ARPA-H

ARPA-H Mission Office ISOs

Supports United States mission teams with boundary-pushing health initiatives beyond existing programme limits.

ARPA-H's Mission Office Innovative Solution Openings (ISOs) form the agency's rolling Open Broad Agency Announcement, comprising four parallel solicitations — one per Mission Office — each with its own solicitation number (ARPA-H-SOL-24-103 through 24-106). The four Mission Offices are Health Science Futures, Proactive Health, Resilient Systems, and Scalable Solutions, each covering a distinct strategic domain of health R&D. Proposals are accepted year-round on a rolling basis, with no fixed deadlines. There is no published cap on award size and no limit on period of performance; ARPA-H sizes awards to match the proposed scope, with typical awards falling in the $1M to $50M range and performance periods of 24 to 60 months. The estimated annual pool across Mission Office ISOs is approximately $400M.

Eligibility is deliberately broad: universities, for-profit businesses, nonprofits, research organizations, individuals, and non-U.S. entities may all apply, subject to the BAA's Section III.A.2 requirements. Award instruments may be cooperative agreements, Other Transactions, or procurement contracts — ARPA-H does not issue traditional grants. Cost share is not required but may be a positive evaluation factor for projects with commercial application potential. Clinical trials are eligible only when embedded in a broader R&D effort developing a high-impact health technology.

The submission process differs from most federal solicitations: a Solution Summary is a mandatory first step, and ARPA-H program managers provide written feedback before any full proposal is accepted — submitting a full proposal without prior written feedback is grounds for rejection. Applicants should address their proposal to the Mission Office most closely aligned with their work's framing, clearly articulate why the problem requires ARPA-H-style high-risk investment rather than conventional NIH or commercial development, and present a defined technical approach with measurable milestones.