Decentralized Artificial Intelligence through Controlled Emergence (DICE)

The Departmental Offices issued solicitation HR001126S0010 for 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 support a scalable, adaptive, and resilient collective of heterogeneous AI agents. The program aims to enable these agents to autonomously execute sustained, long-time-horizon missions in contested environments while remaining under human control. By mirroring the principles of decentralized self-organization found in internet scalability, the DICE program intends to replace rigid centralized orchestration with simple local rules that produce predictable global behavior aligned with intended outcomes.

This requirement falls under NAICS 541715 for Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) and PSC AC11 for National Defense R&D Services; Department of Defense - Military; Basic Research. The response deadline for this solicitation is August 25, 2026, and the BAA Coordinator serves as the primary point of contact. The solicitation includes 12 attachments providing administrative templates for abstracts, various proposal volumes, summary slides, and cost proposal spreadsheets.