DARPA SBIR DPA26BZ06-DV023: Novel Radio Frequency Sensing Technologies
Quick Answer
DPA26BZ06-DV023 is a DARPA SBIR Direct to Phase II topic under the DoW 2026 SBIR Broad Agency Announcement, Release 6. DARPA wants a high-altitude, high-speed airborne geologic sensing system: a self-contained radar payload flying at roughly 40,000 feet and about 400 knots that produces rapid, stand-off 3D subsurface tomographic imaging to detect subterranean features such as metals and critical minerals. The award is $700,000 over an 18 month base period, with a $500,000 option over 6 months. The topic opens September 23, 2026 and closes October 21, 2026 through the Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal.
The physics is the whole problem, and DARPA states it in the topic. Radar transmit power for small targets scales as the fourth power of range. Moving from a 10,000 foot baseline to 40,000 feet is a 4x increase in distance, which nominally demands a 256x increase in radiated power to maintain equivalent subsurface imaging performance. That single number defines the engineering challenge: a kW-class RF power amplifier, an antenna that survives 400 knots at altitude, and heat dissipation to match, all inside a fully self-contained payload with its own power generation.
This is not an entry-level topic. To be eligible you must already have developed, integrated, and validated an airborne subsurface radar or similar system in a physical environment at low altitude and low speed up to 10,000 feet. DARPA says explicitly that modeling and simulation data alone is not sufficient to prove feasibility.
Topic At a Glance
Topic number: DPA26BZ06-DV023
Title: Novel Radio Frequency Sensing Technologies
Agency: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Solicitation: DoW 2026 Small Business Innovation Research Broad Agency Announcement, Release 6, DARPA Proposal Submission Instructions
Program type: Direct to Phase II (DP2). This topic is soliciting DP2 proposals only
Technical volume format: Standard Proposal Format, 35 pages
Base award: $700,000
Base period of performance: 18 months
Option 1: $500,000 over 6 months
Option 2: none
Component Technology Priority Area: Integrated Sensing and Cyber
Projected CMMC level requirement: Level 2 (Self)
Export control status: Restricted under ITAR 22 CFR Parts 120-130 and EAR 15 CFR Parts 730-774
Technical and Business Assistance: up to $25,000 per Phase II project, in addition to the cost ceiling
Topic Q&A: DSIP Topic Q&A is not available for DARPA topics. Technical questions go to SBIR_BAA@darpa.mil by October 14, 2026
Topic open date: September 23, 2026
Proposal deadline: October 21, 2026
Submission portal: DSIP at dodsbirsttr.mil
Keywords: ground penetrating radar, subsurface tomography, standoff radar, void detection, high-power RF, airborne geophysics, subterranean imaging, RF shielding, critical minerals
How DARPA Differs From Other Components
If you have worked Air Force or Navy SBIR topics, several DARPA-specific rules will catch you out.
There is no DSIP Topic Q&A. DARPA states that DSIP Topic Q&A will not be available for these DARPA topics. Technical questions related to improving the understanding of a topic's requirements must be submitted by October 14, 2026, by email to SBIR_BAA@darpa.mil with the topic number in the subject line. All questions must be in English and must include the name, email address, and telephone number of a point of contact. Questions submitted within seven calendar days of the proposal due date may not be answered. DARPA posts a consolidated Frequently Asked Questions document on its Small Business site, linked under the topic number summary, updated on an ongoing basis until one week prior to the proposal due date.
Read that FAQ before you write, and read it again the week before you submit. It is the only public question channel for this topic and it will contain answers to questions you did not think to ask.
DARPA will not accept late proposals. The instructions say this twice, in bold. Proposers are encouraged to submit as early as possible to avoid unexpected delays due to high traffic in the final hours before a BAA closes.
You must state your requested contract type. DARPA may award FAR-based contracts, either firm-fixed-price or cost-plus reimbursement, or Other Transactions for Prototype under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 4021, subject to approval of the Contracting Officer or Agreements Officer respectively. Proposers must state their requested contract type in their proposal. If requesting a cost-plus reimbursement contract, you must include your Defense Contract Management Agency Final Determination Letter showing approval of your accounting system. If requesting an Other Transaction for Prototype, you must include a completed OT in your proposal using the Model OT for Prototype on the DARPA Small Business site, plus completed OT Certifications, both loaded in Volume 5. At a minimum you need to complete the areas color coded in the template, and if you wish to negotiate any articles or attachments you must provide redlines and comments explaining each. No additional action is required for a firm-fixed-price request.
The cost proposal template is mandatory. Templates for Volume 2 Technical Volume and Volume 3 Cost Volume are provided as attachments on the DARPA Small Business website. Use of the DARPA Cost Proposal template is mandatory.
