On October 1, 2020, BARDA opened an EZ Broad Agency Announcement (EZ-BAA) solicitation to support development of repurposed therapeutics as medical countermeasures (MCMs) against chemical threats and is now accepting abstract submissions for potential funding.

Chemical exposures, whether caused by an intentional or accidental chemical release, can occur without warning, and injury or death often occur shortly after exposure. The rapid availability of effective MCMs against chemical threats is critical in the treatment of their acute health effects following exposures. The new ReDIRECT Program is a collaborative effort between BARDA’s Division of Research, Innovation, and Ventures (DRIVe) and the Chemical MCM Branch in BARDA’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Division which aims to identify existing, commonly available MCMs that can be used to save lives during a chemical emergency.

Under this new EZ BAA Area of Interest (AOI), BARDA will review concise abstract submissions for funding development that repurposes easily accessible therapeutics as MCMs against threats such as chlorine gas, opioids, nerve agents, and others. To learn more, please visit https://drive.hhs.gov/ReDIRECT.html.

The EZ-BAA was created to provide a streamlined process through which BARDA, and DRIVe specifically, can review and accept applications for development funding of transformative products and technologies to protect Americans from health security threats. The application process is both business-friendly and easy to follow.

Since its inception, DRIVe's EZ-BAA solicitation has averaged more than one abstract submission per day while active, with awards of up to $750,000 made in as few as 30 days. The EZ-BAA has helped transform BARDA’s contracting process and provide innovators, entrepreneurs, and organizations with a simplified and rapid mechanism to partner with the BARDA. BARDA has leveraged this process to respond rapidly to the current pandemic.

For additional information, see solicitation BAA-20-100-SOL-0002.