Mobile Human Patient Simulator

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS OR A REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS; IT IS STRICTLY A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI). NEITHER UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS NOR ANY OTHER KINDS OF OFFERS WILL BE CONSIDERED IN RESPONSE TO THIS RFI. NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED PURSUANT TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. 1. SUBJECT: The Air Force Medical Evaluation Support Activity (AFMESA) is conducting market research on technology solutions for mobile human patient simulators suitable for medical instruction and tactical training. Responses are due to this request for information (RFI) by 4:00 PM EDT four weeks from the date of posting. 2. DISCLAIMER: This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. Neither unsolicited proposals nor any other kind of offers will be considered in response to this RFI. Responses to this notice are not offers and will not be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. Written information provided as a response to the RFI will not be returned. AFMESA will not entertain any questions concerning the composition, requirements, or the nature of services to be performed under any future request for proposal (RFP). 3. BACKGROUND: The Assistant Surgeon General for Modernization, Office of Air Force Surgeon General (AF/SGR) has identified a need for a mobile human patient simulator (MHPS) that can increase realism and training flexibility in aeromedical evacuation (AE) missions undertaken by Critical Care Air Transport Teams (CCATT) and casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) as well as the worldwide training missions of the Defense Institute for Medical Operations (DIMO). Currently the AE community uses non-physiologic feedback mannequins with clinical directors giving clinical input to measure crewmember's treatment response. The lack of comprehensive training equipment creates a gap in realistic patient scenarios when training within the mission scope. During flight, a cadre member will tell a student what they would see on a monitor or hold up a pre-printed card with information about the patient, which prompts the student to take action with their patient. This process does not provide a true scenario which in turn does not allow for an accurate evaluation of the student's skills. The DIMO worldwide training mission requires demonstration of realistic surgical procedures. Teams conduct military medical operations, education, and training for international armed forces. Currently the DIMO does not use patient simulators in training missions because of the simulator's weight and bulkiness as well as the expense of transporting the simulators on commercial airlines. Presently, live tissue samples are being used, which are expensive and entail extensive advance preparation in the host country. A MHPS would reduce, and possibly, eliminate the use of live tissue samples. 4. REQUIREMENTS: The MHPS solution will provide a cost-effective, portable training mannequin for simulating a variety of patient conditions in training scenarios. It must be resistant to the physical stresses of the user teams' differing missions including in-flight and deployment to remote locations. The simulators should be adaptable to multiple airframes and transport capabilities, and should be applicable to both training and skills assessment purposes. Environmental conditions vary in-flight as well as in the severe remote locations. The products should be functional in extreme temperatures, high humidity, and low or bright lighting conditions. Variable trauma (CCATT and DIMO) and surgical (DIMO) training applications should also be available for use with the simulator. Physiological simulators should be programmable and offer a variety of conditions for response by the trainee and medical provider. Realism is an important factor in these simulators, skin conditions and manipulation of the simulators should be realistic. Responses to this RFI may include commercial of-the-shelf (COTS), foreign off-the-shelf (FOTS), government off-the-shelf (GOTS) or research and development (R&D) options. However the simulator must fulfill the requirements indentified in section 4A and 4B below. 4A. MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS: The candidate MHPS must satisfy the following top-level requirements: 1. Must replicate human physiological responses while supporting training missions using associated procedures and simulations 2. Must be portable and ruggedized for transportation including the ability to withstand the rigors of being moved on litters to and from aircraft, ambulances/airbuses, and medical facilities by a 4 person carry-team 3. Must pass airworthiness/safe-to-fly testing; this testing will be completed after the selection process 4. Must be reliable and durable in order to withstand movement and extensive usage 4B. FURTHER CHARACTERISTICS: The candidate MHPS should satisfy the following top-level requirements: 1. The simulator should be capable of replicating human physiological responses including the following: - Venous Access - Diagnostic Peritoneal Lavage (DPL) - Needle and Tube Thoracostomy - Emergency Cricothyroidotomy - Diaphragm repair - Suprapubic cystostomy - Trauma Laparotomy (steps with systematic packing for initial damage control) - Hepatic Mobilization (Repair/packing for control) - Kidney injury and repair - Nephrectomy - Splenorraphy/Splectomy - Retroperitoneal Exposure (Mattox and Cattell maneuvers) - Aortic shunt - Iliac Artery Vascular shunt - Vena Cava repair - Alternate abdominal closure - Emergency Thoracotomy - Aortic control - Aortic repair techniques - Cardiac repair techniques - Emergency Pulmonary Resection - Pulmonary tractomy - Pericardial window - Sternotomy (use Lebsche knife and mallet/Gigli saw) - Cardiac repair - Exposure of thoracic vessels - External fixation - Critical Lifesaving Skills for First Responders - Surgical Trauma Response Techniques - Realistic skin - Heart rhythms - Respiratory rates - Tidal volume on ventilator - GI/GU - Neurological - Amputations - Pulses - Fluid input such as IV and evacuation of all fluids - Airway situations - Arterial line procedure - Realistic cues 2. The simulator should function well in all environments. 3. The simulator should be portable and lightweight in design. 4. The simulator should be easily cleaned and reusable, meeting standard infection control guidelines as prescribed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and AF guidelines. 5. The simulator should permit maintenance and support by trained Biomedical Equipment Technicians (BMET). 6. The vendor should include the following support: - Helpdesk support - Preventative maintenance schedule - Annual sustainment - Minimum service turnaround time - Loaner or replacement simulator if needed - Training on simulator - User's manual - Troubleshooting manual - Self diagnostic tests of simulator 7. The simulator should be operable using internal rechargeable batteries. 8. The simulator should be programmable to support additional procedures and the vendor or manufacturer should offer software upgrades for the lifespan of the simulator. 9. While one simulator supporting both the CCATT/CASEVAC and DIMO missions is desirable, separate simulators individually supporting the two missions is also acceptable. 5. RESPONSE SUBMISSION AND CONTACT INFORMATION: Electronic responses to this RFI must be addressed to Virginia Wolcott, Medical Market Research Manager, via e-mail to: Virginia.Wolcott.CTR@detrick.af.mil. Responses must be received by this office on or before 4:00 PM EDT four weeks from the date of posting. This RFI is not a commercial solicitation. The Government will not pay for any information submitted, or for any costs associated with providing the information. Communications with AFMESA in regard to this RFI will only be permitted in writing during the RFI response period. Please include point of contact, phone number, e-mail address, and web site information, and indicate whether the company is a foreign or domestic entity in the contents of the e-mail. The response should describe the company's capability to offer, field, and sustain a MHPS as characterized by the requirements addressed in this RFI. If unable to provide a MHPS capable of meeting all requirements, the respondent should offer tradeoff considerations. Respondents should mark all proprietary data as appropriate. AFMESA will protect proprietary information from unauthorized use and disclosure. Unless clearly marked otherwise, submission of a response to this RFI signifies agreement to allow AFMESA personnel to use the information to aid in developing an acquisition approach. 6. LATE SUBMISSIONS: Failure to respond to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future competition, nor will information provided in response to this RFI be used to exclude anyone from responding to any future request for proposals. Responses to the RFI received by AFMESA after the submittal deadline and time indicated may be considered. The Respondent assumes the risk of the method of dispatch chosen. Postmarking by the submittal date and time shall not substitute for actual response receipt. 7. OWNERSHIP OF RESPONSE TO RFI: All written material submitted in response to this request becomes property of AFMESA. Other items submitted will be returned at the Respondent's expense. 8. RELEASE OF CLAIMS, LIABILITY, AND PREPARATION EXPENSES: Under no circumstances shall AFMESA be responsible for any response preparation expenses, submission costs, or any other expenses, costs, or damages, of whatever nature incurred as a result of the Respondent's participation in this RFI process. Respondent understands and agrees that response submission is at its own risk and expense and releases AFMESA from any claim for damages or other liability arising out of the RFI process. 9. ERRORS IN RESPONSE: AFMESA shall not be liable for any errors in Respondent's response. Respondent is responsible for careful review of its entire response to ensure that all information is correct and complete. Respondents are liable for all error or omissions contained in their responses. 10. ADDENDUM: AFMESA reserves the right to issue an addendum to the RFI at any time for any reason.