Bid document

Disruption Opportunity

DARPA-PA-25-07-05

Liquid Surge

I. Opportunity Description

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) is issuing a Disruption Opportunity (DO), inviting submissions of innovative basic or applied research concepts in the technical domain of developing novel metrology for understanding wave propagation in compressible fluids. This DO is issued under the Program Announcement for Disruptioneering, DARPA-PA-25-07. All awards will be made in the form of an Other Transaction (OT) for Prototype project. The total award value for the combined Phase 1 base and Phase 2 option is limited to $995,000, with the Phase 1 amount not to exceed $550,000 and the Phase 2 amount not to exceed $445,000. This total award value includes Government funding and performer cost share if required or proposed.
To view the DARPA Program Announcement (PA) for Disruptioneering, visit SAM.gov under solicitation number DARPA-PA-25-07:
https://sam.gov/opp/ab7b4ecf5cbd4225ae1ebe16e22a8330/view Important Dates (All Times are Eastern Time Zone (ET)): • DO Posting Date: October 14, 2026
• Pre-recorded Information Session from PM available on DARPA webpage: on or around October 14, 2026
• Abstract Due Date: November 3, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.
• Question Submittal Closed: December 1, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. • Proposal Due Date: December 14, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.
• Planned Program Start Date: February 15, 2027

A. Introduction

The Liquid Surge program seeks to advance scientific understanding, predictive modeling, and metrology of transient wave phenomena in liquid environments under challenging conditions. The program addresses complex thermodynamic behaviors in dynamic fluid regimes that remain difficult to represent using current predictive approaches. Improving predictive capability will require advanced multiscale computational methods that capture relevant fluid behavior across appropriate spatial and temporal scales.
Complementary advances in experimental measurement approaches will support model validation across relevant conditions. The program will integrate modeling and experimental research to improve foundational understanding of coupled fluid mechanical and thermodynamic processes.

B. Objective/Technical Scope

The Liquid Surge program seeks foundational understanding by developing novel prototype metrology to study coupled thermodynamic, mechanical, and compositional responses to transient wave phenomena in complex liquid media. New methods should be able to examine