized as discretionary funding.
What award instruments were available under this solicitation?
The summary information indicated DARPA could use multiple award instruments, including cooperative agreements, grants, other transactions, and procurement contracts.
Why would DARPA use multiple types of award instruments?
The announcement reflected DARPA's flexibility in structuring awards depending on factors such as the maturity of the effort, intended deliverables, and the level of government involvement during execution.
What was the activity category for ADEPT PROTECT?
The activity category was science and technology and other research and development.
What CFDA listing was associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA listing included 12.910 (Research and Technology Development).
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement was stated in the summary information provided.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning proposals were open to any type of entity, subject to any clarifications in the full text of the announcement.
Does "unrestricted eligibility" mean any organization could submit?
Based on the summary, unrestricted eligibility was intended to encourage participation from a broad range of performers (for example, universities, nonprofit research institutes, small businesses, and large industry), as long as they could meet the requirements laid out in the BAA.
When was the opportunity posted?
The posting record shows it was posted on November 1, 2012.
What was the creation date listed for the opportunity?
The creation date listed was November 21, 2012.
What was the closing date for submissions?
The original and current closing date were both January 15, 2013.
Is this solicitation still open?
No. The archive date was March 15, 2013, indicating the solicitation is no longer active.
Where could applicants find the full technical requirements and submission instructions?
The Additional Information link pointed to the full announcement text, "DARPA BAA 13-03," which would have contained the detailed technical areas of interest, submission instructions, evaluation criteria, and any compliance requirements.
Who was listed as the point of contact for access problems?
For access problems, the listed point of contact was the DARPA BAA Coordinator within the Defense Sciences Office.
What is a simple summary of ADEPT PROTECT?
It was a DARPA R&D effort to fund in vivo nucleic acid delivery and expression systems designed to rapidly generate short-term immune protection in adults, supporting quicker and more adaptable responses to biological threats than traditional countermeasure pipelines typically allow.
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