PREDICTIONS FOR REAL-TIME OPTIMIZATION OF MICROBIOMES OF BUILT ENVIRONMENTS (PRO-MICROBE) EXPLORATION TOPIC

Amendment 3 (posted October 3, 2024): The purpose of this amendment is to: 1) update Volume 1: Technical & Management and the Administrative & National Policy Requirements template documents; 2) reference the latest Amendment to the Master Announcement Instruction (MAI), ARPA-H-MAI-24-01 throughout the Module Announcement; and 3) make administrative updates to clarify metrics and highlight the importance of having access to a pre-defined built environment type at proposal submission. No other changes to the Attachment 1, OT Bundle templates have been made. However, for ease, all Attachment 1, OT Bundle templates are being provided with Amendment 3 and previous versions of Attachment 1, OT Bundle templates have been removed to avoid confusion.

Amendment 2 (posted September 11, 2024): The purpose of this amendment is to: 1) Extend the proposal due date and associated Q&A due and release dates; 2) Clarify and revise proposal preparation instructions in Section 6(A), Module Announcement Responses: Proposal Preparation instructions; 3)Provide proposal preparation instructions associated with Section 6(A)(3)(e), ModuleAnnouncement: Proposal Preparation instructions, MoBE Health Index; 4) Provide the link to where the PRO-MICROBE module announcement is posted on the ARPA-H webpage in Section 10, Question and Answers (Q&As); and 5) Update Section 1, Executive Summary, of Volume 1: Technical & Management Template of the OTBundle (Attachment 1). All changes are highlighted in yellow. No other changes to the Attachment 1, OT Bundle templates have been made. However, for ease, all Attachment 1, OT Bundle templates are being provided with Amendment 2.

Amendment 1 (posted August 22, 2024): The purpose of this amendment is to update Section 3 of Volume 1: Technical & Management Template in the OT Bundle (Attachment 1). All changes are highlighted in yellow. No other changes to this Moduluar Announcement or to the Attachment 1, OT Bundle templates have been made. However, for ease, all Attachment 1, OT Bundle templates are being provided with Amendment 1.

ARPA-H is launching an Exploration Topic (ET) aimed at expanding the Resilient System Office’s (RSO) funding approach associated with the interest areas included within Appendix A to the Master Announcement Instructions, ARPA-H-MAI-24-01. Exploration Topics will be announced via Module Announcements issued under the Master Announcement Instructions (MAI), ARPA-H-MAI-24-01. Exploration Topics are short-duration, fast-paced efforts with smaller, targeted awards. Each Exploration Topic will pursue topics that strategically align with the RSO mission and provide foundational proofs-of-concept for additional future research to be built upon.

The mission of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for-Health (ARPA-H) is to accelerate better health outcomes for everyone by advancing innovative research that addresses society's most challenging health problems. Awardees will develop groundbreaking new ways to tackle health-related challenges through high potential, high-impact biomedical and health research. ARPA-H is seeking proposals that will integrate innovative microbial sampling tools with advanced analytical methods to develop a microbiome of the built environment (MoBE) health index that scores the health impact of an indoor microbiome. The Predictions for Real-time Optimization of MICRObiomes of Built Environments (PRO-MICROBE) Exploration Topic endeavors to develop novel models using non-biological data that can predict MoBE health indices of specific indoor environments. By creating new ways to assess and predict the impact of indoor microbial communities on occupant health outcomes, PRO-MICROBE seeks to transform how building design and engineering can support microbial communities important for optimal human health while resisting the colonization of pathogenic microorganisms.

All questions regarding PRO-MICROBE must be sent to https://solutions.arpa-h.gov/Ask-A-Question.

Stage 1, Volume 1 proposals should be submitted ONLY to https://solutions.arpa-h.gov/, and the due date is no later than November 4, 2024.

Please see the attached Final module announcement for full program along with Attachment 1, OT Bundle which contains templates and proposal preparation instructions. Additionally, ARPA-H-MAI-24-01 Master Announcement Instructions (MAI) Amendment 2 has been provided for ease.