EHI Administrative FAQ.docx

Emerging Health Innovators (EHI)

ARPA-H-SOL-26-150

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) as of 09/15/2026

Questions for this ISO should be submitted to EHI2026@ARPA-H.gov . FAQs will be updated on a continual basis through February 03, 2027. Updated content will be highlighted in green.

28Q: Can a PI exclude leaves of absence (i.e. maternity, sabbatical, military etc.), post-doctoral and/or residency periods from the 8-year period of eligibly.

28A: Situations like this are highly case-dependent, however, the PI can exclude leaves of absence (i.e. maternity, sabbatical, military etc.), post-doctoral and/or residency and fellowship periods that may have impacted the 8-year period of eligibly. Failure to provide any/all relevant information relating to the PI’s eligibility on the solution summary cover page may result in the submission being determined non-conforming and subject to rejection without review.

27Q: Do I need to fill out the Other Transaction Agreement template when I submit my full proposal?

27A: The Model Other Transaction Agreement template (attachment G) is provided for reference and does not need to be completed or submitted as part of your full proposal submission. If a full proposal is selected for award, this template will need to be completed during the award negotiation process. Please note, Attachment D, Task Description Document (TDD) & Attachment E Milestone Payment Schedule are required for the full proposal

26Q: Attachment C, Technical & Management Proposal, has an 8-page limit. What is and is not included in the 8-page limit?

26A: Instructions are provided in Attachment C, Technical & Management Proposal regarding the 8-page limit. The page limit includes section 1-4 of the template, but does not include the Cover Sheet, Table of Contents, Bibliography (optional), and other template requirements (B, D, E, F). Additional information not explicitly called for in the Technical & Management Proposal must not be submitted but may be included as links in the bibliography.

25Q: Can my organizational team include senior personnel?

25A: Yes, the prime and subcontract teams may propose junior and senior personnel.

24Q: I would like ARPA-H to provide feedback regarding my solution summary. Would it be possible to set up a brief meeting to discuss any feedback?

24A: Solution summaries will undergo a “blind” review hence must be completely anonymized, and therefore we are unable to accommodate such telecoms/meetings. However, if you have specific technical or administrative questions, please submit them to EHI2026@ARPA-H.gov.

23Q: Am I required to submit a solution summary prior to submitting a full proposal?

23A: Yes, a solution summary submission is mandatory to be eligible to submit a full proposal. Because the EHI program is structured as a mentorship opportunity, proposers whose solution summaries are not recommended for full proposal submission are strongly discouraged from submitting a full proposal.

22Q: The ISO states that I will need to plan to attend one annual in person meeting, and one networking event/workshop per year. Can I propose travel costs for non-ARPA-H events and activities?

22A: Yes, however travel activities must be in direct support of the EHI research effort.

21Q: How are we to anonymize the Solution Summary? The argument of why the research will be successful often hinges on previous work performed by the PI.

21A: Proposers should be able to answer items 1 through 3 without naming the specific personnel or organizations involved. Proposers are expected to exercise good common sense to ensure the idea expressed in their submission stands alone. Solution Summaries will undergo a “blind” review a common practice at many conferences and journals. The Solution Summary should not include any references.

20Q: Can I submit multiple solution summaries and full proposals?

20A: Solution summaries and full proposals must specify ONE and only one TA for the submission and identify this TA on the submission’s cover sheet.

Solution summaries and full proposals that do not clearly address a specific TA may be deemed non-conforming and may not be reviewed. ARPA-H reserves the right to assign a proposal or a solution summary to a different topic area than indicated by the proposer.

19Q: Who should make a submission – the Organization or the PI?

19A: Who completes the submission is at the discretion of the PI and the organization.

18Q: Must the team members be final when the solution summaries are submitted?

18A: Teams do not need to be final at the time of solution summary submission.

17Q. What level of technical/mathematical detail is expected in the full proposal? Can I reference and hyperlink my own current research (i.e., non-published papers/internal reports) for additional technical details?

17A. Guidance for the Technical and Management volume can be found in Attachment C of the ISO. Proposers are encouraged to submit concise but descriptive proposals. Specific examples of problems, approaches, or goals are preferred to qualitative generalities. Additional information not explicitly called for in the Technical & Management Proposal must not be submitted but may be included as links in the bibliography. Any additional materials included in the proposal package will be considered for the reviewers’ convenience only and not evaluated as part of the proposal.

16Q: I am interested in submitting a proposal to EHI ISO, but my research topic does not fall under any of the Topic Areas (TAs). Does ARPA-H encourage proposals outside of these TAs?

16A: No, only solution summaries and full proposals in scope of the EHI TAs will be considered responsive to the ISO.

15Q: My idea fits into multiple TAs. May I submit to TAs and/or submit multiple applications?

15A: Applicants may not submit to multiple TAs and will be required to choose one TA for a solution summary and full proposal submission and identify this TA on the submission’s cover sheet.

