POSEIDON Frequently Asked Questions

All MCED tests must target each of the 25 cancer types listed as "required" by POSEIDON. A successful proposal will address all the program metrics and objectives with 100% concordance (see ISO for further details). Potential proposers are expected to carefully read program requirements and metric tables to ensure that their proposal is within the scope of the program. We strongly encourage potential proposers submit teaming profiles to identify partners with the necessary expertise to address all program requirements.

No. Use of synthetic sensors and reporters is a program requirement. A successful proposal will address all the program metrics and objectives with 100% concordance (see ISO for further details). Potential proposers are expected to carefully read program requirements and metric tables to ensure that their proposal is within the scope of the program. If your approach does not fully align with POSEIDON program requirements and objectives, you may consider submitting a solution summary to one of ARPA-H’s office-wide solicitations instead.

All MCED tests must target each of the 25 cancer types listed as "required" by POSEIDON and at least 5 additional cancers from the second list provided in the ISO. A successful proposal will address all the program metrics and objectives with 100% concordance (see ISO for further details). Potential proposers are expected to carefully read program requirements and metric tables to ensure that their proposal is within the scope of the program. We strongly encourage potential proposers submit teaming profiles to identify partners with the necessary expertise to address all program requirements. 

No. A successful proposal will address all the program metrics and objectives with 100% concordance (see ISO for further details). Potential proposers are expected to carefully read program requirements and metric tables to ensure that their proposal is within the scope of the program. If your approach does not fully align with POSEIDON program requirements and objectives, you may consider submitting a solution summary to one of ARPA-H’s office-wide solicitations instead. 

All synthetic biomarkers that fit the program requirements, objectives and metrics will be considered. See the draft ISO for further information.

Yes. A successful proposal will address all the program metrics and objectives with 100% concordance (see ISO for further details). Potential proposers are expected to carefully read program requirements and metric tables to ensure that their proposal is within the scope of the program. We strongly encourage potential proposers to submit teaming profiles to identify partners with the necessary expertise to address all program requirements.

We are not able to evaluate individual approaches or technologies for suitability to POSEIDON in advance. Please read the ISO carefully to make sure your proposal addresses all program requirements. Also see the Eligibility and Conformance Certification Sheet in Appendix A of the ISO. This sheet must be completed and submitted along with the solution summaries and full proposals.

We are not able to provide specific examples of eligible designs or technologies. Please see section 2.2 of the ISO (Technical Approach and Structure) for additional information.

If the proposal includes both urine and breath (Technical Approach C), the proposal and Statement of Work should be written assuming that both tests will go through all three phases of the program. Depending on how well each test meets POSEIDON program performance metrics, ARPA-H may choose to cut neither, one, or both tests at any point during the Program or may decide to advance one, both, or neither from one phase of the program to the next.

No. The POSEIDON screening test should be designed for adults 18 or older.

POSEIDON specifies the 25 required cancer types and requires at least 5 additional cancers be proposed from the list provided in the ISO.  All listed and expected cancers to be addressed in POSEIDON are solid tumors. The proposer must justify why the 5+ solid cancers from the additional cancer list were selected for incorporation into the screening test. Do not deviate from what is in the ISO. Additional time or resources to expand POSEIDON tests to cancers not listed in the ISO and not required for the Program will not be provided.

The proposal may include the scientific investigation of several routes of systemic sensor administration during Phase I of the Program to identify the approach that works best. However, the POSEIDON screening test must utilize only one route of systemic administration, as specified in the ISO.

As specified in the ISO, the POSEIDON kit is for at-home use and over-the-counter purchase.  A kit suitable for at-home use should be amenable to POC use, but this aspect is not included in the ISO and provides no advantage to the proposal. A test exclusively designed for POC use or including features that may be necessary for POC use but not required in a home test will not be allowed.

No, if you did not submit a solution summary to POSEIDON then you cannot submit a full proposal.

The full proposal submission deadline is Jan 22, 2025, at 5:00 PM EST.

The DHHS Salary Cap may apply to proposals/awards received in response to ARPA-H solicitations. The Government does not anticipate the salary cap will apply to proposals/awards received in response to the POSEIDON ISO. This is based on the anticipated contract types (e.g., Fixed Price) and the information requested from proposers (i.e., the Government does not anticipate requesting direct labor rates as part of the Cost Volume in full proposals).

The start date for Negotiations has not been established and is based on the review process. However, Proposer teams should assume a project start date of 15 August 2025 (see solicitation update dated Nov 19, 2024, on sam.gov).

Yes, all aspects of the proposal should be included within the 15-page limit.  The technical plan encompasses TA1 and TA2 and all other information relevant to the success of your proposal. 

Yes. You may change your proposed solution from what was listed in the solution summary. 

The Schedule and Milestones document is a Gantt chart that outlines project timelines and includes titles of tasks and milestones which should be described in more detail in the Statement of Work. Templates for POSEIDON Statement of Work and POSEIDON Schedule and Milestones Document can be found on sam.gov (see Nov 19, 2024 solicitation update) 

Please carefully read the Instructions tab in full. Grey cells are formula driven. Do not override them. Specifically, for Labor cost, see the Instructions tab, rows 27-31. In the Labor Rates tab, include a row for each proposed individual. If the name of proposed staff member is not yet known, leave the “Name or Comment” column blank. If known, insert their name.  Data entered in the Labor Rates tab pushes to other tabs.  

