The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Award (YFA)

program aims to identify and engage rising stars in junior research positions in academia and

equivalent positions at non-profit research institutions, particularly those without prior DARPA

funding, to expose them to Department of Defense (DoD) needs and DARPA’s mission to create

and prevent technological surprise for national security. The YFA program will provide highimpact

funding to researchers early in their careers to develop innovative new research that

enables transformative DoD capabilities. Ultimately, the YFA program is developing the next

generation of researchers focused on national security issues.

DARPA is soliciting innovative research proposals in the areas of interest to the following

DARPA technical offices: Defense Sciences Office (DSO), Biological Technologies Office

(BTO), Information Innovation Office (I2O), and the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO).

Further detail regarding the specific technical areas of interest can be found under Section I.C

“Topic Areas (TA).” Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable

revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems. Specifically excluded is research that

primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice.

Submissions responding to a TA under this Research Announcement (RA) should clearly

describe the relevance and impact of the proposed concept for addressing the national security

challenges identified in the TA description; the current state-of-the-art technology; new insights

to address the TA challenges; a credible research plan and schedule; and critical, quantitative

milestones to be pursued over the research period.

This RA seeks cooperative agreement proposals only for a research activity consisting of a 24-

month base period with a maximum total funding of $500,000 over the 24 months. Each 12-

month interval of the base period shall not exceed $250,000. Proposals should also include an

additional 12-month option period with a maximum funding level of $500,000. Only a

cooperative agreement award instrument will be issued under this RA.