PROPOSERS' DAY CONFERENCEThe Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Strategic Technology Office (STO) will host a Proposers' Day Workshop in support of the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) BAA07-44, Sensor Tape program on June 26th and 27th, 2007 at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott, 5855 West Century Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90045 from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The purpose of this conference is to provide information on the Sensor Tape program; promote additional discussion on this topic; address questions from potential proposers; and provide a forum for potential proposers to present their capabilities for teaming opportunities. DARPA expects to publish a BAA, at a later date, with further details and is scheduling the proposer day in advance as a way of providing potential proposers with notice at the earliest possible time. The technical and programmatic details described in this announcement are accordingly subject to change. PROGRAM OBJECTIVE AND DESCRIPTION: DARPA/STO is soliciting research proposals to develop, test and demonstrate medical monitoring systems for DoD applications and operations. The objective of this program is to develop low-cost medical sensor systems to support DoD missions, in particular to measure the cumulative effects of blast exposure, and to assist in combat medical care, patient triage, and physiologic monitoring in support of physiologic performance. It is anticipated that meeting the goals of this program will require furthering print-on electronics and ink formulation technologies. DARPA is interested in receiving proposals that exploit the novel properties of print-on electronics to develop these medical monitoring systems. There are two principle systems of interest: helmet (or body-mounted) blast dosimeters; and basic patient physiological monitoring devices that measure, for example, heart rate, body temperature, pulse, respiration and blood oxygen saturation. Each system should consist of a patch-like sensor device, and a monitoring unit for communicating with the sensor tape patch. Other innovative medical devices that incorporate print-on electronics and related enabling technologies may also be proposed. Proposals may address one or more systems of interest, but must propose a full and complete program for the development, test, field demonstration and, if necessary for the proposed device, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of each system. The program will consist of two phases with metrics that must be met to progress to the second phase. The bidder should develop a program plan that clearly delineates major work efforts and critical milestones in each phase so that a logical technical development path for each proposed system is evident. Bidders must also outline a path for obtaining FDA approval, if necessary for the devices to be developed, and document their ability to follow Federal guidelines for the protection of human subjects. DARPA expects that performers will develop the hardware and software necessary for accomplishing these program objectives, with milestone testing to be performed by a government activity in independent government-monitored tests. The program will culminate in Phase 2 with a field demonstration of the devices developed, scaled and packaged to in-service system size, weight and power. PHASE 1 Phase 1 will focus on developing and demonstrating the proposed sensors, and on the communications capability for the patient monitoring device. All-print-on sensors are strongly desired and encouraged, including the patient monitoring device communications capability; however, hybrid solutions that meet the required size, form factor and cost metrics will be considered. It is anticipated that this will require a focused effort to further the performance of conductive, semi-conductive and resistive inks and associated technologies, as well as improvements in printing resolutions. At least twenty-five sensors, with the specified communications capability for the patient monitoring device, shall be prepared and delivered to the government for testing. Required deliverables in Phase 1 include a detailed plan and schedule, with a list of required documentation, to complete an FDA approval process for each device being developed that requires FDA approval; and an analysis of the cost of the proposed sensor tape patches when produced in lots of 100,000. PHASE 2 Phase 2 will focus on the integration of all components (sensors, communications, memory, etc) onto a flexible substrate with adequate shelf life and field durability. A monitoring unit (preferably hand-held for the patient monitoring device) for communicating with the sensor tape patch shall be developed, along with suitable algorithms for data exploitation and display. The developers shall produce ten monitoring unit prototypes and 1000 sensor tape patches for each system developed. After obtaining FDA approval (for the devices that require this), the program will conclude with a demonstration of the developed systems in suitable field exercises. This solicitation covers technologies in the following areas: print-on electronics, micro-electronic machines, radio frequency radios, wireless networks and protocols, medical triage and patient monitoring, human physiological sensing, acoustic sensing and mensuration, micro power storage. DARPA requests proposals for the full scope of development (e.g., an end-to-end system designed by a team of multidisciplinary research organizations, plus an integrator for coordination and implementation support). REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Participants must register not later than June 22, 2007 at the following website: http://www.schafertmd.com/sensortape/. Directions to the facility and other materials are also available on the website. Due to space limitations of the conference facility, attendance will be limited to the first 200 registrants, and no more than 2 representatives per organization. The Proposers' Day will be unclassified and open to the general public. All attendees will be required to present government issued photo identification upon entry to the event. Additionally, all US Citizens are required to submit a US Citizenship Verification form in order to attend this conference. Non-US citizens are required to submit a DARPA Form 60 "Foreign National Visit Request". The completed Citizenship Form or DARPA Form 60 must be faxed to: Tom Fitzgerald, Schafer Corporation 3811 N. Fairfax Drive Arlington VA 22203, fax 703-516-6031, phone 703-516-6061, no later than June 22, 2007. Both documents are available for download at the registration website. Attendance is not required to propose to any associated BAA. Additionally, on the first day of the conference, 26 June, attendees who would like to present company overviews, discuss their technology expertise, and/or discuss teaming opportunities in scheduled presentations at the conference, may request to do so. Presentations may contain up to 5 slides. Proposers desiring to reserve a time to present at the Proposers' Day Conference should contact Erik L. Smith at (Fax) 703-516-6060, or email at
[email protected], or
[email protected], as soon as possible, but no later than June 18 2007. All material to be displayed at the conference must be approved in advance by both the organization that funded the research and the DARPA Program Manager. It is the presenter's responsibility to ensure that all material they plan to present at the Proposers' Day Conference has been approved by the funding organization in advance. The DARPA Program Manager will screen the proposed material for sensitive but unclassified material and approve in advance any presentations. An electronic copy of all material to be presented must be provided to the DARPA Program Manager (sent via e-mail to:
[email protected]) for review by June 18, 2007. There will be no exceptions to this requirement. On day two of the conference, 27 June, there will be an opportunity to meet individually with DARPA Program Manager, Dr. Jennifer Ricklin. Please contact Erik L. Smith at
[email protected], or
[email protected], to schedule an individual session.