Everything must be unclassified or CUI. All proposals are required to be UNCLASSIFIED or CUI, and you must not include any classified information in your proposal submission. Do not include any proprietary information on the Proposal Coversheet in Volume 1.
You get a written evaluation narrative regardless of outcome. In accordance with the SBA SBIR/STTR Policy Directive, Appendix I, paragraph 4, Method of Selection and Evaluation Criteria, subparagraph (d) Release of Proposal Review Information, DARPA will provide a technical evaluation narrative to the proposer for each proposal submitted in response to a topic. An informal feedback session may additionally be requested by the proposing firm via email at sbir@darpa.mil, provided at the sole discretion of DARPA. That is more generous than most components and worth using.
DARPA reserves broad discretion on partial awards. The Government reserves the right to select for negotiation all, some, one, or none of the proposals received, and to make awards with or without communications with proposers. It also reserves the right to award all, some, one, or none of the options based on available funding and the performer's technical performance. If warranted, portions of resulting awards may be segregated into pre-priced options, and DARPA reserves the right to accept proposals in their entirety or to select only portions of proposals for award. The Government reserves the right to remove a proposal from award consideration should the parties fail to reach agreement on award terms, conditions, and price within a reasonable time, or should the proposer fail to provide requested additional information within three business days.
Two commercialization programs come with a DP2 award. DARPA provides Transition and Commercialization Support Program services to Phase II and DP2 awardees upon contract execution, at no cost, with the goal of maximizing the potential for SBIR/STTR companies to move technology beyond Phase II into other research and development programs, DoW acquisition programs, other federal programs, or the commercial market. Separately, awardees may be eligible for the Embedded Entrepreneurship Initiative, an invitation-only program at DARPA's sole discretion, typically no more than $310,000 per awardee over the duration of the award, funding a Senior Commercialization Advisor relationship, connections to investor working groups, and the hiring of an embedded entrepreneur to execute a Go-to-Market strategy.
What DARPA Is Actually Looking For
The objective
Develop, integrate, and flight-test a high-altitude, meaning roughly 40,000 feet, high-speed, meaning approximately 400 knots, airborne geologic sensing system. The system must be capable of providing rapid, stand-off 3D subsurface tomographic imaging to detect subterranean features such as metals and critical minerals.
Why the current state of the art does not work
Detecting and mapping deep subsurface mineral deposits typically requires localized or low-altitude operations. Current state-of-the-art airborne subsurface radar systems are limited to relatively low-altitude and low-speed platforms due to the physical limitations of signal attenuation over distance. Increasing altitude and airspeed would allow for larger areas to be scanned in less time.
This topic seeks the rapid development of an advanced airborne subsurface radar system designed for seamless integration onto high-altitude fixed-wing aircraft.
The scaling law you must address
Proposers must address the physical scaling laws of radar propagation through lossy media. According to the radar equations for small targets of a radar cross section of approximately one wavelength, the necessary transmit power scales as a function of range to the fourth power, or R4. For instance, transitioning from a 10,000 foot baseline to a 40,000 foot operational altitude represents a 4x increase in distance, nominally demanding a 256x increase in radiated power to maintain equivalent subsurface imaging performance.
Due to the higher power requirements at higher altitudes, system designs must prioritize transmit power scaling, advanced antenna structure designs, and robust heat dissipation systems.
That 256x figure is the organizing fact of this topic. Every design decision you make is either a way to supply that power, a way to avoid needing all of it through processing or waveform gains, or a way to survive the thermal consequences. A proposal that does not confront the number directly has not engaged with the topic.
The self-contained payload requirement
To facilitate rapid, modular deployment across diverse airframes without requiring permanent, costly aircraft modifications, the entire system must be designed as a fully self-contained payload. It must utilize independent, internal power generation and an edge computational architecture.
Three consequences. You cannot draw power from the host aircraft, which means generating kW-class RF power from onboard generation. You cannot rely on aircraft cooling. And you cannot downlink raw data for ground processing, because the architecture is specified as edge computational.
The five key technical challenges
DARPA lists five challenges proposers must address. Use them as your technical volume structure.
High-power transmitter and power scaling: engineering and validating a highly reliable kW-class RF power amplifier.
Aerodynamic and structural antenna design: designing and reinforcing an externally deployable or structurally integrated antenna system capable of withstanding aerodynamic loads at relevant velocities, approximately 400 knots, and altitudes, approximately 40,000 feet.
Thermal dissipation and management: integrating passive or active high-capacity heat dissipation systems to mitigate thermal loads under sustained high-power transmit cycles.
RF shielding and electromagnetic compatibility: implementing advanced RF shielding and electrical isolation to guarantee zero electromagnetic interference with the host aircraft's flight navigation, control, and mission avionics.
