Call for Solution for TCMS.pdf

Call for Solution for

Tactical Contamination Mitigation System (TCMS)

Call Number PROTECTION_25-01

Army Open Solicitation (AOS) No. W9128Z-25-S-A002

Call for Solution Title Tactical Contamination Mitigation System (TCMS)

Requiring Activity Joint Project Manager for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Protection (CBRND JPM Protection)

Issued By ACC – APG – Natick Division

*Solution Briefs Due Date/Time (Suspense) July 28, 2025 10:00 a.m. eastern

Submit Solution Brief To Contract/Agreement Officer: Elizabeth M. Nordell;

elizabeth.m.nordell.civ@army.mil

Contract/Agreement Specialist: Claire K. Choi;

claire.k.choi.civ@army.mil

Note 1: Please advise the cognizant Contracts/Agreements Officer and Specialist as soon as possible via the email above if your organization intends to submit a Solution Brief in response to this Call for Solution.

Note 2: Any submissions that are received by the Contract/Agreement Officer after the suspense date/time listed above will be deemed late and not evaluated. It is the sole responsibility of the company to ensure that its submission is received in the inbox listed above before the deadline specified.

Note 3: This Call for Solution may result in either a FAR or non-FAR based award that is an available award instrument under AOS.

1. BACKGROUND

The Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defense and JPM CBRN Protection are seeking a Tactical Contamination Mitigation System (TCMS) applicator.

The TCMS Program Office will provide a low-burden, easily employed, highly effective mitigation system that will limit the spread of contamination and reduce effects of chemical and biological (CB) contamination allowing Warfighters to continue their mission for an extended period of time while under high threat in CB contaminated areas and near contaminated equipment. To reduce and limit the spread of CB contamination by minimizing contact and transfer hazards from mission essential equipment quickly, the TCMS shall employ as “far forward as possible” to execute decontamination as “soon as possible” during immediate and/or operational decontamination. TCMS shall remove gross contamination before surface permeation and decrease the risk of cross contamination to allow Warfighters to continue their mission for 8-24 hours. When employed with other fielded contamination mitigation systems, TCMS shall support a quantifiable decrease in the number of personnel experiencing adverse health-based effects by reducing residual hazards, enabling the joint force to endure operations in contaminated environments and rapidly restore full operational capabilities.

2. PROBLEM STATEMENT

Future contamination mitigation solutions must reduce logistical burden and manpower requirements while minimizing adverse health-based effects. Current technologies are time and resource-intensive and lack the ability to be used “as far forward as possible” and “as soon as possible” after a CB contamination event. Decontaminants being considered for the TCMS program are viscous and require specialized applicators to mix components together and apply evenly to contaminated surfaces. There are also no lightweight, person-portable applicators for the Warfighter to draw water from external sources for rinsing surfaces.

3. DESIRED OUTCOMES AND SOLUTION ATTRIBUTES

A fully functional prototype must include the following unique or innovative capabilities, functions, and/or features:

a) Efficient Decontamination: The TCMS applicator shall be prepared with one to three gallons of decontaminant and ready to use by no more than two (2) operators in ≤ 20 minutes. The TCMS applicator shall be capable of spraying a decontaminant slurry with a maximum 7000 Cp viscosity, as well as water. The applicator shall be able to apply slurry and other decontaminants evenly, with no gaps down to a thickness of 5 mil (0.005”) thickness on horizontal and vertical surfaces. The applicator shall be able to apply decontaminants to horizontal surfaces (including vehicle roof and undercarriage) and vertical surfaces from ground level to reach a minimum height of 9’6” while the operator is standing next to the decontamination target. The TCMS applicator shall be capable of mixing/recirculating decontaminants within the reservoir. The applicator shall have the ability to determine the level of the decontaminant that is in the tank. The applicator shall have the ability to operate with nozzles of various degrees to spray the decontaminant. The applicator shall have quick disconnect features for hoses and nozzles that can be easily used while being donned in individual protective equipment.

The applicator shall not have any sharp edges or items that can puncture or tear individual protective equipment. If fabric is used, it must be compliant with the Berry Amendment.

b) Man-Portable: The TCMS applicator shall be person-portable based on the lifting limits specified in MIL-STD-1472, not exceeding 51 lbs (23kg) total. The decontaminant that will fill the applicator will weigh between 8.5 – 11.3 lbs per gallon.

c) Compatible with Decontaminant: The applicator shall be constructed of materials which do not deteriorate, swell, distort or render them non-functional when exposed to decontaminants that contain solvents (e.g. tetraglyme and sulfolane).

d) Power Requirements: If powered, the TCMS applicator shall be able to be compatible with current fielded battery power sources or be able to operate off North Atlantic Treaty Organization receptacle power sources. If battery operated, the applicator shall be able to operate off current fielded battery power for a minimum of four (4) hours without recharging.

e) Ability to be used in Military Environment: The applicator shall be capable of operating in an environment ranging from 32F°/0°C to 130°F/54°C.

