Opportunity Information: Apply for DARPA BAA 14 59
Apply for DARPA BAA 14 59
- The DARPA Defense Sciences Office in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Simplifying Complexity in Scientific Discovery (SIMPLEX)" 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 Sep 11, 2014 and posted on Sep 11, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 6, 2014. (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 Simplifying Complexity in Scientific Discovery (SIMPLEX) opportunity was a DARPA Defense Sciences Office funding call focused on pushing the frontiers of how complex phenomena can be represented and analyzed mathematically. At its core, the program sought proposals that develop new "systems of representation and analysis" meaning fresh mathematical frameworks, formalisms, modeling paradigms, or analytic methods that can make complicated scientific or engineering problems easier to understand, reason about, and ultimately exploit. The intent was not incremental tuning of existing tools, but instead work that could plausibly change what is possible in scientific discovery, advanced devices, or integrated systems by simplifying complexity in a fundamentally new way.
DARPA emphasized that the research should aim for revolutionary advances rather than evolutionary improvements. In practical terms, proposals were expected to go beyond standard extensions of established approaches and instead explore innovative concepts that could unlock step-change capability. The program description explicitly excluded research whose primary outcome would be gradual improvements to the current state of practice, signaling that reviewers would be looking for high-risk, high-reward ideas with the potential to redefine how complex systems are described, predicted, or controlled.
From an administrative standpoint, the announcement was issued as DARPA BAA 14-59 under the broader category of Science and Technology and other Research and Development, with the associated CFDA number 12.910 (Research and Technology Development). DARPA indicated multiple possible award instruments, including cooperative agreements and other procurement contracts, which is consistent with DARPA practices for supporting R&D efforts that may require substantial technical interaction with the agency. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement listed, lowering barriers for applicants who might otherwise struggle to contribute non-federal funds for exploratory research.
Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning the call was broadly open to any type of entity, subject to any clarifications that may have appeared in the full announcement text. That typically includes universities, nonprofit research organizations, for-profit companies (including small businesses), federally funded research and development centers where permitted, and other qualified organizations able to perform advanced R&D. The opportunity was posted on September 11, 2014, with an original and final closing date of November 6, 2014, and it was later archived on January 6, 2015, indicating the solicitation is no longer active.
For access and administrative support, DARPA provided an additional information link to the full BAA announcement and designated a BAA Coordinator as the contact for applicants who had trouble accessing the announcement electronically. Overall, SIMPLEX can be understood as a DARPA effort to catalyze breakthrough mathematical and analytic approaches that tame complexity and translate into transformative gains in science and technology, while deliberately filtering out proposals that merely refine established methods.
FAQs: Simplifying Complexity in Scientific Discovery (SIMPLEX) - DARPA (BAA 14-59)
What is the SIMPLEX opportunity?
SIMPLEX (Simplifying Complexity in Scientific Discovery) was a DARPA Defense Sciences Office funding call focused on pushing the frontiers of how complex phenomena can be represented and analyzed mathematically. The core aim was to support proposals that create new ways to represent, model, and analyze complexity so difficult scientific and engineering problems become easier to understand, reason about, and exploit.
What kinds of research did SIMPLEX want to fund?
The call sought new "systems of representation and analysis" such as fresh mathematical frameworks, formalisms, modeling paradigms, or analytic methods. The emphasis was on approaches that could plausibly change what is possible in scientific discovery, advanced devices, or integrated systems by simplifying complexity in a fundamentally new way.
What does DARPA mean by "systems of representation and analysis"?
In this program context, it refers to foundational methods for describing and working with complex phenomena: new mathematical languages, new modeling paradigms, or new analytic techniques that can make complicated systems more tractable. The intent was not just to apply existing tools, but to develop new frameworks that reshape how complex systems are described, predicted, or controlled.
Was incremental research competitive under this BAA?
No. DARPA explicitly emphasized revolutionary advances rather than evolutionary improvements. The description excluded research whose primary outcome would be gradual improvements to the current state of practice, which signals that proposals centered on incremental tuning or standard extensions of established methods were not the target.
What level of innovation was expected?
The program was positioned as high-risk, high-reward. Proposals were expected to explore innovative concepts with step-change potential, rather than modest improvements to existing approaches.
What agency and office issued the opportunity?
The opportunity was issued by DARPA, specifically within the Defense Sciences Office.
What is the solicitation number for this opportunity?
The announcement was issued as DARPA BAA 14-59.
What is the CFDA number associated with SIMPLEX?
The associated CFDA number was 12.910, listed as Research and Technology Development.
What type of funding opportunity category was it listed under?
It was listed under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
What award instruments were anticipated?
DARPA indicated multiple possible award instruments, including cooperative agreements and other procurement contracts. This aligns with typical DARPA practices where substantial technical interaction with the agency may occur during R&D execution.
Was cost-sharing or matching required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement was listed for this opportunity.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning the call was broadly open to any type of entity, subject to any clarifications that may have appeared in the full announcement text.
What does "unrestricted eligibility" generally imply for applicants?
Based on how such language is commonly used in these announcements, it typically includes universities, nonprofit research organizations, for-profit companies (including small businesses), and other qualified organizations able to perform advanced R&D. (Any additional constraints would normally be specified in the full BAA.)
When was SIMPLEX posted?
The opportunity was posted on September 11, 2014.
What were the closing dates for submissions?
The original and final closing date listed was November 6, 2014.
Is this funding opportunity still active?
No. The solicitation was later archived on January 6, 2015, indicating it is no longer active.
Where could applicants find the full announcement?
DARPA provided an additional information link to access the full BAA announcement.
Who could applicants contact for access issues with the announcement?
DARPA designated a BAA Coordinator as the point of contact for applicants who had trouble accessing the announcement electronically.
What was the overall intent of the SIMPLEX program?
Overall, SIMPLEX was intended to catalyze breakthrough mathematical and analytic approaches that tame complexity and translate into transformative gains in science and technology, while filtering out proposals that merely refine established methods.
What kinds of outcomes was DARPA hoping these new approaches could enable?
The program framing highlighted the potential to change what is possible in scientific discovery, advanced devices, or integrated systems by enabling fundamentally new ways to simplify and exploit complexity.
What would likely make a proposal a poor fit, based on the description provided?
Work framed primarily as incremental improvement, gradual optimization, or standard extensions of existing tools was explicitly not the intent. The call aimed for fundamentally new representational or analytic approaches rather than refinement of the current state of practice.
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