DARPA Discover DSO Day (D3)
 

Special Notice

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) is sponsoring the Discover DSO Day (D3) event to provide information to potential proposers on the objectives of the DSO Office-wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). The event will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, June 24-25, 2020 via webinar. Advance registration is required for all individuals intending to the view the webcast either alone or as part of a group. Note, all times listed in this announcement and on the registration website are Eastern Time.

The goals of this event are to: (1) familiarize participants with DSO’s mission; (2) promote understanding of the anticipated Office-wide BAA; and (3) facilitate discussions with potential performers.

DARPA anticipates releasing the DSO Office-wide BAA in June 2020. If released, the BAA will be available on the Contracts Opportunities page at https://beta.sam.gov and on http://www.grants.gov/. Following the event, presented materials may be posted to http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/opportunities.

DSO Objectives and Office-wide BAA Description

The mission of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) is to identify and create the next generation of scientific discovery by pursuing high-risk, high-payoff research initiatives across a broad spectrum of science and engineering disciplines and transforming these initiatives into disruptive technologies for U.S. national security. In support of this mission, the anticipated DSO Office-wide BAA will invite proposers to submit innovative basic or applied research concepts in one or more of he following technical thrust areas:

Frontiers in Math, Computation and Design: The increasingly complex, technologically sophisticated, and dynamic military operational environment leads to fundamental challenges in how we design and plan for future military needs. The DoD implications of these trends drive a need for new math, computation, and design tools that enable trusted decision making at increased speed and with known confidence levels. Topics of interest under this domain include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) mathematical, computational, and design frameworks and tools that provide robust solutions to challenging planning and optimization problems important to DoD; (2) fundamental scientific underpinnings and limits of machine learning; and (3) alternative computing models, architectures, and substrates for faster, more robust decision making.

Limits of Sensing & Sensors: Sensing and measurement of signals ranging from “DC to daylight” are ubiquitous to military systems and missions. Surveillance, navigation, warfighter health monitoring, and target ID/tracking are just a few examples of missions and/or applications that rely on various sensing modalities. Topics of interest under this domain include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) new sensing modalities, (2) fundamental sensing limits, (3) engineered materials that enable novel optics and imaging capabilities, (4) fundamental and practical limits of quantum enabled sensing and metrology, and (5) practical and deployable sensing and sensor designs.

Complex Social Systems: Understanding social behavior and the dynamics of complex social networks is critically important for many military operations including stability, deterrence, compellence, counter-terrorism, shaping the environment, training, and mission planning. Additionally, increasingly robust machine capabilities in the form of automation, platforms, and artificial intelligence (AI) will fundamentally change how human teams frame problems, plan, and operate at tempo and manage complexity. Topics of interest under this domain include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) accurate and scientifically validated models of the social dynamics underlying different kinds of conflict; (2) capabilities to improve understanding of causality in complex social systems; (3) tools that enable improved human-machine symbiotic decision-making; and (4) new concepts in war-gaming and conflict simulation.

Anticipating Surprise: Ultimately, the goal of DSO Research and Development (R&D) investments is to ensure that U.S. warfighters have access to the most advanced technologies. Research funded under this thrust area supports scientific and technological discovery that leads to leap-ahead capabilities across multiple technology domains to ensure enhanced military readiness against specific existing, emerging and/or future threats to national security. Example topics of interest under this thrust area include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) novel functional and structural materials and manufacturing processes; (2) materials for harsh environments; (3) defense against Weapons of Mass Destruction/Weapons of Mass Terror (WMD/WMT) threats; (4) energetic materials; (5) new propulsion concepts; and (6) novel approaches to energy storage and power generation.

Tentative Agenda

Note, all times listed in this announcement and on the registration website are Eastern Time.

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

10:30 am - 11:00 am Webinar Log-on
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Welcome & DSO Welcome
Dr. Valerie Browning, Director, DSO 
11:45 am - 1:05 pm
Program Manager Introductions
Dr. Bill Carter 
Dr. Tatjana Curcic
Dr. Anne Fischer 
Dr. Joe Altepeter 
1:05 pm  - 1:35 pm
Break
1:35 pm - 2:35 pm
Program Managers Introductions Continued
Maj David Lewis
Dr. Ale Lukaszew
Dr. Bartlett Russell 
2:35 pm - 3:35 pm
Program Managers Introductions Continued
Mr. Ted Senator
Dr. Mark Wrobel
Dr. Jiangying Zhou 
3:35 pm - 4:05 pm
Doing Business with DARPA
Mr. Scott Wenzel, ADPM, DSO
4:05 pm - 4:35 pm
Contracting 101/Disruptioneering
Mr. Desmond Donaghue, Contracting Officer, CMO 
4:35 pm - 5:10 pm
Q&A
Dr. Valerie Browning, Director, DSO 
5:10 pm Adjourn


Thursday, June 25, 2020

9:00 am - 5:00 pm Individual sidebar meetings will be scheduled via telecon based on registration submissions and focus area requests.

Registration Information

Advance registration via the below website is required for attending the D3 event  and for receiving access to the webcast. The advance registration requirement applies to every individual intending to view the webcast—either alone or as part of a group. 

  • Registration website: http://events.sa-meetings.com/2020DiscoverDSODay
  • Registration opens: Monday, May 4, 2020 at 12:00 PM
  • Registration closes: Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at 5:00 PM on the date listed below or when capacity is reached, whichever comes first. There is no fee for registering to view the webcast.

Sidebars

Special Notice DARPA-SN-20-36 announced opportunities for attendees at the Discover DSO Day event to potentially have sidebar meetings with DSO Program Managers. This special notice has closed, and recipients of sidebar meetings have been notified; no additional sidebars will be scheduled during the D3 event.

Eligibility

Attendance via the webcast is open to individuals who are U.S. Citizens, U.S. Permanent Residents, and Foreign Nationals. 

All registrants who are not U.S. Citizens must complete and submit a DARPA Form 60 (U.S. Permanent Resident and Foreign National Visit Request) no later than Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at 5:00 PM. This form and submission instructions are provided on the registration website and in the registration confirmation email.

Contact Information

Disclaimers

Potential proposers may register to attend the D3 event. The event is closed to the general public and media. Media inquiries may be directed to Outreach@darpa.mil. Attendance at the D3 event or viewing the webcast is voluntary and is not required to propose to the anticipated Office-wide BAA. Interested parties to this notice are cautioned that nothing herein obligates the Government to issue a solicitation. The D3 event does not constitute a formal solicitation for proposals or abstracts. This announcement is issued solely for information and program planning purposes and is not a Request for Information (RFI). Since this is not an RFI, no submissions against this notice will be accepted by the Government. No classified, ITAR controlled, or proprietary information shall be included in submitted materials or shall be presented or discussed at the D3. DARPA will not provide reimbursement for costs incurred to participate in this event. Recording the Discover DSO Day event is not permitted.