Atomically Precise Molecules (APM)
Updated
Solicitation from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Due Dec 18, 2026, 1:00 PM (UTC-5), 58 days left.
| Solicitation number | DARPA-PS-26-141 |
|---|---|
| Agency | Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) |
| Office | Def Advanced Research Projects Agcy |
| Notice type | Solicitation |
| Set-aside | None |
| Trade (NAICS) | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715) |
| Product or service code | AC12 |
| Posted | Oct 20, 2026 |
| Response deadline | Dec 18, 2026, 1:00 PM (UTC-5) (58 days left) |
| Add the deadline to | Google Calendar · Apple / Outlook (.ics) |
Official notice and attachments
Description
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative proposals in the areas of new synthesis techniques for polymeric materials and nonlinear optical (NLO) materials. Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in material synthesis with the ability to scale to quantities relevant for application integration, culminating in the development of a prototype demonstration of a revolutionary NLO material integrated into a functional government-provided electro-optic modulator.
Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice, or research that pivots on exceptional claims that cannot be technically justified in the proposal. This includes: • Proposals aiming to employ solely inorganic materials without a polymeric component • Proposals aiming to modify/repurpose existing NLO materials resulting in incremental improvements to the state-of-the-art (SoA)
Contracting contact
- APM PS Coordinator · [email protected]
As published on the official notice. Ask questions in writing and before any questions deadline the notice sets.
Is your business small enough?
For NAICS 541715, a business counts as small if it has no more than 11 employees (SBA size standard, with exceptions in the notes). This notice is not set aside, but the size decides your small business status on it. SBA table, current as of Oct 15, 2026.
Notice history
- Oct 9, 2026: Solicitation Due Dec 18, 2026, 1:00 PM (UTC-5)
- Oct 8, 2026: Solicitation Due Dec 18, 2026, 1:00 PM (UTC-5)
- Sep 25, 2026: Solicitation Due Dec 18, 2026
Companies that win this kind of work
Federal contractors paid for research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences work, who also hold DARPA contracts (last 12 months): possible competitors, or partners to team with.
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC $1.9 billion in this trade
- Raytheon Company $1.7 billion in this trade
- The Pennsylvania State University $483.0 million in this trade
- Leidos, Inc. $420.8 million in this trade
- Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation $420.0 million in this trade
About the buyer
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded $1.2 billion in contracts in the last 12 months; its biggest suppliers were Lockheed Martin Corporation, Securigence LLC and The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC. See what DARPA is buying now.
Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences contracts right now
There are 258 open government contract opportunities in this trade (NAICS 541715), 41 posted in the last 7 days; 32% are set aside for small businesses. The agencies buying the most are Department of the Air Force, Department of the Army and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Most of the work with a stated place is in Maryland, District of Columbia and Virginia. A notice in this trade gives a median of 78 days from posting to deadline; this one gives 59 days.
All open research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences contracts
Coming up in this trade
Planned contracts from the agencies' procurement forecasts, often months before a solicitation. Plans can change.
Recent awards in this trade
- Orefine LLC $1.9 million · Department of the Army · Oct 19, 2026
- BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Provo UT $1.1 million · Department of the Army · Oct 14, 2026
- LUDWIG-MAXIMILIANS-UNIVERSITAT MUNCHEN Munchen $1.1 million · Department of the Army · Oct 13, 2026
- Two Six Labs, LLC $1.5 million · Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) · Oct 7, 2026
- Fraunhofer USA Inc $1.4 million · Department of the Army · Oct 7, 2026
From the award notices agencies publish.