Opportunity Information: Apply for DARPA BAA 11 32
Apply for DARPA BAA 11 32
- The DARPA Information Innovation Office in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strategic Social Interaction Modules (SSIM)" 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 Mar 22, 2011 and posted on Mar 22, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 10, 2011. (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 Strategic Social Interaction Modules (SSIM) opportunity (DARPA BAA 11-32) is a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency solicitation focused on breakthrough research that can help warfighters navigate high-stakes social encounters with strangers in unfamiliar, potentially hostile environments. The core aim is to identify the specific social interaction skills that matter most in these settings and to develop ways to train those skills so personnel can achieve better outcomes during real-world engagements. Alongside skill identification and training, the program emphasizes improving "human dynamics" proficiency, meaning the ability to read, interpret, and respond effectively to social signals, intentions, cultural cues, and shifting interpersonal dynamics under operational pressure.
DARPA is looking for proposals that pursue genuinely novel approaches and can produce revolutionary advances in social science, training methods, or validation techniques. In practical terms, that means work that goes beyond incremental refinements to existing training curricula or small optimizations of current best practices. The solicitation explicitly excludes efforts that are primarily evolutionary improvements to the current state of practice, signaling that DARPA expects high-risk, high-reward concepts, new scientific insights, and transformative training or assessment paradigms rather than repackaged or slightly improved versions of established programs.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity administered by DARPA's Information Innovation Office. Funding instruments listed include cooperative agreements as well as other mechanisms such as procurement contracts, reflecting flexibility in how DARPA might structure awards depending on the nature of the proposed work and the relationship needed for program oversight and collaboration. The activity category is science and technology and other research and development, and the associated CFDA number is 12.910 (Research and Technology Development). There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement indicated.
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning the call is broadly open to a wide range of applicants (for example, universities, businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations), subject to any further clarifications in the full announcement text. Key dates indicate the opportunity was posted on March 22, 2011, with an original and current closing date of May 10, 2011, and an archive date of June 9, 2011. The full posting was available via FedBizOpps under DARPA BAA 11-32, and the listed point of contact for access issues is Dr. Brian Lande, Program Manager and DARPA/I2O BAA Coordinator.
Overall, SSIM is essentially a call for ambitious R and D that can redefine how the military understands, teaches, and measures social interaction competence in operational contexts, with a clear preference for approaches that create new capabilities and validated methods rather than modest upgrades to existing training solutions.
FAQs: DARPA Strategic Social Interaction Modules (SSIM) (BAA 11-32)
What is the SSIM opportunity (DARPA BAA 11-32)?
The Strategic Social Interaction Modules (SSIM) opportunity is a DARPA solicitation (BAA 11-32) for breakthrough research focused on helping warfighters navigate high-stakes social encounters with strangers in unfamiliar, potentially hostile environments.
What problem is SSIM trying to solve?
SSIM targets the challenge of performing effectively during real-world, high-pressure social engagements where outcomes depend on accurately reading and responding to people, intentions, cultural cues, and rapidly changing interpersonal dynamics.
Who is the primary intended beneficiary of the research?
The program is aimed at improving outcomes for warfighters operating in environments where they must interact with unfamiliar individuals and groups under operational pressure.
What are the core goals of the SSIM program?
The core goals are to (1) identify the specific social interaction skills that matter most in high-stakes operational settings and (2) develop ways to train those skills so personnel can achieve better outcomes during real-world engagements.
What does DARPA mean by improving "human dynamics" proficiency?
In this opportunity, "human dynamics" proficiency refers to the ability to read, interpret, and respond effectively to social signals, intentions, cultural cues, and shifting interpersonal dynamics, especially under operational pressure.
What types of research approaches is DARPA seeking?
DARPA is seeking genuinely novel, high-risk/high-reward approaches that can produce revolutionary advances in social science, training methods, or validation techniques related to operational social interaction competence.
What does the solicitation say about incremental improvements to existing training?
The solicitation explicitly excludes efforts that are primarily evolutionary improvements to the current state of practice. Proposals centered on modest upgrades, refinements to existing curricula, or small optimizations of current best practices are not aligned with the stated intent.
What kind of outcomes is DARPA looking for from SSIM-funded work?
The opportunity emphasizes transformative results such as new capabilities, new scientific insights, and validated methods for training and assessing social interaction competence in operational contexts.
Does SSIM focus only on training, or also on measurement and validation?
It includes both. Alongside identifying and training key skills, SSIM emphasizes validation techniques and improving the ability to measure and assess proficiency in social interaction and human dynamics.
Which DARPA office is administering this opportunity?
This discretionary funding opportunity is administered by DARPA's Information Innovation Office (I2O).
What funding instruments might DARPA use for SSIM awards?
The listed instruments include cooperative agreements and other mechanisms such as procurement contracts, reflecting flexibility in how awards may be structured depending on the proposed work and the level of oversight and collaboration required.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is science and technology and other research and development.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The associated CFDA number is 12.910 (Research and Technology Development).
Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement is indicated in the information provided.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to a wide range of applicants (for example, universities, businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations), subject to any additional details or conditions in the full announcement text.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on March 22, 2011.
What is the closing date for submissions?
The original and current closing date listed is May 10, 2011.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date is June 9, 2011.
Where was the full posting available?
The full posting was available via FedBizOpps under DARPA BAA 11-32.
Who is the point of contact listed for access issues?
The listed point of contact for access issues is Dr. Brian Lande, Program Manager and DARPA/I2O BAA Coordinator.
What should proposals emphasize to fit SSIM's intent?
Based on the description provided, proposals should emphasize ambitious R&D that can redefine how the military understands, teaches, and measures social interaction competence in operational contexts, rather than presenting repackaged or slightly improved versions of established training programs.
How does SSIM describe the operational context for the social encounters it targets?
The context is described as high-stakes social encounters with strangers in unfamiliar environments that may be hostile, where personnel must make effective judgments and responses under pressure.
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