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Physical Intelligence (PI) DARPA BAA 09-63 - Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Physical Intelligence (PI) opportunity?

Physical Intelligence (PI) is a DARPA Defense Sciences Office Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) that seeks research to advance the scientific and engineering understanding of how intelligence can arise from physical systems. It emphasizes the "physical basis of intelligence" and aims to turn that understanding into usable outputs such as new theories, proof-of-concept demonstrations, and analytic tools.

2. What is the main goal of the program?

The core intent is not simply to create a smarter algorithm in isolation. Instead, the opportunity focuses on how sensing, control, embodiment, materials, dynamics, and real-world interaction contribute to intelligent behavior. Proposals are expected to produce frameworks that explain intelligence as a physical phenomenon and to demonstrate those ideas in ways that can be tested, measured, and compared.

3. What types of research outputs does DARPA expect?

Based on the description provided, DARPA is looking for outputs such as new theories, proof-of-concept demonstrations, and analytic tools. The opportunity also emphasizes creating frameworks that can be validated through measurable and comparable demonstrations.

4. Is this opportunity focused on software/algorithms only?

No. The description explicitly indicates the intent is not just to build a smarter algorithm in isolation. Research is expected to consider physical aspects of intelligence, including embodiment, materials, sensing, dynamics, control, and interaction with the real world.

5. What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this announcement?

The Funding Opportunity Number is DARPA BAA 09 63.

6. What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 12.910 (Research and Technology Development).

7. Which DARPA office is sponsoring this opportunity?

The sponsoring agency is DARPA, specifically the Defense Sciences Office (DSO).

8. What kinds of award instruments might be used?

DARPA indicates multiple possible award instruments under this announcement, including cooperative agreements, grants, "other" transaction-like mechanisms (as applicable), and procurement contracts. This reflects DARPA's flexibility to select the instrument that best fits the work and the expected level of government involvement.

9. Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement is stated in the information provided. This generally means proposers do not need to commit their own funds as a condition of eligibility. The summary also notes that voluntary cost share may sometimes be proposed strategically, but it would be governed by the specifics of the full solicitation.

10. Who is eligible to apply?

The eligibility posture is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to applicants of any type of entity, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement text.

11. What types of organizations are typically able to apply to DARPA BAAs?

The description indicates that, in typical DARPA BAAs, eligible applicants can include universities, nonprofits, small businesses, large businesses, research institutes, consortia, and teams that combine multiple organizations, as long as they comply with solicitation requirements and any applicable constraints.

12. Can teams or multi-organization consortia submit proposals?

Yes. The information provided indicates that teams combining multiple organizations and consortia are typically allowed under DARPA BAAs, provided they meet the solicitation requirements and applicable compliance constraints.

13. Are there compliance constraints applicants should expect?

The summary notes that applicants must comply with solicitation requirements and any applicable security, export control, or compliance constraints. Specific requirements (if any) would be detailed in the full announcement text.

14. What does DARPA generally expect in terms of technical ambition and planning?

Because this is a DARPA BAA, proposals are commonly expected to be technically ambitious, to present a clear research plan with measurable milestones, and to explain why the approach is likely to produce a meaningful leap in capability or understanding rather than incremental progress.

15. When was the announcement posted?

The announcement was posted and created on June 15, 2009.

16. What were the closing date and archive date?

The original and current closing date is listed as June 14, 2010, and the archive date is July 15, 2010.

17. How long was the submission window?

Based on the dates provided (June 15, 2009 to June 14, 2010), the BAA window was open for roughly a year, which is consistent with how DARPA often runs BAAs to allow submissions over an extended period, sometimes with multiple review cycles.

18. Where can applicants find the full announcement details?

The notice points to an additional information link labeled "DARPA BAA 09 63." The full document is where applicants would typically find detailed technical areas of interest, required formats, evaluation criteria, and submission instructions.

19. What details are likely to be in the full BAA that are not in the summary?

The summary indicates that the full BAA commonly contains crucial information not captured in the listing, such as specific technical areas of interest, recommended formats for abstracts and full proposals, evaluation criteria, submission instructions, and requirements related to data rights, human subjects, animal use, or classified work (if applicable).

20. Who should be contacted if there are issues accessing the announcement electronically?

The notice provides a contact route through the BAA Administrator for anyone who has trouble accessing the announcement electronically.

21. What is the practical focus of "physical intelligence" as described here?

In practical terms, the opportunity invites research that digs into the physical basis of intelligence and translates that understanding into testable, measurable, and comparable theories and demonstrations that connect intelligent behavior to physical systems and real-world interaction.