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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThis could be one of the most competitive site selections since the stampede for Amazon Inc.’s HQ2, but Indiana officials are keeping their cards close to their vest on whether they plan to submit a bid.
The federal government’s new health research agency, formed last year, announced a competition March 15 for two locations that could bring hundreds of jobs to the winning bidders.
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, or ARPA-H, is looking for cities that can help design biomedical products, enhance clinical trials and bring new health products to market.
The agency has a $2.5 billion budget and says it wants to shake up the conventional model of funding biomedical research, which some say is too slow, by funding higher-profile projects.
It might seem like a natural fit for Indiana, home to nearly 2,500 life-science companies, 63,000 employees and more than $12 billion in exported products, from pharmaceutical drugs to surgical stents.
But even as some neighboring states, including Illinois, are talking up their plans to submit a bid, Indiana officials are keeping a more cautious stance.
BioCrossroads, a not-for-profit that acts as a champion for the Indiana life-sciences sector, declined to comment and referred questions to David Roberts, CEO of the Applied Research Institute, a not-for-profit that works with universities, industry and the government on innovation issues.
In an interview with IBJ, Roberts hedged several times when asked directly if Indiana plans to submit a bid.
“We’re interested in exploring whether or not we can put forward a competitive offering and compete for that opportunity,” said Roberts, former chief innovation officer of the Indiana Economic Development Corp. “…It’s going to be a highly competitive environment.”
In a follow-up email, he wrote: “There are multiple avenues for Indiana to play a key role in ARPA-H, and we are actively exploring all of those options.”
The IEDC, the state agency charged with driving economic development and growing Indiana’s economy, said in an email it is “closely aligned with the ARI team and echo their comments.”
But already, some other states, including Massachusetts, Texas and Georgia, are lining up support to try to win the competition. Illinois officials are also angling for a piece of the action.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, told Crain’s Chicago Business she has already been in touch with ARPA-H Director Renee Wegrzyn, who was appointed in October, and plans to show her what Chicago can offer.
“I’m proud to help lead Illinois lawmakers in this effort because the new Advanced Research Project Agency for Health having a hub in Chicagoland would mean more jobs, a focus on health equity that could address the disparities that disproportionately impact working Illinoisians of color, and some of our state’s brightest minds would be collaborating on cures for cancer, ALS and more,” Duckworth said in a statement to Crain’s.
The agency, set up last year, was modeled on the Department of Defense’s research arm, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, which is responsible for the speedy development of emerging technologies for use by the military.
It’s unclear how many jobs are at stake, and how much they would pay.
ARPA-H’s announcement outlining its strategy for site selection said it will locate its main office somewhere in the Washington D.C. area—or as it called it, the “national capital region.”
The two hub offices will be located in other cities across the U.S., “forming the foundation of a nationwide health network” that advances the agency’s mission to accelerate better health outcomes for everyone.
One hub, called a “customer experience hub” will design health products and services, help enhance clinical trials, reach “representative patient populations” and capture data for future use.
The other hub, called an “investor catalyst” will provide resources to help medical innovators bring their ideas to market.
Roberts at ARI said in an interview last week he started “hearing rumblings” a few weeks ago. “So we were certainly aware of it and are tracking it. And now we’re just kind of finalizing the strategy that we would employ.”
ARPA-H said it expects to announce the winning locations by early fall, and “the period of performance of each hub will be five years.”
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This sounds like powerful politicians from participating states might be at a bit of a tug-a-war here to gain this high profile development. Indiana should always throw their hat in the mix regardless. Everything shouldn’t always go to the usual cities, especially when places like Indy are clearly suitable for the task at hand. The Bio-Life Science industry is actually impressive here to be honest.
I don’t like the idea of the federal government chosing winners in selecting these
federal life sciences hubs.
This should be something left to the states to invest in and develop.
The politics should be left out of the equation.
That said, Indianapolis and the state of Indiana must aggressively pursue this
economic development opportunity as never before.
Treat this competition as a blood sport and throw everything into the mix humanly possible.
Remember there’s no solace in almost.
You eitherwin or you don’t.
Indiana’s victories have been minimal compared to what Tennessee, Kentucky,
North Carolina, Ohio, Georgia, Texas, and so many other have accomplished.
Be bold and aggressive as never before!!
Treat pursuing economic development as a BLOOD SPORT!!!!
I would think Indiana would be at a severe disadvantage. First off our Congressional is what 7/9 Republicans as our 2 Senators. We have no powerful representation in Washington. No Senator Lugar if you will. Then you consider the backward legislation coming from the state house will make it hard to attract smart young people to the state. A lot of companies are already having difficulty attracting talent to the state. These things all added together would seem to give us a very dim prospect of attracting such a project.
I would think Indiana would be at a severe disadvantage. First off our Congressional is what 7/9 Republicans as our 2 Senators. We have no powerful representation in Washington. No Senator Lugar if you will. Then you consider the backward legislation coming from the state house will make it hard to attract smart young people to the state. A lot of companies are already having difficulty attracting talent to the state. These things all added together would seem to give us a very dim prospect of attracting such a project.
Indiana, and especially Indianapolis, lags behind a number of other cities in its quest to become a leading center of the life sciences universe in the US. To wit:
https://www.globest.com/2021/09/16/these-cities-are-coming-for-the-big-three-life-sciences-markets/?slreturn=20230227202015
Indiana and Indianapolis should pursue this VERY aggressively. We have a legitimate shot at this. IN has the fourth-highest concentration of life-science jobs in the country, and is one of the top states in exports of life-science products. Be bold and go for the gold, IN, as you did years ago when we won the United Airlines Maintenance Hub, beating out 40 other cities across the country. And we have more than our share of top bioscience universities in the country. GOVERNOR HOLCOMB, PLEASE PURSUE THIS OPPORTUNITY EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVELY.
Seriously…why is it EVEN a question of whether or not to bid? IN needs to leverage its strengths…and this is a perfect opportunity given the decades of successful investment in the life-sciences industry in Indy and across the state.
But, maybe because we have so many hyper-religious, backward, uneducated hillbilly hoosier bigoted fascist cultists…maybe we shouldn’t even bother. Sigh.
I left out completely INTOLERANT. My edit was too late.
Another day, another “Indiana is too backward to attract creative talent”. IOW, the 2015 economic development model repeated ad nauseam.
Q: What IS the definition of tolerant?
A: Whatever Michael G says it is.
How are things going in progressive, forward thinking, well educated Silicon Valley these days, Michael? Are Fortune 500 companies scrambling to build their next headquarters in the Chicago Loop? Or in Uptown Minneapolis? More importantly, what can I do to become a kinder, more progressive, more tolerant person?
Be sure to answer using words that are three syllables or less. Otherwise a fascist hick like me wouldn’t possibly understand.
Lauren,
If the shoe fits?????
I agree that I can’t understand why we wouldn’t apply for this. Purdue is consistently ranked #4-5 in Wall Street Journal and USNWR for their engineering program, they have the largest University affiliated startup organization in the US, and 16,000+ engineering students that we would love to keep in the State. Indiana as a State is home to the 5th largest medical device industry sector in the United States. At the same time IU School of Medicine has over 210 million in NIH funding alone and it’s on a very upward trajectory. Clearly our flagship organizations in biomedical space and our wonderful private companies don’t shy away from competition- when will the non for profits step up and do the same !