Note the word "zero." That is an absolute framing, and the single cited reference is MIL-STD-461G, the EMC standard. Treat EMC as a first-class design and test problem rather than a compliance afterthought.
Field-programmable gate arrays and edge processing: selecting FPGAs and processing techniques that can handle increased signal propagation delays, modified waveforms, and real-time tomographic data processing at high standoff distances.
The Feasibility Requirement
This topic is soliciting Direct to Phase II proposals only. Proposers must submit feasibility documentation in lieu of a Phase I proposal.
Proposers must demonstrate that they have already developed, integrated, and validated an airborne subsurface radar or similar system in a physical environment, for example low-altitude, low-speed flight regimes up to 10,000 feet.
Then the sentence that disqualifies most applicants: modeling and simulation data alone is not sufficient to prove feasibility.
The three required feasibility elements
The submitted feasibility documentation must include three things, and DARPA numbers them.
Empirical flight data: representative 3D tomographic subsurface reconstructions, signal-to-noise ratio calculations, and imagery demonstrating successful detection of underground mineral deposits.
Receiver characterization: technical documentation proving the receiver operates at a low thermal noise floor.
Analytical scaling models: detailed physical, mathematical, and electromagnetic models validating the R4 scaling equations and mapping the exact architectural transition from a low-power baseline to a high-power, high-altitude design.
That third element is where the proposal is won. Empirical flight data and receiver characterization establish that you have a working system. The scaling models establish that you know how to get from that system to this one. DARPA is asking for the bridge, explicitly and in detail, and the phrase "mapping the exact architectural transition" leaves no room for a general statement of intent.
Per the DP2 authority, if a proposer can provide adequate documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described in the Phase I section of the topic has been met, and describes the potential commercial applications, the Direct to Phase II authority allows the Department of War to make an award under Phase II of the SBIR program without regard to whether the small business concern was provided an award under Phase I of an SBIR program.
For the Standard Proposal Format, DP2 feasibility documentation shall not exceed 10 pages, the DP2 technical proposal shall not exceed 20 pages, and the Phase II commercialization strategy shall not exceed five pages, which should be the last section of the technical volume. Those three sections total the 35 page limit.
The Phase II Program and Its Fixed Payable Milestones
Phase II is described as an accelerated hardware realization, integration, and flight-testing campaign. DARPA specifies fixed payable milestones, which means your payment schedule tracks these deliverables. Build your plan around them rather than proposing your own structure.
Base Period, 18 months:
Month 2, Subsystem Engineering: preliminary designs for the power amplifier, motherboard, and high-efficiency heat dissipation structures, plus an initial report on updated firmware architecture.
Month 4, Subsystem Design Completion: finalized engineering designs for all major subsystems.
Month 6, Structural Antenna Engineering Interim Report Number 1: manufacturing progress and initial benchtop testing for the power amplifier and antenna assembly to survive aerodynamic loads of approximately 400 knots.
Month 9, FPGA and Compute Development Interim Report Number 2: progress on integrated systems testing, including initial results from tomographic reconstruction algorithms at the edge.
Month 12, Safety and Test Readiness Review Data Package: comprehensive safety testing results on high-voltage and high-power RF emissions, and flight clearances documentation.
Month 15, High-Altitude Flight Campaign Interim Report Number 3: preliminary data from demonstration flights on a fixed-wing platform at approximately 40,000 feet and speed of approximately 400 knots, including measurements of radiated power and signal penetration.
Month 18, Data Analysis and Final Base Period Report: detailed analysis of flight data, fully reconstructed 3D subsurface tomograms of test sites, and system performance evaluation.
Option Period, 6 months:
Month 21, Interim Report Number 4: detailed data analysis, algorithm enhancement, and performance improvements of the prototype system.
Month 24, Comprehensive Final System Assessment Report: final evaluation of performance, including 3D subsurface tomogram data of relevant structures, against a low-altitude baseline and commercial viability analysis.
Two observations about this schedule. The Month 12 Safety and Test Readiness Review with flight clearances documentation is the gate that decides whether the Month 15 flight campaign happens on time. High-voltage and high-power RF airborne flight clearance is an approval process with its own timeline, and 12 months is not generous. Address your airworthiness and flight clearance pathway explicitly, including which platform and which test organization.
And the Month 24 final assessment requires comparison against a low-altitude baseline. That means your feasibility data is not just an eligibility document, it becomes the benchmark you are measured against. Choose what you submit accordingly.
Phase III Dual Use
DARPA describes the high-altitude geological sensing system as a highly disruptive dual-use technology.
