Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

The Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) is the civilian agency within HHS that procures medical countermeasures, emergency response capabilities, and preparedness-related services and technologies to support the nation's disaster response and public health emergency infrastructure.

ASPR has awarded 6,134 contracts since 1978, with combined potential value of $99.81 billion and $56.53 billion in obligated dollars. Recent contract activity has slowed: 290 awards in 2022, 302 in 2023, 347 in 2024, 122 in 2025, and 106 year-to-date in 2026. The most recently recorded award date is September 30, 2026. Over the last five years, the competitive landscape is highly fragmented by award count (top five primes hold 17% of recent awards) but moderately concentrated by dollar value (top five hold 6% of combined potential value). By award count, Rapid Deployment Inc. leads with 79 awards, followed by Mckesson Medical-Surgical Government Solutions LLC with 51 awards. By potential value, Advanced Technology International dominates with 17 awards worth $4.48 billion combined potential value, distantly followed by Seqirus Inc. at $509.9 million across 15 awards. The set-aside portfolio is predominantly unrestricted: 89% of awards carry no set-aside designation. Small business set-asides account for 7% of awards, with 8(a) sole-source awards representing 3% and all other small-business categories (competitive 8(a), SDVOSB, WOSB, HUBZone, Buy Indian, and partial small business) collectively representing less than 1%.

ASPR has made 415 grant awards since 2006, obligating $11.03 billion in federal dollars. Recent grant activity shows 9 awards in 2021, 41 in 2022, 47 in 2023, 63 in 2024, and 1 year-to-date in 2025. Grant recipients are highly fragmented by both award count and federal dollars (top five by count hold 7% of recent awards; top five by dollars hold 3% of federal dollars). Recipients are predominantly state health departments: the top-by-count group includes Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Kansas Department of Health & Environment, Hawaii Department of Health, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and Minnesota Department of Health, each with 2 awards. By federal dollars, Department of State Health Services leads at $131.7 million across 2 awards. Assistance types are predominantly Cooperative Agreements (58% of awards), with Project Grants at 23%, Formula Grants at 18%, and Block Grants at 1%.

Current contract opportunities focus on medical countermeasures and emergency response infrastructure. A sources-sought notice (BARDA-FY27-10192026, due November 18, 2026) seeks information on automated ultrasound-based, Super Intelligence-enabled fracture detection technologies. A small-business training solicitation (BARDA-27-100227, due October 21, 2026) procures a two-day instructor-led course on medical device development. A multi-amendment request for proposals (75A50126R00001_RFP_NPIVS_27, due November 20, 2026) targets vaccine medical countermeasures for pandemic influenza preparedness, requiring offerors to hold a U.S. influenza vaccine license or demonstrate prior BLA submission. Additional recent solicitations include SNS pharmaceutical logistics replenishment (75A50326R00007) and Portable Biocontainment Unit operational support services (75A50226R00023).

Recent grant opportunities target state and tribal public health preparedness. A cooperative agreement notice (EP-U3R-26-001, closed August 31, 2026) funded four Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence at $24 million over five years. A trauma care readiness and coordination cooperative agreement (EP-U3R-26-002, due September 18, 2026) is open to tribal governments and consortia of trauma centers to improve trauma system coordination and patient access.