4. AWARD INSTRUMENT

The Call will be awarded in accordance with the Army Open Solicitation detailed within Solicitation W9128Z-25-S-A002, found here:

https://sam.gov/opp/20f6ad25a7c64be891ca8a24fa9b452b/view . This Call provides instructions to companies and how the Government will evaluate submissions during Phase 1.

5. SOLICITATION NOTES

The following guidelines apply to this Call for Solution.

• Companies are responsible for monitoring SAM.gov for any amendments to this solicitation that may have updated information.

• The Government may give preference to submissions that demonstrate an innovative, existing, and reference-verifiable commercial ability to accomplish the desired solution attributes listed above and in the MAHC-III SOO.

• Resellers and academic research proposals are not desired.

• All solution briefs will be valid for 180 calendar days after the submission date.

• The Government reserves the right to bypass Phase 2.

• The Government reserves the right to issue multiple awards from this Call for

Solution or to make no award.

6. GENERAL INFORMATION AND QUESTIONS

https://sam.gov/opp/20f6ad25a7c64be891ca8a24fa9b452b/view

Questions are to be sent only to the Agreements Officer and Specialist (POCs) listed in this Call for Solution. The following shall be utilized in the email subject line: Call for Solution – Protection 25-01 (reference the section area). Material questions and answers will be published and updated on www.sam.gov.

The deadline to submit questions for Phase I is July 18, 2025 10:00 a.m. eastern.

7. SOLUTION SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESS

Companies responding to this Call shall submit a Phase 1 - Solution Brief for evaluation.

The Government is interested in unique and innovative agile development approaches, including techniques to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance performance.

The Government may utilize up to three (3) phases for assessing solutions, and may utilize a notional outline as described below:

1. PHASE 1(a-d): Solution Brief – a white paper including a technical discussion explicitly addressing the target problem statement and how the proposed solution meets the TCMS Desired Outcomes and Solution Attributes in Section 3 and evaluation criteria in section 8.

2. PHASE 2: Live Pitch (unless bypassed) – an oral briefing/demonstration with a technical challenge with instructions provided following phase 1.

3. PHASE 3: Solution Proposal – a written technical approach, statement of work, and pricing proposal in response to a request for solution proposal.

Phase 1a – Solution Brief Content

Solution Briefs shall not exceed a total of ten (10) pages, consisting of a (1) page Executive Summary and (9) pages for the solution, using 12-point font, or alternatively, Solution Briefs may take the form of briefing slides which shall not exceed fifteen (15) power point slides. The Government will not consider inserted text boxes/pop-ups or internet links to additional information as part of the Solution Brief and will not consider such information in its evaluation of submissions. Solution Briefs are intended to be clear, concise and succinct submissions.

The Government anticipates evaluating compliant solution briefs within 90 days after receiving the submission.

Solution Briefs shall include the following at a minimum:

a. Title Page (does not count against page limit)

i. Company Name, Title, Date, Point of Contact Name, E-Mail Address, Phone, Address and Call reference number. If registered in SAM.gov, include the Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, and Unique Entity Identification (UEI) code.

ii. Specifically identify the Call number and title for which the Solution Brief is submitted.

iii. Company shall propose the intended award instrument, which shall be bound to the applicable laws and regulations. The Government will determine and approve the resultant award instrument.

iv. Prescriptive. Specific information requested on each of the products or technologies includes:

• Description of applicator with pictures or drawings, including estimated technology readiness level and/or manufacturing readiness levels o To determine the level of readiness, the Department of Defense Material

Readiness Level Guidebook can be located at http://www.dodmrl.com/

• Description of system/technology scalability

• Total weight and cubic size of proposed items shipping configuration(s)

• Spray parameters and pump mechanism

• Dimensions of system in operational configuration

• Equipment list and user manual/instructions

• Any specialized tools required to operate, set-up or repair the system

• Description of power requirements

• Number of personnel required to set up and operate

• Operating temperatures and/or environmental restrictions

• Estimated manufacturer production capability, include maximum and minimum production rates per month. Identify if the system is considered Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS), or currently being used by commercial industry and/or Government, provide names and/or examples of users

• Any data rights assertions/anticipated assertions

• Any factors that will significantly impact costs

• If there are any known significant lead times for systems/materials

It is requested that vendors having systems believed to be suitable as described herein, submit electronic copies of their responses and any available product data sheets, related brochures, descriptions, price lists, Technical/Operator Manual(s), associated Safety Data Sheets, or other documentation as available and deemed appropriate. There is a total 10-page limit on submissions excluding supporting documentation and ROM spreadsheet.

b. Executive Summary (one page limit)

i. Provide an executive summary of the solution.

c. High-Level Solution/Concept (nine-page limit)

i. Describe the unique technical aspects of your solution/concept and how it is relevant and important to the respective Call for Solution.

ii. Describe how the solution/concept is innovative and fulfills requirements.

iii. Describe how the proposed solution brief provides potential innovative technological advancements.

iv. Describe how the solution briefs proposed fully functional prototypes unique or innovative capabilities, functions, and/or features will satisfy the requirement.

v. Describe how the proposed technical approach is feasible, achievable, and supported by a technical team that has the expertise and experience to accomplish the proposed solution brief.

d. ROM (Limited to one excel sheet with no more than two tabs and does not count against page limit)

i. Tab 1 in the spreadsheet will be the bill of material costs to build an individual unit.

