What I Know About Working on DARPA Programs
in Research
Having worked on a few DARPA programs, I thought I would share what I know about how to apply to work on one.
DARPA Structure and Programs
DARPA has 6 Program Offices, each with a different specialty.
Each office has Program Managers who create and execute programs.
DARPA Program Managers spend months or even years refining their program definitions, identifying needs within the military and proposing new technological advancements that can address them.
Programs are typically 2 years in duration and are decomposed into several complementary Technical Areas (TAs).
Many programs have no security restrictions (Secret, ITAR, etc).
Ways to Work
For a small business, there are two ways to work with DARPA. The first is to work on a program directly, and the second is to apply for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding related to a DARPA program.
Way 1: Proposing for a Program
When PMs are ready to solicit proposals for their project, they will release a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) which introduces the program, its objectives, and its TAs.
This is followed by a Proposers Day, where the PM gives a presentation on the program and takes questions from proposers. Potential proposers may also take the time to meet with each other and develop teams and strategies for making proposals.
Abstracts are typically due a few weeks after Proposers Day. These are brief descriptions of the proposed approach. DARPA reviews these and offers feedback. If they like the abstract, they will invite you to submit a full proposal.
These proposals are typically due several months after the original BAA.
To learn about upcoming Proposers Day events and BAAs, consult DARPA’s opportunities on the SAM.gov website.
Way 2: Applying for SBIR/STTR funding
Each program sets aside a portion of its funding for SBIR/STTR grants. SBIRs are targeted towards helping small businesses develop new technology and then transition it to commercial applications. STTRs are targeted towards transitioning institutional research to commercialization through small businesses. Therefore STTRs typically include partnership with a research institution.
DARPA: How to Participate in DARPA’s SBIR and STTR Programs
SBIR work has a lifecycle:
- Application for Phase I funding.
- Phase 1: About $130,000 for a few months, focused on proving the viability of the idea and the market for it.
- Application for Phase II funding.
- Phase 2: About $1,000,000 for 2 years, and oriented towards development and commercialization of the technology.
- Phase 3: Is a continuation of the work, but funded under different sources than SBIR or STTR. Honestly, I’m not sure what this means in practice and I haven’t engaged in Phase 3 work.
Because the funding is set aside from DARPA programs, typically there are SBIR/STTR Opportunities related to current DARPA work. Proposals are made within these areas and topics.
Your SBIR/STTR work is not a fundamental part of the DARPA Program itself. However, SBIR/STTR contributors are typically invited to Principal Investigator (PI) meetings of the project, which are usually held twice a year or more frequently. These provide a chance to keep up with the work on the program and find new partnerships.
SBIR/STTR projects can also get regular meeting time with the DARPA Program Manger and other members of the leadership team, particularly if the topic is of strong interest to them. This can be valuable in identifying military customers and other related opportunities, and is a great way to maximize the value of the SBIR/STTR experience.
SBIR/STTR proposals are expected to result in commercial availability of technology. If you can point to increased sales or business opportunities for your company as a result of the work, it will make your proposal stronger. Letters of support from potential customers are a good way to establish this – they should describe why they would want to buy your innovation.
Partnering
Partnering is not required for a proposal. In my former company, we had 2 SBIRs that received Phase 2 funding. Each had outside contributors, but in different proportions.
We had a successful Phase 2 SBIR grant where we partnered with a manufacturer of special motors for robots. The SBIR topic was about building tools that made it easier to design robots for new tasks, which would result in increased sales for the robotic motor company and potential applications for the military. This helped make the proposal strong. It was approximately at 50% / 50% split between that company and us, and we were the lead of the project.
We also had a successul Phase 2 SBIR where we partnered with a professor from the university to bring in advanced mathematical methods for analysis, and we did all of the implementation work. The result was innovative improvements to our product that made it more attractive to commercial clients. The professor’s work was approximately 10% of the funding of the project.
Timing
DARPA participates in three SBIR announcements and one STTR announcement per year.
These are typically in January, May, and September. Check DARPA online resources for the list of topics. Sometimes there is a “pre-release” that gives you a preview of the topics.
