Biological Technologies
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office (BTO) has issued a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Biological Technologies. This solicitation seeks revolutionary proposals leveraging biological properties and processes to protect warfighters, specifically excluding research that offers only evolutionary improvements. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis until September 30, 2026, at 4:00 PM ET. An abstract must be submitted and an invitation received before a full proposal will be reviewed.
Purpose & Scope
DARPA BTO aims to create new opportunities for transformative science across the biological spectrum, focusing on warfighter health, well-being, diagnostics, medical countermeasures, and novel tactical care/performance. Key areas of interest include:
- General Topics: Biological/chemical technologies fitting national security, bioindustrial/biomedical market opportunities.
- Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI): Advancing biological foundation models, non-experimental assessment, system simulation, warfighter decision-making, human performance modeling.
- Combat Casualty Care: Novel diagnostics, prophylactics, therapeutics for injury in austere settings, non-skilled medical tasks, mass casualty decision support.
- Human Performance: Improving neurological health, resilience, optimized performance/teaming, continuous physiological monitoring, biohybrid interfaces.
- Materials, Sensors, Processing: Biologically inspired materials, tools for biomaterial understanding, engineering biological systems, bio-based material acquisition/maintenance.
- Agricultural and Environmental: Addressing food/water/ecosystem stability, non-human biology insights, bio-based innovations for security/restoration, predicting biological system behaviors.
- Security, Safety, and Surveillance: Biosafety/biosecurity of hardware/data, AI safety/security, detecting/treating/forecasting emerging pathogens.
- Biomedical and Biodefense: Rapid manufacturing/delivery of critical molecules, next-gen cellular therapeutics, targeted delivery, combating antimicrobial resistance.
Contract Details
Multiple awards are anticipated, utilizing Procurement Contracts, Cooperative Agreements, and Other Transaction Agreements (OT-R or OT-P). An accelerated award option is available for selected full proposals not exceeding $2,000,000, requiring agreement to prescribed terms (Attachment G). Model agreements for OT-R (Attachment L) and OT-P (Attachment K) are provided for review.
Eligibility & Set-Aside
This is an open competition. All responsible sources, including U.S. and non-U.S. entities, are encouraged to submit. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Small Businesses, Small Disadvantaged Businesses, and Minority Institutions are particularly encouraged. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC), University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), and Government Entities are not eligible.
Submission & Evaluation
- Abstract Due Date: Rolling until September 30, 2026, 4:00 PM ET.
- Proposal Due Date: Rolling until September 30, 2026, 4:00 PM ET.
- Mandatory Pre-Submission: An abstract (using Attachment A template) must be submitted and an invitation received before a full proposal (using Attachment B template) can be submitted.
- Cost Proposal: Requires mandatory use of Attachment D (Streamlined Cost Proposal Spreadsheet) and adherence to Attachment C instructions.
- Classified Submissions: Follow strict, separate procedures outlined in Attachment E; do not use the BAA Website or Grants.gov.
- Evaluation Criteria (descending order): Overall Scientific and Technical Merit; Potential Contribution and Relevance to the DARPA Mission; and Cost and Schedule Realism.
Important Considerations
Bidders must review attachments for detailed instructions on cost proposals, handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) (Attachment F), and supplemental contract clauses (Attachment J) based on contract value or specific circumstances.
Contact Information
For inquiries, contact the BAA Coordinator at BTOBAA2026@darpa.mil.