Military and DoD applications: identifying additional domestic sources of critical minerals is a national security imperative that will improve access to materials needed for advanced defense systems. This capability would strengthen the U.S. supply chain for critical minerals.
Commercial and civil applications: DARPA calls the system a highly scalable "MRI for the Earth." It could map deep-seated geologic structures to rapidly locate critical mineral reserves and rare earth element deposits buried under hundreds of meters of geology. This significantly accelerates discovery timelines, increases exploratory extraction success rates from 1-in-200 to near certainty, and optimizes geologic risk management.
That 1-in-200 to near certainty claim is DARPA's own, and it is a strong commercial argument you can cite rather than construct. Mineral exploration economics are dominated by drilling failure rates, and a technology that changes the hit rate changes the industry's cost structure. Build your five page commercialization strategy on mining and exploration companies, critical mineral supply chain investors, and government geological surveys.
Funding, Cost Structure, and TABA
The award
$700,000 for an 18 month base period, plus a $500,000 option over 6 months, for $1,200,000 across 24 months if the option is exercised. There is no Option 2 on this topic.
The resources made available for each topic issued under this BAA will depend on the quality of the proposals received and the availability of funds. The Government reserves the right to award all, some, one, or none of the options based on available funding and the performer's technical performance.
Note that $700,000 for kW-class RF amplifier development, antenna structural qualification, thermal system integration, EMC qualification, and a high-altitude flight campaign is a tight budget. That is part of why the feasibility bar is set at an already-validated flying system: DARPA is funding the transition, not the invention.
Contract type
State your requested type. Firm-fixed-price requires no additional action. Cost-plus reimbursement requires your DCMA Final Determination Letter showing accounting system approval, included in the proposal. An Other Transaction for Prototype requires a completed Model OT plus OT Certifications in Volume 5.
DARPA describes the OT instrument favorably: the flexibility of the OT award instrument is beneficial because the performer will be able to apply its commercial best practices as required to carry out the research project, outside of FAR process-driven requirements, with streamlined milestone-driven performance intended to reduce time and effort on award administration and permit performers to focus on the research effort and rapid prototyping. For a hardware program with fixed payable milestones, that is worth considering seriously.
Technical and Business Assistance
Phase II awardees may request up to $25,000 per Phase II project. TABA funding is in addition to the Phase I and Phase II cost ceilings and is not subject to profit or fee. Refer to the DoW Program BAA for detailed information about TABA funding, allowable services, and requirements. TABA funding requests will be reviewed by the respective contracting office or specialist at time of award to ensure compliance with TABA requirements.
Export Control
The technology within this topic is restricted under ITAR 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services including export of sensitive technical data, and the EAR 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items.
Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their countries of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work tasks intended for accomplishment by the foreign nationals in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised that foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under U.S. export control laws.
Note also from the DARPA Phase I instructions, which apply generally: proposers should ensure they have an accurate and active entity registration on SAM.gov, and those engaging in ITAR or CUI work for DARPA must have CMMC Level 2 certification. The projected requirement for this topic is Level 2 with self-assessment. DARPA points to sprs.csd.disa.mil/nistsp.htm for more information and notes that resources exist to assist companies with meeting this criterion, one of which is Project Spectrum at projectspectrum.io, where users can create accounts and gain access to educational videos and material as well as a cyber self-assessment.
Proposal Structure
A complete proposal submission consists of seven volumes: Proposal Cover Sheet, Technical Volume, Cost Volume, Company Commercialization Report, Supporting Documents, Fraud, Waste and Abuse Training, and Disclosures of Foreign Affiliations or Relationships to Foreign Countries.
Volume 1, Proposal Cover Sheet. Do not include any proprietary information on the coversheet. Note that proposal titles, abstracts, anticipated benefits, and keywords of proposals selected for contract award will undergo a DARPA Policy and Security Review and are subject to revision or redaction by DARPA. Final approved versions may appear on the DoW SBIR/STTR awards website and the SBA's award website at sbir.gov/awards.
Volume 2, Technical Volume. Standard Proposal Format, 35 pages, structured as up to 10 pages of DP2 feasibility documentation, up to 20 pages of DP2 technical proposal, and up to 5 pages of Phase II commercialization strategy as the last section. Templates are provided on the DARPA Small Business website. Refer to Appendix B, DARPA Direct to Phase II Instructions, for content requirements.
Volume 3, Cost Volume. Use of the DARPA Cost Proposal template is mandatory. Refer to Appendix B for content.
Volume 4, Company Commercialization Report. Completion of the CCR in DSIP is required, but DARPA will not consider information contained in the CCR during proposal evaluations.
