The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Small Business Programs Office (SBPO) is sponsoring an Information Session webcast to provide information to potential proposers on the objectives of the anticipated Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Opportunity (SBO) in the technical domains of Information System Technology and Sensors. The Information Session for the Optical-Atomic System Integration and Calibration (OASIC) STTR Opportunity will be held via webcast on February 16, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). Advance registration is required to attend the webcast. Note that all times listed in this announcement and on the registration website are Eastern Time.

The goals of the OASIC STTR Information Session are to: (1) introduce the research community (industry, academia, and Government) to the OASIC STTR vision and goals; and (2) explain the mechanics of a DARPA STTR and the milestones of this particular effort. DARPA anticipates releasing the OASIC STTR in February 2024. If released, the STTR will be issued under the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for SBIR/STTR, and will be available on https://sam.gov/. Following the Information Session, DARPA may post the presented materials and the list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to the DARPA/SBPO Opportunities website. 

DARPA anticipates that successful proposals to this SBO will develop an atom-based quantum testbed to enable the accelerated evaluation of nanophotonic, optoelectronic, and electronic components and sub-systems required for atom-based integrated and chip-scale quantum sensing, computing, and communications technologies.
 

OBJECTIVE AND DESCRIPTION

The OASIC STTR seeks to create widely accessible user facilities for atom-based prototyping, validation, and benchmarking of nanophotonic, optoelectronic, and electronic systems that are required for the realization of atom-based integrated quantum technologies.

Laser-cooled or ultracold atomic and molecular systems have long offered the promise of the highest accuracy, precision, and long-term stability for applications to quantum-enhanced sensing and time-keeping. In parallel, neutral atom-based quantum computing platforms have also made dramatic progress in recent years. These developments augur wide-ranging and disruptive opportunities for atom-based quantum technologies in numerous applications of DoD and commercial relevance.

Despite this promise, the transition of atom-based quantum devices from laboratory-scale demonstrations to robust, high-TRL systems has been disappointingly slow. There remains a large set of essential enabling technologies required for robust cooling, confinement, interrogation, and quantum control that have yet to combine compact, low-SWaP operation with the stringent performance requirements needed to supplant large, laboratory-scale infrastructure.

In this context, there has been encouraging progress in the development of integrated photonic, optoelectronic, and electronic system-on-chip (SoC) architectures that can potentially enable operation of integrated atom-based technologies with greater autonomy. It is anticipated that continued progress in these areas can lead to the maturation of these enabling technologies at a level that can match, and eventually surpass the performance of large-scale laboratory setups.

One of the main bottlenecks in the development of such enabling technologies is the lack of rigorous testing and evaluation procedures that are compatible with the stringent, quantum-limited performance requirements of SoA atom-based sensors, clocks, and computing architectures. While testing methodologies using conventional optical or electronic test equipment are a necessary first step in refining these technologies, such benchmarking data are rarely as informative as benchmarking photonic or electronic control and measurement architectures against SoA atom-based quantum systems.

Access to such atom-based facilities is currently limited, constraining the iterative design, testing, and development process that is necessary for the maturation of integrated on-chip components. This solicitation seeks to develop flexible, high-performance quantum testbeds to fill this void, with the goal of creating widely accessible prototyping capabilities for the evaluation and validation of a range of components required for the realization of atom-based integrated quantum technologies for sensing, computing, and PNT capabilities.

All proposals in response to this anticipated SBO will be submitted in accordance with the instructions provided under HR0011ST2024D-01. Once published, the opportunity can be found here: https://www.defensesbirsttr.mil/SBIR-STTR/Opportunities/. The eligibility requirements for STTR programs are unique and do not correspond to those of other small business programs. If released, the SBO will include full eligibility requirements under Section 4.2, Eligible Applications, within the solicitation. The anticipated solicitation will also include detailed information regarding STTR phase structure and flexibility.

