ERIS Shopping Notice: Distributed Decentralized Control & Estimation
DARPA is seeking awardable modeling, simulation, and software-defined solutions for decentralized, distributed, horizontally integrated command and control of heterogeneous combat agents across sensing grids, unmanned aircraft systems, satellite constellations, collaborative aircraft, and ground or surface capabilities.
⚑ Federal contract notice; applicant restrictions are not fully specified in the notice. · DARPA IPTO is 'shopping' solutions in ERIS Marketplace; this is a special notice rather than a standard grant solicitation.
This is a DARPA applied-research call for distributed control, C2, sensing grids, and autonomous combat systems—squarely in computing/engineering and military systems, not this team’s social-science portfolio. IPPRA’s closest work is national security attitudes and threat perception, but that is far from the technical command-and-control development sought here.
JUDGED AGAINST THE ROSTER'S PUBLICATION DOSSIER · GPT-5.4-MINI · 2026-08-13
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 75 strong | technical depth: central; funds applied research |
| IPPRA | 45 partial | portfolio topic: national_security_defense (primary); social/behavioral work is none; funds applied research; eligibility unclear — verify in the NOFO; capped at 45 (limited social-science role) |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 45 partial | funds applied research; prototyping/demonstration stage; deep-tech content |
Description
Between the notice dates listed above, DARPA IPTO will be actively “shopping” the ERIS Marketplace for innovative, post-competitive, awardable solutions that address modeling, simulation, and software-defined technical approaches to support decentralized, distributed, and horizontally integrated command and control for heterogeneous combat agents for sensing grids, unmanned aircraft systems, satellite constellations, collaborative aircraft, and ground or surface capabilities.
Eligibility
Applicant restrictions (federal contract). Set-aside: . Notice type: Special Notice. Organization: DEPT OF DEFENSE / DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY (DARPA) / DEF ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGCY.
Apply
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.
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.