Protean

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a presentation template for submitting an "Oral Abstract" for the Protean program. It outlines the required content and structure for the presentation, serving as a guide for bidders to prepare their submissions.

• Title Slide: Includes organization and technical POC names.
• Technical Approach (Slides 2-3): Requires description of how the proposed approach satisfies Protean program goals as outlined in the Research Announcement (RA).
• Innovation (Slide 4): Requires a description of the approach's innovation compared to the state-of-the-art (SoA).
• Contribution to DARPA Mission (Slide 5): Requires a description of how the approach advances the DARPA mission.
• Team and Personnel (Slide 6): Requires a description of the proposing team's background and expertise relevant to program success.
• Relevant References (Slide 7): Requires a list of key references supporting the submission.

This template is crucial for bidders intending to submit an Oral Abstract for the Protean program. It dictates the format, content, and specific information required in the presentation, directly impacting proposal preparation and submission strategy.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a template for a Security & Technology (S&T) Protection Implementation Plan (PIP). It outlines the requirements for contractors to detail their strategies for protecting critical technologies and information associated with DARPA projects.

• Foreword: Introduces the PIP's purpose and scope, emphasizing tailoring to specific programs.
• References: Lists relevant DoD and DARPA instructions and guides.
• Executive Summary and Assumptions: Requires the prime contractor to provide a high-level overview of their protection strategy.
• S&T Protection Critical Events: Includes a schedule for key protection milestones.
• Critical Program Information (CPI) and Critical Components: Requires identification of CPI and critical components, along with implemented countermeasures. A detailed table outlines various security measures (Personnel, Physical, Operations, etc.) and their implementation status.
• Protected Item Location and Explanation of Mitigations: Details where CPI and critical components will be located and how risks are mitigated.
• S&T Protection Risks: Addresses threats to technology, observable identification and containment, protection of work at lower classification levels, and program risk management.
• Program Financial / Procurement Requirements: Outlines the identification and containment of financial and procurement observables.
• Foreign Involvement: Addresses treaty compliance and the impact of foreign personnel or subcontractors.
• Processes for Management and Implementation: Describes continuous monitoring, audits, and reviews.
• Monitoring and Reporting: Details strategies for preventing unauthorized disclosure or compromise.
• Program Material Disposition Requirements: Covers material and information system disposition and archival.
• Definitions: Provides definitions for key terms like Countermeasures, CPI, Risk, and Threat.

This template is crucial for bidders to understand the security and technology protection requirements for the program. It details the expected content and structure of the S&T Protection Implementation Plan that contractors must develop and adhere to, covering aspects from identifying critical information to managing risks and foreign involvement.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a presentation template for submitting an "Oral Abstract" for the Protean program. It outlines the required content and structure for a bidder's presentation.

• Title Slide: Includes organization and Technical POC names.
• Technical Approach (Slides 2-3): Requires description of how the approach satisfies Protean program goals as outlined in the Research Announcement (RA).
• Innovation (Slide 4): Requires a description of the approach's innovation compared to the state-of-the-art (SoA).
• Contribution to DARPA Mission (Slide 5): Requires a description of how the approach advances the DARPA mission.
• Team and Personnel (Slide 6): Requires a description of the proposing team's background and expertise relevant to program success.
• Relevant References (Slide 7): Requires a list of key references supporting the submission.

This template dictates the format and content required for the "Oral Abstract" submission. Bidders must adhere to this structure and include the specified information in their presentations to be considered for the Protean program.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This Research Announcement (RA) solicits proposals for the "Protean" program, aiming to develop medical countermeasures (MCMs) that provide complete protection against current and future chemical threats by restoring protein function. The program focuses on identifying novel ways to restore protein function to targets of chemical threat agents, specifically Acetylcholinesterase, Mu Opioid Receptor, and ion channels.

• Develop prophylactics and/or therapeutics that protect protein function against chemical threat challenges over 10,000x LD50s.

• Identify novel regulatory points for a selected protein target.

• Characterize the mechanism of chemical intoxication for at least one class of threats or surrogates, providing broad protection.

• Evaluate how protein conformation, binding site, or dynamic events contribute to protein function.

