Carbon Crunch

DARPA's Carbon Crunch Program Solicitation (DARPA-PS-26-15) seeks to revolutionize the production of hypersonic aeroshells by developing scalable, fast, and agile manufacturing methods, specifically focusing on carbon-carbon (C-C) composites. The program aims to overcome limitations in current C-C manufacturing, particularly the slow and arduous carbonization/densification process, by fostering innovative approaches rather than incremental improvements. Multiple Other Transaction (OT) for Prototype Agreements are anticipated, potentially requiring cost sharing. Participation is restricted to U.S. persons, with strict compliance to export control laws and the ability to handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and Secret collateral information. Key dates include an Abstract Due Date of March 2, 2026, and Written Proposal Packages Due Date of April 10, 2026.

This document outlines a prototype agreement between the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and a performer, governed by 10 U.S.C. § 4022. The agreement details the scope of work, including a Task Description Document (Attachment 1) and report requirements (Attachment 2), with fixed payments for milestones (Attachment 3). Key articles cover the project term, management structure, modifications, payment procedures via the Wide Area Workflow (WAWF) system, and dispute resolution. It also addresses patent rights, data rights (specifying Government Purpose or Unlimited Rights), foreign access to technology, safeguarding covered defense information, and cyber incident reporting. Property disposition and compliance with civil rights are included. A significant section prohibits the use of certain telecommunications and video surveillance equipment or services from covered foreign countries, emphasizing national security. The agreement mandates the performer to utilize the DARPA VAULT website for electronic reporting.

DARPA's "Carbon Crunch" program (DARPA-PS-26-15) seeks to revolutionize hypersonic aeroshell production by developing scalable, fast, and agile carbon-carbon (C-C) composite manufacturing methods. This amended solicitation, released March 05, 2026, with an initial announcement on January 30, 2026, updates key deadlines, including abstract feedback (March 20, 2026) and written proposal questions due (March 27, 2026). The program focuses on overcoming the limitations of current slow C-C manufacturing processes, particularly carbonization/densification, to enable high throughput and rapid design-cycle turnaround. Multiple Other Transaction (OT) agreements for prototype projects are anticipated. Proposers must comply with export control laws, ITAR, EAR, and protect sensitive data, with participation limited to U.S. persons or compliant U.S. subsidiaries/teaming arrangements. Phase 1 involves Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and Phase 2 will involve Secret collateral information, requiring appropriate clearances. Proposals should demonstrate an end-to-end manufacturing process from raw materials to near-net-shape densification, emphasizing innovation over incremental improvements. Specific areas not of interest include novel thermal protection system materials, cooling improvement technologies, parallelizing existing processes, processes reliant on touch labor, and final machining methods. Further details and evaluation criteria are available in the CUI addendum, accessible via a formal request by February 12, 2026.

DARPA-PS-26-15, also known as "Carbon Crunch," is a Program Solicitation Amendment (02) released by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) under its Tactical Technology Office (TTO). The program's objective is to accelerate the production of hypersonic aeroshells by developing and implementing innovative, scalable carbon-carbon (C-C) composite manufacturing methods. The amendment updates key dates: the Written Proposal Packages are now due April 24, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET, and Video Interview Sessions are scheduled between May 4, 2026, and May 12, 2026. The program seeks proposals for end-to-end manufacturing processes that demonstrate high-quality, rapid production, and quick design-cycle turnaround, aiming for orders-of-magnitude improvement in throughput. It focuses on overcoming the limitations of current carbonization/densification processes. The program anticipates multiple awards in the form of Other Transaction (OT) for Prototype Agreements and may require cost sharing. Participation is restricted to U.S. persons, and proposers must comply with export control laws and possess appropriate security clearances for handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and Secret collateral information.

Attachment H: PS-26-15 DATA RIGHTS ASSERTION LIST for CARBON CRUNCH is a critical document in government procurement, specifically for federal government RFPs. It requires contractors (PERFORMER) to identify and assert any restrictions on the Government's rights to technical data and computer software furnished under the contract. The document outlines a table format for listing restricted items, detailing the company asserting rights, a summary of the intended use of the data or software in research, the basis for the assertion, the asserted rights category and expiration, and the name of the person asserting restrictions. This attachment ensures transparency and defines the government's access and usage rights for proprietary information, which is crucial for managing intellectual property in federal contracts.

