IPPRA / Grant Monitor

2026-07-07
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Expeditionary Power- and Energy-Dense Implementations (ExPEDitions)

DARPA-PS-26-118 · DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY (DARPA) · DEF ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGCY

energy materials manufacturing national security defense

Closes
2026-08-19 · 43 d
Award ceiling
Award floor
Program funding
Expected awards
Cost sharing
No
Posted
2026-06-05
Instrument
Characterization · gpt-5.4-mini · 2026-07-07

DARPA is funding battery developers to advance core technology and manufacturing for high-energy-density, high power-density rechargeable batteries and fuel cells for later transition to end users.

Funds
applied research
University
direct
physical sciences
substantial
engineering
central
life biomedical
minor
computational data
minor

⚑ Federal contract solicitation; applicant restrictions are not fully enumerated in the notice excerpt. · Separate future solicitation will select End Users for integration of resulting technology. · Abstract-first/solicitation style DARPA program; award structure and ceiling not stated.

12 / 100 IPPRA team judgment

This is a core hardware/materials energy-tech DARPA call aimed at battery developers and manufacturing, which is outside this team’s social-science, risk perception, and communication portfolio. The only faint overlap is defense/energy as a topic area, but none of the listed researchers have a program in electrochemical device development or materials engineering.

JUDGED AGAINST THE ROSTER'S PUBLICATION DOSSIER · GPT-5.4-MINI · 2026-07-07

Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules

Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) 90 strong technical depth: central; funds applied research
IPPRA 45 partial portfolio topics: energy, national_security_defense (primary); social/behavioral work is none; funds applied research; capped at 45 (limited social-science role)
Tom Love Innovation Hub 45 partial funds applied research; prototyping/demonstration stage; deep-tech content

Description

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative solutions in foundational technologies to produce high-energy-density, high power-density electrically rechargeable batteries and fuel cells and rapidly transition them to end users. The program seeks to combine endurance and range advantages enabled by fuels with the logistical and operational advantages provided by electrical systems. Solutions may include room-temperature or higher-temperature devices and can be air-breathing or air-independent. Under this solicitation, DARPA is specifically seeking abstracts from Battery Developers for projects to advance core technology and manufacturing. Under separate cover, a solicitation will be issued at a later date to select End Users who will be responsible for integrating the resulting ExPEDitions technology into operational devices. Throughout this solicitation, the terms "Battery Developer" and "performer" may be used interchangeably to refer to the entities responsible for executing the technical objectives described herein.

Eligibility

Applicant restrictions (federal contract). Set-aside: . Notice type: Solicitation. Organization: DEPT OF DEFENSE / DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY (DARPA) / DEF ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGCY.

Apply

View on Grants.gov →

Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →

A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.

ONE LLM CALL (~1¢) · CACHED · REQUIRES STAFF KEY

Proposal shell · Department of Defense (BAA-style) conventions SEE A DOD EXAMPLE →

Funder-faithful document skeletons — Department of Defense (BAA-style)'s document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.

ONE LLM CALL (~2-3¢) · CACHED · SCAFFOLDING, NOT GHOSTWRITING