Volume 5, Supporting Documents. In addition to documents required by DoW, small businesses may submit additional documentation to support the Technical Volume and the Cost Volume. Required certifications are listed in Appendix B. This is also where a Model OT and OT Certifications go if you are requesting an Other Transaction, where the SBIR VC Certification goes if you are majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds, and where Data Rights Assertions go if applicable.
Volume 6, Fraud, Waste and Abuse Training. Material is in the Volume 6 section of the DSIP proposal submission module and must be thoroughly reviewed once per year to proceed with proposal submission.
Volume 7, Disclosures of Foreign Affiliations or Relationships to Foreign Countries. Complete the webform in Volume 7 of the DSIP submission. It will not be accepted as a PDF Supporting Document in Volume 5, and previous versions of the form must not be uploaded to Volume 5.
Eligibility and Evaluation
Venture capital, hedge fund, and private equity ownership
Proposers that are more than 50 percent owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, private equity firms, or any combination of these as set forth in 13 CFR 121.702 are eligible to submit proposals in response to DARPA topics advertised within this BAA.
Three conditions apply. Prior to submitting a proposal, firms must register with the SBA Company Registry Database. The proposer, within its submission, must submit the Majority-Owned VCOC, HF, and PEF Certification, with a copy of the SBIR VC Certification available on the DARPA Small Business site, included in Supporting Documents Volume 5. And should a proposer become a member of this ownership class after submitting its proposal and prior to any receipt of a funding agreement, the proposer must immediately notify the Contracting Officer, register in the appropriate SBA database, and submit the required certification.
DARPA's position here is permissive, which matters for a capital-intensive RF hardware topic where venture funding is common.
Evaluation and selection
All proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria listed in the DoW SBIR Program BAA. DARPA will conduct an evaluation of each conforming proposal. Proposals that do not comply with the requirements detailed in this BAA and the research objectives of the corresponding topic are considered non-conforming and are therefore not evaluated nor considered for award.
Using the evaluation criteria, the Government will evaluate each proposal in its entirety, documenting the strengths and weaknesses relative to each evaluation criteria. Based on these identified strengths and weaknesses, the Government will determine the proposal's overall selectability for funding. Proposals will not be evaluated against each other during the evaluation process but rather evaluated on their own individual merit to determine how well the proposal meets the criteria stated in this BAA and the corresponding DARPA topic.
DARPA defines two outcomes. A selectable proposal is one that the Government has evaluated against the evaluation criteria listed in the DoW SBIR Program BAA and DARPA topic, and the strengths of the overall proposal outweigh its weaknesses, with no accumulated weaknesses that would require extensive negotiations or a resubmitted proposal. A non-selectable proposal is one where the strengths of the overall proposal do not outweigh its weaknesses.
That framing is useful. You are not competing against other proposals; you are being assessed for whether your strengths outweigh your weaknesses cleanly enough to award without renegotiation. Weaknesses that accumulate into a need for extensive negotiation make you non-selectable even if the technical concept is strong. Write to eliminate weaknesses, not only to accumulate strengths.
Awards will be given to proposers whose proposals are determined to be the most advantageous to the Government, consistent with instructions and evaluation criteria specified in the DoW SBIR Program BAA and availability of funding.
Proposing firms will be notified of selection or non-selection status within 90 calendar days of the closing date of the BAA. The Corporate Official indicated on the Proposal Cover Sheet will be notified by email.
It is DARPA's policy to treat all proposals as source selection information and to disclose their contents only for the purpose of evaluation. During the evaluation process, submissions may be handled by support contractors for administrative purposes or to assist with technical evaluation. All DARPA support contractors are expressly prohibited from performing DARPA-sponsored technical research and are bound by appropriate nondisclosure agreements. Input on technical aspects of the proposals may be solicited by DARPA from other Government or non-Government consultants and experts who are strictly bound by the appropriate nondisclosure requirements. No submissions in response to the BAA will be returned. Upon completion of the evaluation and selection process, an electronic copy of each proposal received will be retained at DARPA.
Protests
Refer to the DoW SBIR Program BAA for procedures to protest this BAA. As further prescribed in FAR 33.106(b) and FAR 52.233-3, protests regarding the selection decision should be submitted to DARPA Contracts Management Office, 675 N. Randolph Street, Arlington, VA 22203, by email to CMO_SBIRProtests@darpa.mil and sbir@darpa.mil.
