About AI Forge.
A national partnership for AI innovation.
DARPA and the U.S. National Science Foundation jointly developed AI Forge in close collaboration with the Center for AI Standards and Innovation to catalyze breakthroughs in AI for national security. The program aligns government, academia, and industry aroundAI interpretability, AI control, and adversarial robustness.
How it works.
Who participates.
- DARPA
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI)
- Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO)
- IC
- IARPA
- US Air Force
- US Army
- US Cyber Command
- US Navy
- USSOCOM
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
- Department of War Innovation Unit
- Auburn University
- Capitol Technology University
- Central Connecticut State University
- Clemson University
- Dakota State University
- Dartmouth
- Emory University
- George Washington University
- Indiana University
- Kennesaw State University
- Miami University
- Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)
- North Carolina State University
- Old Dominion University (ODU)
- Purdue University
- Sam Houston State University (SHSU)
- Stevens Institute of Technology
- Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
- Texas Tech University
- University at Buffalo
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- University of Central Arkansas
- University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- University of Northern Dakota (UND)
- University of Notre Dame
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- University of Texas at El Paso
- University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio)
- University of Wisconsin–Madison
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM)
- Arizona State University
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Chapman University
- Cornell University
- East Carolina University
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
- George Mason University
- Georgia State University
- Howard University
- Iowa State University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Michigan State University
- Ohio State University
- Oregon State University
- San José State University
- Stony Brook University
- Syracuse University
- Temple University
- Texas A&M University
- The City College of New York (CCNY)
- University of Arizona
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
- University of Chicago
- University of Colorado Boulder
- University of Houston
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- University of Iowa
- University of Maryland
- University of Memphis
- University of Missouri, Kansas City
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Rhode Island
- University of Rochester
- University of Southern California
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- Vanderbilt University
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Washington University in St. Louis (WashU)
- Binghamton University
- Brown University
- Colorado School of Mines
- Colorado State University
- Columbia University
- Drexel University
- Florida Institute of Technology
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Harvard University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Louisiana State University
- Louisiana Tech University
- Michigan Technological University
- Missouri S&T
- Montclair State University
- New York University
- North Dakota State University
- Northeastern University
- Pennsylvania State University
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Rice University
- Rutgers University
- Texas Southern University
- Towson University
- Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago
- Tulane University
- United States Military Academy (West Point)
- University at Albany, State University of New York
- University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
- University of Arkansas
- University of California, Irvine
- University of California, San Diego
- University of California, Santa Cruz
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Dayton
- University of Florida
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
- University of Massachusetts Amherst
- University of Michigan
- University of Minnesota
- University of Missouri
- University of Nebraska System
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of North Georgia
- University of South Florida
- University of Texas at Arlington
- University of Texas at Dallas
- University of Tulsa
- University of Virginia
- University of West Florida
- Utah State University
- Washington State University
- William & Mary
- Yale University
RFA questions and answers.
Repeated questions from the RFA Q&A have been consolidated below.
PI and Co-PI
Are there limits or minimum time commitments for Co-PIs?
There is no limit on the number of abstracts on which a Co-PI may be listed and no minimum time requirement. The technical review will consider whether the stated commitment is sufficient for the Project Venture to succeed.
May Co-PIs or key personnel come from another university?
Yes. Co-PIs may be affiliated with different universities. Teams should account for the accelerated schedule and have subcontracting procedures ready for prompt execution.
Does serving on another university’s submission affect an institution’s own abstract limit?
No. Participation as a subawardee or Co-PI on another university’s submission does not count against the institution’s own one-abstract limit. The individual may also serve as PI or Co-PI on their institution’s submission.
May personnel from national laboratories or FFRDCs participate?
No. The solicitation is limited to U.S. universities and military academies; UARCs, FFRDCs, and non-academic federal agencies are not eligible to participate.
Is participation limited to personnel named in the earlier RFI response?
No. Participation is not limited to key or senior personnel listed in the RFI or abstract.
How many PIs are permitted, and who must meet the 20% effort requirement?
One PI is permitted, with multiple Co-PIs allowed. The PI must provide at least 20% effort across the full Project Venture period of performance.
May the PI be listed as both the applicant and RFA point of contact?
Yes.
May graduate students and postdoctoral researchers participate?
Yes, but only U.S. citizens or permanent residents may serve as PI or Co-PI. Foreign-national participation is subject to the Attachment 4 and eForm 60 requirements.
eForm 60
May a non-citizen who is not a permanent resident participate in a role other than PI or Co-PI?
Yes. An individual working in the United States under H-1B status may participate as a faculty researcher or technical lead, but may not serve as PI or Co-PI.
Who must submit Attachment 4 and complete eForm 60?
Every foreign participant, including lawful permanent residents, must submit a separate Foreign National Acknowledgement and Justification. Each individual must also complete eForm 60 and upload two requested identification documents.
Does Attachment 4 count toward the abstract page limit?
No.
Must foreign-national approval be complete before an individual is named in an abstract?
