Chemical Biological Operational Analysis (CBOA)

A. INTRODUCTION This is a Request for Information (RFI). This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this RFI is to gain information leading to Government/Industry partnering to accelerate the development of technologies that will enable the Warfighter to Assess, Protect and Mitigate Chemical and Biological Threats. B. BACKGROUND When maneuver commanders are challenged with the effects of Chemical/Biological (CB) agents, they must make informed, risk-based decisions in order to ensure survivability, retain freedom-of-action and accomplish the mission. The key to awareness and understanding is identifying what information is required for an informed risk-based decision. This RFI is intended to identify developmental technologies that are interested in being part of a scenario-based Chemical Biological Operational Analysis (CBOA) event. The CBOA, funded by The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Research and Development-Chemical and Biological Warfighter Integration Division (RD-CBW), supports vulnerability and system limitation analysis of emerging capabilities in contested environments in an operationally relevant venue. These events are conducted with representatives from Government Research and Development (R&D) organizations, academia, and industry. The events provide an opportunity for technology developers to interact with operational personnel and determine how their efforts might support military capability gaps and high priority mission deficiencies. The environment facilitates a collaborative working relationship between academia, Government, and industry and supports identification, assessment, and dissemination of emerging and mature technology information and the acceleration of delivering capabilities to the Warfighters and those they support. Technology demonstration papers submitted for consideration must identify prototypes (Technology Readiness Levels 5-6) ready for User assessment that address areas presented within the Request for Information (RFI). The prototypes will be put in the hands of the warfighter to use while conducting realistic missions in adaptive scenarios. C. INTENT The DTRA Research and Development-Chemical and Biological Warfighter Integration Division (RD-CBW) in collaboration with the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and the US Army Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear School (USACBRNS), will assess capabilities designed to address the following CB mission objectives: - Assess - Integrated Threat Awareness, Information Systems Capability Development, and Decision Analysis and Management - Protect - All-Hazards (Respiratory, Ocular, & Percutaneous), Individual (includes delivery and applications for role 1 medical care) and Collective, Integrated Equipment & Physiological Protection - Mitigate- Personnel and Materiel Decontamination, and Tactical Decontamination D: CB MISSION OBJECTIVES DEFINITIONS: 1. Assess: Provide real-time capability technologies to detect, identify, characterize, locate and warn against all known or validated CB warfare agents in addition to other chemical or biological threat materials (e.g., Toxic Industrial Chemicals). - The CB community of practice requires a solution that reduces the operational risk to maneuver forces by providing commanders with information in a more proactive manner. Ideally, this information allows commanders to make tactical and operational decisions before they arrive in a contaminated environment, with the definitive goal of providing the maximum amount of decision space to enable operations. - Attack Detection - The ability to recognize the employment of potential CB delivery systems or their munitions in flight. o Integrating non-CB capabilities (GSR, IR cameras, etc.) for CB sensing technology/system tip & cue - CB Hazard Detection - The ability to recognize the presence or effects of a CB hazard. o Remote Sensing, Expeditionary Analytics, and Wearable Sensing thrusts o Early Detection o UAVs/UAS platforms with chem/bio sensors are encouraged to submit, however only macro size and below for now. - CB Hazard Prediction - The ability to predict the movement of CB hazards over time and update to account for new or changing information. o Real-time Hazard Prediction - Disseminate Warning - The ability to deliver a warning to friendly forces near the estimated point of impact area, release area, hazard area, or predicted future hazard area. o Decision Management and Layered Warning - Information Systems Capability Development: Provide information technology superiority with respect to the CB environment. o In order to provide near-real time understanding of the CB environment it is essential to expand our sources of information beyond traditional means. From this collective effort CB analysts are better able to conduct detailed and thorough analysis and then integrate decision support products into the commander's decision cycle to provide near-real time understanding of the CB environment, and enable proactive risk-based decision making. o Quantification results sent to nearby units for warning and to higher HQ for analysis and further warning actions. 2. Protect: Provide unencumbered full-dimensional protection and comfort to the warfighter with both personal protective gear (individual protection) and protection of large scale fixed or mobile environments (collective protection). This includes capabilities that monitor the warfighter for potential exposure and well-being while in protective posture. Also includes pre- or post-exposure medical/nonmedical treatment technologies (needle-less vaccination systems, but not actual vaccines or therapeutics) for chemical and biological threats. 