Expedited Research Innovation System (ERIS)

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is a solicitation for the DARPA Expedited Research Innovation System (ERIS). ERIS is a long-term, open call initiative seeking novel and disruptive technology solutions to support DARPA's mission in advancing research, development, prototyping, experimentation, and adoption of technologies relevant to U.S. national security. ERIS functions as a digital environment and marketplace where government organizations can discover, assess, and procure these solutions through rapid acquisition pathways.

• Submissions are in the form of video pitches (max 7 minutes) accompanied by supplemental slides and a submission form.

• Solutions must be unclassified and not contain proprietary or export-controlled information.

• Videos must meet specific production requirements (HD 1280x720, MP4 under 1GB, Rec709 or sRGB color space).

• Submissions must address four key elements: problem definition and current state of the art, advancing the state of the art, team capability, and defense/commercial market use case/impact.

• The solicitation outlines pathways for research, development, prototyping, test and evaluation, and procurement for experimental purposes.

• Awards are "post-competitive" under specific statutes (10 USC 4021, 4022, 4023).

• Terms, including payment, IP, and pricing, are negotiable.

• Potential for multiple awards with a single or multiple customers.

• Submissions are collected monthly (December 1-31 is an example period) with a cutoff at 12:00 PM ET on the last day.

• Assessment results are typically available within 30 days of the collection period end.

• Submissions are assessed by a peer panel of government, industry, and academic SMEs.

• Solutions deemed "awardable" are placed in the ERIS Marketplace for 12 months (enduring topic areas) or 6 months (special topic areas).

• "Non-awardable" solutions can be resubmitted after addressing feedback.

• All U.S.-based companies (traditional and nontraditional, large and small businesses), universities, and non-profit companies are welcome.

• Foreign entities may submit if compliant with international law.

• All costs of preparation and submission are the responsibility of the submitting entity.

• Placement in the marketplace does not guarantee an award.

• Specific topic areas are listed, including detecting/tracking objects, strategic systems resilience, defense against chemical/biological threats, improved U.S. operations resilience, and disruptive space operations concepts.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is a Master Program Solicitation for the DARPA Expedited Research Innovation System (ERIS). ERIS is a digital environment designed to solicit, collect, assess, and curate disruptive, revolutionary technology solutions through rapid acquisition pathways. The goal is to establish a centralized location for DARPA to assess cutting-edge technological solutions and provide a pathway for industry, academia, and individuals to present their research and development efforts. This initiative aims to streamline the procurement of available solutions for various government organizations.

• Submissions are in the form of video pitches (max 7 minutes) accompanied by a submission form and supplemental slides.

• Videos must address: defining the problem and current state of the art, advancing the state of the art, team capability, and defense/commercial market use case/impact.

• Submissions must be unclassified and free of proprietary, export-controlled, or CUI markings.

• Specific topic areas are identified, including but not limited to: detecting/tracking elusive objects, advanced technologies for resilience, defense against chemical/biological threats, and advanced technologies for U.S. operations resilience.

• Solutions deemed "awardable" are considered "post-competitive" and eligible for award of research, prototyping, and procurement for experimental purposes without further competition.

• Contract terms, including payment, intellectual property, schedule, milestones, and pricing, are fully negotiable.

• Potential for multiple awards with no price ceilings or duration limits.

• ERIS is continuously open for submissions, collected monthly (e.g., December 1-31).

• Monthly submission cutoff is 12:00 PM ET on the last day of the collection period.

• Assessment results are typically available within 30 days of the end of the collection period.

• Submissions are assessed by a peer panel of government, industry, and academic Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).

• Solutions are rated as "awardable" or "non-awardable."

• "Non-awardable" solutions can be resubmitted.

• All U.S.-based companies (traditional and nontraditional, large and small businesses), universities, non-profit companies, and individuals are welcome to participate.

• Foreign entities may submit, provided compliance with international law and U.S. export laws.

• All costs of preparing and submitting are the responsibility of the entity.

• Assessment as "awardable" and placement into the ERIS Marketplace does not guarantee an award.

• "Awardable" videos are placed on the marketplace for 12 months (enduring topic areas) or 6 months (special topic areas).

• Questions can be directed to ERIS@darpa.mil. More information is available at www.darpaconnect.us/ERIS.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation announces the DARPA Expedited Research Innovation System (ERIS), an open call for novel technology solutions to support DARPA's mission of creating strategic surprise. ERIS aims to identify, assess, and acquire disruptive technologies, processes, research, or methods relevant to U.S. national security through rapid acquisition pathways. It serves as a digital marketplace for post-competition video solutions.

• Submitters must provide video pitches detailing solutions.

• Solutions must address one or more of the identified topic areas, which evolve based on DARPA's program office interests.

