Last verified: August 16, 2026, against arpa-h.gov’s current funding pages. ARPA-H updates its solicitation terminology and open opportunities frequently — always confirm the live posting on SAM.gov or solutions.arpa-h.gov before drafting a submission.
At a glance: how an ARPA-H submission actually moves
| Stage | What it is | Where it happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Find the opportunity | A Program-specific Innovative Solutions Opening (ISO), a Mission Office ISO, or an SBIR/STTR notice | Posted on SAM.gov; summarized on arpa-h.gov’s Explore Funding pages |
| 2. Submit a Solution Summary (abstract) | A short, non-binding description of the proposed approach, goals, and potential impact | solutions.arpa-h.gov, ARPA-H’s proposal submission and registration platform |
| 3. Receive written feedback | ARPA-H responds in writing indicating whether a full proposal is encouraged | Through the Solutions platform |
| 4. Submit a full proposal | The complete technical and cost proposal, following the specific solicitation’s instructions | Solutions platform, per solicitation deadline |
| 5. Award and instrument selection | ARPA-H selects an award vehicle — Other Transaction (OT) agreement, contract, or cooperative agreement — with milestone-based disbursement | Negotiated directly with the assigned Program Manager |
What ARPA-H is, briefly
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) is a research funding agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Per its own description, ARPA-H “supports transformative research ranging in scale from molecular to societal to deliver health breakthroughs in years, not decades.” It follows the DARPA-style Program Manager model rather than NIH’s investigator-initiated, standing-study-section peer review: term-limited Program Managers define a specific health problem, issue a solicitation against it, select multiple competing performer teams, and manage funded projects against milestone-gated go/no-go checkpoints.
The four categories of ARPA-H funding opportunity
As of this verification, arpa-h.gov’s Explore Funding pages organize open opportunities into four categories. Which one applies to a given idea determines the submission path:
| Category | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Programs | “A collective set of research funded by ARPA-H that focuses on a specific problem or challenge,” announced through a Program-specific Innovative Solutions Opening (ISO) | FASTPASS, REST |
| Initiatives | “Special efforts designed to rapidly move from proposal to funded contracts” | TIGAR, ASCENT-IBO |
| Small Business Awards | SBIR/STTR set-aside opportunities for small businesses | Agency-wide SBIR/STTR solicitations |
| Mission Office ISOs | Standing, rolling-basis solicitations for research that doesn’t fit an existing named Program | Accepted continuously, not tied to a single deadline |
Programs and Initiatives change as ARPA-H’s four Mission Offices open and close specific technical challenges — treat any named program list as a snapshot, not a fixed roster, and confirm current openings directly on arpa-h.gov and SAM.gov before proposing against one.
A note on “Open BAA” terminology
ARPA-H’s earliest public solicitations (2023) were issued under a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) framework, the same general legal authority most federal research agencies use to solicit basic and applied research outside conventional procurement — see our companion guide on the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for how that authority works generically. As of this verification (August 2026), arpa-h.gov’s current funding pages describe the agency’s open, rolling-basis mechanism as the Mission Office ISO rather than using the term “Open BAA” — the underlying idea (a standing, non-program-specific channel that accepts submissions year-round) is the same one “Open BAA” originally described, but the agency’s own current terminology has moved to “ISO.” If you encounter “Open BAA” in an older ARPA-H document or a third-party summary, treat it as referring to what the agency now calls its Mission Office ISO process, and confirm against the live solicitation text rather than the older label.
The Solution Summary (abstract) step, in detail
For Mission Office ISOs specifically, arpa-h.gov states that a Solution Summary is required before a full proposal: applicants submit a brief description outlining the key features, goals, and potential impact of the proposed solution, and ARPA-H responds in writing. A full proposal submitted without a prior Solution Summary and ARPA-H response risks rejection without review. For Program-specific ISOs, the equivalent summary document is tailored to that specific opportunity and is described within the individual solicitation posted on SAM.gov, not in a single generic template.
- Keep it short and non-binding. A Solution Summary is a screening step, not a scored technical proposal — its job is to let a Program Manager tell you quickly whether your approach fits the solicitation’s actual scope before you invest in a full submission.
- Wait for written feedback before submitting the full proposal unless the specific solicitation explicitly says otherwise. The written response is what converts a summary into an invited (or discouraged) full proposal.
- Route both documents through the Solutions platform (solutions.arpa-h.gov), which arpa-h.gov identifies as “ARPA-H’s proposal submission and registration platform” — not through SAM.gov directly, which hosts the solicitation notice itself rather than the submission mechanism.
Award instruments once a proposal is selected
ARPA-H makes awards using several federal award instruments rather than a single standard grant mechanism: Other Transaction (OT) agreements, procurement contracts, and cooperative agreements, with milestone-based disbursement tied to the go/no-go checkpoints a Program Manager sets for the funded effort. The specific instrument is negotiated per award rather than fixed by the solicitation type, and it is a materially different administrative burden depending on which one your institution receives — an OT agreement, in particular, does not carry the same standard terms as a Uniform Guidance grant, which is why confirming the instrument early with your sponsored programs office matters. See our companion guides on Other Transaction Authority vs. grants and contracts and on milestone-based OT funding for how these instruments are administered once awarded. For general BAA mechanics used across the federal research-funding landscape, see Broad Agency Announcement (BAA): What It Is and How to Respond, and for how ARPA-H’s model compares to DARPA’s, see DARPA’s Countering Foreign Influence Program and our DoD research funding landscape guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is ARPA-H funding a grant?
Not necessarily. ARPA-H can make awards as Other Transaction agreements, contracts, or cooperative agreements, and the instrument is decided per award rather than being a standing grant program. Don’t assume standard NIH/NSF grant administration rules apply until your sponsored programs office confirms the actual instrument.
Do I need to submit an abstract before a full ARPA-H proposal?
For Mission Office ISOs, yes — a Solution Summary is explicitly required before a full proposal, and skipping it risks rejection. For Program-specific ISOs, check the individual solicitation on SAM.gov, since the required documents are tailored per opportunity.
Where do I actually submit an ARPA-H Solution Summary or proposal?
Through solutions.arpa-h.gov, which ARPA-H identifies as its proposal submission and registration platform. SAM.gov hosts the solicitation notice and instructions, not the submission form itself.
What is the difference between an ARPA-H Program and a Mission Office ISO?
A Program is a defined, named effort against a specific problem (e.g., FASTPASS, REST), announced through its own Program-specific ISO with its own deadline and scope. A Mission Office ISO is a standing, rolling-basis channel for research that doesn’t fit inside a current named Program.
Is “Open BAA” still the correct term to search for on arpa-h.gov?
Not as of this verification. The agency’s current site describes its rolling, non-program-specific solicitation as the Mission Office ISO. “Open BAA” was used in ARPA-H’s earliest public solicitations and describes the same general idea, but is not the live terminology — use “ISO” or “Innovative Solutions Opening” when searching arpa-h.gov or SAM.gov directly.
Sources: arpa-h.gov (Explore Funding: Open Funding Opportunities; Submission Resources and FAQs; ARPA-H 101), fetched and verified August 16, 2026. Where ARPA-H’s own site did not specify a detail (e.g., a universal abstract page-limit or turnaround time for written feedback), this guide says so rather than estimating — confirm those specifics against the individual solicitation you are responding to.
