Opportunity Information: Apply for DARPA BAA 08 48
Apply for DARPA BAA 08 48
- The DARPA Defense Sciences Office in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Surface Catalysis for Energy (SurfCat)" 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 May 15, 2008 and posted on May 15, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 15, 2009. (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's Defense Sciences Office issued the "Surface Catalysis for Energy (SurfCat)" opportunity under Funding Opportunity Number DARPA BAA 08-48 to attract research ideas in heterogeneous (surface-based) chemical catalysis aimed at making important reactions significantly more energy efficient. The central theme is catalysis that can lower energy input, improve selectivity, and generally make chemical transformations cleaner and more practical at scale, with an explicit long-term goal of helping alternative energy sources move into mainstream use. In other words, DARPA was looking for catalytic materials and approaches that could remove key technical barriers that keep nontraditional fuels and energy pathways from being widely adopted.
The opportunity was released as a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), which typically means DARPA was inviting a wide range of technically novel concepts rather than prescribing a single narrow solution. The listed funding instruments included cooperative agreements, grants, "other" transaction-style arrangements, and procurement contracts, reflecting flexibility in how DARPA could structure awards depending on the nature of the work and performer. The activity category was research and development in science and technology. Cost sharing was not required, and eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning universities, companies, nonprofits, and other organizations could generally apply, subject to any specific conditions contained in the full BAA text.
Timing-wise, the announcement was posted and created on May 15, 2008, with an original and current closing date of May 15, 2009, and an archive date of June 15, 2009. Award floor and ceiling were both listed as 0 in the summary fields, which usually indicates that specific award sizes were not pre-set in the public synopsis and that the actual funding levels, number of awards, and project scopes would be determined through the proposal and selection process described in the BAA.
For practical access and administration, DARPA provided an additional information link pointing to the full BAA (DARPA BAA 08-48). The contact note indicates that anyone who could not access the announcement electronically should reach out to the BAA Administrator or BAA Coordinator, which is typical for DARPA solicitations where the complete technical areas, submission instructions, evaluation criteria, and compliance requirements are contained in the attached announcement rather than the brief synopsis.
Surface Catalysis for Energy (SurfCat) FAQ
What is the SurfCat opportunity?
SurfCat (Surface Catalysis for Energy) is a DARPA Defense Sciences Office research opportunity focused on heterogeneous (surface-based) chemical catalysis. The goal is to attract ideas that make important chemical reactions significantly more energy efficient and more practical for real-world use.
Who is the sponsoring organization?
The opportunity was issued by DARPA's Defense Sciences Office (DSO).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DARPA BAA 08-48.
What type of solicitation is this?
This opportunity was released as a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), which generally indicates DARPA is seeking a wide range of technically novel concepts rather than prescribing one narrow, pre-defined solution approach.
What technical area does the program focus on?
The central technical focus is heterogeneous (surface-based) catalysis, including catalytic materials and approaches intended to lower energy input, improve selectivity, and make chemical transformations cleaner and more scalable.
What is the main program goal?
The main goal is to develop catalysis that can significantly improve the energy efficiency of important reactions, while also improving selectivity and overall practicality of chemical transformations at scale.
What is the long-term objective behind the research?
The explicit long-term objective is to help alternative energy sources move into mainstream use by removing key technical barriers that prevent nontraditional fuels and energy pathways from being widely adopted.
What kinds of benefits was DARPA looking for in proposed catalytic approaches?
Based on the synopsis, DARPA was looking for catalysts and catalytic approaches that (1) lower energy input for reactions, (2) improve selectivity, and (3) make chemical transformations cleaner and more practical at scale.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is research and development in science and technology.
What award instruments could DARPA use for this BAA?
The listed funding instruments included cooperative agreements, grants, "other" transaction-style arrangements, and procurement contracts. This suggests DARPA could structure awards in different ways depending on the work and the performer.
Is cost sharing required?
No. The synopsis states that cost sharing was not required.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning organizations such as universities, companies, nonprofits, and other entities could generally apply, subject to any specific conditions contained in the full BAA text.
When was the opportunity posted?
The announcement was posted (and created) on May 15, 2008.
What was the closing date?
The original and current closing date listed in the synopsis is May 15, 2009.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date listed is June 15, 2009.
Were minimum or maximum award amounts specified?
No specific award floor or ceiling was provided in the summary fields. Both the award floor and ceiling were listed as 0, which typically indicates that award sizes were not pre-set in the public synopsis and would be determined through the BAA process described in the full announcement.
Does the synopsis say how many awards would be made?
No. The synopsis does not state the number of awards. It indicates that funding levels, number of awards, and project scopes would be determined through the proposal and selection process described in the BAA.
Where can applicants find the full program details and instructions?
DARPA provided an additional information link pointing to the full BAA (DARPA BAA 08-48). The full BAA typically contains the detailed technical areas, submission instructions, evaluation criteria, and compliance requirements that are not included in the short synopsis.
What should someone do if they cannot access the announcement electronically?
The contact note states that anyone unable to access the announcement electronically should contact the BAA Administrator or BAA Coordinator for assistance.
Does the synopsis provide the evaluation criteria or submission format?
No. The synopsis indicates that items like evaluation criteria, submission instructions, and compliance requirements are contained in the attached/full announcement rather than in the brief public synopsis.
Why does DARPA use a BAA for opportunities like this?
Based on the information provided, the use of a BAA aligns with DARPA inviting a broad range of novel research ideas in a technical area (here, surface catalysis for energy efficiency) rather than soliciting a single narrowly specified solution.
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