Promethean Clay
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) is soliciting proposals for Promethean Clay, an initiative to develop new and innovative energy storage systems. This program seeks revolutionary advances through a mechanical and chemical co-design framework to improve performance, safety, and thermal resilience, while enabling domestic sourcing. This is a Solicitation for Other Transaction for Prototype Agreements with no set-aside. Full proposals are due April 22, 2026.
Purpose & Scope
DARPA aims to rethink energy storage by integrating mechanical co-design to eliminate the need for rigid, heavy exoskeletons. The program targets a generational improvement in energy storage performance, enhanced thermal resilience and safety, and a pathway for domestic material sourcing and manufacturing. Research should focus on complete energy storage systems, not just individual components, and must address the challenge of overcoming rigid inactive materials. Proposals for evolutionary improvements or new chemistries without addressing these core issues are excluded. The ultimate goal is to transition solutions to commercial production and government systems.
Contract Details
- Type: Other Transaction for Prototype Agreements (10 U.S.C. § 4022)
- Anticipated Awards: Multiple
- Period of Performance: Three phases over 48 months (Phase 1: 24 months, Phase 2: 12 months, Phase 3: 12 months). An optional 3-month Phase 0 for security preparation may be required.
- Estimated Start: August 1, 2026
- Set-Aside: None. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Small Businesses, Small Disadvantaged Businesses, and Minority Institutions are encouraged to submit proposals.
Key Requirements & Deliverables
Proposals must demonstrate a co-design framework for energy storage, aiming for reduced packaging fraction, free-form design capabilities, and domestic sourcing. Solutions must maintain or surpass current safety, thermal resilience, and operational performance standards. Compliance with NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 (SPRS score 88+) for Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is a critical prerequisite for award.
Key milestones include initial technical approach development, safety testing, simulation validation, charge cycling tests, manufacturing mitigation reports, application design, and delivery of energy storage devices at the end of Phases 2 and 3.
Submission & Evaluation
- Proposers Day: February 25, 2025
- Proposal Abstract Due Date: March 11, 2026 (required initial screening step)
- Question & Answer Deadline: April 8, 2026
- Letter of Intent to Propose: April 8, 2026
- Full Proposal Due Date: April 22, 2026, by 1:00 PM ET
- Anticipated Oral Presentation Dates: May 5–14, 2026 (mandatory)
Abstracts will be evaluated on technical concept and potential to achieve program goals. Full proposals will be assessed on overall scientific/technical merit, relevance to the DARPA mission, and budget/price. Numerous attachments provide detailed instructions for technical, cost, and pricing volumes, including templates for abstracts, proposals, milestones, and certifications.
Contact Information
Email: Promethean_Clay@darpa.mil