The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is undergoing one of the most significant structural transformations in its history. This realignment affects not only public health preparedness and biomedical innovation but also the broader operational framework, including funding mechanisms, programmatic leadership, and cross-agency coordination structures that supports millions of Americans across health care, mental health, research, and emergency response.
As part of this restructuring:
- The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) will merge with the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to form the newly established Office of Healthy Futures.
- The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) will transition under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- A new entity, the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), will unify key public health service agencies including the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
- The Office of Strategy, formed from a merger of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), will become the central hub for data, analytics, and health services research.
These changes represent a comprehensive reorganization as outlined in HHS’s April 2025 transition materials. They affect leadership structures, program authorities, funding channels, and the operating environments for contractors, grantees, and partners across the country. At the center of it all is a commitment to modernize and streamline how HHS delivers on its mission, even as thousands of federal professionals face workforce reductions and reassignments.
To those who continue carrying forward this mission: thank you. The value of your work and your resilience during transition cannot be overstated.
Reframing the Innovation Landscape
The Office of Healthy Futures now combines BARDA’s focus on late-stage deployment with ARPA-H’s emphasis on high-risk, high-reward research. According to HHS’s April 2025 organizational update, the merger creates a single innovation hub intended to unify and streamline biomedical program oversight. This structure has the potential to accelerate the path from discovery to impact. However, its success will depend on careful stewardship to preserve both agility and scientific rigor.
At the same time, the reassignment of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) formalizes its integration into the nation’s epidemiological infrastructure. This marks a shift toward more centralized oversight of emergency preparedness operations, similar in scope to pre-2018 structures when the Strategic National Stockpile and related response capabilities were managed by CDC for public health emergency coordination, supply stockpiling, and strategic response. These functions had previously been elevated to standalone status through past reorganization efforts.
Strategic Considerations Moving Forward
For midsize life sciences firms that have historically relied on BARDA as a foundational partner, this reorganization introduces both risk and opportunity. In the near term, organizations should anticipate changes in processing timelines and evolving points of contact. Long term, those that adapt early and align with the Office of Healthy Futures’ emerging priorities may gain a competitive edge.
- If you are mid-proposal or currently in a BAFO (Best and Final Offer) phase, proceed as planned but allow for delays. Proactive communication with contracting officers will be essential.
- If you have an active contract, confirm your point of contact and request written confirmation of continued program support.
- If you are a new entrant, it may be worth engaging now only if your team has the capacity to navigate an extended business development cycle. Otherwise, it may be advisable to wait for further clarity on structure, leadership, and funding direction.
- If you are in manufacturing, scale-up, or late-stage readiness, closely monitor updates to the Industrial Base Expansion (IBx) program or the Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Preparedness Consortium (BioMaP-C). Consider engagement with agencies such as the Department of Defense (DOD), Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), or Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) as alternatives.
Organizations should also monitor how authorities are delegated, how leadership transitions unfold, and how legacy programs are reassigned or maintained. Assessing the continuity of current agreements and initiating outreach to government partners can help mitigate uncertainty.
Speculative Timeline: Lessons from the 2018 HHS Reorganization (and Why This May Move Faster)
If the current reorganization follows a similar trajectory to the 2018 realignment that moved the Strategic National Stockpile from CDC to ASPR, the process could span 12 to 18 months. However, today’s political and administrative conditions may accelerate that timeline. Factors that could influence the pace of the transition include structural streamlining efforts led by the Department of Government Efficiency and executive-level decisions that prioritize quicker implementation over gradual rollout.
With that context, stakeholders should consider the following speculative timeline:
- Month 1–3: Internal communications, initial leadership assignments, and preliminary reorganization memos. Programs may pause or begin reassignment.
- Month 3–6: Budget realignments and clarification of oversight roles. Some solicitations may be updated or delayed.
- Month 6–9: Leadership confirmations and preliminary pilots under the Office of Healthy Futures. Policy guidance for contracting begins to take shape.
- Month 9–12: New program priorities emerge. Legacy solicitations are revised or reissued.
- Month 12–18: The Office of Healthy Futures reaches operational maturity. Older BARDA mechanisms are phased out or restructured. Stakeholder engagement efforts expand to solidify the new ecosystem.
What’s Next
The restructuring of HHS marks more than a bureaucratic adjustment. It represents a strategic shift in how the federal government approaches innovation, public health infrastructure, and emergency preparedness. For organizations operating at the intersection of science, security, and federal funding, adaptability will be essential.
EverGlade Consulting will continue to monitor developments and support our clients through this evolving landscape. Our mission remains to help innovators find, win, and manage federal funding with clarity and confidence.
