Skip to content
FederalSolicitationOpen Federal notice

Atomically Precise Molecules (APM)

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)› Def Advanced Research Projects Agcy

Solicitation # DARPA-PS-26-141Updated Nov 13, 2026Scored Nov 14, 2026

Responses due

Dec 18

Dec 18, 2026, 1:00 PM EST

Posted Sep 25Due Dec 18

Summary by RFP Detector

What this RFP is about

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) (Def Advanced Research Projects Agcy), part of the Department of Defense, posted a solicitation titled “Atomically Precise Molecules (APM)” under solicitation number DARPA-PS-26-141. It was first posted on Sep 25, 2026 and has been updated 4 times since. Responses are due Dec 18, 2026, 1:00 PM EST. It is classified under NAICS 541715 and product/service code AC12. No set-aside is listed. 17 documents are attached to the notice. The listed point of contact is APM PS Coordinator.

Key facts

RFP Detector Score

Score breakdown

Every RFP starts at 50. Each factor adds or subtracts points compared with a typical RFP; unknown data counts as neutral.

Starts at 50

  • Value+6.2estimated

    No value published. Typical award is about $1.8M: the median of 314 DARPA contracts over $25K awarded in NAICS 541715, FY24–FY26.

  • Competition & access+0.3measured

    Full and open competition. The largest recipient took 21% of these dollars in FY24–FY26.

  • Issuer & market+6.1measured

    DARPA obligated $3.2B on NAICS 541715 across 314 contracts in FY24–FY26. 53 other notices from this office in the past 12 months.

  • Time & stage+12.2measured

    Solicitation, bids due: 34 days to respond (due Dec 18, 2026, 1:00 PM EST).

  • Clarity & completeness0.0measured

    17 documents, named contact with email, 145-word description.

  • Freshness+5.4measured

    Updated today (new documents).

50 + contributions = 80 (A, Excellent)

Informational, not advice to bid or not bid. Score version 1.0.0, evaluated Nov 14, 2026.

Requirements & submission

Eligibility · Full and open competition

Full and open competition means the notice states no set-aside: any responsible business can respond, subject to the requirements in the notice.

Not stated in a form we could extract. See the official solicitation for requirements, evaluation criteria and submission steps.

From the official notice

Description

145 words

Amendment 01: The purpose of this amendment is to extend the required abstract deadline. 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)

Timeline & history

1 change since posting.

  1. Solicitation posted

  2. Solicitation posted

  3. Solicitation posted

  4. Solicitation posted

  5. Solicitation posted

  6. Documents updated

  7. Responses dueNext · in 34 days

  8. Archive date on the official notice

Documents

17 files
  • DOCX

    DARPA-PS-26-141_APM_Attachment_G_Task_Description_Document__TDD__Template.docx

    DOCX

  • PDF

    APM_Proposers_Day_Combined_Slides.pdf

    PDF

  • DOCX

    DARPA-PS-26-141_APM_Enclosure_1_DARPA_BAAT_Submission_Portal_Guide.docx

    DOCX

  • PDF

    DARPA-PS-26-141_APM_FAQ_V2_20OCT2026.pdf

    PDF

  • XLSX

    DARPA-PS-26-141_APM_Attachment_E_Price_Detail_Spreadsheet.xlsx

    XLSX

  • PDF

    DARPA-PS-26-141.pdf

    PDF

  • DOCX

    DARPA-PS-26-141_APM_Attachment_A_Abstract.docx

    DOCX

  • DOCX

    DARPA-PS-26-141_APM_Attachment_C_Proposal_Instructions_and_Volume_I_Template_Technical.docx

    DOCX

  • DOCX

    DARPA-PS-26-141_APM_Attachment_F_Other_Transaction_Certifications.docx

    DOCX

  • PDF

    DARPA-PS-26-141-Amendment-01.pdf

    PDF

  • DOCX

    DARPA-PS-26-141_APM_Enclosure_2_Proposer_Checklist.docx

    DOCX

  • PDF

    DARPA-PS-26-141_APM_Attachment_J_APM_CUI_Guide.pdf

    PDF

  • PDF

    DARPA-PS-26-141_APM_FAQ_V1_07OCT2026.pdf

    PDF

  • DOCX

    DARPA-PS-26-141_APM_Attachment_I_Model_Other_Transaction_for_Prototype.docx

    DOCX

  • DOCX

    DARPA-PS-26-141_APM_Attachment_H_Schedule_of_Milestones_and_Payments.docx

    DOCX

  • PPTX

    DARPA-PS-26-141_APM_Attachment_B_Proposal_Summary_Slide.pptx

    PPTX

  • DOCX

    DARPA-PS-26-141_APM_Attachment_D_Proposal_Instructions_and_Volume_II_Template_Price.docx

    DOCX

Files open on the official notice. RFP Detector doesn’t re-host notice documents.

Signed-in members can open each file. Sign in free to open the official solicitation

Contacts

Points of contact as published on the notice.

Federal award history

Market context

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency · NAICS 541715 · FY24–FY26

Typical award (over $25K)
$1.8M
Contracts awarded
314
Total obligated
$3.2B
Award size, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency · NAICS 541715 contracts, FY24–FY26 (log scale)
P25 $361.8KMedian $1.8MP75 $4.0MP90 $9.2M

Largest recipients in this market

  • LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION$654.4M21%
  • THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY LLC$650.3M20%
  • AURORA FLIGHT SCIENCES CORPORATION$125.1M4%

Recipients of past awards in this market, not the incumbent of this RFP.

View as table
Fiscal yearObligated ($)
FY20221,246,258,421.94
FY20231,128,467,244.31
FY20241,258,617,137.12
FY20251,177,480,881.04
FY2026745,020,507.27

Federal contract award records, award types A–D, FY24–FY26. Updated Nov 13, 2026.

Similar open RFPs

Same NAICS group or Research & Scientific Services, nearby first, ranked by score.

Excellent

Ultra-Broadband Terahertz Radio Development

Department of the Air Force

FederalPresolicitationResearch & Scientific Services
Posted Sep 19Due date not statedFederal notice

RFP Detector Scores are informational.How we score →

More from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

32 open RFPs from this issuer and its offices.

Poor

Pre-Award Synopsis Texas Shield

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

FederalSpecial noticeResearch & Scientific Services
Posted Oct 16Due Nov 15, 2026, 11:59 PM EST (in 43 h)Federal notice
Fair

Resilient Ultra Short Pulsed Laser Sources - RFI

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

FederalRFIResearch & Scientific Services
Posted Sep 8Due Nov 20, 2026, 5:00 PM EST (in 6 days)Federal notice
Fair

Quantum Benchmarking Initiative Topic (QBIT) Stage A

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

FederalSolicitationResearch & Scientific Services
Posted Mar 9Due Nov 30, 2026, 2:00 PM EST (in 16 days)Federal notice
Fair

Firefox

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

FederalSolicitationResearch & Scientific Services
Posted Sep 16Due Nov 30, 2026, 3:00 PM EST (in 16 days)Federal notice

RFP Detector Scores are informational.How we score →

About this notice

Official federal notice. Updated Nov 13, 2026.

Official solicitation:Sign in free to open the official solicitation

RFP Detector is an independent service and is not affiliated with any government agency. Scores are informational.

RFP Detector is not affiliated with the organization that issued this RFP. Always rely on the official notice and confirm every date and requirement with the issuer.