Award cash, noncash, contract or agreement prizes for defense innovation
- Objective
- Develop a technology
- Family / instrument
- Research, innovation and experimentation · Prizes & challenges
- Statute
- Authority holder
- Secretary of Defense acting through USD(R&E), USD(A&S), DIU Director and Service acquisition executives
- Executor · routing lead
- DARPA Contracts Management Office or Service contracting/grants/agreements office; Performing laboratory or external research performer
Recorded eligibility gates (excerpt)
Widely advertised competitive process; achievement must meet statutory defense/transition purpose.All requirements & limits
Recorded funding condition (excerpt)
Appropriations or funds/items lawfully accepted from federal, state/local and private contributors.All funding conditions
What this does not authorize / limits
No special consideration for private donors; award above $20m as contract/agreement triggers 15-day post-award congressional notice.
- USD(R&E) approval above $20m total prize fair value, $2m cash, or $20k solely nonmonetary prize.
Legal basisSources linked
RequirementsGates recorded
Public fundingRules recorded
Assigned rolesRoles recorded
EngagementRole recorded
Public evidence describes the institution and instrument; it is not approval of an individual transaction. Express statutory pathway; award-specific appropriations, available balances, delegations, implementation and approvals not independently verified.
Actor sources
- DIU Work With Us — mission customer, liaison, funding and prototype execution
- P.L. 119-60 §211 — revised officials and thresholds
Independent public-source guide; not an official U.S. government website. Original research target October 2, 2026; published October 3, 2026. Read the full record for currentness, coordination and all source notes.