GLIDE Frequently Asked Questions

For individuals interested in participating in a study, please refer to the specific study's recruitment process or contact the research team directly. The GLIDE program itself does not handle participant recruitment. 

The GLIDE program has also implemented a "Discovery Duo" program (ISO section 2.4.1) which requires performers to include a patient or patient ambassador as a key member of the team. We encourage patients to review GLIDE's teaming webpage and reach out to organizations who are seeking patients and patient organizations to incorporate into their proposal. 

The programs are primarily advertised via ARPA-H's Vitals newsletter and ARPA-H's official LinkedIn profile. Please encourage your network to sign up for the Vitals newsletter to stay up-to-date on all of ARPA-H's programs and activities. 

We encourage non-profits and advocacy groups to sign up on GLIDE’s teaming webpage and state that you are interested in working with proposers to the program. GLIDE’s solicitation requires proposers to identify and incorporate patients and patient advocates into their proposals to inform their approach and enhance the impact of their novel technologies.

If your non-profit or advocacy group is interested in a speaking engagement, please use the ARPA-H Engagement Request Form. The form can be found on the Opportunities to Engage page on the ARPA-H website at Engage & Transition | ARPA-H.

The GLIDE ISO can be found here on SAM.gov. Currently the draft version is posted, and we anticipate the final version will be released in September 2024.  

The latest version of the ISO supersedes any information presented in other publications, and sets forth the requirements for full proposals, the criteria for the evaluation, and instructions for the submission.   

The GLIDE program does not focus primarily on peripheral lymphedema, and is intended to specifically target and modulate the lymphatic system.  Demonstration of efficacy across two distinct indications is required, one rare and one chronic disorder.  ARPA-H cannot provide guidance on which specific indications to include, and justifications should be made in the submission for the evaluation process.  

The due date for solution summaries for GLIDE will be released when the ISO is launched. Currently the posted ISO is a draft, and there will be updates to the ISO once it has been published. Note, the solution summary due date will be at least 30 days after the ISO has been posted. Please keep checking SAM.gov and grants.gov for the full ISO.

All eligible entities as defined in the GLIDE ISO Section 3.1 may submit Solution Summaries. Only those who submitted a Solution Summary and participated in Pre-award  Pitch Presentations may be invited to submit a Full Proposal.

Outside of guidance within the ISO, including Appendices, ARPA-H cannot advise proposers in terms of Solution Summary and/or Full Proposal strategy and content. Solution Summaries will be reviewed, and Full Proposals will be evaluated as described in the ISO Section 5.5. Proposers should prepare submissions accordingly.  

Yes, a solution summary is required. 

Solution Summaries will be reviewed within the context of the full proposal evaluation criteria, but not to the same extent as full proposals, which are evaluated against the criteria as outlined in ISO Section 5.5. Feedback may be limited to 'encourage/discourage' as noted in the ISO. 

Pitch presentations will be evaluated within the context of the full proposal evaluation criteria, but not to the same extent as full proposals, which are evaluated against the criteria as outlined in ISO Section 5.5. Feedback may be limited to 'invite/not invited' for a full proposal submission as noted in the ISO. 

Full Proposals are evaluated against the four criteria in the ISO (see Section 5.5).

Pre-award Pitch Presentations and Full Proposals will be evaluated by Government Reviewers who may be ARPA-H PMs or qualified personnel from other Government Organizations and Agencies who are deemed proficient in the pertinent research areas of the solicitation.

Attachments for the GLIDE program will be provided with the official GLIDE Innovation Solutions Opening (ISO); currently the draft version is posted on SAM.gov as a preview.

We anticipate the final version of the GLIDE ISO will be released in late September 2024. This final ISO will include attachments and instructions for the Pre-award Pitch Presentation. 

The latest version of the ISO supersedes any information presented in other publications, and sets forth the requirements for Full Proposals, the criteria for the evaluation, and instructions for the submission.

