1. The US Special Operations Command is soliciting pre-proposals directed at basic and applied biomedical research focusing on Special Operations Forces(SOF)-relevant aspects of medical care, particularly related to: combat casualty management; medical aspects of mission planning, biomedical training, environmental protection, vibration/shock injury, nutrition, hydration, diving procedures, equipment and injuries, exercise and mission related physiology, field diagnostic and care equipment; and medical information management systems. This notice constitutes a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) as contemplated in FAR6.102(d)(2). 2. The following general aspects/topic areas of basic and applied biomedical research are of interest: 2.1 Casualty Management 2.1.1 Card diagnostics, micro labs, rapid assays. 2.1.2 Enhanced mass casualty response. 2.1.3 Advanced resuscitative fluid studies. 2.1.4 Rapid wound/tissue regeneration. 2.2 Medical Aspects of Mission Planning 2.2.1 Medical aspects of Foreign Internal Defense (FID) missions. 2.2.2 Integrated and automated pre-mission and enroute medical hazard/threat identification, assessment and mitigation. 2.3 Medical Aspects of Environmental/Thermal Protection 2.3.1 Thermal protection in dive/overland transition operations. 2.3.2 Extreme environment acclimatization schedules. 2.3.3 Integration of improved body armor with thermal protection, survival gear and Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) protection. 2.3.4 Sustained thermal protection while encapsulated. 2.4 Medical Administration of Nutrition/Hydration 2.4.1 Mission performance enhancements in extreme environments. 2.4.2 Post NBC exposure administration and treatments. 2.5 Exercise and Mission-Related Physiology 2.5.1 Pain suppression modalities in Special Operations. 2.5.2 Human performance enhancements/mission extenders. 2.5.3 Prevention of musculoskeletal injuries. 2.6 Preventive Medicine 2.6.1 Acoustic protection, enhancement and treatments. 2.6.2 Pharmacological interventions. 2.6.3 Rapid assays/diagnostics. 3. It is not the intent of this solicitation to fund the FDA approval of devices or drugs, although cooperative research and development that promotes or accelerates FDA approval of such items if they were of high value to SOF would be considered. Furthermore, it is not the intent of this solicitation to establish new facilities, rather, institutions having demonstrated research capability and the necessary facilities are invited to submit a project pre-proposal not exceeding three pages of text that describes: 3.1 The research objective. 3.2 The research approach. 3.3 Related work by the investigator or proposer. 3.4 Anticipated contributions to the USSOCOM program. 3.5 An estimate of overall costs (including indirect) for up to a three year effort. 3.6 A curriculum vitae of the principal investigator(s) should be appended together with any supporting information, such as reprints, that will assist in the evaluation of the pre-proposal. 4. Evaluation Criteria. Pre-proposals, and any follow-up full proposal submission, will be evaluated on the following criteria: 4.1 Scientific and technical merits of the research. 4.2 Qualifications and experience of the principal investigator(s), and availability of facilities to support the research. 4.3 Relevance of the proposed research to USSOCOM program priorities. 4.4 Realism of proposed costs, and availability of funds. 5. Award. Based upon the evaluation criteria identified in paragraph 4, USSOCOM will award single or multiple contracts in accordance with technical priority and funding availability. 6. There will be no other requests for proposals or other formal solicitations regarding this announcement. Formal full proposals for competitive review will be requested based on those pre-proposal submissions judged most likely to meet program objectives. Proposal deadline date and format instruction will be provided at that time. This solicitation is open to pre-proposals beginning 1 May 2003. Pre-proposals may be submitted after that date and until 30 April 2005 for consideration in subsequent funding cycles. Pre-proposals should be sent to: US Special Operations Command ATTN: SOAL-T (David Saren-Program Manager Special Operations Medical Technology Development Program) 7701 Tampa Point Boulevard MacDill AFB, FL 33621-5323 or via e-mail at
[email protected]. Any additional questions relating to this BAA should be directed to: US Special Operations Command ATTN: SOAL-KB (Mr. John S. Thompson) 7701 Tampa Point Blvd MacDill AFB, FL 33621-5323 or via e-mail at
[email protected], or telephonically (813) 828-7077.