Potential proposers may choose to share their information with other registrants via all, some, or none of the following options to discover potential collaboration opportunities:

1. Attendee List (limited distribution): Participant contact information (name, organization, email address) will be distributed to all other OASIC Information Session attendees. The registration website will ask registrants to indicate whether they approve publication of their contact information.
2. Proposer Profile (limited distribution): Information Session registrants interested in discovering collaboration opportunities for this announcement may submit a one-page profile. The proposer’s profile should include their contact information (name, organization, email, telephone number, mailing address, and, if applicable, organization website), a brief description of their technical competencies, and, if applicable, their desired expertise from other teams/organizations. All profiles must be emailed to OASIC@darpa.mil no later than 4:00 p.m. on February 14, 2024. Following this deadline, the consolidated Proposer Profile will be sent via email to Information Session registrants who submitted a valid profile for distribution. Specific content, communications, networking, and team formation are the sole responsibility of the participants. Neither DARPA nor the Department of Defense (DoD) endorse the information and organizations contained in the consolidated Proposer Profile document, nor does DARPA or DoD exercise any responsibility for improper dissemination of the Proposer Profile. 
    

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

The OASIC STTR Information Session will be webcast on February 16, 2024, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. There is no registration fee for the Information Session webcast. 

Registration opens: As of the publication of this announcement.

Registration website: https://events.sa-meetings.com/OASICInfoSession

Registration closes: February 14, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. or when capacity is reached, whichever comes first.

Advance registration via the above website is required to receive access to the webcast, and registration is mandatory for every individual intending to view the webcast either alone or as part of a group. 

Registrants in excess of the maximum capacity limitations (250 individuals) may be added to a waitlist. Individuals who are unable to register because the deadline has occurred may request to be added to the waitlist. If slots become available due to cancellations, the slots may be filled on a first-come, first-served basis from the waitlist. 

ELIGIBILITY

DARPA is hosting this Information Session to: (1) provide potential proposers with information on whether and how they might respond to the Government’s research and development solicitations; and (2) increase efficiency in proposal preparation and evaluation. Therefore, this event is only open to registered potential proposers, i.e., the events are closed to the general public and media. In addition, for this STTR Opportunity, Information Session registration is open to potential proposers who are U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, and foreign nationals. 

All registrants who are not U.S. citizens must complete and submit either a DARPA Form 60 (U.S. Permanent Resident and Foreign National Visit Request – e.g., industry or academia) or an Official Visit Request (foreign government personnel, only) through their country’s embassy based in Washington, DC, no later than 12:00 p.m. on February 14, 2024. Form 60 submission instructions are provided on the registration website and in the registration confirmation email. Contact your embassy staff for assistance in submitting the Official Visit Request.

Q & A

Administrative, technical, and contractual questions about OASIC should be emailed to OASIC@darpa.mil. All questions must be in English and must include the name and email address of a point of contact. Following the Information Session, DARPA may post a consolidated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document to http://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/opportunities under the HR0011ST2024D-01 summary.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Please refer to the OASIC Information Session in all correspondence.

• Technical Point of Contact:  Dr. Mukund Vengalattore, Program Manager, OASIC@darpa.mil
• Registration Website:  https://events.sa-meetings.com/OASICInfoSession
• DARPA/SBPO Opportunities Website: https://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/for-small-businesses/sbir-sttr-topic-opportunities

DISCLAIMERS AND IMPORTANT NOTES

Viewing the OASIC STTR Information Session webcast is voluntary and is not required to propose to the anticipated OASIC STTR Opportunity. Interested parties to this notice are cautioned that nothing herein obligates the Government to issue a solicitation. The Information Session does not constitute a formal solicitation for proposals. This announcement is issued solely for informational and planning purposes and is not a Request for Information (RFI). Since this is not an RFI, the Government will not accept submissions against this notice, with the exception of the one-page Proposer Profile referenced above. No classified, Controlled Unclassified Information, International Traffic in Arms Regulations controlled, or proprietary information shall be presented by the Government at the Information Session. DARPA will not reimburse costs incurred to participate in this Information Session. Recording the Information Session webcast is not permitted.