Opportunity Information: Apply for DARPA BAA 10 83
Apply for DARPA BAA 10 83
- The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strategic Technologies" 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 3, 2011 and posted on Sep 9, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 16, 2012. (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:
DARPA Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) 10-83, titled Strategic Technologies, was a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency funding opportunity issued through DARPA's Strategic Technology Office (STO) to attract high-impact research and development ideas that could meaningfully advance U.S. defense capabilities. The overall purpose of the announcement was to solicit proposals for research, development, design, and testing efforts that directly support STO mission needs. Rather than looking for incremental upgrades to existing tools, DARPA emphasized that proposed work should aim for revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems. In other words, the solicitation was geared toward bold technical approaches that could create new capabilities or fundamentally change what is possible, and it explicitly excluded projects whose main outcome would be evolutionary improvements to the current state of practice.
The technical scope was broad and aligned with several STO focus areas, including communications, networks and electronic warfare; cyber; energy and self-sufficient operations; finding difficult targets; recapturing surprise; and core strategic technologies. This framing suggests DARPA was seeking disruptive concepts across both information-domain and physical-domain challenges, ranging from resilient and contested communications to advanced sensing and targeting, as well as technologies that reduce logistical burden through energy independence or more autonomous operations. The mention of "recapturing surprise" and "core strategic technologies" also signals interest in foundational breakthroughs that could provide asymmetric advantages, not just near-term engineering deliverables.
In terms of award mechanisms, the opportunity allowed for multiple funding instrument types, including grants, cooperative agreements, other procurement contracts, and potentially other arrangements depending on the project and its relationship to DARPA oversight. This is typical for DARPA BAAs, where the agency chooses the contracting vehicle based on the nature of the work, the level of anticipated government involvement, and the maturity of the concept. The funding activity category was science and technology and other research and development, and the listing referenced CFDA number 12.910 (Research and Technology Development). There was no cost sharing or matching requirement stated, meaning applicants were not required to contribute their own funds as a condition of eligibility, although proposing voluntary cost share is sometimes used strategically depending on the program and performer.
Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning the competition was open to any type of entity unless further limited by clarifications in the full BAA text. In practice, that could include universities, nonprofit research institutions, for-profit companies (including small businesses), federally funded research and development centers where allowed, and other qualified organizations, provided they could meet the administrative and technical requirements described in the attachment. The announcement pointed proposers to the attached PDF (DARPA BAA 10-83 Final, dated 08 September 2010) for the specific areas of interest, detailed submission instructions, required proposal formats, evaluation approach, and contractual and administrative terms. That attachment would be the controlling document for what DARPA would accept, how proposals must be structured, and how selections would be made.
The opportunity history indicates it was posted on September 9, 2010, originally closed September 7, 2011, later extended with a current closing date of January 16, 2012, and then archived January 30, 2012. Those dates reflect a BAA structure where DARPA can keep a solicitation open for an extended period to continuously receive and review ideas, or to run multiple topic calls under a single umbrella announcement, depending on how STO managed the BAA during that timeframe. For questions, DARPA directed administrative, technical, or contractual inquiries to an email address (BAA10-83@darpa.mil) and requested that messages include a point of contact name, address, and phone number. The notice also referenced an additional information link pointing to the BAA on FedBizOpps (the predecessor to beta.SAM.gov / SAM.gov Contract Opportunities).
Overall, this grant opportunity can be summarized as a DARPA STO open solicitation designed to surface and fund disruptive, high-risk/high-reward R&D across a wide set of strategic technology areas. The key takeaway for a prospective applicant is that the bar was intentionally set for transformative innovation with clear defense relevance, and the definitive requirements, topic descriptions, and proposal instructions were contained in the attached BAA document rather than in the brief synopsis.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - DARPA BAA 10-83 (Strategic Technologies)
What is DARPA BAA 10-83 "Strategic Technologies"?
DARPA Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) 10-83, titled Strategic Technologies, was a funding opportunity issued by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) through its Strategic Technology Office (STO). It was designed to attract high-impact research and development ideas that could meaningfully advance U.S. defense capabilities.