Timeline and What to Do When
The dates
Topic opens: September 23, 2026
Technical question deadline: October 14, 2026, to SBIR_BAA@darpa.mil with the topic number in the subject line
Proposal deadline: October 21, 2026. DARPA will not accept late proposals
Selection notification: within 90 calendar days of BAA close
Base period: 18 months from award
Option period: 6 additional months if exercised
A working backward plan
Before September 23. Download the DARPA Volume 2 and Volume 3 templates from the DARPA Small Business website, since the cost template is mandatory. Read the consolidated FAQ for this topic and keep checking it. Assemble your feasibility package: empirical flight data with 3D tomographic reconstructions, SNR calculations, and imagery showing detection of underground mineral deposits; receiver thermal noise floor documentation; and the analytical scaling models mapping the architectural transition. Decide your contract type and, if cost-plus, confirm you hold a current DCMA Final Determination Letter; if OT, download and complete the Model OT and OT Certifications. Confirm SAM registration is active and your CMMC Level 2 self-assessment is current in SPRS. Identify your flight test platform and the organization that will grant flight clearance for high-power RF emissions, because the Month 12 gate depends on it. Resolve export control staffing. If venture-backed, register with the SBA Company Registry and obtain the SBIR VC Certification. Submit technical questions well before October 14.
September 23 through October 5. Draft the technical volume in three parts against the 35 page structure: 10 pages of feasibility documentation, 20 pages of technical proposal built around the five key technical challenges, and 5 pages of commercialization strategy using DARPA's own MRI for the Earth and 1-in-200 framing. Confront the 256x power scaling number explicitly and show your path, whether through amplifier power, processing gain, waveform design, or a combination.
October 6 through October 14. Build the cost volume in the mandatory template across the 18 month base and 6 month option, aligned to the fixed payable milestones. Get supplier quotes for the amplifier, antenna structure, thermal components, and FPGA hardware. Price the flight campaign realistically, including platform time and test organization support.
October 15 through October 18. Assemble Volume 5 with your contract-type documents, complete Volume 7 and the Volume 4 CCR, and run compliance: 35 page limit with the three internal section limits observed, unclassified or CUI only, no proprietary information on the coversheet, mandatory cost template used.
October 19 through October 20. Submit and certify in DSIP. October 21 is the deadline, not the plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is DARPA SBIR topic DPA26BZ06-DV023?
DPA26BZ06-DV023 is a DARPA SBIR Direct to Phase II topic titled "Novel Radio Frequency Sensing Technologies," released under the DoW 2026 SBIR Broad Agency Announcement, Release 6. It seeks development, integration, and flight test of a high-altitude, approximately 40,000 foot, high-speed, approximately 400 knot, airborne geologic sensing system providing rapid stand-off 3D subsurface tomographic imaging to detect subterranean features such as metals and critical minerals.
How much funding is available?
$700,000 for an 18 month base period, plus a $500,000 option over 6 months, for a total of $1,200,000 across 24 months if the option is exercised. There is no second option on this topic. Up to $25,000 in Technical and Business Assistance may be requested in addition to the cost ceiling.
When is the proposal deadline?
October 21, 2026. DARPA states it will not accept late proposals. Note also the separate technical question deadline of October 14, 2026.
When does this topic open?
September 23, 2026, giving a 29 day submission window.
Can I ask questions through DSIP Topic Q&A?
No. DARPA states that DSIP Topic Q&A will not be available for these DARPA topics. Technical questions must be emailed to SBIR_BAA@darpa.mil with the topic number in the subject line by October 14, 2026, and must include the name, email address, and telephone number of a point of contact. Questions submitted within seven calendar days of the proposal due date may not be answered. DARPA posts a consolidated FAQ on its Small Business site, updated until one week prior to the due date.
Can I submit a Phase I proposal?
No. This topic is soliciting Direct to Phase II proposals only, and proposers must submit feasibility documentation in lieu of a Phase I proposal.
What feasibility documentation is required?
You must demonstrate you have already developed, integrated, and validated an airborne subsurface radar or similar system in a physical environment, for example low-altitude, low-speed flight up to 10,000 feet. Modeling and simulation data alone is not sufficient. The documentation must include three things: empirical flight data with representative 3D tomographic subsurface reconstructions, signal-to-noise ratio calculations, and imagery demonstrating successful detection of underground mineral deposits; receiver characterization proving the receiver operates at a low thermal noise floor; and analytical scaling models validating the R4 scaling equations and mapping the exact architectural transition from a low-power baseline to a high-power, high-altitude design.
What is the R4 scaling problem?
According to the radar equations for small targets of a radar cross section of approximately one wavelength, necessary transmit power scales as range to the fourth power. Moving from a 10,000 foot baseline to 40,000 feet is a 4x increase in distance, nominally demanding a 256x increase in radiated power to maintain equivalent subsurface imaging performance. That number defines the engineering problem and your proposal must address it directly.
What are the five key technical challenges?
