BioElectronics to Sense and Treat (BEST)

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), through its Biological Technologies Office (BTO), has released a funding opportunity titled BioElectronics to Sense and Treat (BEST) under solicitation number DARPA-PS-25-12. This program aims to develop an automated bioelectronic smart bandage capable of predicting, preventing, and treating wound infections. The goal is to create a battlefield-deployable device that continually monitors wound healing and intervenes when necessary, thereby reducing complications among combat personnel. The program ultimately seeks to advance this technology to Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL-6), enabling system integration and testing. The BEST program will be structured into two phases over 36 months. Phase I (24 months) focuses on developing independent sensor and treatment delivery technologies and demonstrating their efficacy through in vitro and in vivo models. Phase II (12 months) will integrate these technologies into a closed-loop system for further testing. The final product will be a lightweight, automated, real-time monitoring and treatment system for military medical care. The technology must be capable of functioning in austere environments, including battlefield settings, and should integrate regulatory and commercialization strategies for further transition beyond DARPA’s funding. DARPA has allocated approximately $22.8 million for multiple awards under this solicitation, with awards structured as Other Transactions for Prototype (OTs) agreements. Applicants are required to propose fixed, payable milestones for funding disbursement. The solicitation encourages the submission of multi-disciplinary team proposals from experts in bioelectronics, medical device development, microbiology, and related fields. Proposals must address all three focus areas: FA1 (Sense) for infection detection and healing prediction, FA2 (Treat) for delivering therapeutic interventions, and FA3 (Closed-Loop Control) for automating the system. Eligibility is open to U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including academic institutions, private companies, and research entities, provided they comply with applicable regulations. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) and government entities may participate under specific conditions. Proposals must not include human subject research; all testing will be conducted using large animal models with Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and Animal Care and Use Review Office (ACURO) approvals. The solicitation has a multi-step submission process. The posting date was February 25, 2025. An Industry Day was held on February 19, 2025, to provide details and encourage team formation. Interested applicants may submit an optional abstract by March 25, 2025, at 4:00 PM ET. Questions regarding abstracts are due by March 18, 2025. The full proposal is due on May 6, 2025, at 4:00 PM ET, with questions for full proposals due by April 29, 2025. Submissions must follow a strict format as outlined in the solicitation document. The evaluation criteria include scientific and technical merit, potential contribution to DARPA’s mission, and cost and schedule realism. The award decisions will be based on how well proposals align with the technical and transition goals of the BEST program. Contact for inquiries regarding the solicitation is BEST@darpa.mil. Further details and submission instructions are available on the SAM.gov and DARPA research websites.