The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) officially released solicitation ARPA-H-SOL-24-105 under its Scalable Solutions Office (SSO), titled Mission Office Innovative Solutions Opening (ISO). This initiative aims to fuel bold, high-impact biomedical and health innovations that tackle persistent barriers in health care access, affordability, and distribution. As one of ARPA-H’s major mechanisms for sourcing outside-the-box ideas, this ISO signals an open call for groundbreaking technologies that could reshape how health care is delivered, particularly in underserved and remote regions.
The SSO ISO invites solution summaries and full proposals focused on scalable innovations across three key focus areas: health technologies and interventions, advanced medical product distribution, and biomanufacturing. ARPA-H is particularly interested in approaches that overcome geographic, demographic, and supply chain obstacles, emphasizing solutions that offer flexible, affordable delivery to patients and providers.
Proposers are expected to bring forward novel ideas, not incremental improvements. Areas of interest include:
- Health Technologies and Interventions: Must be scalable, affordable, and adaptable to diverse populations, with emphasis on pediatric solutions, rare disease diagnostics without specialized infrastructure, and restoring autonomy for homebound patients.
- Medical Product & Capability Distribution: Focus on automation and standardization of complex procedures, resilient delivery systems for rural and crisis settings (including cyber-denied environments), and intelligent logistics tools for real-time resource management.
- Biomanufacturing Innovations – Production: Focus on cost-effective, domestic manufacturing of biologics, PPE, and APIs; reduction of cold chain reliance; and strengthening supply chains through alternative materials and re-shoring.
- Biomanufacturing Innovations – Process Control: Developing predictive, real-time monitoring and control technologies (e.g., sensors, release assays, analytical tools) for scalable, precise, and rapid bioproduction.
Proposals must reflect substantial technical innovation and may include care models or commercialization strategies as secondary components. ARPA-H does not fund projects already in clinical trial stages, policy reform initiatives, or education-based interventions under this ISO.
Proposal Process and Structure
The application process follows a two-stage structure:
- Solution Summary Submission (Mandatory) – A brief technical concept must be submitted through the ARPA-H portal and reviewed before a full proposal is accepted. Feedback from ARPA-H will determine whether a proposer is encouraged to proceed.
- Proposal Submission – If invited, proposers will have 45 calendar days from feedback to submit a full proposal, including a technical/management section, task description, cost proposal, and required administrative documentation.
All submissions must be entered via the ARPA-H Solution Submission Portal, and only new proposals will be considered. No renewals or supplements are accepted under this solicitation.
Key Dates and Deadlines
- Final Closing Date: March 5, 2029 is the last date to submit Solution Summaries.
- Proposal Deadline: 45 calendar days from receipt of feedback on Solution Summary
Questions may be submitted at any time via the ARPA-H submission portal while the solicitation remains open.
Funding Details
ARPA-H anticipates making multiple awards under this ISO. Awards will be executed as Other Transactions (OTs), offering flexibility beyond traditional federal acquisition regulations. While the solicitation does not prescribe specific funding caps or periods of performance, ARPA-H encourages proposals that align the budget appropriately with the technical ambition and risk level. Phased awards and segment negotiations may occur, allowing partial funding with potential for future expansion based on milestones.
Advancing Equity and Resilience in U.S. Healthcare
Through this solicitation, ARPA-H seeks to democratize health innovation, bridging access gaps, accelerating biomanufacturing readiness, and enabling health equity for rural, pediatric, and underserved populations. By empowering scalable, technically disruptive solutions, this effort directly supports ARPA-H’s core mission: delivering better health outcomes for all Americans, faster and more affordably.
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