• Develop a pipeline for optimizing chemical matter for end-of-program efficacy metrics in vivo.

• Proposals must address both Phase 1 (Base, 18 months) and Phase 2 (Option, 15 months).

• Anticipated award instruments: Cooperative Agreements and Research Other Transactions Awards.

• Period of Performance: 33 months total (Phase 1: 18 months, Phase 2: 15 months).

• Cost sharing is not required but will be considered.

• Gate 1 Submissions (Due March 12th, 2026): Video Abstract and Abbreviated Technical Volume.

• Gate 2 Submissions (Due May 7th, 2026): Full Proposal (by invitation only after Gate 1).

• Evaluation criteria for Gate 1 include Technical Approach, Technical Ability, Relevance to DARPA Mission, and Cost and Task Assessment.

• No specific set-asides mentioned.

• Proposers must be registered in SAM and have a Unique Entity ID.

• Foreign entities may participate if they comply with U.S. regulations.

• Attachments include Proposal Templates (Video Abstracts, Abbreviated Technical Volume), S&T Protection Implementation Plan Template, and a Protean CUI Guide.

• Proposers must address Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) requirements.

• DARPA anticipates multiple awards.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document serves as a mandatory template for all abbreviated technical volume (Gate 2) submissions. It outlines the required components and formatting for proposals submitted to this opportunity.

• Formatting: Must be submitted in PDF or Microsoft Word, written in English, formatted for 8-1/2 by 11-inch paper with 1-inch margins and a minimum 12-point font size (smaller for figures, tables, charts).
• Page Limits: Abstracts are limited to 5 pages. The page limit includes the Executive Summary, Technical Approach, and Technical Ability sections. It does not include the Cover Sheet, Sections 5-9, Tasking and Cost.
• Content Sections: Requires a Cover Sheet, Executive Summary (1 page limit), Technical Approach (2.5-3 pages), Technical Ability (0.5-1 page), Tasking and Cost (0.5-1 page), Organizational Conflict of Interest Affirmations, Novelty of Proposed Work, Representations and Certifications, and Intellectual Property information.
• Submission: Abbreviated technical volumes must be submitted via DARPA’s Broad Agency Announcement Tool (BAAT) by the due date and time specified in the Overview Information section of the RA. Late submissions will not be reviewed.

This template is critical for bidders to understand the specific requirements for submitting an abbreviated technical volume. Adhering to the formatting, page limits, and content requirements is mandatory for a compliant submission. A favorable response to this abbreviated submission is a prerequisite for submitting a full proposal. The template also details required information regarding team members, cost estimates, potential conflicts of interest, intellectual property, and novelty of the proposed work.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Guide for the DARPA Protean program. It outlines the purpose, applicability, and requirements for identifying, protecting, and marking CUI associated with the Protean effort. It serves as a reference for performers to understand their responsibilities regarding sensitive unclassified information.

• Purpose: To ensure the protection of Protean information in accordance with DoD Instruction 5200.48 and DFARS 252.204-7012.
• Applicability: Applies to information, material, and processes generated by the Protean program.
• CUI Categories: Details specific CUI categories relevant to the program, including Defense: Controlled Technical Information (CTI), Export Controlled Research (EXPTR), Inventions (INVENT), Patent Applications (APP), and General Proprietary Business Information (PROPIN).
• Protection Requirements: Specifies that PROTEAN CUI must be stored in accordance with DODI 5200.48 and processed on systems compliant with DFARS 252.204-7012.
• Disclosure: Outlines procedures for public disclosure, FOIA requests, and foreign disclosure of CUI.
• Unauthorized Disclosure: Mandates immediate reporting of unauthorized disclosures or security incidents.
• Information Protection Guidance Charts: Provides tables to assist in identifying sensitive information, relevant markings, and dissemination controls.

This guide is critical for any potential bidder or performer on the Protean program. It defines the types of information that will be considered Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and the stringent requirements for handling, protecting, and disseminating this information. Bidders must understand these requirements to ensure compliance with government regulations and to properly manage sensitive data generated or received during contract performance. Failure to adhere to these CUI guidelines could have significant implications for contract compliance and security.