14Q: Can I provide a summary of my research idea and get confirmation that my research fits within the scope of one of the TAs in the ISO?

14A: Proposers must submit a solution summary in advance of a full proposal to determine ARPA-H’s interest. If a proposer has technical questions about a TA that can be shared with the general public via the FAQ, they can submit those questions to the EHI2026@ARPA-H.gov inbox for response.

13Q: Are preliminary results required, allowed but not required, or not allowed in this solicitation?

13A: Preliminary results are allowed but not required.

12Q: If proposers intend to include human or animal use in their research study, do they need to include a document detailing human or animal use in the full proposal?

12A: Yes, please review the guidance provided in ISO sections 4.4, human subjects research and 4.5, animal subjects research. Proposers that anticipate involving human subjects research or animal use in the proposed research must comply with the approval procedures detailed in the ISO. Proposals should briefly describe plans for the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and/or the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) review and approval. A description of these plans should be included in the proposal.

11Q: Does the limit of $700,000 for the Base Award, and $350,000 for the Directors Award option include indirect costs?

11A: Yes.

10Q: I would like to know if it is ok to have a subcontractor that has received ARPA funding.

10A: Yes, however subcontractors must be employed at a U.S. institution, which includes those in U.S. states and territories. Non-U.S. individuals employed by U.S. institutions may participate to the extent that such participants comply with any necessary nondisclosure agreements, security regulations, export control laws, and other governing statutes as applicable

9Q: Do I need to provide ARPA-H with a list of labor categories and associated qualifications for my proposal?

9A: No, you may use the categories established by your organization to develop your budget. Please see attachment E, Milestone Payment Schedule for guidance. ARPA-H will evaluate whether the proposed price is reasonable for the proposed technical approach, TDD, milestones, and expected outcomes. The Government may use price analysis, comparison to other similar proposed prices or efforts, value analysis, and/or request additional supporting information as needed to substantiate the proposed price.

8Q: Is a Letter of Support from my organization required for an solution summary or full proposal submission?

8A: An official letter of support is required for a full proposal submission but is not required for an solution summary submission. This is typically a brief, signed statement from an official at the submitter's organization in support of the research proposed.

7Q: Is it recommended for proposers to include a budget for the Director’s Award in the third year?

7A: Yes. ARPA-H will evaluate whether the proposed price is reasonable for the proposed technical approach, TDD, milestones, and expected outcomes. The Government may use price analysis, comparison to other similar proposed prices or efforts, value analysis, and/or request additional supporting information as needed to substantiate the proposed price.

6Q: Should we include a budget for equipment, and is there a funding limitation on equipment purchases?

6A: ARPA-H will evaluate whether the proposed price is reasonable for the proposed technical approach, TDD, milestones, and expected outcomes. The Government may use price analysis, comparison to other similar proposed prices or efforts, value analysis, and/or request additional supporting information as needed to substantiate the proposed price.

5Q: I am [a non-U.S. citizen/a Permanent Resident/Green Card/etc.]; can I apply to EHI?

5A: Non-U.S. individuals employed by U.S. institutions may participate to the extent that such participants comply with any necessary nondisclosure agreements, security regulations, export control laws, and other governing statutes as applicable. All proposers and proposed team members must be employed at a U.S. institution, which includes those in U.S. states and territories.

4Q: I have applied to other programs sponsored by other ARPA agencies. Does that disqualify me from proposing to (or being selected for) the ARPA-H EHI program?

4A: No, provided that you have not already been selected for a pending award from any ARPA type agency. Proposers must provide a listing of federal support (past, current, and pending). This list must include the sponsor, amount, and performance dates of all federally funded research efforts.

3Q: The ISO specifies single-investigator proposals only. Am I allowed to include subcontractors, vendors, or other team members, if they are included in a supporting role, and not listed as a Co-PI?

3A: This ISO solicits single PI proposals; no co-PIs are allowed. However, investigators will be given the opportunity to propose teaming if the nature of the proposal requires it. Specific content, communications, networking, and team formation will be the sole responsibility of the participants. Subcontractor, vendor, and consultant support cannot exceed 30% of the total value of the EHI effort. Please note the 30% does not apply to any costs associated with the prime organization, it only applies to subcontractor, vendor, and consultant support costs.

2Q: Are Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, University Affiliated Research Centers, National Laboratories or other Government entities eligible to apply or team with organizations for support?

2A: No, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, University Affiliated Research Centers, National Laboratories or other Government entities are not eligible to apply or team under the EHI program.

1Q: Is a Ph.D. required to submit to the EHI program?

1A: EHI proposal submissions must be led by Early-career principal investigators (academic, non-profit, industry etc.) within 8 years after completion of their first terminal degree (excluding leaves of absence (i.e. maternity, sabbatical, military etc.), post-doctoral and/or residency and fellowship periods). A terminal degree is defined as the highest-level university degree that could be completed in an academic or professional field. Terminal degrees are primarily doctoral-level degrees but can also apply to professional practice fields where a master-level degree is considered a terminal degree.