Responses and decisions will be sent to the email recorded in the submission system once the review process is complete. Additional details and instructions, including due dates for the pitch deck, will be shared at that time. We appreciate your patience.

Pre-award Pitch Presentations will be evaluated against the criteria as outlined in ISO Section 5.5. Feedback may be limited to 'invite/not invited' for a Full Proposal submission as noted in the ISO.

Letters of Opportunity/Intent are not required.  

ARPA-H cannot provide a formal approval or feedback on a specific technology, concept or idea prior to the submission of a Solution Summary. Refer to the language in the ISO to determine fitness. Feedback on the fit of specific technology will be provided following solution summary submission.

The GLIDE Proposers' Day will be held to support hybrid attendance, virtually and in-person. Registered participants will receive a unique Zoom link to attend the webinar.  We are finalizing venue details, please be on a lookout for updates on the GLIDE Proposers’ Day event registration page. 

This registration link for GLIDE Proposers’ Day will be open until September 10, 2024, 5PM ET. 

According to the GLIDE Special Notice (SN) posted on SAM.gov, the lightning talks are 5 minutes in length. Please review the SN for complete instructions. 

The recording of GLIDE’s Proposers' Day will be posted to GLIDE’s webpage once processed. NOTE: the content in the GLIDE ISO supersedes any information presented in the recording. 

Please use this link to submit an update to the teaming profile.  

Each proposal must designate a single lead PI from the prime organization. The team may include other Investigators collaborating with the lead PI. All personnel and justification of their contribution to the proposal needs to be clearly stated for budget transparency. Proposers must submit an integrated proposal led by a single Principal Investigator (PI), capable of performing the activities outlined in the solicitation draft. 

An entity can only submit one full proposal as the prime proposer. Entities may propose within multiple teams as sub-proposers. 

There is no maximum number. Proposers are responsible for proposing a team capable of meeting the proposed Statement of Work, recognizing the Government is evaluating team capability as well as price reasonableness. 

Non-U.S. entities may participate to the extent that such participants comply with any necessary nondisclosure agreements, security regulations, export control laws, and other governing statutes applicable under the circumstances. However, non-U.S. entities are encouraged to collaborate with domestic U.S. entities. See ISO Section 3.1.2 for more details.

Collaborations with clinical institutions can be included in the proposal as part of the performing team. The specific role and involvement should be clearly outlined in the proposal, whether as a prime or subcontractor. 

No. Each Performer Team must form their own Discovery Duo as outlined in Section 2.4.1 of the ISO. If the Performer Team is unable to identify Discovery Duo members by contract negotiations, the GLIDE team is willing to assist with potential candidates to consider.  

Yes, project budgets must include the minimum stipend for the Discovery Duo support outlined in Section 2.4.1 of the ISO. 

The GLIDE Program is based on collaboration within and between Performers/Performer teams. See ISO Section 2.4.2 for more details. 

Key members of the Proposer's team should be identified as early as possible (e.g., Solution Summary). Failure to identify key personnel (e.g., Project Manager) and/or team members (e.g., subawardees) may impact the Government's evaluation. Proposers are encouraged to provide as many specific details as are available at the time of submission, while considering page limitations at each submission stage.

Documentation should demonstrate that the FFRDC has a unique capability without which their solution is unachievable and that the prime proposer has exhausted all other options. This will be reviewed by ARPA-H to determine if inclusion is necessary. See ISO Section 3.1.1 for more details.

Please refer to section 3 ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION and section 3.1 ELIGIBLE PROPOSERS in GLIDE’s INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS OPENING (ISO).

Please refer to section 2.2 PROGRAM STRUCTURE, TIMELINE and TECHNICAL APPROACH which describes the breadth of clinical indications requested by each potential performing team.

There is not a minimum number of years post-PhD for the PI role and ARPA-H does not offer any specific guidelines. We encourage you to review section 5.5.2 of the GLIDE ISO draft for how ARPA-H will assess the fit and capabilities of the proposing team. 