• Key topic areas include: detecting/tracking elusive objects, overcoming sensing system limitations, developing resilient strategic systems, advanced defense against threats (chemical, biological, human-made, natural), improving resilience of U.S. operations (including AI/ML convergence with chemistry/biology), and developing groundbreaking methods for complex/emergent/adaptive systems.

• AI-only, data-driven approaches are out of scope for the latter topic area.

• ERIS utilizes Other Transaction Authority (OTA) pathways.

• Solutions deemed "awardable" are eligible for award without further competition.

• Contract pathways can cover research, development, prototyping, test and evaluation, and procurement.

• Award terms are fully negotiable, including payment, intellectual property, data rights, schedule, milestones, and pricing.

• Potential for multiple awards with a single or multiple customers.

• Submissions are accepted on a continuous, long-term open call basis, with monthly collection periods (e.g., December 1-31).

• Submission cutoff is 12:00 PM ET on the last day of each monthly collection period.

• Assessments are conducted monthly, with results typically available within 30 days of the collection period's end.

• Solutions must be unclassified and free of proprietary or export-controlled information.

• Video submissions must be no longer than seven minutes, HD 1280x720 resolution, .mp4 format, under 1 GB, and Rec709 or sRGB color space.

• Required video content includes: defining the problem/state of the art, advancing the state of the art, team capability, and defense/commercial market use case/impact.

• Supplemental slides (four slides) are required and must adhere to a specific format.

• Submissions are assessed by a peer panel of government, industry, and academic Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).

• Final decisions on awardability are made by the Government Selecting Official (GSO).

• "Awardable" videos are placed in the ERIS Marketplace for 12 months (enduring topics) or 6 months (special topics).

• All U.S.-based companies (large and small businesses), universities, non-profit companies, and individuals are welcome.

• Foreign entities may submit if compliant with international law.

• "Nontraditional defense contractors" are explicitly welcomed.

• Costs for preparing and submitting are the responsibility of the entity.

• Assessment as "awardable" does not guarantee an award.

• Questions can be directed to ERIS@darpa.mil.

• More information is available at www.darpaconnect.us/ERIS.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document outlines the evaluation criteria for the DARPA ERIS (Exploration of Remote Sensing) opportunity, dated September 2025. It details the factors that will be used to assess proposals and the corresponding rating definitions.

• Factors for Evaluation:
  • Advancing the State of the Art (Weight: 40%)
  • Team Capability (Key Personnel Vision, Expertise, and Experience) (Weight: 30%)
  • Defining the Problem & Current State of the Art (Weight: 20%)
  • Defense and/or Commercial Market Use Case/Impact (Weight: 10%)
• Rating Definitions: For each factor, specific definitions are provided for "Unsatisfactory," "Marginal," "Satisfactory," "Highly Satisfactory," and "Superior" ratings.
• Points Possible: The maximum points for each factor are clearly indicated.

This document is critical for bidders as it directly informs how their proposals will be evaluated. Understanding these criteria allows vendors to tailor their submissions to align with the government's expectations and maximize their chances of a favorable rating. Bidders should pay close attention to the definitions of each rating level within each factor to understand what constitutes a superior proposal.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document appears to be a presentation template or guide for bidders responding to the ERIS opportunity. It outlines the expected content and structure for a bidder's submission, specifically focusing on a quad chart and a solution overview.

• Company Introduction: Requires a brief company overview chart.
• ERIS Submission Criteria Quad Chart: Details four key areas bidders must address:
  • Defining the Problem & Current State of the Art
  • Advancing the State of the Art
  • Team Capability (Key Personnel Vision, Expertise, and Experience)
  • Defense and/or Commercial Market Use Case/Impact
• Solution Overview & DARPA White Space Chart: Requires a description of the proposed solution and its alignment with DARPA's "White Space" concept, including a notional example and comments on comparison to the state of the art.

This document is critical for bidders as it directly dictates the format and content requirements for their proposal submission. It provides a clear framework for how to present their company, proposed solution, and team capabilities in a manner that aligns with the government's expectations for the ERIS opportunity.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, Appendix A, defines the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale used by the DoD. It provides a standardized framework for assessing the maturity of technologies.

• Levels 1-9: Each level describes a distinct stage of technological development, from basic principles to proven application in operational conditions.
• Definitions: Each level includes a clear definition of what constitutes that stage of readiness.
• DoD DAG Description: Provides specific examples and context for each TRL level, aligning with the Department of Defense Acquisition Guidebook.

Bidders may need to understand and report the TRL of their proposed technologies or solutions. This document provides the criteria against which their technology's readiness will be assessed. Familiarity with these TRL definitions is crucial for accurately representing the maturity of a proposed technology and for understanding government expectations regarding technology development.