Request for Information (RFI) Special Notice DARPA-SN-26-96 Advancing Autonomous Science for Biological Applications DARPA BTO
Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).
Executive Summary:
Application deadline: July 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). This is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technology Office (BTO)—not a funding opportunity or solicitation for proposals. DARPA is seeking input from the scientific and technical community on the current state of autonomous science for biological applications, key technical challenges, and future investment opportunities that could inform future DARPA programs. Organizations with expertise in autonomous science, AI, robotics, laboratory automation, and related technologies should consider submitting a response before July 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) to help shape potential future research initiatives.
How much funding would I receive?
This RFI does not provide funding. Award amounts, contract values, or grant funding are not specified because this is an information-gathering request rather than a solicitation for proposals. This information can be used to apply to the DARPA BTO Broad Agency Announcement for awards under $2 million.
REQUESTED INFORMATION:
Responses should address Informatics Technologies, Physical Technologies, or Both Informatics and Physical Technologies for autonomous science. In each case, a response must address at least one of the following research areas:
1. Current state of the art of autonomous science and transformational enabling technologies to advance that state of the art
Key existing enabling technologies broadly transferrable across scientific workflows.
Technologies in development that will be transformational in enabling autonomous science.
Metrics of success for judging the current state of the art and emerging technologies to surpass it (e.g., throughput, reproducibility, power usage, continuous runtime, cost per assay, etc.).
2. Key technical, organizational, or operational bottlenecks in deploying autonomous science at scale or in new domains
Challenges to enabling rapid development and exchange of new autonomous workflows, including equipment or assays that provide unique challenges to automation.
Challenges to interoperability between laboratories and the exchange of data and protocols.
Measures of success in promoting more efficient, effective, and portable workflow development.
3. Application areas in which new investments could have the greatest impact and best demonstrate the unique advantages of autonomous science to solve problems not amenable to conventional approaches
Problems of national interest where autonomous science can achieve results infeasible via conventional science, including specific applications for national security.
Enabling technologies available or emerging to achieve those results.
Metrics for establishing improvement over conventional approaches.
Current commercialization strategies and business cases for future development of autonomous science.
4. Safety and security considerations in the operation of highly automated laboratories and ways these might be addressed, for example through simulation, AI digital twins, or formal verification
Risks to safety and security in the operation of autonomous laboratories.
Current safeguards, system-level security, traceability, and other approaches to biosecurity.
Enabling technologies to resolve these risks.
Measures of success for safe operation.
5. New technologies, opportunities, and challenges for maximizing productive interaction between human operators and autonomous agents in hybrid human-AI workflows
Applications of national interest that can be achieved only by humans augmented by autonomous scientific facilities.
Key barriers to productive interaction between human scientists and autonomous laboratories or their AI agents.
Enabling technologies to overcome these barriers.
Metrics of success demonstrating the advancement of human-machine partnering over unassisted human or purely autonomous systems.
Are there any additional benefits I would receive?
Submitting a response gives organizations an opportunity to:
Provide input that may influence future DARPA program development.
Share perspectives on the current state of autonomous science in biological domains.
Highlight emerging technologies, technical challenges, commercialization strategies, and national security applications.
Entities that have not previously worked with DARPA are also encouraged to engage with DARPAConnect, which offers educational resources, one-on-one guidance, and outreach to help organizations understand how to engage with DARPA.
What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?
Response deadline: July 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
Responses must be submitted electronically in PDF format to AutoSci-RFI@darpa.mil.
There is no funding timeline because this is an RFI rather than a funding opportunity. DARPA states that responses may be used to inform future program development, but no subsequent solicitation schedule is provided.
Where does this funding come from?
This RFI was issued by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Biological Technology Office (BTO).
Because this is an RFI, no funding source or funding program is specified.
Who is eligible to apply?
DARPA welcomes responses from all capable sources, including but not limited to:
Private companies
Public companies
Individuals
Universities
University-affiliated research centers
Not-for-profit research institutions
U.S. Government-sponsored laboratories
Who is not eligible to apply?
The RFI does not specify any excluded applicant categories.
However:
Classified information must not be submitted.
DARPA encourages submission of non-proprietary information, and proprietary information must be clearly marked if included.
What companies and projects are likely to win?
This is not a competitive funding opportunity, so there are no awards or winners.
DARPA is seeking responses addressing one or more research areas related to autonomous science, including:
State-of-the-art autonomous science technologies
Technical, organizational, and operational bottlenecks
High-impact application areas
Safety and security for autonomous laboratories
Human-autonomous system collaboration
Responses may focus on:
Informatics Technologies
Physical Technologies
Both Informatics and Physical Technologies
How competitive will this solicitation be?
DARPA states that this RFI is issued solely for information and program planning purposes and does not constitute a formal solicitation for proposals or proposal abstracts. Responses are voluntary and will not result in a contract or funding.
Are there any restrictions I should know about?
Key submission requirements include:
Responses are limited to 7 pages maximum using 12-point font, 1-inch margins, and standard letter-sized pages.
Responses must be submitted as an unprotected Microsoft Word document or PDF.
Classified information must not be included.
Proprietary information must be clearly labeled.
DARPA will not reimburse response preparation costs.
Responses are voluntary.
Proposal abstracts or formal proposals submitted in response to this RFI will be disregarded.
DARPA is under no obligation to acknowledge or provide feedback on submissions.
How long will it take me to prepare an application?
Responses must include:
A one-page cover page
Up to three pages describing the technical approach
One page of references
Optional summary slides
Organizations should also identify which technology category and research area(s) their response addresses.
How can BW&CO help?
BW&CO can help organizations prepare a concise, DARPA-ready RFI response by:
Aligning your response with DARPA's requested research areas.
Clearly articulating technical capabilities, challenges, and proposed solutions.
Developing commercialization and national security narratives where supported by your technical work.
Ensuring compliance with formatting, page limits, and submission requirements.
Producing a polished submission designed to communicate your organization's expertise effectively.