MTEC Pre-Announcement: Technology Integration and Modernization of Expeditionary Medicine (EXMED) Warfighter Prototypes

The Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC) is excited to post this pre-announcement for a pending Request for Project Proposals (RPP) focused on creating a systems integration approach to developing an array of medical solutions related to evaluating and optimizing Warfighter prototypes for forward stabilization, resuscitative care, primary care, dental services and force health protection in support of the modernization of expeditionary medicine (EXMED), in particular for implementation on the newly envisioned navy ships. This proposed prototype project is an innovative business arrangement for a system integrator to identify and rapidly test these expeditionary medical solutions. Therefore, this RPP aims to establish an agreement with an organization able to provide the integration of technology, resources and expertise required to translate technologies related to Warfighter expeditionary medicine through the required development activities to transition to the Warfighter and the commercial marketplace. This RPP also intends to fund several prototypes to be advanced with this initial RPP, and includes the innovative business component of identifying, rapidly prototyping and testing additional medical solutions related to expeditionary medicine. Background: EXMED solutions are intended to be mobile, resilient, modular, scalable, and extensible capabilities that ensure uninterrupted and secure HCD within medical units and throughout the continuum of care as well as enable MEDC2/MEDLOG and PM (e.g., medical regulating) functionality. Current wartime operations assume that the United States and our allies will maintain air, land, maritime, space and cyber superiority. Future conflicts against peer and near-peer adversaries are expected to be layered stand-offs and fought across multiple domains. Mission success will be determined by our ability to compete to expand the competitive space, penetrate both strategically and operationally, disintegrate enemy's defenses, exploit enemy weaknesses, and re-compete to consolidate gains. Medical capabilities play a critical role in each aspect of the future battlespace and must modernize rapidly to maintain Force readiness and increase soldier lethality. Naval forces must be able to coordinate and execute highly distributed operations over oceanic distances. Distributed naval forces and increased adversary lethality require distributed and tailorable medical capabilities. These capabilities must be modular, scalable, and adaptable to various platforms and facilities to ensure forces have access to flexible and agile medical capabilities that enable timely response. The Program Executive Office, Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) Expeditionary Missions (EXM) (PMS 408) seeks to overcome the medical and logistical challenges present in these environments by providing forward stabilization, resuscitative care, primary care, dental services, and force health protection capabilities to Naval Operating Forces during contingency and/or large-scale combat operations (LSCO). Within PMS408, the government has developed initial concept prototypes related to En Route Care Systems (ERCS), Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical Systems (ERSS), Expeditionary Medical Units (EMU), Ashore Theater Hospitalization Systems (ATHS), Certified Diagnostic Mobile Laboratories (CDML) and other Forward-Deployable Preventive Medicine Units [FDPMU; and Certified Diagnostic Mobile Laboratory (CDML)], as well as the information technology system/s required for patient movement. Each of these provide an aspect of the overall capability set for the EXMED family of systems (FOS). For example, ERCS provides patient movement in the theater of operations. ATHS offers an agile R3 capability. Given the tyranny of distance in LSCO, Role 2 (R2) and R3 capabilities must be readily accessible (i.e., within range of ERCS) to ensure quick life-saving treatment and movement of patients to the next level of care (e.g. R1 to R2 care). Pre-positioned and accessible R2 and R3 assets can also support timely resupply of ERCS. Together, these capabilities, as well as materiel solutions, enable and enhance first responder care and delayed evacuation care. Technical Objective: In order to modernize the DOD to be a ready and resilient Force, PMS 408 is seeking to build a capability through MTEC that is poised to rapidly modernize prototypes related to Warfighter expeditionary medicine and transition these to both the Warfighter and the commercial marketplace as appropriate. This effort requires multiple prototype solutions (hereafter referred to as EXMED technologies) that address forward stabilization, resuscitative care, primary care, dental services and force health