Smash Program Announcement
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 innovative proposals for its Smash Program Announcement. This initiative aims to develop technologies for efficient, scalable element separation across the periodic table, establishing a new basis for domestic resource independence. The program seeks revolutionary advances, not evolutionary improvements, in science, devices, or systems. Proposals are due April 24, 2026.
Scope of Work
The Smash program focuses on creating technologies that leverage parallel processing to:
- Drive process yield across multiple elements.
- Maximize energy utilization in intrinsic separation processes.
- Ensure solutions are scalable across industrial processing operations. Proposed research must enable universal processing of diverse feedstocks with near-zero waste and high energy efficiency. Phase 1 (24 months) will focus on proof-of-concept, modeling, and demonstration of parallel element separation.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Other Transaction (OT) for Research under 10 U.S.C. § 4021.
- Estimated Period of Performance Start: September 1, 2026.
- Awards: Multiple awards are anticipated.
- Proposers Day: February 24, 2026.
- Proposal Abstract Due Date: March 9, 2026, 1:00 p.m. ET.
- Questions Due Date: April 10, 2026, 5:00 p.m. ET.
- Intent to Submit Proposal Due: April 10, 2026, 5:00 p.m. ET.
- Proposal Due Date: April 24, 2026, 1:00 p.m. ET.
- Anticipated Oral Presentation Dates: May 5–14, 2026.
Submission & Evaluation
Proposals must include a commercialization plan and address all goals of Phase 1; partial solutions will not be considered. Required attachments include templates for abstracts, technical and price volumes, price summary spreadsheets, certifications, task description documents, and a model Other Transaction agreement. Evaluation criteria, in descending order of importance, are: Overall Scientific and Technical Merit; Potential Contribution and Relevance to the DARPA Mission; and Budget and Price.
Eligibility & Notes
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 also encouraged. No portion of this opportunity is set aside. Government furnished feedstock will be provided for performance evaluation. The referenced Attachment J: Smash Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Guide is under final review and will be posted subsequently.
Contact Information
Primary Contact: Smash PA Coordinator (Smash@darpa.mil)