- DARPA is inviting small businesses and nontraditional defense contractors to submit proposals for new technologies in the domain of space superiority.
- The BRIDGES initiative aims to connect these innovators with classified Department of Defense R&D efforts, offering facility clearances for direct interaction at classified levels.
September 19, 2023 – The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has announced a call for innovative concepts in the technical domain of space superiority. This call is the second topic issued under DARPA’s Bringing Classified Innovation to Defense and Government Systems (BRIDGES) initiative.
The agency is specifically targeting small businesses and nontraditional defense contractors to develop disruptive options for protecting and defending space systems.
The BRIDGES initiative aims to bridge the gap between small companies that traditionally do not engage with the U.S. government and classified Department of Defense (DOD) research and development projects. The goal is to directly connect these innovators to the challenging, classified problems that need solving. Companies that demonstrate their ability to provide innovation and value will be given the means to obtain a facility clearance and interact directly with DOD customers at classified levels.
“Tremendous innovation is happening in the commercial space industry, yet long procurement timelines and a relatively small number of cleared companies can limit adoption of those new innovations in defense and government space initiatives,” said Air Force Maj. Michael “Orbit” Nayak, program manager in DARPA’s Strategic Technology Office.
Companies are encouraged to submit a four-page or shorter proposal for review. Those selected will be invited to join the BRIDGES consortium and will be sponsored for a facility clearance. DARPA will conduct an initial round of evaluations for proposals received by 5 p.m. Eastern time on October 1, 2023, and will continue to evaluate proposals until the final deadline of 5 p.m. Eastern time on March 15, 2024.