3. Hazard Mitigation: Develop technologies and capabilities that can rapidly restore to pre-contamination conditions with minimal logistical impact to include minimal water usage and runoff. This category includes technologies to address personnel contamination mitigation. This also includes technologies used to remove contamination from personal equipment, mission essential equipment (including sensitive equipment), vehicles and fixed sites. E. TIMELINE The key milestones for CBOA 2018 Technology Selection are outlined below. All dates are tentative: 20 June 2018: Technology submissions deadline 11-12 July 2018: Technology submissions reviewed for possible inclusion in CBOA 16-20 July 2018: Technology selections released 10-14 September 2018: Execution of event F. ELGIBLE SOURCES Technology demonstration papers submitted for this RFI will be considered from the following U.S. and Foreign Enterprises: - Industrial/commercial concerns including small businesses. - Accredited Degree granting colleges and universities. - Not-for-profit organizations. - Other Non-U.S. sources. - DoD-sponsored Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) specified in DFARS 235.017-1. - University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), provided that it is permitted by the UARC's DoD sponsor. G. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS The submittal process under this RFI is intended to be as streamlined as possible in order to allow the Government to leverage technology solutions capable of meeting urgent warfighter needs. Respondents should not submit classified information in the technology demonstration papers and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) restrictions should be clearly listed. H. OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS DO NOT SUBMIT PROPOSALS. SUBMIT TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION PAPERS ONLY. Instructions and templates can be found at https//uniquemissioncell.org. No contracts will be awarded based on this announcement. I. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS (1) General Information: Technology demonstration papers shall not exceed two (2) pages using a PDF format and no less than 10-point font. The Respondent shall prepare an additional unclassified, non-proprietary title and summary page at the beginning of the document and an unclassified quad chart, which do not count toward the page limit. Technology demonstration papers in excess of two (2) pages may not be evaluated. Multiple concept papers addressing different technology demonstrations may be submitted by each respondent. Papers will be reviewed by Government Personnel and contractors on contracts that directly support the Government. Each technology demonstration paper must address only the CBOA. Selected Respondents will be invited to participate in the CBOA experiment. CBOA will provide venues, supporting infrastructure, and assessment (operational and technical) personnel at no cost to the selected respondent. The respondent's travel and shipping will be at the respondent's expense. The Government will provide no funding or reimbursement whatsoever to respondents as part of this RFI and/or CBOA. (2) Submission Format: Section A: Respondent Name, Point of Contact, Title, Date, E-Mail Address, Phone #, Fax #, Organization/Office Symbol, and Address. Section B: Capability Description--What is the capability you are proposing for the assessment? What is the intended purpose of this technology? How will the capability enhance mission effectiveness? Describe limits of environment in which this solution can operate. Section C: Technology Demonstration--How do you envision execution of the technology demonstration? What is the proposed demonstration methodology? Section D: Support Components--What additional support is required for the demonstration including hardware, software, data, facilities, and training? Section E: Please note related federal contracts to include point of contact and current telephone number and address. J. BASIS FOR SELECTION TO PARTICIPATE Selection of Respondents to participate will be based on the extent to which the technology represents a particular class or level of capability that can be provided to the warfighter. Other considerations include but not limited to the following: - Relevance of or adaptability to military operations/missions - Relevance to current operational needs - Breadth of application - Technical maturity - Available time - Government funding - Integration into a Common Operating Picture Selected and Non-Selected Respondents will be notified in writing based on the timeline in section D. K. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION All Respondents shall clearly identify and mark in writing all proprietary information provided on all documents. Technical lessons learned by CBOA may be broadly disseminated within the Government and Government support contractors. Respondents must provide information that clearly asserts rights in technical data if developed exclusively or partially at private expense in order to claim any restrictions. Developed exclusively at private expense means development was accomplished entirely with costs charged to indirect cost pools, cost not allocated to a government contract, or any combination thereof. Identification of the data or software must have enough specificity to support the respondent's assertion is important for the parties to avoid misunderstanding during the information gathering assessment activities. L. USE OF INFORMATION The purpose of this notice is to gain information on possible Government/Industry collaboration for development of CBOA technologies and capabilities, and to accelerate the delivery of these capabilities to the warfighter. All proprietary information contained in the response shall be separately identified and marked. Any proprietary information contained in response to this request will be properly protected from any unauthorized disclosure. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI Notice or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. M. POINTS OF CONTACT Questions on the objectives or preparation of technical demonstration papers should be addressed to: usarmy.belvoir.rdecom-cerdec.mbx.nvesd-art-tsoa-submissions@mail.mil, and the Subject Line must be titled: QUESTION(s)for CBOA.