This Request for Information (RFI) is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC), headquartered at Fort Detrick, Maryland. The USAMRDC mission is to responsively and responsibly create, develop, acquire and deliver capabilities for warfighter health and performance across the full spectrum of operations. The Department of Defense (DoD) Blast Injury Research Coordinating Office (BIRCO) coordinates DoD blast injury research on behalf of the DoD Executive Agent (EA) for the Medical Research for Prevention, Mitigation, and Treatment of Blast Injuries, to ensure critical knowledge gaps are filled, avoid costly and unnecessary duplication of effort, and accelerate the fielding of prevention and treatment strategies by leveraging existing knowledge and fostering collaboration and information sharing among the world’s blast injury experts. A comprehensive modeling and simulation (M&S) capability to complement DoD‑sponsored research programs can aid the DoD to better understand blast effects on Warfighter survivability and design protective equipment and protocols to mitigate injury. Due to the complexities of the human body, as well as that of blast events, there are myriad challenges for developing predictive M&S of the blast hazard interaction with the human body, the resultant human body injury, and a return-to-routine. Dose-damage relationships at the organ- and tissue‑levels represent some of the most valid, transferable, and extensible injury models. However, existing computational models may be poorly suited for addressing new blast injury research questions due to the variety of relevant modeling paradigms, such as those specific to the neuromuscular, pathophysiological, and cognitive domains. Additionally, limited commonality for documenting the conceptual underpinnings of the models inhibits other researchers from understanding model limitations and model validity. Developing a capability for M&S of human injury, lethality, and impairment from all forms of threat in military environments (e.g., exposures to blast, blunt trauma, toxic substances, extreme temperatures, altitude, etc.) will require extensive, coordinated integration of many types of computational human body models. To this end, the BIRCO established the DoD Working Group on Computational Modeling of Human Lethality, Injury, and Impairment from Blast-related Threats to shape, focus, and coordinate the DoD’s computational modeling efforts in order to enable a new capability for M&S of human lethality, injury, and impairment resulting from the entire spectrum of blast-related threats. The Working Group includes members from 24 DoD organizations, the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Aviation Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation. The Modeling Capability is envisioned to be sufficiently broad scope to allow computational M&S from the time of exposure to the blast hazard through return-to-routine. The envisioned Modeling Capability will require computational human body models that are able to simulate clinical interventions and/or predict and inform return-to-routine decisions. As three examples: 1) models are needed to simulate a physical therapy routine and predict muscle hypertrophy and increased flexibility and/or inform future therapeutic decisions; 2) models are needed to simulate a neurological treatment (e.g., such as that following a concussion) and predict the level and speed of the recovery of cognitive ability; 3) models are needed to inform surgical decisions such as which muscle to use for a muscle transfer following a catastrophic irreparable injury. This RFI seeks to: Obtain information on existing computational human body models that are used to simulate clinical interventions (e.g., physical, neurological) after a blast injury. Obtain information on existing computational human body models that are used to simulate clinical interventions and/or predict and inform return-to-routine decisions and timelines. Identify gaps in existing knowledge and knowledge needed to develop computational human body models that are used to simulate clinical interventions and/or predict and inform return-to-routine decisions and timelines. Identify researchers who have developed or are developing computational human body models that are used simulate clinical interventions and/or predict and inform return-to-routine decisions and timelines. Obtain information from a broad community, including industry, academia, and other federal agencies on the availability of existing computational human body models that are used to simulate clinical interventions and/or predict and inform return-to-routine decisions and timelines. To submit copies of publications, articles, reports, images, etc., related to any of the above categories, please submit document(s) via email to
[email protected]. After submitting your document(s), you will receive a confirmation email that your document(s) was successfully submitted within 1-2 business days. DISCLAIMERS AND IMPORTANT NOTES This RFI is issued solely for information and program planning purposes; it does not constitute a formal solicitation for proposals. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Submission is voluntary and is not required to respond to a subsequent Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) (if any) or other research solicitation (if any) on this topic. The USAMRDC/U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA)/DoD BIRCO will not provide reimbursement for costs incurred in responding to this RFI. Respondents are advised that USAMRAA/USAMRDC/DoD BIRCO are under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI. Information in responses will be held confidential to the extent permitted under applicable laws and regulations. Any proprietary, non-public information should be marked so. The MITRE Corporation is a not-for-profit company that operates 6 Federally Funded R&D Centers (FFRDC), working across government and in partnership with industry to tackle challenges to the safety, stability, and well-being of our nation. MITRE supports the Blast Injury Research Coordinating Office (BIRCO). BIRCO is responsible for coordinating blast injury research on behalf of the DoD Executive Agent (EA) for Medical Research for Prevention, Mitigation, and Treatment of Blast Injuries to meet the requirements, objectives, and standards of the DoD Military Health System. As part of the trusted advisor role to the government, MITRE will handle all proprietary, and non-proprietary information captured with respective appropriate security measures. Questions should be addressed to the Contract Specialist for this RFI,
[email protected]