Solicitation

Atomically Precise Molecules (APM)

Dept of Defense · Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) · Sol. DARPA-PS-26-141

Due in 69 days

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DARPA is asking for research proposals on new ways to make polymeric materials and nonlinear optical (NLO) materials. The goal is a working prototype of a breakthrough NLO material inside a government-provided electro-optic modulator. The text posted here is very short, and proposals are due December 18, 2026.

Watch out for

Only breakthrough research is wanted. Incremental improvements are excluded, so a proposal must promise a major leap in the science. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice
Inorganic-only materials excluded. Proposals must include a polymeric component. Proposals aiming to employ solely inorganic materials without a polymeric component
Details only in attachments. The posted text has no submission steps or evaluation criteria, so you must read the full solicitation before deciding.

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Full brief

What they want

New synthesis techniques for polymeric materials and nonlinear optical (NLO) materials
Approaches that can scale to quantities useful for real applications
A prototype demonstration of a revolutionary NLO material integrated into a government-provided electro-optic modulator

Offers due: 2026-12-18 at 1:00 PM Eastern (SAM.gov response deadline)

Not in the notice text

Who may propose and any eligibility rules
How proposals are evaluated
How to submit, and any page limits or abstract step
Type of award and funding amount
Length of the program and its phases
Place of performance

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Key facts

Response due: Dec 18, 2026, 6:00 PM UTC
Posted: Oct 9, 2026
Notice type: Solicitation
Solicitation: DARPA-PS-26-141
Agency: Dept of Defense · Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Office: Def Advanced Research Projects Agcy
NAICS: 541715
Product/service code: AC12
Business type: Engineering, architecture & research
Contracting contact: APM PS CoordinatorAPM@darpa.mil
Versions: 3 (amended since first posted)

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227 contracts at this agency for the same NAICS and product/service codes had activity in the last 5 years, according to USAspending.gov. Small businesses won 15% of the dollars in this market over the last 3 fiscal years.

Typical contract$4MMiddle half: $2.5M to $5.8M

Typical per year$1.5MValue divided by years of performance

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Before you respond

Full notice text from SAM.gov

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative proposals in the areas of new synthesis techniques for polymeric materials and nonlinear optical (NLO) materials. Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in material synthesis with the ability to scale to quantities relevant for application integration, culminating in the development of a prototype demonstration of a revolutionary NLO material integrated into a functional government-provided electro-optic modulator. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice, or research that pivots on exceptional claims that cannot be technically justified in the proposal. This includes: • Proposals aiming to employ solely inorganic materials without a polymeric component • Proposals aiming to modify/repurpose existing NLO materials resulting in incremental improvements to the state-of-the-art (SoA)

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