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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the name of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Defense Sciences Research - Technology."

Who is issuing this opportunity?

It is issued by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), specifically under DARPA's Defense Sciences Office, as a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA).

What is the BAA identifier for this posting?

The BAA is identified as BAA08-22.

What CFDA program is associated with this opportunity?

This opportunity is associated with CFDA 12.910, Research and Technology Development.

Is this reposting a new solicitation or a change to the original BAA?

No. DARPA states the reposting is administrative and does not modify the original BAA's instructions, requirements, or content. The authoritative announcement and any prior modifications remain in the original posting under opportunity number BAA08-22.

Why was the announcement reposted on Grants.gov?

DARPA reposted the announcement to align with Grants.gov's transition from the older PureEdge application forms to Adobe-based forms. The intent is to ensure submissions use the newer Grants.gov forms while keeping the underlying solicitation unchanged.

Which application package should applicants use to submit?

Applicants must submit through the reposted Grants.gov package that uses the newer Adobe-based forms. DARPA indicates the solicitation content is unchanged, but the submission package is updated for the Grants.gov forms transition.

Where is the authoritative version of the solicitation located?

DARPA indicates the authoritative announcement (and any prior modifications) remain in the original posting under opportunity number BAA08-22.

Where should applicants look for the full technical scope and proposal requirements?

Applicants are directed to the original announcement (BAA08-22) and to the additional information link referencing FedBizOpps (as it existed at the time) for full technical scope, topic areas, proposal formatting rules, evaluation criteria, and submission details.

What is the primary purpose of this Grants.gov posting?

The posting is primarily administrative rather than programmatic. Its purpose is to support the Grants.gov form transition, not to introduce new program content.

What type of funding is this categorized as?

The opportunity is categorized as discretionary.

What award instruments might DARPA use under this opportunity?

DARPA indicates several possible award instruments may be used depending on the proposed work and DARPA's needs, including grants, cooperative agreements, "other" transaction-type instruments (as applicable under the solicitation), and procurement contracts.

How does DARPA decide whether an award will be a grant, cooperative agreement, other transaction, or contract?

The posting indicates instrument selection depends on the nature of the proposed work and DARPA's needs. The mix suggests flexibility, with the specific vehicle likely tied to technical goals, deliverables, and the level of government involvement expected during execution.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement is listed for this Grants.gov posting. This generally means proposers are not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of award, though the original BAA may still discuss cost realism, leveraging other resources, or voluntary cost share.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as "unrestricted," meaning it is open to essentially any type of applicant entity, subject to any clarifications included in the BAA text and compliance with applicable federal rules.

What kinds of organizations are typically included under "unrestricted" eligibility for a DARPA BAA?

The posting notes that DARPA BAAs often allow a broad range of applicants (for example, universities, nonprofits, for-profits, federally funded research and development centers, and teams/consortia), while still requiring compliance with applicable federal rules and any restrictions or clarifications contained in the BAA.

What is the activity area or focus of the opportunity?

The activity area is science and technology and other research and development, consistent with DARPA's mission to fund high-risk, high-reward research that could create new defense capabilities or major technological advantages.

When was this opportunity posted on Grants.gov?

The opportunity was posted on January 16, 2009.

What is the creation date listed for this opportunity?

The creation date is February 26, 2009.

What is the closing date for submissions in the reposting?

The current closing date listed in this reposting is March 6, 2009.

Was there a different closing date in the original listing?

Yes. The original closing date was February 27, 2009, but the reposting shows March 6, 2009, reflecting the administrative reposting window.

What is the archive date and what does it mean?

The archive date is April 30, 2009. This indicates when the listing would be removed from active view on Grants.gov.

Does the reposting change the technical topics or evaluation criteria?

No. DARPA explicitly states that nothing in the reposting modifies the original BAA's instructions, requirements, or content. Applicants should refer to the original BAA08-22 for technical topics, evaluation criteria, and detailed instructions.

What should applicants do if they cannot access the full announcement?

For access problems with the full announcement, DARPA provides a point of contact via the BAA Coordinator.

Where can applicants find additional information beyond Grants.gov?

The posting references an additional information link pointing to FedBizOpps (as it existed at the time), in addition to directing applicants to the original BAA08-22.