IARPA Emerging Technology Accelerator (ETA)

IARPA's Emerging Technology Accelerator is the agency's 2026 program framework for moving high-risk research toward intelligence-community use on a compressed schedule. IARPA sits within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, while ETA is administered under the US Department of the Interior through solicitation DOI-ETA-FY26-30. The framework is meant to bridge the gap between emerging technical solutions and practical application, and it replaces the slower rhythms of traditional multi-year BAAs with a leaner operating model. ETA uses Prototype Other Transaction Agreements and accepts white papers on a rolling basis before inviting selected teams to submit full proposals. The FY26 topic set includes ARCADE, COSMIC, DECIPHER, LocUS, and MOVES, and the qualification rules turn on one of three conditions: significant non-traditional contractor participation, small-business or non-traditional exclusivity, or at least one-third non-federal cost share. The prime contractor must be based in the United States, while universities, nonprofits, small businesses, and other eligible research teams can participate. Government agencies, FFRDCs, and UARCs are excluded. The model suits teams that can move quickly, package a credible transition path, and work inside a 12-to-24-month horizon. It is deliberately front-loaded on white papers and technical fit, so the strongest submissions are narrow, concrete, and tied to a real intelligence need rather than a broad research agenda. For applicants, the point is not to maximize volume; it is to show that the team, the operating structure, and the technical case are ready for an OTA-based award.