Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority

Funds BARDA, the Department of Health and Human Services directorate supporting countermeasures for public health emergencies.

Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) sits within HHS's Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and funds medical countermeasures for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, pandemic influenza, and emerging infectious diseases. It was built under Project BioShield in 2004 and now operates at a reported annual spending level of about $1.7 billion, with a contract portfolio valued at more than $60 billion.

BARDA uses procurement contracts, cooperative agreements, other transaction agreements, recoverable advances, equity, and grants rather than a single generic funding route. The main routes in this record include the BARDA BAA, Project BioShield, DRIVe, DRIVe Easy BAA, ReDIRECT, Solving Sepsis, ImmuneChip+, the Accelerator Network, BARDA Ventures, and the Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle. Award ceilings range from $200,000 for the Accelerator Network to $500 million for Project BioShield, with DRIVe up to $20 million, ReDIRECT up to $5 million, and Solving Sepsis up to $10 million.

BARDA is best suited to teams that can move medical countermeasures through advanced development, scale-up, and transition. Early-stage innovators tend to fit DRIVe and the Accelerator Network, while more mature developers fit the BAA and Project BioShield channels. The office also relies on partners for delivery in several programs, including BARDA Ventures with the Global Health Investment Corporation and the Accelerator Network hubs.