Please carefully review and follow the Instructions tab in the cost spreadsheet.  It instructs the proposer to enter Labor Rates, *inclusive* of fringe, in the Labor Rates tab.  The data entered in this tab pushes to other respective tabs in the file. The government still anticipates the DHSS Salary Cap will not apply to POSEIDON awards. 

Proposal validity period refers to the period of time the costs reflected in the proposal are valid.  The government requires a minimum of 120 days to allow ample time for negotiations, should the proposer be selected for funding. 

A proposer’s cognizant auditor is dictated by the proposer itself. See your Finance department and/or Office of Sponsored Projects. If your entity has no designated auditor, you may indicate N/A. 

The government does not anticipate providing a template. Proposers are welcome to use the NIH template referenced in the ISO, Appendix C, Section I. 

The proposer team will ideally be led by a single corporation or other commercial entity. The ideal proposer characteristics may include the proven capability and established infrastructure to produce, manufacture, translate, commercialize, and deliver upon all technical components of the program. 

Alternatively, a strong team led by a small and/or non-commercial entity (e.g., a university or small business) may submit a proposal but may be required to negotiate a multi-party teaming agreement to receive an award (i.e., all proposed key team members will be required to be bound by this agreement). Regardless of the specific teaming arrangement, all teams must have a commercial entity that will have the lead role within the team.

It is the expectation that the commercial entity will house or have a pre-existing licensing agreement to use all IP generated within POSEIDON. 

As articulated in Section 3.1.3, Proposer Teaming Structures, the Government’s assumption is the ideal team will be led by a corporation or other commercial entity. In this traditional prime/sub scenario, there would be ONE Prime Entity/Submitter organization. This entity would be represented on the award document and must have an active SAM registration.  Subaward entities would be bound by applicable subaward/contract agreements with the Prime/Submitter entity. These sub agreements/contracts would include, at a minimum, required flow-down terms and conditions from the POSEIDON award between the Prime and ARPA-H.

If a traditional prime/sub arrangement with a commercial entity as the Prime is not proposed, the Government may require the proposing team to negotiate and sign a legally binding Multi-Party Teaming Agreement (MPTA).  While the details will vary, the MPTA is fundamentally a common document to establish (1) roles and responsibilities of all team members (which will likely fluctuate throughout project performance), (2) the right of the Government to interact directly with all team members (as appropriate), and (3) the applicability of all award terms and conditions to all team members. With any MPTA, there will similarly be ONE Entity/Submitter organization who will be represented on the award document (as the team agent and/or lead coordinator) and must have an active SAM registration. However, in MPTAs there is not the hierarchy of traditional prime/sub arrangements and thus the submitter is not technically the Prime.

Please check sam.gov for the relevant POSEIDON ISO amendment as well as a sample Letter of Intent (LOI) that outlines suggested minimum requirements for eventual POSEIDON MPTAs. The Government anticipates providing a sample MPTA in the near future.  Use of this LOI in the full proposal is optional, but, if this LOI (or similar/equivalent) is submitted, it should be included in Volume I Technical and Management Proposal, it will be excluded from the 15-page limit, and it will substantiate the Proposing team’s intent to negotiate an MPTA which will bind all team members to applicable terms and conditions of the OT Agreement as contemplated in Criterion 2 (for successful proposers who negotiate a POSEIDON project OT). Though not required, submission of a MPTA LOI listing all core members of the proposing team and indicating the Commercialization Partner (the pre-determined commercial entity that will house all relevant background IP and all POSEIDON foreground IP to produce, market, distribute, and/or sell the products developed within each MPTA team’s Project) is consistent with the intended vision of the POSEIDON Program and demonstrates that the team is committed to the collective aim of bringing POSEIDON test kits to the market.  

Proposers may also request a virtual meeting to discuss any questions related to the LOI or negotiation of MPTAs. 

The MPTA must have the necessary framework and approvals to justify all intellectual property (both past and future) are housed within a single entity for commercialization.  While not required for proposal submission, the MPTA Letter of Intent will demonstrate this successfully. Please check sam.gov for the relevant POSEIDON ISO amendment as well as a sample Letter of Intent (LOI) that outlines suggested minimum requirements for eventual POSEIDON MPTAs.

Please check sam.gov for the relevant POSEIDON ISO amendment as well as a sample Letter of Intent (LOI) that outlines suggested minimum requirements for eventual POSEIDON MPTAs. While submission of the LOI is not required for a conforming submission from a multi-party team, it is highly recommended. The LOI is a demonstration of a formal written agreement between all members of the MPTA at this point in the selection process.

Yes, the Government may require the negotiation of an MPTA for any performer where the Prime is not the commercializing entity who will also house all the IP generated within POSEIDON from day 0” (ISO 2.3.12). Please check sam.gov for the relevant POSEIDON ISO amendment as well as a sample Letter of Intent (LOI) that outlines suggested minimum requirements for eventual POSEIDON MPTAs.

The team will elect one member (organization) to act as their “agent” to submit on behalf of the team to the government.  The lead member (agent) will submit invoices in the Payment Management System (PMS), receive payments (through the entity’s EIN) on behalf of the entire team, and will then distribute funds to the team accordingly. Each team member does not submit invoices to the government directly. The Government expects MPTAs will outline the resulting distribution of funds to applicable team members.

Non-U.S. entities may participate to the extent that such participants comply with any necessary non-disclosure agreements, security regulations, export control laws, and other governing statutes applicable under the circumstances. Please see section 3.1.2 (Non-US Entities) for additional information.