No. Approval is required before participation in the Pitch Phase.
What visit information should be entered in eForm 60?
Use Matthew Marge as the DARPA point of contact, select Offsite as the meeting location, Fundamental Research as the classification level, and AI Forge Pitch Day as the purpose. Use the Pitch Day date provided for the applicable cycle.
What should be submitted when no foreign nationals will participate?
Submit one Attachment 4, enter N/A for the foreign-national name, select “No Foreign National Participation Required,” and sign the form.
RFA Package
How many challenges and abstracts may a university address in a cycle?
A university may submit one abstract in total, addressing one challenge within one research thrust. If multiple abstracts arrive from one institution, only the first conforming submission will be evaluated.
What must the abstract package include?
The package includes Attachments 1–5, a signed university letter of endorsement, and CVs for all key personnel. Attachment 2 is the Executive Abstract; a second abstract document is not required.
What does the five-page limit cover?
The five-page limit applies only to the Executive Abstract in Attachment 2. The cover sheet, endorsement letter, CVs, foreign-national forms, references, resource estimate, and IP disclosure do not count toward that limit.
Does the PI need university authorization to submit?
PIs and research teams may submit directly, but the package must include a letter of endorsement signed by university administration.
Will every abstract advance to Pitch Day?
No. A selected subset will be invited.
Must Pitch Day participation be in person, and who may present?
In-person attendance is strongly encouraged, with a virtual option available. The presenter must be a PI or Co-PI on the team.
Are editable Word templates available?
Word files are not distributed. Participants may convert the supplied documents into editable files at their discretion.
Must the Riverside Research header and footer remain on the templates?
No. Universities may replace the letterhead, but should retain the attachment number, title, and required template content.
Should the submission be one PDF or separate files?
Either a single PDF or separate PDF files is acceptable.
May controlled-access human-subject data be used?
Controlled-access data governed by an institutional privacy or data-use agreement is not CUI solely for that reason. All proposed work must still satisfy the Fundamental Research and information-protection requirements.
How will frontier models and compute be accessed?
The initial cycle uses cloud rather than self-hosted support. Proposals should estimate the compute or model credits needed to execute the proposed research.
How should compute resources appear in the resource estimate and budget?
Itemize compute specifications and explain any need for a performer-operated secure environment, but do not include compute hardware or cloud costs in the primary ROM total. No fixed per-project compute ceiling is available; provide a realistic, justified estimate.
What costs may be included in the Project Venture budget?
Allowable planning items include faculty salary and course buyouts, postdoctoral salary, student stipends and tuition, undergraduate pay, project travel, subcontractors, and indirect costs. The initial cycle’s total budget cap was $1.5 million, including labor and overhead.
Are pre-award Pitch Day travel costs reimbursable?
No. Universities and partners generally cover pre-award presentation travel with institutional funds.
May a university include subawards, consultants, or industry partners?
Yes, subject to Riverside Research review and approval. Another university serving as a subawardee does not have to be in the repository, but the prime applicant must be eligible. National laboratories, UARCs, FFRDCs, and non-academic federal agencies may not participate.
Must graduate students and postdoctoral researchers be named in the staffing estimate?
No. Role-level staffing estimates are sufficient.
How final must the team be at abstract submission?
Teams should be generally final by award. Later changes are subject to approval.
Is cost share required?
Refer to Section 8.7, Evaluation Criteria for Award, in the Opportunity Notice.
What is required for CMMC Level 1-equivalent safeguarding?
CMMC Level 1 is legally and functionally equivalent to FAR 52.204-21 basic safeguarding for Federal Contract Information. Final requirements are subject to approval at award, and an institution still completing its compliant environment may submit.
Will institutions remain eligible for future cycles if they do not submit or are not selected?
Yes. Revised concepts may be submitted in later cycles when they align with that cycle’s published challenges. Future RFAs are expected approximately every six months.
How should the title field in Attachments 1 and 4 be completed?
Replace the prefilled text with the title of the abstract.
How are submissions delivered?
Submit materials by email to aiforge@riversideresearch.org.
CVs
What CV format and page limit apply?
CVs are required for all key personnel. Any format is acceptable, including an NSF Biographical Sketch, and there is no page limit.
IP
What licensing approach is expected for Project Venture deliverables?
Project Ventures should use permissive open-source licensing so intellectual property can be shared.
Are MIT or BSD acceptable alternatives to Apache 2.0?
Apache 2.0 is encouraged. An equivalent highly permissive open-source license may be used with Government approval.
Must pre-existing background IP be disclosed?
Yes. Both permissive and non-permissive background IP must be disclosed, including prior federally funded work released under a permissive license.
Is a freedom-to-operate patent analysis required at the abstract stage?
No.
When are Data Use Agreements required?
When applicable, Data Use Agreements are addressed during the Pitch and Proposal Phase.
One platform behind the whole forum.
GovSignals operates the AI Forge platform — public site, submission intake, evaluation, venture execution, and the published knowledge record in one secure workspace.
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