What was the overall purpose of this announcement?
The purpose was to solicit proposals for research, development, design, and testing efforts that directly support DARPA STO mission needs. The emphasis was on work that could create new capabilities or fundamentally change what is possible for defense applications.
What kind of technical approach was DARPA looking for?
DARPA emphasized revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems. The solicitation was geared toward bold, disruptive technical approaches rather than incremental improvements to existing technologies.
Were incremental or evolutionary improvements allowed?
No. The announcement explicitly excluded projects whose main outcome would be evolutionary improvements to the current state of practice. Proposals were expected to aim for transformative outcomes rather than upgrades or refinements of existing tools.
What technical areas were included in the scope?
The technical scope was broad and aligned with several STO focus areas, including:
- Communications, networks, and electronic warfare
- Cyber
- Energy and self-sufficient operations
- Finding difficult targets
- Recapturing surprise
- Core strategic technologies
What does "recapturing surprise" suggest about DARPA's interests?
The inclusion of "recapturing surprise" signals interest in breakthroughs that could provide asymmetric advantages and restore or create unexpected capabilities, rather than focusing only on near-term engineering deliverables.
What does "core strategic technologies" imply?
"Core strategic technologies" suggests DARPA was interested in foundational breakthroughs that could underpin multiple future capabilities, not just single-use applications.
What types of funding instruments were available under this opportunity?
The opportunity allowed for multiple instrument types, including:
- Grants
- Cooperative agreements
- Other procurement contracts
- Potentially other arrangements depending on the project and DARPA oversight needs
This reflects a typical DARPA BAA approach where the contracting vehicle can vary based on the nature of the proposed work and the expected level of government involvement.
How does DARPA decide whether to use a grant, cooperative agreement, or contract?
According to the synopsis, the instrument type could depend on factors such as:
- The nature of the work
- The level of anticipated government involvement/oversight
- The maturity of the concept
What was the funding activity category?
The funding activity category was listed as science and technology and other research and development.
What CFDA number was referenced for this opportunity?
The listing referenced CFDA 12.910, described as Research and Technology Development.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement was stated in the provided synopsis, meaning applicants were not required to contribute their own funds as a condition of eligibility (based on the information provided).
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning the competition was open to any type of entity unless the full BAA text included additional limits. The synopsis indicates this could include universities, nonprofit research institutions, for-profit companies (including small businesses), and other qualified organizations, provided they could meet the administrative and technical requirements.
Where were the official proposal requirements and submission instructions located?
The synopsis directed proposers to the attached PDF, "DARPA BAA 10-83 Final" (dated 08 September 2010), for:
- Specific areas of interest
- Detailed submission instructions
- Required proposal formats
- Evaluation approach
- Contractual and administrative terms
The attachment was described as the controlling document for what DARPA would accept and how proposals would be reviewed.
What were the key dates for this opportunity?
The opportunity history provided indicates:
- Posted: September 9, 2010
- Original close date: September 7, 2011
- Extended close date: January 16, 2012
- Archived: January 30, 2012
Why did the BAA remain open for an extended period?
The synopsis notes that these dates reflect a BAA structure where DARPA can keep a solicitation open for an extended period to continuously receive and review ideas, or to run multiple topic calls under a single umbrella announcement, depending on how STO managed it during that timeframe.
Where was the opportunity also referenced online?
The notice referenced an additional information link pointing to the BAA on FedBizOpps, described as the predecessor to beta.SAM.gov / SAM.gov Contract Opportunities.
How could applicants ask questions about the announcement?
DARPA directed administrative, technical, or contractual inquiries to: BAA10-83@darpa.mil.
What information did DARPA ask to include in email inquiries?
The synopsis states that messages should include a point of contact name, address, and phone number.
What is the main takeaway for prospective applicants based on the synopsis?
The synopsis frames this as a DARPA STO open solicitation intended to surface and fund disruptive, high-risk/high-reward R&D with clear defense relevance. It also makes clear that the definitive requirements and topic descriptions were contained in the attached BAA document, not the brief synopsis.
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