MXO Office-wide Innovative Solutions Opening
DARPA seeks proposals for revolutionary research ideas on topics not covered by other DARPA solicitations, funding multiple awards on a rolling basis.
⚑ Federal contract solicitation; not a grant. · Rolling submissions; multiple proposals anticipated. · Explicitly excludes evolutionary improvements to existing state of practice; seeks high-risk, revolutionary advances. · Topic must be outside ongoing MXO programs and other published DARPA solicitations.
This is a broad DARPA applied-research call centered on revolutionary advances in computing, communications, materials, and other technical systems, with no explicit social-science, public opinion, risk, or policy-evaluation component. The team’s strengths are in survey-based risk perception, hazard communication, energy/public acceptance, and education-policy evaluation, so this would be outside their PI-level research program.
JUDGED AGAINST THE ROSTER'S PUBLICATION DOSSIER · GPT-5.4-MINI · 2026-09-19
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 80 strong | technical depth: substantial; funds applied research |
| IPPRA | 58 good | portfolio topic: national_security_defense (primary); social/behavioral work is minor; funds applied research |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 40 partial | funds applied research; prototyping/demonstration stage; deep-tech content |
Description
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) anticipates funding multiple proposals on a rolling basis under this solicitation. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice. Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems. The Multi X Office (MXO) at DARPA regularly publishes solicitations requesting responses to specific program topics. This announcement seeks revolutionary research ideas for topics not addressed by ongoing MXO programs or other published DARPA solicitations.
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
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.