The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) has launched the Systems for Tracking and Resilience in Efficient Agricultural-input Management (STREAM) program, a new effort focused on reducing herbicide exposure across the food system without making farming less productive or food less affordable.
STREAM starts with a practical problem: herbicides remain essential tools for many growers, but resistant weeds, off-target drift and runoff, and potential exposure through food, water, soil, and air all create pressure for better options. ARPA-H is looking for technologies that improve the whole system, from what is applied in the field to how chemicals are monitored, contained, removed, or broken down afterward.
Interested teams must submit a Solution Summary through ARPA-H’s Scalable Solutions Office (SSO) rolling solicitation, ARPA-H-SOL-24-105, by September 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Technical Objectives/Capability Areas
STREAM seeks coordinated solutions across agricultural chemistry, AI and machine learning, sensing, robotics, precision agriculture, drone development, environmental remediation, and weed science. Proposers must address one or more of four technical areas:
- Next-generation herbicides and formulations. Develop novel chemical compounds, biologically derived herbicides, and advanced biological treatments that selectively target weeds – including resistant species – while limiting impacts on adjacent ecosystems. ARPA-H specifically encourages AI/ML-enabled discovery approaches that can improve selectivity, safety, and cost-effectiveness.
- Precision and nonchemical weed control. Advance economical physical and precision-control methods, including laser ablation, miniature autonomous weeders, machine-vision-guided application, real-time drift modeling, and U.S.-manufactured drone-based application systems. The objective is to lower chemical inputs while preserving practical farm productivity.
- Herbicide and chemical monitoring. Create accurate, low-cost, continuous sensing technologies for herbicides and related formulation chemicals that are currently difficult or costly to measure. These capabilities should support community-level monitoring and enable faster detection and response to potential exposure problems.
- Removal and degradation. Develop methods to rapidly break down agricultural chemicals in soil and water, intercept runoff before it reaches waterways, and reduce residues that may be absorbed by crops.
For prospective performers, the opportunity is particularly well suited to teams able to connect discovery and technology development with deployment realities: farmer adoption, scalable manufacturing, field durability, cost per acre, regulatory strategy, and measurable human-health or environmental outcomes.
Program/Solicitation Overview
STREAM is an ARPA-H initiative designed to develop breakthrough weed-management technologies that maintain agricultural productivity while reducing unwanted chemical residues and associated health and environmental risks. The agency frames the effort as an opportunity to bridge agricultural chemistry and human health—addressing not only what is applied in the field, but also how those chemicals are tracked, contained, removed, or degraded after use.
Rather than issuing a separate standalone STREAM solicitation, ARPA-H is directing interested organizations to its SSO rolling submission ISO, ARPA-H-SOL-24-105. Under the process described by ARPA-H, applicants should:
- Access the SSO ISO and associated templates through SAM.gov.
- Download and follow all relevant ISO attachments and the prescribed Solution Summary template.
- Submit a Solution Summary through the ARPA-H Solutions submission portal, selecting “STREAM” from the relevant dropdown list.
- Await ARPA-H feedback before developing or submitting a full proposal.
- Direct formal questions through the ARPA-H Solutions Ask A Question form, selecting “STREAM” when prompted.
ARPA-H anticipates making awards through Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), a flexible instrument that can support ambitious, milestone-driven research and development efforts. Final awards will depend on the quality of proposals received.
Key Dates & Submission Timeline
- August 17, 2026: ARPA-H announced the STREAM program.
- September 14, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET: Solution Summary deadline for STREAM submissions.
- After Solution Summary submission: Wait for ARPA-H feedback before developing or submitting a full proposal.
- If encouraged by ARPA-H: Submit a full proposal according to the schedule provided through the SSO process.
Applicants should rely on the current SSO ISO and its attachments for binding submission instructions, eligibility requirements, templates, and evaluation criteria. The STREAM deadline is specific to this opportunity, even though the broader SSO mechanism accepts submissions on a rolling basis.
Funding Overview
ARPA-H has not published a fixed funding ceiling, award count, or predetermined funding pool for STREAM. The agency states that it anticipates using OTAs, with awards dependent on the quality of proposals received.
This is not a conventional single-discipline research call. Teams should be prepared to explain why their approach can move beyond a compelling technical concept and work under real farm conditions. That includes showing how the solution can be manufactured, deployed, maintained, adopted, and measured without creating a cost or operational burden that undermines uptake.
Building the Next Agricultural System
STREAM presents a meaningful opening for companies and research teams developing the technologies that can make weed management more precise, less chemically intensive, and more resilient to emerging resistance. The strongest solutions will not simply replace one herbicide with another; they will create integrated systems that help farmers protect yield, monitor exposures, prevent off-target impacts, and remediate residual chemicals before they affect water, crops, workers, or consumers.
EverGlade is a national advisory firm helping innovators navigate the federal funding ecosystem. We support companies across the funding lifecycle, from early-stage strategy through proposal development, negotiations, and post-award execution, ensuring you win the award and deliver the program.
For additional information on where your capabilities could plug into this initiative, schedule a conversation with our team.