protection. Solution Requirements: PMS 408 is seeking the solutions capable of satisfying the following capabilities: Task 1 - Prime Integrator capabilities to translate prototypes. The project shall be led by an - integrator (i.e., a centralized point of contact at the prime performer) proficient at leveraging capabilities available to advance these prototypes in coordination with PMS 408. Due to the Integrator's specialized expertise, this approach will de-risk technology development by providing capability/expertise to successfully optimize and implement these technologies in an expeditionary medicine setting. This structure also allows flexibility to incorporate service member feedback into the testing/evaluating process, while continually synchronizing and integrating efforts so that prototype development might advance further and faster in support of the needs of PMS 408. In coordination with the PMS 408 PMO, the Integrator will conduct evaluation and testing of the PMS 408 project portfolio to recommend further optimization for integration/modernization of candidate expeditionary medicine technology prototypes for Fleet modernization efforts. Task 2 - Development, Optimization, Implementation of EXMED technology prototypes. Implement optimization activities to integrate and/or modernize candidate prototype projects according to the EXMED Capabilities Development Document (CDD) specifications: - Utilize performer resources or methodologies to advance candidate technology prototypes for implementation in the modernized expeditionary medicine environment (i.e., PMS 408 FOS). Modernization efforts may include, but are not limited to: o Clinical Testing o Biocompatibility studies o Prototype refinement/maturation progressing toward a clinical product o Stability and shelf-life studies o Prototype delivery for military-relevant testing o Development of DoD 5000 documentation and activities to support acquisition maturation POTENTIAL FUNDING AVAILABILITY AND PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The U.S. Government (USG) currently has up to $800,000 available for the upcoming program. The USG may apply additional dollars for follow-on efforts via post award modification to any resultant award(s) after the evaluation and acceptance of work and cost plan. Dependent on the results and deliverables, additional time may be added to the period of performance for non-competitive follow-on tasks. MTEC expects to make a single award in FY25 (September) to a qualified Offeror to accomplish the scope of work. If a single proposal is unable to sufficiently address the entire scope of the RPP, several Offerors may be asked to work together in a collaborative manner. The period of performance should not exceed 18 months. ACQUISITION APPROACH: The upcoming RPP will be conducted using the Enhanced White Paper approach. In Stage 1, Offerors are invited to submit Enhanced White Papers using the mandatory format contained in the upcoming RPP. The Government will evaluate Enhanced White Papers submitted and make a selection based on the solution(s) that best meets its current priorities using the evaluation criteria described in the upcoming RPP. The Offeror(s) whose proposed solution is selected for further consideration based on the Enhanced White Paper evaluation will be invited to submit a full cost proposal in Stage 2. Notification letters will contain specific Stage 2 proposal submission requirements. The upcoming RPP will be posted to the MTEC website (mtec-sc.org) and a summary version will be available on SAM.gov to notify interested parties. The RPP is expected to be released as soon as possible and will have a proposal preparation period of approximately 30 days. MTEC membership is required for the submission of an Enhanced White Paper in response to the upcoming MTEC RPP. To join MTEC, please visit http://mtec-sc.org/how-to-join/. MTEC: The MTEC mission is to assist the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) by providing cutting-edge technologies and supporting life cycle management to transition medical solutions to industry that protect, treat, and optimize Warfighters health and performance across the full spectrum of military operations. MTEC is a biomedical technology consortium collaborating with multiple government agencies under a 10-year renewable Other Transaction Agreement (OTA), Agreement No. W81XWH-15-9-0001, with the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). MTEC is currently recruiting a broad and diverse membership that includes representatives from large businesses, small businesses, - nontraditional defense contractors, academic research institutions and not-for-profit organizations. POINT OF CONTACT: For inquiries regarding this pre-announcement, please direct your correspondence to Dr. Lauren Palestrini, MTEC Chief Science Officer, contact@example.gov. Sincerely, MTEC Project Team