At a glance
Possible toolACQ-03 · Other transactions
Authority holder: Secretary of Defense and each military-department Secretary; Secretary of Defense acts through DARPA, DIU or another designated element
Other transactions
Mechanism tags describe the source text; they do not expand the authority.
Availability and verificationExpress statutory pathway; award-specific appropriations, available balances, delegations, implementation and approvals not independently verified.
Program process and intake
Checked 2026-10-04 · process documented. Program evidence is separate from legal authority, available funds and transaction approval.
DARPA publishes a concrete research-OT proposal route; this is one implementing agency, not the exclusive holder of § 4021 authority.
DARPA research OTs through program BAAs and Research Announcements
- Who this route serves
- Research performers whose proposed basic, applied or advanced research fits a DARPA announcement
- Administering office / routing lead
- DARPA technical program office and Contracts Management Office; warranted Agreements Officer
Direct implementationThe DoD guide explicitly distinguishes § 4021 research OTs from § 4022 prototype OTs and follow-on production.
What this evidence label means Standing process documentedDARPA OT proposer instructions are published. No particular currently accepting § 4021 BAA was independently confirmed in this pass.
Status reference date: 2025-09-25 · research checked 2026-10-04
DARPA Other Transactions proposer instructions · Other Transactions; milestone schedule, IP assertions and research-security requirements; updated 25 September 2025official program guidance · Evidence record Program eligibility
Steps and preparation
Read the program announcement, obtain active SAM/UEI registration, and submit unclassified OT proposals through DARPA BAAT when instructed.
DARPA General Terms and Conditions for Proposers · SAM registration; submission instructions; proposal evaluation; updated 25 January 2024official program guidance · Evidence recordPrepare milestones with completion criteria, dates and payment/resource-share schedules; identify restricted IP and supply required research-security disclosures.
DARPA Other Transactions proposer instructions · Other Transactions; milestone schedule, IP assertions and research-security requirements; updated 25 September 2025official program guidance · Evidence record
Funding, limits and authority relationship
DARPA proposer submission instructions →
submission guidance: Find the applicable program BAA first; BAAT is not an unsolicited general funding application.
Research scope and sources checked
The first program-depth pass checked the cited program pages, notices and legal framework. Evidence is limited to the named routes and source-access notes; it does not establish every implementation of the statute.
What remains unverified
- Current program-specific call, budget, cost-share determination and award terms not verified; the published general process is not evidence of an open competition.
A dated source check is not continuing monitoring. Recheck the linked official notice before preparing a submission. Browse program research →
Funding conditions
- Advance payments permitted notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. §3324.
- Payments received under authorized clauses may be credited to statutory accounts as Secretary of Defense authorizes.
Read the funding and execution guide
Who contributes what
Need & planning
- USD(R&E) and Service science-and-technology executives
Office profile - DARPA or Service laboratory/program manager
Resources
- Sponsoring component RDT&E budget owner; component comptroller
Office profile
Approval
- Secretary of Defense or military-department Secretary; valid delegate must be confirmed
Office profile
Execution
- DARPA Contracts Management Office or Service contracting/grants/agreements office
Office profile - Performing laboratory or external research performer
Partners & review
- Operational customer / acquiring program
- Security, export-control, counsel and fiscal officials as applicable
Office links are editorial matches to the original role text, not verified delegations. Composite labels and unmatched actors are preserved.
Coordination pathwayResearch sponsor → DARPA/DIU/Service agreements office → negotiate contributions, IP, milestones and repayment → comptroller establishes proper account.
Actor and execution-role sources
What this research establishes
Legal basisSources linkedLegal sources and instrument limits are recorded.
RequirementsGates recordedRead the requirements for this instrument; applicability depends on the proposed action.
Public fundingRules recordedAdvance payments permitted notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. §3324. Office budget figures are separate institutional context, not an allocation to this instrument. Assigned rolesRoles recordedPublic sources describe institutional authority. The instrument identifies approval and execution roles; a specific signature remains transaction-dependent. EngagementProcess sourcedDARPA publishes a concrete research-OT proposal route; this is one implementing agency, not the exclusive holder of § 4021 authority. Program check: 2026-10-04; see each route for intake status. Confidence: High on express authority and cited conditions; execution assignment is illustrative unless statute expressly names it.
Currentness: GovInfo 2024 Code (includes FY2025 NDAA, P.L. 118-159) read in full for cited provision; targeted FY2026 NDAA P.L. 119-60 amendment/repeal sweep. No claim of complete legislative currency through 2026-10-02; remaining 2026 delta needs counsel validation.
Review scope: Original research target October 2, 2026; no record-specific last-review date supplied. Publication is not legal-currentness certification.