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Prometheus (DARPA BAA 16-42) Grant Opportunity FAQs

What is the Prometheus program?

Prometheus is a DARPA Biological Technologies Office (BTO) research and development funding opportunity under DARPA BAA 16-42. It focuses on a public health problem: determining as early as possible who is likely to be contagious during an infectious disease event.

What problem is this opportunity trying to solve?

The opportunity is aimed at identifying infected individuals who are likely to transmit disease before they show symptoms. This supports earlier and more targeted decisions about isolation, interventions, and outbreak control, especially when people feel well but may still be capable of spreading a pathogen.

What is the core goal of the program?

The core goal is to create a molecular, host-based prognostic assay that can estimate an infected person's transmission potential in the pre-symptomatic period.

What does "host-based" mean in the context of this program?

"Host-based" means the approach emphasizes measurable changes in the human body (the host response) rather than detecting the pathogen itself or waiting for clinical symptoms to appear.

Is this program focused on diagnosing infection or predicting contagiousness?

The emphasis is on predicting contagiousness (transmission potential) as early as possible, rather than relying on pathogen detection or symptom-based diagnosis.

What type of technology or deliverable is DARPA seeking?

DARPA is seeking a molecular prognostic assay informed by human host biomarkers. The program specifically emphasizes developing a practical assay based on a minimal, validated biomarker set that can forecast transmission risk before symptoms appear.

What are "early host biomarkers" in this program?

They are measurable biological signals in humans that appear early in infection and both correlate with contagiousness and can predict transmission potential. The program is not aiming for a large list of signals, but a small set that is practical to use in an assay.

Does the program want a large biomarker discovery dataset?

The described end state is not just a long list of biological signals. The opportunity emphasizes a streamlined, validated biomarker panel that is minimal (small enough to be practical) and strong enough to forecast transmission risk in the pre-symptomatic window.

Why is a minimal biomarker panel important here?

A minimal panel is highlighted as being more practical for an assay. The program goal points toward a biomarker set that can realistically be implemented, not merely discovered.

What is the intended public health impact?

The intended outcome is an approach that enables earlier decision-making around isolation, targeted interventions, and outbreak control by estimating infectiousness before symptoms appear.

What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?

DARPA indicates multiple possible funding instruments, including cooperative agreements, grants, other transaction-like arrangements, and procurement contracts. This reflects flexibility in how DARPA may support performers depending on the proposed work and the desired relationship with the government.

Is this opportunity considered a research program?

Yes. Prometheus is described as a discretionary science and technology research program and an applied, translational R&D effort aimed at moving beyond diagnosis toward early prediction of infectiousness using host-response biology.

What is the CFDA number for this program?

The program is categorized under CFDA 12.910.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning applicants may be from any type of organization (such as companies, universities, nonprofits, or other entities), subject to any additional eligibility notes contained in the full announcement.

Are there additional eligibility conditions beyond "unrestricted"?

The listing states eligibility is unrestricted but also notes that applicants are subject to any additional eligibility information contained in the full Broad Agency Announcement.

Which DARPA office is associated with Prometheus?

The opportunity is associated with DARPA's Biological Technologies Office (BTO).

What is the solicitation identifier for this opportunity?

The opportunity is identified as DARPA BAA 16-42.

When was the opportunity posted?

The posting indicates it was created and posted on June 15, 2016.

What is the application closing date?

The application closing date shown is August 2, 2016.

Is the award ceiling listed?

No. The listing does not specify an award ceiling in the provided fields, which typically means those details would be clarified in the full Broad Agency Announcement or in subsequent DARPA communications.

Does the posting state how many awards will be made?

No. The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided fields, suggesting that information may be included in the full announcement or later communications.

What kind of approach does DARPA appear to prefer based on the description?

Based on the provided description, the program emphasizes host-response biology, early measurable signals, and translation into a practical prognostic assay capable of forecasting contagiousness before symptoms.

Is pathogen detection the main approach in this program?

No. The program description explicitly contrasts its approach with relying on detecting the pathogen itself, emphasizing host-based indicators and prediction before symptoms appear.

What stage of illness is the program most concerned with?

The program is focused on the pre-symptomatic window, aiming to estimate transmission potential before symptoms appear.