In Section 2.4.1 under the Discovery Duo Program requirements, it states the early-stage investigator "is within the first 10 years of receiving their advanced research degree." 

This is a new Innovative Solutions Opening (ISO) with no incumbent performer.

Indirect costs on Federal awards to foreign organizations and foreign public entities, without a federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, performed fully outside the territorial limits of the U.S. may be paid to support the costs of compliance with federal requirements at a fixed rate of 8%.

All eligible entities as defined in the GLIDE ISO Section 3.1 may submit Solution Summaries. Only those who submitted a Solution Summary and participated in pre-award  pitch presentations may be invited to submit a Full Proposal. Each proposal must designate a single lead PI from the prime organization. The team may include other Investigators collaborating with the lead PI.  All personnel and justification of their contribution to the proposal need to be clearly stated for budget transparency.

Specifically in Section 3.1.2 Non-U.S. Entities: Non-U.S. entities may participate to the extent that such participants comply with any necessary nondisclosure agreements, security regulations, export control laws, and other governing statutes applicable under the circumstances. However, non-U.S. entities are encouraged to collaborate with domestic U.S. entities. In no case will awards be made to entities organized under the laws of a covered foreign country (as defined in section 119C of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. § 3059)) or entities suspended or debarred from business with the Government.

ARPA-H cannot advise as to strategy and/or content of Solution Summaries and Full Proposals. Proposers must use the guidance in the ISO as well as their professional expertise when preparing submissions.

Unless indicated otherwise in the ISO (i.e., written as suggested), Program metrics in the ISO are requirements for Proposers. Proposals that do not propose to meet the metrics will be evaluated accordingly.  Proposers are expected to define success metrics appropriate for respective proposal and technology, to be captured in the target product profile submission, and are accountable to these agreed upon final metrics after negotiation and approval with the PM.  Please refer to the ISO section 2.3, as shown below.

 TECHNICAL AREA METRICS AND OBJECTIVES: 

Achievement of all metrics as agreed to by ARPA-H is part of the basis for initiation of moving to the next phase. Key overall program metrics and milestones are listed in this section below. Performers may propose quantitative metrics and milestones for the PM to consider that may be better suited for their specific technology. However, the performers must provide a justification for these additions to the metrics and milestones as specified in the ISO section 2.3. A full target product profile (TPP) outlining the minimum and ideal functionality of the technology developed in each TA must be included with all submission materials. An example of a TPP can be found in Appendix D of the ISO.

Proposals should not assume provision of any Government Furnished Information (GFI). The Government may provide GFI, but the specific GFI would be negotiated after a proposal is selected for award negotiations (i.e., a proposal must stand on its own without assumptions and conditions related to GFI). 

The GLIDE program supports both FDA-approved clinical trials and new IND applications. The suitability depends on the specific phase and technical readiness level of the proposed solution. 

The program is focused on technology development and advancing therapeutic solutions to the market. If you have a technology that addresses lymphatic dysfunction which requires clinical study investigation to support the technology development, this would need to be justified for evaluation. Please see the GLIDE ISO in Section 2 which discusses the program overview and goals.

Please see GLIDE’s Innovative Solutions Opening (ISO) section 2.2.1 Technical Areas (TAs) which addresses the role of AI in the GLIDE program. 

The focus of GLIDE program is to develop innovative therapeutic (i.e. pharmacological, biologics, gene and cell therapies) and physical interventions (i.e. stents, compression, or artificial lymph nodes, surgical or interventional procedures) targeting abnormal lymphatic structure and function that alleviate, repair, and regenerate irregular or dysfunctional lymphatic vasculature. The proposed metrics of efficacy targets under Section 2.3 are intended to demonstrate how the innovative technology directly impacts and modulates the lymphatic system with the intended effect to address an underlying rare and/or chronic disease.  Please refer to Section 2.2.1 for qualifying novel innovations.