Survivability and Performance Improvement /Unconventional Warfare

A. INTRODUCTION: Technical Experimentation (TE) Collaboration This Request for Information (RFI) is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this RFI is to solicit technology experimentation candidates from Research and Development (R&D) organizations, private industry, and academia for inclusion in future experimentation events coordinated by the U. S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). USSOCOM invites industry, academia, individuals and Government labs to submit technology experimentation nominations addressing innovative technologies leading to possible Government/Industry collaboration for development of USSOCOM technology capabilities. The intent is to accelerate the delivery of innovative capabilities to the Special Operations Forces (SOF) warfighter. SOF experimentation will explore emerging technologies, technical applications, and their potential to provide solutions to future SOF capabilities. Beginning in FY14, SOF technical experimentation event focus areas and locations are as follows: 15 - 24 October 2013 - Survivability and Performance Improvement /Unconventional Warfare (UW), location Camp Atterbury, IN February or March 2014 - Maritime Mobility/Counter-Mobility, location TBD, anticipate RFI open late Oct and close early Dec 2013 17-26 June 2014 - Theater Special Operations Command / Partner Nation SOF Systems, location TBD, anticipate RFI open mid-Mar and close early Apr 2014 Additional RFIs will be released to FedBizOpps approximately 75 to 120 days prior to each scheduled TE event depending on schedule needs to provide additional details of each event. After review of the technology experimentation nomination submissions, the Government may invite select candidates to experiment their technologies at the USSOCOM sponsored Technical Experimentation event. The TE venue will provide an opportunity for the submitter to interact with USSOCOM personnel for the purpose of USSOCOM assessing potential impact of emerging technology solutions on USSOCOM missions and capabilities. The intent is to accelerate the delivery of innovative capabilities to the Special Operations Forces (SOF) warfighter. Industry participation in experimentation activities does not suggest or imply that USSOCOM will procure or purchase equipment. B. OBJECTIVE: 1. Background: USSOCOM has traditionally conducted Technical Experimentation events at Muscatatuck UTC, IN; at Avon Park, FL, and Camp Roberts, CA. These Technical experiments are conducted with representatives from Government R&D organizations, academia, and private industry. Technical Experimentation events provide an opportunity for technology developers to interact with operational personnel to determine how their technology development efforts and ideas may support or enhance SOF capability needs. The environment facilitates a collaborative working relationship between Government, academia, and industry to promote the identification and assessment of emerging and mature technologies for the primary goal of accelerating the delivery of technology discoveries to the SOF warfighter. The event facilitates SOCOM personnel to identify potential technology solutions, impacts, limitations, and utility to meet SOF technical objectives and thrust areas. Materiel solutions brought to the event should be between a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 3 and 6. Experiments may be between a half day and five days in duration and be conducted in unimproved expeditionary-like conditions. At the discretion of USSOCOM, respondents may be asked to complete a vendor loan agreement (see attachment). 2. Experimentation Focus: Experiments will be conducted from 15 Oct - 24 Oct 2013, at Camp Atterbury, IN and will explore emerging technology solutions and revolutionary improvements in technology for Survivability and performance improvement / Unconventional Warfare (UW). Any technology-based experiment conducted at the event will need to be capable of supporting a SOF unit to provide a revolutionary improvement in SOF operations. Any and all solutions must include all necessary software and hardware to accomplish the mission. Survivability and performance improvement /UW technology areas may include, but are not limited to: For Survivability and Performance Improvements specifically, • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). • Human Performance Optimization of SOF: Maximizing physical, mental, cognitive performance of SOF including improving sleep function / mental acuity) Protection Solutions, including armor for ballistic protection, and blast protection • Exoskeletons - improving load carriage for SOF operators • Injury Prevention, Rehabilitative Technologies -Pre-habilitation and Rehabilitation for SOF Physiological Status Monitoring (real time) for SOF ops Proposed solutions should take the operator into consideration, mentally and/or physically. For Unconventional Warfare specifically, • Precision target tracking and Locating (TTL) • Counter surveillance/collection detection/avoidance • Specialized entry techniques, alarm system detection and bypass • Cultural and language methods and technologies • Emotional, cognitive and stress profiles This technical experimentation event is making accommodations for technology developers to submit nominations focusing on the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS) enhanced mobility/protective technologies which may include, but are not limited to: a. Advanced Armor: Materials to support next generation Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to include head protection. b. Mobility/Agility: Enhancement platforms such as powered exoskeletons c. Situational Awareness (SA) d. Light/noise discipline e. Command, Control, Communications & Computers (C4): Such as conformable & wearable antennae and wearable computers f. Individual soldier combat ready displays: Including non-visual means of information display, and potentially utilization of cognitive thoughts and the surrounding environment to display personalized information g. Power generation and management h. Thermal management of suit occupant i. Medical: Embedded monitoring, oxygen systems, wound stasis, electromechanical compensation State in the nomination title the word "TALOS" followed by the specific technology area of your experiment. Note: while SOCOM announces technologies associated to specific themes, there is no restriction to accept technology nominations in other areas of interest to SOCOM. Refer to: http://www.socom.mil/sordac/Pages/AreasOfInterest.aspx for areas of interest to SOCOM. The only restrictions to nominations will be whether the experiment cannot be accommodated due to logistics limitations, or the site limits the ability to demonstrate the technology. 3. Security Requirements: Vendors should not submit classified information in the technology experimentation nominations. 