Decentralized Artificial Intelligence through Controlled Emergence (DICE)

The Departmental Offices issued solicitation HR001126S0010 to support the Decentralized Artificial Intelligence through Controlled Emergence (DICE) program. This initiative focuses on developing the theory and algorithms for decentralized coordination and local inference control to manage a scalable, adaptive, and resilient collective of heterogeneous AI agents. These agents are intended to autonomously execute sustained long-time-horizon missions in contested environments while remaining under human control. The program aims to harness the scalability and adaptability of self-organizing systems, moving away from rigid centralized orchestration or unpredictable ad hoc compositions. This approach utilizes local rules to produce robust global behavior, mirroring the principles of decentralized self-organization that underpin the scalability and resilience of the internet.

This requirement is classified under NAICS 541715: Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) and PSC AC11: NATIONAL DEFENSE R&D SERVICES; DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE - MILITARY; BASIC RESEARCH. Responses to this solicitation are due by August 25, 2026, and the BAA Coordinator is the designated point of contact. The solicitation includes 12 attachments, such as the DICE Abstract Template, Volume I and II Templates, a Proposal Summary Slide Template, a DARPA Standard Cost Proposal Spreadsheet, and a Biographical Sketch form. These materials were published on June 10, 2026, and provide the necessary frameworks for proposal submission.