Two-day event encourages proposals for system-level technologies and prototypes that could redefine the state of the art for capabilities, development time and cost

DARPAs Tactical Technology Office (TTO) focuses on developing and demonstrating innovative system-level technologies and prototypes that incorporate new and emerging technologies, all for the purpose of preserving and significantly extending U.S. military advantages over potential adversaries. To help accomplish these goals and inform potential performers about TTOs technical objectives, TTO has scheduled its fourth annual Proposers Day at DARPAs offices in Arlington, Va., for Wednesday and Thursday, April 20 and 21, 2016. Those objectives will be outlined in detail in advance of the Proposers Day in an upcoming Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), which will call for executive summaries, white papers and proposals for advanced research, development and demonstration of innovative systems for military missions.

"DARPA is always on the lookout for the next revolutionary ideas that could redefine the state of the art for the capabilities, development times and cost of military systems," said TTO Director Brad Tousley. "TTOs annual Proposers Day offers the best opportunity to learn how to share these audacious, visionary system concepts with DARPA and take the first steps toward transforming them into reality."

TTO seeks contributors who can apply the Offices cross-cutting themes (agile development, cost inversion/imposition, autonomous/cooperative unmanned systems, weapons, as well as power and propulsion) to the following focus areas:

Ground Systems: Soldier/squad technologies, combat vehicles and tactical operations in urban and complex environments
Maritime/Undersea Systems: Expanded platform performance, cross-domain applications and defense of maritime forces
Air Systems: Novel air vehicles, hypersonic platforms
Space Systems: Spacecraft technologies, space situational awareness, systems for access, and future space operations
The Proposers Day will inform potential contributors about TTOs strategy and portfolio and the best way to interface with TTO through the BAA. TTO program managers will also share insights about their specific interest areas. Attendees can schedule one-on-one sidebar meetings with DARPA program managers on either day to discuss shared interests and learn more about working with the Agency. After the event, attendees will have access to registrant contact information to facilitate dialogue among interested parties.

To maximize the pool of innovative proposal concepts, DARPA strongly encourages participation in these events and subsequent solicitations by non-traditional performers, including small businesses, academic and research institutions, and first-time government contractors.

The TTO Proposers Day will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, April 20 and 21, 2016, at the DARPA Conference Center from 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM Eastern. Check-in and networking begins at 7:30 AM Eastern on both days. Both days will have identical agendas and offer the opportunity to schedule sidebar meetings concurrently with the main session.

Advance registration is required at http://ow.ly/ZOjBD. Registration is open and closes Friday, March 25, 2016, at 8:00 PM Eastern, or when capacity is reached, whichever comes first. Attendees can register for sidebars only on the same day that they register to attend the main session.

Due to space limitations of the conference facility, attendance will be limited to the first 150 registrants for each day. No more than two representatives per organization (business unit) may attend, with a maximum of ten attendees from any one corporation. Attendees are encouraged to coordinate attendance internally within their organizations prior to registration. Attendees will receive notification regarding acceptance on or before April 8, 2016.

The DARPA Special Notice document announcing the Proposers Day and describing the specific capabilities sought is available at http://go.usa.gov/c7Mwd. For more information, please e-mail DARPA-BAA-16-31@darpa.mil.

Image Caption: DARPAs Tactical Technology Office (TTO) focuses on developing and demonstrating innovative system-level technologies and prototypes that apply the Offices cross-cutting themes (autonomy/cooperative unmanned systems, cost inversion/imposition, weapons, power and propulsion, as well as agile development approaches) in the following focus areas: Air systems (upper left), ground systems (upper right), space systems (lower left) and maritime systems (lower right). Click below for high-resolution image.