4. . All respondents shall prepare a Composite Risk Management (CRM) Worksheet (Department of the Army [DA] Form 7566, attached [Lotus Forms Viewer required]) in accordance with MIL-STD-882E and DA Field Manual 5-19. The risk assessment shall address the likelihood and severity of any inherent risks as well as risk mitigation measures required. The risk assessment shall be submitted as an attachment to the experiment nomination. Nominations submitted without a thorough and complete CRM will not be considered for participation. Reference the attached safety worksheet for assistance preparing the CRM. Also, respondents should include instructions that describe the safe operation of the device nominated for the experiment. Respondents wishing to conduct experiments of a kinetic or energetic nature are responsible for ammunition and/or explosives shipments to include an Interim Hazard Classification (IHC) or Final Hazard Classification (FHC) and coordination for receipt and storage at Camp Atterbury, IN. If your experiment will be radiating on a given frequency or frequency band, you must have prior approval to transmit on that frequency. Prior approval may include compliance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Title 47, Part 15 or a Special Temporary Authority (STA) from the FCC. If equipment is government owned and operating within a Federal Band, you must have National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) frequency approval. Your authority to radiate should be submitted along with your nomination or emailed directly to [email protected]. The FCC recommends you submit your request at least 30 days prior to the start of the event. An exploratory closed cyber (virtual) network infrastructure, and an Electromagnetic Environment (EME) using electronic spectrum recording can be provided based on expressed interest. Please indicate in the Experiment Objectives Block of the white paper submission form, specific interest to conduct your experiment in either capability. 5. Other Special Requirements: DO NOT SUBMIT PROPOSALS. SUBMIT TECHNOLOGY EXPERIMENTATION NOMINATIONS ONLY. EXPERIMENTATION NOMINATION SUBMITTALS FOR THIS RFI WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED UNTIL THE CLOSING DATE OF 07/31/2013 1600 EDT. No contracts will be awarded based solely on this announcement or any subsequent supplemental RFI announcements planned for FY14 TE events. C. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: Technology Experimentation nominations shall be submitted electronically via USSOCOM webpage: http://www.socom.mil/sordac/Pages/ExpNominationForm.aspx . Associated technology experiments but with distinctly different uses or applications should submit separate nominations by each respondent. Submissions will be reviewed by USSOCOM personnel to determine whether an experiment submission will be accepted for invitation. Each technology experiment nomination must address only one experiment. A complete submission consists of completely filling all pertinent information in the on line nomination application, a system safety worksheet, a composite risk management worksheet, instructions on how to use the technology (as needed), a STA or NTIA document (for developmental radio frequency emitting devices), experiment plan, and a vendor loan agreement (on a case by case basis). Select respondents will be invited to participate in USSOCOM experiments. USSOCOM shall provide venues, supporting infrastructure, and assessment (operational and technical, based on availability of resources and written request) personnel at no cost to invited respondent(s). Respondent's travel costs and technology experiments will be at the respondent's expense. The TE venue will only provide basic access to training areas or ranges to conduct experiments, a facility to connect to the internet, basic venue infrastructure including frequency allocation/deconfliction, and portable power if needed. Invited respondents must be prepared to be self-sufficient during the execution of their experiments and not dependent on venue resources for success. D. 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 Special Operations Forces. Other considerations include: - Technical maturity - Relevance of or adaptability to military operations/missions - Relevance to current operational needs - Relevance to Event Focus Area E. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: All efforts shall be made to protect proprietary information that is clearly marked in writing. Lessons learned by USSOCOM from these experiments may be broadly disseminated but only within the Government. If selected for participation in Technical Experimentation, vendors may be requested to provide additional information that will be used in preparation for the experiments. F. USE OF INFORMATION: The purpose of this notice is to gain information leading to Government/Industry collaboration for development of USSOCOM technology capabilities and to assist in accelerating the delivery of these capabilities to the warrior. All proprietary information contained in the response shall be separately marked. Any proprietary information contained in response to this request will be properly protected from any unauthorized disclosure. The Government will not use proprietary information submitted from any one firm to establish future capability and requirements. G. SPECIAL NOTICE: Respondent's attention is directed to the fact that Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) or contractor consultant/advisors to the Government will review and provide support during evaluation of submittals. When appropriate, non-Government advisors may be used to objectively review a particular functional area and provide comments and recommendations to the Government. All advisors shall comply with procurement Integrity Laws and shall sign non-disclosure and rules of conduct/conflict of interest statements. The Government shall take into consideration requirements for avoiding conflicts of interest and ensure advisors comply with safeguarding proprietary data. Submission in response to this RFI constitutes approval to release the submittal to Government support contractors. H. Per Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.215-3 Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes (Oct 1997): 1. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI notice or to otherwise pay for the information. 2. Although "proposal" and "respondent" are used in this RFI, your responses will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal. 3. In accordance with FAR Clause 52.209(c), the purpose of this RFI is to solicit technology experimentation candidates from R&D organizations, private industry, and academia for inclusion in future experimentation events coordinated by USSOCOM. Contracting Office Address: 7701 Tampa Point Blvd MacDill AFB, Florida 33621-5323 Primary Point of Contact: [email protected]