DARPA Biological Technologies Office

DARPA BTO Office-wide BAA

Funds United States convergence work in biology, neurotechnology, and synthetic biology for strategic defense purposes.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Biological Technologies Office (BTO) issues an annual Office-wide Broad Agency Announcement — HR001126S0003 for the current cycle — as its primary solicitation for proposals that leverage biological properties and processes to advance defense capabilities. BTO funds work at the intersection of biology and national security, including synthetic biology, biomanufacturing, biomaterials, biothreat detection and response, human performance optimization, neurotechnology, and biological computing. The BAA closes September 30, 2026.

Award sizes typically range from $1 million to $30 million over 24 to 48 months, with a median near $8 million and an estimated annual office pool of $500 million. Eligible performers include US-registered for-profit companies, nonprofits, universities, and research organisations at TRL 2–6; proposals without defense relevance are outside scope. The standard DARPA two-stage process applies — Executive Summary first, Full Proposal by invitation. Funding instruments include cooperative agreements, Other Transactions, and procurement contracts.

BTO programs frequently include biosafety and biosecurity review as an integral part of evaluation, reflecting the dual-use nature of biological research. Classified extensions or restricted-publication terms are common in programs that touch sensitive biothreat domains — applicants should review the BAA carefully for any security provisions before committing internal resources. Proposals that connect a specific biological mechanism or process to a quantified improvement in a defense-relevant capability — rather than broad platform demonstrations — align most closely with BTO's program development model. SAM.gov registration is required.