Brain Repair of Any Injured Neural Structure (BRAINS)
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) has issued an Innovative Solutions Opening (ISO) for the Brain Repair of Any Injured Neural Structure (BRAINS) Exploratory Topic program. This initiative seeks to develop technologies for regrowing region-specific brain tissue from transplanted precursor tissue to replace damaged brain areas, excluding the neocortex and spinal cord. ARPA-H anticipates awarding multiple Other Transaction (OT) agreements. Interested parties must submit a solution summary as a mandatory first step. The program is structured with two intake groups, each with distinct deadlines for solution summaries and full proposals.
Scope of Work
The BRAINS program aims to demonstrate the feasibility of replacing damaged brain tissue. Proposals must address one or both of the following Technical Areas (TAs):
- TA1: Generate precursor tissue: Focuses on defining and generating region-specific precursor tissue, including identifying cellular/extracellular components and developing human iPSC-derived precursor cell protocols. Milestones involve tissue characterization, cell production, tissue generation methods, and prototype production.
- TA2: Engraftment POC with native fetal tissue: Requires demonstrating proof-of-concept for surgical engraftment of precursor tissue into adult brains using non-human fetal precursor tissues. Milestones include establishing surgical transplantation, demonstrating graft survival and vascularization, and verifying graft structure and connectivity.
Contract & Timeline
- Contract Type: Other Transaction (OT) Agreements
- Anticipated Awards: Multiple
- Funding: Phase I awards are expected to be $500,000 per team per TA, with a potential additional $500,000 per team per TA for Phase II.
- Intake Group 1 Deadlines:
- Solution Summaries Due: July 9, 2026, 5:00 PM ET
- Full Proposals Due: August 6, 2026, 5:00 PM ET
- Intake Group 2 Deadlines:
- Solution Summaries Due: January 7, 2027, 5:00 PM ET
- Full Proposals Due: February 6, 2027, 5:00 PM ET
Eligibility & Set-Aside
Responsible sources are eligible, including universities, non-profit organizations, small businesses, and other than small businesses. Early career investigators are preferred. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) and Government entities are generally prohibited from responding as prime or sub-performers. All proposers must have an active registration in SAM.gov. Proposals offering incremental improvements, using human embryos or fetal tissue, or not addressing the topic objectives are excluded.
Submission & Evaluation
Submissions follow a two-step process: a mandatory Solution Summary (max 3 pages) followed by a Full Proposal. Evaluation criteria for full proposals, in descending order of importance, are: Overall Scientific and Technical Merit, Proposer's Capabilities and/or Related Experience, Potential Contribution to Relevance to the ARPA-H Mission and User Experience, and Assessment of Proposed Cost/Price.
Contact
For inquiries, contact the BRAINS Team at BRAINS@ARPA-H.GOV.