A highly reliable kW-class RF power amplifier. An externally deployable or structurally integrated antenna system capable of withstanding aerodynamic loads at approximately 400 knots and 40,000 feet. Passive or active high-capacity heat dissipation to mitigate thermal loads under sustained high-power transmit cycles. Advanced RF shielding and electrical isolation to guarantee zero electromagnetic interference with the host aircraft's flight navigation, control, and mission avionics. And FPGA selection and processing techniques handling increased signal propagation delays, modified waveforms, and real-time tomographic data processing at high standoff distances.
Can the payload draw power or cooling from the aircraft?
No. The entire system must be designed as a fully self-contained payload, utilizing independent internal power generation and an edge computational architecture, to facilitate rapid modular deployment across diverse airframes without requiring permanent, costly aircraft modifications.
How long can my technical volume be?
35 pages in the Standard Proposal Format, structured as up to 10 pages of DP2 feasibility documentation, up to 20 pages of DP2 technical proposal, and up to 5 pages of Phase II commercialization strategy, which should be the last section. Templates are provided on the DARPA Small Business website.
Is the cost proposal template mandatory?
Yes. DARPA provides templates for Volume 2 and Volume 3 as attachments on the DARPA Small Business website, and states that use of the DARPA Cost Proposal template is mandatory.
Do I have to choose a contract type?
Yes. Proposers must state their requested contract type. DARPA may award FAR-based firm-fixed-price or cost-plus reimbursement contracts, or Other Transactions for Prototype under 10 U.S.C. 4021. A cost-plus request requires your DCMA Final Determination Letter showing accounting system approval. An OT request requires a completed Model OT plus OT Certifications, loaded in Volume 5. A firm-fixed-price request requires no additional action.
What are the Phase II milestones?
Fixed payable milestones across an 18 month base: Month 2 subsystem engineering preliminary designs, Month 4 subsystem design completion, Month 6 structural antenna engineering interim report with benchtop testing at approximately 400 knot loads, Month 9 FPGA and compute development interim report with initial edge tomographic reconstruction results, Month 12 Safety and Test Readiness Review data package with high-voltage and high-power RF emissions safety results and flight clearances documentation, Month 15 high-altitude flight campaign interim report with preliminary data at approximately 40,000 feet and 400 knots, and Month 18 data analysis and final base period report with fully reconstructed 3D subsurface tomograms. The 6 month option adds Month 21 interim data analysis and Month 24 comprehensive final system assessment against a low-altitude baseline plus commercial viability analysis.
What is the biggest schedule risk?
The Month 12 Safety and Test Readiness Review, which requires flight clearances documentation for high-voltage and high-power RF emissions. Airborne flight clearance for high-power RF is an approval process with its own timeline independent of your engineering progress. Name your platform and your test organization, and describe the clearance pathway.
Is this topic export controlled?
Yes. The technology is restricted under ITAR 22 CFR Parts 120-130 and EAR 15 CFR Parts 730-774. You must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals with countries of origin, visa or work permit type, and the statement of work tasks intended for them, and the topic advises those individuals may be restricted from performing. The projected CMMC requirement is Level 2 with self-assessment, and DARPA notes that firms engaging in ITAR or CUI work for DARPA must have Level 2 certification.
Are venture capital backed companies eligible?
Yes. Proposers more than 50 percent owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, private equity firms, or any combination as set forth in 13 CFR 121.702 are eligible for DARPA topics under this BAA, subject to three conditions: register with the SBA Company Registry Database before submitting, submit the Majority-Owned VCOC, HF, and PEF Certification in Volume 5, and immediately notify the Contracting Officer if you enter that ownership class after submitting but before receiving a funding agreement.
How will my proposal be evaluated?
Against the evaluation criteria in the DoW SBIR Program BAA. DARPA evaluates each conforming proposal in its entirety, documenting strengths and weaknesses relative to each criterion, then determines overall selectability. Proposals are not evaluated against each other but on their own individual merit. A selectable proposal is one where strengths outweigh weaknesses with no accumulated weaknesses requiring extensive negotiations or resubmission. A non-selectable proposal is one where strengths do not outweigh weaknesses.
Will I get feedback if not selected?
Yes, and this is more generous than most components. In accordance with the SBA SBIR/STTR Policy Directive Appendix I paragraph 4 subparagraph (d), DARPA will provide a technical evaluation narrative to the proposer for each proposal submitted in response to a topic. An informal feedback session may additionally be requested via email at sbir@darpa.mil, provided at the sole discretion of DARPA.
Does the Company Commercialization Report affect my score?
No. Completing the CCR as Volume 4 in DSIP is required, but DARPA will not consider information contained in the CCR during proposal evaluations.
What support comes with a DP2 award?