The document, "Attachment G - Schedule of Milestones and Payments," outlines a suggested schedule for project milestones, deliverables, and associated payments, primarily for federal government RFPs, federal grants, and state/local RFPs. It details two main phases with specific deliverables, due dates, and payment percentages, noting that "ACA" means "after contract award." Proposers are expected to complete the spreadsheet, adding, removing, or editing milestones as necessary, with tasks and targets linked to a separate "Task Description Document." The document provides detailed exit criteria for each milestone, which are contingent upon Government adjudication and concurrence. Key milestones include kickoff meetings, quarterly program reviews, concept feasibility reports, parts and coupons delivery, techno-economic analysis, design reviews, and various demonstrations (throughput and agility), culminating in a final report for each phase. Proposers are explicitly instructed not to fill out highlighted sections of the spreadsheet, and the document emphasizes the flexibility for proposers to customize the milestone schedule.

Attachment F: PS-26-15 outlines the

This document outlines an Other Transaction for Prototypes agreement, HR0011-XX-9-XXXX, between the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and a performer for research and development. It details the agreement's scope, including the development of a prototype with a fixed-flexible-based payment approach tied to milestones. Key articles cover the term of the agreement, project management, financial obligations, dispute resolution, patent and data rights, foreign access to technology, safeguarding defense information, and prohibitions on certain telecommunications equipment. The agreement emphasizes continuous government involvement, intellectual property protection, and rigorous reporting requirements through the DARPA VAULT website. It also outlines procedures for modifications, property disposition, and compliance with civil rights and security regulations.

This government file outlines an Other Transaction for Prototypes agreement (HR0011-XX-9-XXXX) between DARPA and a performer, focusing on research and development for a specific prototype. The agreement uses a fixed-flexible-based approach with milestone-based payments and a 1/3 cost share. Key articles cover the scope, term, project management, administration, obligation and payment procedures (including WAWF utilization), dispute resolution, patent rights (performer retains title with government license), data rights (government receives specified rights), foreign access to technology controls, safeguarding covered defense information and cyber incident reporting (NIST SP 800-171 compliance), follow-on production possibilities, property disposition, civil rights, security, and public release of information. It also includes a critical prohibition on contracting for certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or equipment, particularly from entities like Huawei and ZTE, with a reporting requirement for any identified use.

This document outlines a prototype agreement between DARPA and a company for research and development. It details the scope, terms, management, and financial obligations, including a cost-sharing requirement. Key articles cover intellectual property (patent and data rights), foreign access to technology, safeguarding covered defense information, cyber incident reporting, and potential follow-on production. The agreement also addresses dispute resolution, property disposition, civil rights compliance, public release of information, and prohibitions on certain telecommunications equipment. It emphasizes the use of the DARPA VAULT website for reporting and defines various terms relevant to the agreement's execution.

This document outlines instructions for preparing a cost proposal using a provided spreadsheet template for federal government RFPs, grants, and state/local RFPs. It emphasizes that these instructions supersede any other given in the solicitation. Proposers must complete the "TOTAL" and "Budget by Milestone" tabs at a minimum, with additional detail for milestones required in specific tabs such as Materials and Supplies, Equipment, Consultants/SMEs, Travel, and ODC Details. The template includes sections for direct labor, fringe benefits, overhead, subcontracts, consultants, and other direct costs. It also details sections for General and Administrative (G&A), Facilities Cost of Money (COM), and profit/fixed fee. The document warns against deleting rows or columns due to existing formulae and suggests using the Excel Hide function instead. The overall purpose is to standardize and ensure comprehensive cost reporting for government solicitations.

The DARPA-PS-26-15 "Carbon Crunch" program solicitation outlines the mandatory template for written proposal submissions. This document specifies formatting requirements, including page limits, font sizes, and margin guidelines. Proposals must be submitted in .pdf, .odx, .doc, or .docx formats and written in English. The template details the structure of the proposal, which includes sections for a proposed system description, technology challenges, capabilities and past performance, a management plan, cost justification, and references. Key information required on the title page includes proposer organization details, points of contact, requested award instrument, place and period of performance, team members, and financial identifiers like UEI, TIN, and CAGE code. Proposers must also affirm they do not provide scientific, engineering, and technical assistance (SETA) or similar services to DARPA offices. The document also asks whether AI tools were used in preparing the proposal.

The DARPA-PS-26-15 "Carbon Crunch" program solicitation outlines a mandatory template for written abstract submissions, requiring specific formatting and content. Abstracts, limited to 5 pages excluding the title page, executive summary, price, and references, must detail a proposed technical approach, identify technology challenges, and demonstrate the proposer's technical ability. The document specifies inclusion of an executive summary, a proposed approach, an analysis of technology challenges, a statement of technical ability, estimated pricing for Phase 1 and 2, and references. It also requires affirmation that the prime organization and any subcontractors do not provide scientific, engineering, and technical assistance (SETA) or similar support services to DARPA. Proposers must provide administrative and technical points of contact, and details of any other team members.

DARPA-PS-26-15,