Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) - Worldwide Asset Visibility and Tracking Capability for Aeromedical Evacuation Patient Movement Items

HQ Air Mobility Command (AMC) is enhancing management of its worldwide inventory of aeromedical evacuation patient movement items (PMI). United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) is seeking non-federal partners ("Collaborators") from industry and academia for consideration to enter into Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA) (described in 15 USC 3710a) to: - Collaboratively explore best practices and various approaches (technical, doctrinal, procedural, etc.) to worldwide PMI equipment tracking - Develop concepts of operations (CONOPS) - Examine systems and data integration into existing AMC information programs of record (POR); - Evaluate economic factors (e.g., procurement, lifecycle costs, predicted return on investment, payback period, etc.) - Consider attendant issues such as training, security, reliability, etc. - Potentially conduct field trials of techniques and systems Working definitions are: Patient Movement Items (PMI) - Medical supplies and equipment (electrical and mechanical) supporting enroute continuum of care missions which can be used in/on multi-modal platforms (rotary and fixed wing aircraft, ships, rail, and automobile, etc). Examples: Stacking Litter System, Wound Vacuum Devices, Defibrillator, Ventilator, Monitor, Pulse Oximeter. Tracking - Real-time knowledge of PMI location including visual display of geographic location and important data elements (e.g. equipment type, serial number, latest inspection date, location history, battery life status/charge remaining) with enough accuracy, reliability, etc., to manage continuous global equipment recycling to support patient movement/care. Tracking System -the full complement of hardware, software, decision support tools, applications, user interfaces, procedures, training capabilities, maintenance systems, data, personnel, integration capabilities, and other elements of a capability to track items worldwide for the above stated purposes. This is not a solicitation for a procurement contract, nor should this announcement be construed as implying any future solicitation by USTRANSCOM or any other Government agency in this area. Small and large businesses and universities may respond to this announcement. Respondents (potential Collaborators) may team with other qualified non-federal parties. Commercial logistics providers, such as shippers, systems/equipment managers, and third/fourth-party logistics firms, may also team or respond independently. Multiple federal agencies may participate in this collaborative project on behalf of or in partnership with USTRANSCOM, including AMC, other federal laboratories, and other agencies as the U.S. Government deems appropriate. Information, discussions, demonstrations, and other collaborative activities are proposed to remain at the UNCLASSIFIED level. If classified information exchange is indicated, Collaborator personnel must provide, at no cost to the Government, clearance documentation prior to classified data/information exchange. Results and products of this collaborative effort may be reports, presentations, simulations, field trials, and analyses of feasibility, technical maturity, costs, risks, etc., as well as (but not limited to) doctrine, training, CONOPS, and Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP) information. CRADAs are defined in 15 USC 3710a(d), in part, as "any agreement between one or more federal laboratories and one or more non-federal parties under which the Government, through its laboratories, may provide personnel, services, facilities, equipment, data, information, intellectual property and other resources with or without reimbursement (excluding funds to non-Federal parties) and the non-Federal parties may provide personnel, services, facilities, equipment, data, information, intellectual property, funds, and other resources toward the conduct of specified research or development efforts which are consistent with the missions of the laboratory; except that such term does not include a procurement contract..." CRADAs resulting from this announcement are forecast to be in effect for approximately a 1-year period, although duration can be tailored to suit both parties' needs, by mutual agreement, before or after work begins. USTRANSCOM and other Government agencies selected by USTRANSCOM will evaluate potential Collaborators' white papers (submittal instructions follow), based on Collaborator demonstrated applicable experience, technical qualifications, resources offered, etc. Government resources available for collaboration will also be considered. USTRANSCOM will choose one, multiple, or zero white papers and so notify respondents. Initial white paper selection and subsequent discussions do not guarantee selection of any Collaborator by USTRANSCOM to actually enter into a CRADA. After initial Government white paper selection, discussions will ensue separately with each potential Collaborator, seeking to reach mutual agreement between USTRANSCOM and the Collaborator(s) on objectives, duration, intellectual property, and resources to be applied by the parties in the proposed CRADA(s). The Government may choose to visit applicable facilities to observe Collaborator capabilities prior to final selection. The Government may choose to hold an Industry Day or similar activity, at or near Scott AFB, Illinois either before or after initial white paper selection. No Government funding is available to cover white paper preparation or submittal costs, or to cover discussions, facility visits, or any other Collaborator costs of preparation or participation in a CRADA. The USTRANSCOM CRADA template is available for download at http://www.ustranscom.mil/about/org/tccs/Model_USTRANSCOM_CRADA.pdf for potential Collaborator familiarization. Collaborator(s) and USTRANSCOM will cooperatively draft and finalize specific CRADA scope, objectives, commitments, and language through discussions/and mutual agreement after Collaborator selection. Interested parties must submit white papers not later than 28 Nov 2012 2359 hrs via e-mail to USTCCS-ORTA@ustranscom.mil in following format. Hardcopy submittals will not be considered. White papers submitted to other than the above e-mail address will not be considered. Submittals not adhering to the following prescribed format will not be considered. - Microsoft Word or .pdf format of not more than 8 pages in length, on standard 8 by 11-inch page, with 1-inch margins at top, bottom, left and right, in Times New Roman font of not less than 12-point size, with not more than 6 lines per inch. - Pages numbered sequentially in the bottom footer including company/university/organization name on each page. - Clearly marked/identified Proprietary Information; photos, diagrams, etc. - Include the following information (within the 8-page limit): -- Title (no separate title page needed) -- Company name and state of incorporation, plus incorporation of any parent entity. Companies with foreign ownership or parentage must identify the nation of incorporation of the non-U.S. entity. -- University name and location/state of incorporation, plus state of incorporation of parent educational institution, if applicable. -- Description and location of any specialized facilities or capabilities (other than typical office space) to be dedicated to the collaborative effort. An optional brief video overview of facilities/capabilities (approx. 5 megabytes or less), in addition to the 8-page textual white paper, is acceptable. -- Discussion of how potential Collaborator meets USTRANSCOM's stated interests and will contribute to a CRADA partnership in the subject area. Description of innovation capability, ability to analyze and understand user needs, develop advanced concepts, design systems compatible with existing Government systems, mitigate risks of development, production, integration, etc., model, simulate, produce reports, host meetings, exercises, or experiments, perform economic analyses, and otherwise apply resources and expertise to collaborative development of pertinent concepts and systems. -- Resources to be supplied by the Collaborator (facilities, overall personnel expertise, information systems, proprietary materials, prototypes, etc.). -- Open source software and any third party software to be provided by the Collaborator. -- Resources requested from USTRANSCOM (personnel, skill sets, data, information, facilities, access, etc.) -- Background/experience in applicable/related system development, engineering, integration with existing systems and infrastructures, economic and other analysis, testing, operation, etc. Provide DOD points of contact with addresses/phone numbers as references, if available. -- Collaborator(s) points of contact (name, address, e-mail, and phone) for notification of selection/non-selection and follow-on actions (if chosen). USTRANSCOM and other Government agency personnel participating in white paper review and follow-on collaborative work under CRADA may include in-house support contractors and members of Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC). Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) will be accomplished wherever needed to protect respondent intellectual property. The USTRANSCOM Office of Research and Technology Applications (ORTA), which orchestrates all USTRANSCOM Technology Transfer activities, is managed by members of the MITRE Corporation's National Security Engineering Center FFRDC. White papers from respondents that do not become CRADA collaborators will be retained in TCCS-ORTA records and all clearly marked proprietary information will be protected.