Two programs. The Transition and Commercialization Support Program provides services to Phase II and DP2 awardees upon contract execution at no cost to awardees, aimed at moving technology beyond Phase II into other R&D programs, DoW acquisition programs, other federal programs, or the commercial market. Separately, awardees may be eligible for the Embedded Entrepreneurship Initiative, an invitation-only program at DARPA's sole discretion, typically no more than $310,000 per awardee, funding a Senior Commercialization Advisor relationship, investor working group connections, and hiring an embedded entrepreneur for a Go-to-Market strategy.
What is the commercial market?
DARPA calls the system a highly scalable "MRI for the Earth," able to map deep-seated geologic structures to rapidly locate critical mineral reserves and rare earth element deposits buried under hundreds of meters of geology, significantly accelerating discovery timelines, increasing exploratory extraction success rates from 1-in-200 to near certainty, and optimizing geologic risk management. On the defense side, identifying additional domestic sources of critical minerals is framed as a national security imperative strengthening the U.S. critical minerals supply chain.
What reference does the topic cite?
One: DoD Joint Sensor Integration Standards, "Electromagnetic Compatibility and RF Shielding Guidelines for High-Power Airborne Payloads (MIL-STD-461G)," 2019. That the sole reference is the EMC standard tells you how seriously DARPA takes the zero-interference requirement.
Who do I contact with questions?
Specific questions on the administration of the DARPA Program and these proposal preparation instructions go to the DARPA Small Business Programs Office at SBIR_BAA@darpa.mil. Technical questions related to research objectives and awards specifically related to a topic also go to SBIR_BAA@darpa.mil with the topic number in the subject line. DSIP technical support is available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, at DoDSBIRSupport@reisystems.com with a copy to SBIR_BAA@darpa.mil. DARPA also offers free resources through DARPAConnect at DARPAConnect.us, including "Tips for DARPA Proposal Success."
Positioning Advice for Companies Considering This Topic
Qualify yourself honestly on the feasibility bar. You need a flown airborne subsurface radar with empirical tomographic results, documented receiver noise floor, and validated scaling models. Simulation is explicitly insufficient. There are not many companies in the world that clear this bar, which is good news if you are one of them and a reason to look elsewhere if you are not.
Make the scaling model the centerpiece. Empirical flight data proves you have a system. The analytical scaling models prove you can build this one. DARPA asks for models "mapping the exact architectural transition from a low-power baseline to a high-power, high-altitude design," which is a request for engineering specificity, not a narrative. Show the power budget, the link budget, the loss terms, and where you buy back margin.
Do not concede the full 256x. The honest reading of the topic is that DARPA expects proposers to attack the number from several directions: raw amplifier power, aperture gain, coherent integration, waveform design, and processing. A proposal that simply proposes a 256x more powerful transmitter is unlikely to close on SWaP, thermal, or cost. Show the decomposition.
Treat EMC as a design driver. The requirement is zero electromagnetic interference with flight navigation, control, and mission avionics, and the only cited reference is MIL-STD-461G. On a self-contained kW-class payload strapped to a manned aircraft, this is what stands between you and a flight clearance.
Name the aircraft and the clearance path. The Month 12 milestone requires flight clearances documentation, and the Month 15 milestone requires demonstration flights. Airworthiness for a high-power RF payload is not a formality. Identifying your platform, your test organization, and your safety-of-flight approach converts the highest schedule risk in the program into a managed item.
Address thermal honestly. Sustained high-power transmit cycles at altitude, in a self-contained payload, with no aircraft cooling, is a genuinely hard thermal problem, and it interacts with the power amplifier choice and the antenna structure. Proposals that gloss this tend to have an unstated assumption of low duty cycle. If your duty cycle is low, say so and show what that costs in area coverage rate.
Use DARPA's own commercial numbers. The MRI for the Earth framing and the 1-in-200 to near certainty claim come from the topic itself. Your five page commercialization strategy is stronger citing DARPA's framing and adding the market sizing than inventing a different story.
Choose your contract instrument deliberately. For a milestone-driven hardware program, the Other Transaction for Prototype has real advantages and DARPA describes them favorably. But it requires a completed Model OT with redlines in your proposal, which is legal work you need to start early. Firm-fixed-price is the low-friction path. Cost-plus requires a DCMA-approved accounting system you either have or do not.
Write to eliminate weaknesses. DARPA's selectability definition turns on whether accumulated weaknesses would require extensive negotiations or resubmission. Unlike a scored competition, a single unresolved weakness can move you from selectable to non-selectable. Have someone hostile read the proposal looking for gaps, not for polish.
Submit your technical questions by October 14 and read the FAQ. With no DSIP Q&A available, the DARPA FAQ is the only public clarification channel, and it is updated until a week before the deadline. Competitors' questions will surface requirements you had not considered.
