Biological Technologies

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), through its Biological Technologies Office (BTO), has issued a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) under solicitation HR001126S0003 titled “Biological Technologies.” This BAA, published on October 1, 2025, is designed to solicit research proposals that leverage biological properties and processes to create transformative technologies supporting U.S. national security. The agency explicitly excludes projects that result only in incremental or evolutionary improvements to existing technologies. The program is rooted in DARPA’s mission to pursue high-risk, high-reward scientific endeavors that have the potential to revolutionize warfighter health, resilience, and mission readiness. The BTO seeks to fund projects across multiple scientific and technical areas. These include machine learning and artificial intelligence applications for biological systems, novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for combat casualty care, and innovations to enhance human performance under extreme conditions. Additional areas include biologically inspired materials and sensors, agricultural and environmental resilience, safety and surveillance technologies for biosecurity, and biomedical and biodefense solutions such as rapid manufacturing of therapeutics and countermeasures to antimicrobial resistance. DARPA emphasizes interest in both theoretical and applied work, ranging from modeling and simulation to field-deployable systems. Applicants are required to submit abstracts before submitting full proposals. Abstracts will be reviewed on a rolling basis until September 30, 2026, at 4:00 PM ET, and DARPA will provide feedback as to whether a full proposal is invited. Proposals may only be submitted after receiving notification of invitation. Full proposals are also accepted on a rolling basis until the same deadline. Awards may take the form of procurement contracts, cooperative agreements, or other transaction agreements for research or prototypes. DARPA anticipates making multiple awards under this BAA, with an accelerated award option available for proposals under $2 million that meet certain conditions. Evaluation of submissions will consider three primary criteria in descending order of importance: overall scientific and technical merit, contribution and relevance to DARPA’s mission, and cost realism and schedule feasibility. Proposals are expected to be innovative, feasible, and supported by well-qualified teams. Costs should be justified and consistent with the scope of work. DARPA cautions against proposals designed around artificially low costs that may limit innovation or staffing quality. Eligibility is broad, allowing both U.S. and non-U.S. applicants, including nonprofits, higher education institutions, small and large businesses, and minority-serving institutions. However, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), and government entities, including national laboratories, are ineligible to apply. Proposers must comply with U.S. export control, security, and classification requirements. Research may be designated as fundamental or non-fundamental, subject to DARPA’s determination. Proposals involving human or animal subjects must follow additional review and compliance processes. Key submission requirements include strict adherence to DARPA’s Broad Agency Announcement Tool (BAAT) for abstract and proposal submissions. Applicants pursuing cooperative agreements must also submit budget forms via Grants.gov. Required attachments include abstract and proposal templates, cost spreadsheets, and specific accelerated award forms where applicable. Classified and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) submissions must comply with DARPA’s guidelines and DoD regulations. Additional proposer resources such as APEX Accelerators, Project Spectrum, and DARPAConnect are highlighted to assist applicants in navigating submission requirements. Contact for this BAA is provided through the BAA Coordinator at BTOBAA2026@darpa.mil, with mailing address at DARPA/BTO, ATTN: HR001126S0003, 675 North Randolph Street, Arlington, VA 22203-2114. Interested applicants should review the proposer instructions and referenced attachments in full prior to submission. The funding window remains open from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, with rolling abstract and proposal reviews throughout the period.