Partnership Intermediary for Technology Transfer & Transition - CLOSED

ARPA-H seeks a public-private partnership through a Partnership Intermediary Agreement to accelerate technology transfer and transition for ARPA-H funded health solutions to “survive in the wild”. This means building a transition-oriented support structure around ARPA-H programs so that the American public sees and experiences results in a relevant time frame. To do this, ARPA-H must work with the private sector and build a launchpad to accelerate transition of ARPA-H funded solutions. The partnership intermediary(ies) will ensure that the right services are matched to programmatic needs of ARPA-H in a flexible and adaptive way to launch these solutions into the wild. Read the solicitation to see how you can become one of those intermediaries to accelerate health solutions for ARPA-H!

I. Wanted: A Public Private Partnership

You must be a non-profit, as defined under 15 USC 3715, that has sufficient experience to help ARPA-H accelerate the transition and technology transfer of health solutions.

ARPA-H seeks to move at the speed of relevance with a goal of establishing at least one Partnership Intermediary Agreement (“PIA”) within 30 days: mid-March.

II. What’s Out Of Scope?

Anything programmatic/scientific, such as research & development (“R&D”) or technology development is out of scope. R&D is the domain of ARPA-H Program Managers (“PMs”), not the PIA.

III. Wait! Doesn’t Transition Come at the End?

Not if ARPA-H wants to succeed. ARPA-H’s goal is for R&D-funded solutions to “survive in the wild.” This means building a transition-oriented support structure around programs so that the American public sees and experiences results in a relevant time frame. To do this, ARPA-H must work with the private sector and build a launchpad to accelerate transition of ARPA-H funded solutions.

IV. Background

The Project Accelerator Transition Innovation Office (“PATIO”) provides a wide variety of product launch services to PMs and ARPA-H funded performers. PATIO services increase the probability that ARPA-H-funded solutions “survive in the wild” by first identifying and then de-risking barriers to transition and commercialization. Since ARPA-H will not fund R&D performers in perpetuity, PATIO’s services level up solutions so they will attract private investment and customers. Importantly, de-risking does not happen at the end of a project. Rather, PATIO continually assesses during the program lifecycle, from pre-concept development to project graduation providing opportunities to transition solutions across the program lifecycle.

V. Evaluation Guide

ARPA-H will choose the successful intermediary(ies) based on the following six technical factors below. In simple language, describe your solution for each factor to accelerate the transition and tech transfer of ARPA-H funded solutions. Please use plain English, no marketing jargon, and keep your description short and compelling (no more than 500 words per factor). You will be required to provide a few brief attachments and fill out a one page price proposal.

1. Approach & key personnel. Tell us about your approach, team, and organizational structure. What’s it like to work with you? You’ll be given a chance to upload a separate document that describes your key personnel.
2. Domain expertise. Tell us about your work in the biotech, life sciences, and health industry including networks within these industries.
3. Commercial acumen. Describe your experience with investment (corporate, venture, etc.), launching startups, successful exits, etc.
4. Analytical capacity. Describe your ability to provide technical capabilities such as landscape analysis, identification of macro trends within the healthcare ecosystem, and market analysis and metrics.
5. Advisor network. Describe your ability to provide entrepreneurial services such as execution of go-to-market strategies, regulatory expertise, ip creation and protection, writing and implementing a marketing plan, development of reimbursement strategies, making connections with trusted partners, and pitch-coaching through entrepreneurs in residence.
6. Prototyping & design expertise. Describe your expertise in prototyping and experimentation using human-centered design to include market-testing experimentation for projects, performers, and programs and build out minimum viable products (mvps) to help de-risk solutions to allow for successful commercial adoption.

Project duration, estimated funding & award date:

• The government anticipates multiple pilot awards totaling approximately $10,000,000
• Expected performance period: five years. A one-year pilot with 4 one-year options
• The government may deem the pilot successful at any point during performance and add additional funds to any awardee

Depending on technical merit, the government may allocate this funding:

• Across multiple awards to various entities;
• To a single company; or
• Any other configuration/allocation, including no award.
• Submission requirements check list:
  1. Webform completion
  2. Non-profit status letter
  3. Key personnel document
  4. Price proposal

The electronic submission period has ended. Awards are expected to be announced by mid-March, 2023.

For any questions, please reach out to engagement@arpa-h.gov.

Caution Notice

1. Offerors bear all costs to prepare and submit responses to this solicitation;
2. By submitting a response, offerors agree that the government: a. shall reproduce the response, or any portions thereof, to the extent necessary to evaluate the offer; b. Shall use information contained in the brief only for evaluation purposes. ARPA-H shall not disclose, directly or indirectly, such information to any person including potential evaluators, unless that person has been authorized to receive such information.