Disruptioneering Program

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), through its Defense Sciences Office (DSO), has released Program Announcement DARPA-PA-24-04 under its Disruptioneering initiative. DARPA is a research and development agency within the U.S. Department of Defense tasked with creating breakthrough technologies to enhance national security. The DSO specifically focuses on high-risk, high-payoff scientific investigations across diverse fields to stimulate revolutionary advances in defense capabilities. The Disruptioneering Program is designed to support rapid, limited-scope exploratory research investments. The program solicits proposals under discrete, time-limited Disruption Opportunities (DOs), each targeting a particular technical challenge or emerging scientific domain. These DOs are independent solicitations under the overarching announcement and aim to investigate novel scientific ideas that, if feasible, may lead to prototype demonstrations relevant to defense needs. The program intends to transition from concept to investment in fewer than 120 days, emphasizing speed and agility. Each DO released under this program will detail specific research objectives, technical requirements, expected milestones, and submission instructions. Proposals submitted must be unclassified, structured in two possible phases—Phase 1 (approximately 9–12 months) and optionally Phase 2 (approximately 12–15 months)—and must not exceed a total duration of 24 months. Funding is limited to $2,000,000 for combined phases, including both government and proposer contributions. Depending on the statutory authority under 10 U.S.C. § 4022, proposers may be required to provide a one-third cost share unless they qualify as nontraditional defense contractors, small businesses, or nonprofit research institutions. Eligible applicants include all responsible U.S. and non-U.S. entities, including universities, private industry, and government agencies, provided they meet export control, security, and other legal requirements. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), and government entities must contact DARPA before applying. Proposals must be submitted through the DARPA BAA Submission site as a single .zip archive no larger than 100MB, and proposers must register in SAM.gov. DO-specific submission portals and email addresses will be provided with each individual opportunity. The evaluation process is based on three primary criteria: (1) Overall Scientific and Technical Merit, (2) Potential Contribution and Relevance to the DARPA Mission, and (3) Price Reasonableness. Proposals must be clearly written, well-organized, and conform to required templates provided in the announcement. Non-conforming proposals may be rejected without review. Milestone-based payment schedules and intellectual property rights must be addressed in the submission, and awardees must submit invoices electronically through the Wide Area Workflow (WAWF) system. This Program Announcement was originally posted on August 16, 2024, and was amended on March 3, 2025. It will close on August 16, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. DOs will be published individually and remain open for up to 60 days. While the overarching PA does not accept proposals directly, applicants must respond to specific DOs under its umbrella. Administrative questions can be sent to DARPA-PA-24-04@darpa.mil. Technical questions should be directed to the contact email provided in each DO.

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