Doing Business with DARPA
Visitor Guidelines
Seeking DARPA Support
List of DARPA Programs
Industry Briefing
Previous Conferences
Innovative Agreements

Proposals

Solicited Proposals
Small Business Innovation Research Program  
Unsolicited Proposals

Working as a DARPA Program Manager

Information for Small Businesses (SBIR/SBSC)

DARPA's Location/Directions

Directions from National Airport

Directions from Dulles International Airport

Directions via Metro

Telephone Directory

University Programs
Information on DoD's university programs can be obtained through the Federal Information Exchange or from DoD's Education Gateway web site.

Seeking DARPA Support

DARPA's strategy to accomplish its mission is to provide a forum for the evaluation of competing scientific and technological ideas. Entities seeking R&D support from DARPA should explore the Agency's interests in research by reviewing sources such as the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOps) web site, these Web pages, open literature, published testimony before Congressional committees, and The Department of Defense Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Solicitation. DARPA welcomes new technical ideas at any time from all public and private entities. If you have a great idea, we want to hear about it!

Additional information on doing business with DARPA is available upon request from the DARPA General Information Line, at (703) 526-6630.

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Industry Briefings

DARPA uses industry briefings whenever possible to outline problems within specific technology areas and to request submission of technical solutions to these problems. During these briefings, all potential offerors are provided with identical information and therefore have equal opportunity to respond. DARPA advertises its industry briefings through the Commerce Business Daily. Offices sometimes also include information on industry briefings on their Office Web site Home Page.

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Previous Conferences

DARPA holds a Systems and Technology Symposium approximately every 18 months to communicate to industry our priorities for future programs. From time to time the Agency also plans and holds other conferences to bring together segments of the academic and scientific community to discuss areas of mutual interest. Listed below are the results of past conferences:

• 24th Symposium, DARPATech 2005, August 2005.

• 23rd Symposium, DARPATech 2004, March 2004.

• 22nd Symposium, DARPATech 2002, August 2002. 

• 21st Symposium, DARPATech 2000, September 2000. 

• 20th Symposium, DARPATech 99, June 1999.

• Scientist Helping America Conference, March 2002. 

• DARPA Focus 2000 Conference. 

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Innovative Agreements

In addition to legal authority to enter into contracts and grants, DARPA has been granted broad authority to enter into "innovative agreements and other transactions" to support research and development activities. Thus, DARPA is able to channel its support through a variety of legal instruments and flexible arrangements. The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) are not applicable to agreements under this authority. Proposals may, but need not, state that an agreement rather than a contract or grant is desired. Furthermore, DARPA does not enter into agreements when a contract or grant is feasible or appropriate. See FAR 35.003 for Government-wide policy on use of contracts for research and development. Visit the Contracts Management Office home page for more procurement information.

Agreements are potentially applicable to a wide variety of DARPA programs. They are likely to be particularly applicable to support dual-use technologies (those with commercial non-military potential as well as potential military applications), consortia or multi-party agreements, and work supported by multiple funding sources. Joint funding is the norm for agreements. A provision may also be made for payments to DARPA somewhat similar to the recoupment policy applicable to procurement contracts. DARPA also encourages cost-sharing in procurement contracts and grants.

We also offer a web version of the Institute for Defense Analyses study, "Participant Views of Advanced Research Projects Agency 'Other Transactions.'" This study was published in November 1995, and released in January 1996. It presents the results of a survey of organizations that have participated in DARPA research projects conducted with "other transactions."

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