SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- REQUEST FOR CONCEPT (WHITE) PAPERS FOR PERSONAL AUGMENTATION TECHNOLOGY FOR THE US ARMY RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT ENGINEERING COMMAND, NATICK SOLDIER RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND ENGINEERING CENTER (NSRDEC), NATICK, MA
- Notice Date
- 11/21/2011
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- ACC-APG SCRT - Natick (SPS), ATTN: AMSRD-ACC-N, Natick Contracting Division (R and BaseOPS), Building 1, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760-5011
- ZIP Code
- 01760-5011
- Solicitation Number
- NATICK-BAA-11-13-2
- Response Due
- 1/31/2012
- Archive Date
- 3/31/2012
- Point of Contact
- Darlene Rideout, (508) 233-4125
- E-Mail Address
-
ACC-APG SCRT - Natick (SPS)
(darlene.rideout@us.army.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The US Army Research Development Engineering Command, Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC), Natick, MA, is conducting a Request for Information for Concept (White) Papers on Personal Augmentation Technologies for the Warfighter and Homeland Defender. This IS NOT a Request for Proposal. Today's Warfighters and Homeland Defenders are increasingly weighed down by more and more advanced equipment capabilities. Individually, these equipment capabilities are valuable for mission success, but collectively they far exceed weights recommended for maximum load carriage. As a result, this load burden reduces team and individual mobility and causes acute and chronic injuries, negatively impacting mission effectiveness and readiness. In addition, future capabilities will continually be modernized with additional advanced equipment capabilities, with trends leading to even higher weights carried by individuals. Innovative approaches to personal augmentation technologies are sought for Warfighters and Homeland Defenders. Technologies and concepts that provide improvements in strength, endurance and/or ergonomics while maintaining user safety and reducing muscular fatigue, physical injury, and soreness during various load carriage and various tasks, are of interest. Example load carriage tasks include heavy and repetitive lifting, load transport, and difficult load tasks in unique environments. Ease of use and integration with current and future user clothing and individual mission equipment are factors of interest. Long operating life from a reliable power source, and low cost are also factors of interest. There are 4 specific personal augmentation technology types sought: 1.Agility - Lightweight, low-powered, quick reaction physiological assist device for dismounted users. Injury reduction, high mobility, and endurance are key focuses. 2.Support - Physiological assist device that helps wearer to conduct sustainment and logistics tasks including heavy supply lifting, loading, unloading, and transporting at a Forward Operating Base (FOB) or alike. Injury reduction, strength assist, and throughput/production augmentation are key focuses. 3.Extreme Support - Specialized physiological assist device designed for specific tasks in extreme environments. Able to interface with special tools to conduct specific tasks. Example users include wild land firefighters and urban search and rescue. Injury reduction, strength assist, and high mobility are key focuses. 4.Depot / Industrial - Specialized physiological assist device designed for specific tasks in unique depot environments. Able to interface with special tools to conduct specific tasks. Injury, stress, and fatigue reduction and throughput/production augmentation are key focuses. Personal augmentation systems proposed must align with at least 1 of the 4 types above and will be compared with the conventional solutions in the field or in development to determine their technical viability. All interested firms, regardless of size are encouraged to submit a Concept (White) Paper to NSRDEC in accordance with NSRDEC Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) 11-13, under topic # C16- Future Warrior Technology Integration, which can be found at https://www3.natick.army.mil/. Offerors shall submit concept papers that are consistent with the intent of the BAA. Instructions for the submission of concept papers are contained in BAA Topic # C16. "Future Warrior Technology Integration." Proprietary information will not be disclosed outside the U.S. Government. Nothing shall be construed herein or through the RFI process to commit or obligate the Government to further action as a result of this RFI. Firms responding to this RFI shall bear all risk and expense of any resources used to provide the requested information, and all information submitted in response to this request shall become the property of the Government, and will not be returned to the submitter. Responses shall be submitted by 31 January 2012 and may be sent via email to David.Audet@us.army.mil or by regular mail to US Army RDECOM, Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, TSPID (ATTN: David Audet), Kansas Street, Natick, MA, 01760. Point Of Contact: David Audet, 508-233-6438.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/2dcb3a7d5ef6eb24b5d73ae1519aac82)
- Place of Performance
- Address: ACC-APG SCRT - Natick (SPS) ATTN: AMSRD-ACC-N, Natick Contracting Division (R and BaseOPS), Building 1, Kansas Street Natick MA
- Zip Code: 01760-5011
- Zip Code: 01760-5011
- Record
- SN02627210-W 20111123/111121234824-2dcb3a7d5ef6eb24b5d73ae1519aac82 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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