Tab 2 will include the economies of scale quantities (i.e. 1-99, 100-499, 500-999, etc.).

e. Company Viability (does not count against page limit)

i. Provide a brief overview of the company. Provide a summary of current fundraising to date or a summary of the top line (gross sales and revenues).

ii. If CSO, provide a summary of product/solution commercialization and go-to-market strategy.

f. Affirmation of Business Status Certification (does not count against page limit)

i. Include Appendix A for each company that is a participant of the solution/concept.

(e.g. Certificate of Status)

g. Intellectual Property Statement/Agreement/Disclosures (does not count against page limit).

i. The Solution Brief must identify any intellectual property involved in the effort and associated restrictions on the Government’s use of that intellectual property. As needed, include a separate disclosure for each company that is a participant of the solution/concept.

Phase 1b – Solution Brief Compliance Check

The Government will first review the company’s Solution Brief to ensure compliance with the submission requirements of Phase 1a. The compliance check is a prerequisite to the Evaluation Criteria and Related Factors in Section 8. Solution Briefs not in compliance with submission requirements may be excluded from further evaluation. If excluded from further evaluation, the Government will notify the company as soon as practicable.

Phase 1c – Solution Brief Basis of Evaluation

Compliant solution briefs submitted in response to a Call for Solutions will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria; Section 8. The Government reserves the right to use external market research in the evaluation of a company's viability. In the event multiple submissions are received for this Call, the Government reserves the right to select all, some, or none of the solution submissions submitted in response to this Call and may result in one (1) or more awards, or alternatively, no awards.

Phase 1d - Solution Brief Selection Process

Based on the evaluation, the Solution Brief will be categorized as either Selected for Further Consideration or Not Selected for Further Consideration. Selection into the next Phase will be based on the criteria listed above, Government need, and funding availability.

Selected for Further Consideration: The submitted Solution Brief has been determined to be of technical merit, represents a feasible schedule, is considered affordable and the company is considered viable.

Not Selected for Further Consideration: The submitted Solution Brief does not represent the necessary degree of technical merit, a feasible schedule, affordability and/or company viability to warrant further consideration.

Companies selected for further consideration may be invited to participate in the next Phase, subject to the availability of funds. This Call will be fairly evaluated, however, only select Solution Briefs with the most compelling solutions will be invited to Phase 2 and/or Phase 3. The Government reserves the right to limit the number of companies invited to Phase 2 and/or Phase 3. As such, a company’s solution may be evaluated as selected for further consideration, however not invited to Phase 2 and/or Phase 3.

Solution Briefs whether selected or not selected for Phase 2 and/or Phase 3 will be notified in writing as soon as practicable and will include selection outcome and feedback.

8. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND RELATED FACTORS

8-1. Evaluation Factors: Solution Briefs will be evaluated based on the following evaluation criteria and in accordance with the scoring rubric in Table 1 below:

a) Feasibility – solution to problem statement is technically possible. This criterion measures whether the technology exists or is likely to be developed in the scope of this prototype effort.

b) Viability – solution to problem statement is compatible with Department of Defense (DoD) constraints, technical environments and other organizational requirements. This criterion measures whether DoD could easily adopt the prototype. Please see Section 3-a, b & c for details.

c) Desirability – Solution Brief is responsive to a problem statement. This criterion measures whether end users are likely to adopt the company’s prototype solution.

The desirable solution shall be easy to operate without intensive training or complicated set-up and operation procedures for the end user. Please see Section 3-a through 3-e for details.

d) Technical Merit: The Government will evaluate the company’s proposed solution/concept relevance to the problem statement; innovation or a potential capability; solves a capability/gap/problem or provides potential innovative technological advancements; capabilities and scalability of the solution; benefits of the solution/concept; and technical approach. Please see Section 3-a through 3-e for details.

e) Schedule. The Government will evaluate the proposed solution/concept project schedule and maturity path.

f) Affordability: Price. The Government will evaluate the proposed rough order of magnitude (ROM), to include the estimated out-the-door total cost/price.

8-2. Ratings Table 1: Scoring Rubric

Rating Definition Does not Provide Sufficient Information to Evaluate

The solution brief lacks enough detail or clarity to determine compliance with requirements. Key elements are missing, incomplete, or ambiguous.

Fails to Meet Minimum Requirements

The solution brief can be evaluated but does not satisfy one or more of the basic, mandatory requirements. It is not acceptable in its current form.

Meets Minimum Requirements The solution brief fully meets all required criteria but does so only at a basic level.

Meets Requirements and Exceeds Some

The solution brief meets all requirements and includes enhancements or added value in one or more areas.

Far Exceeds Requirements The solution brief greatly surpasses all requirements. It offers exceptional quality, innovation, or value with clear, substantial benefits.

8-3. Weight of Evaluation Factors

The order of importance for the evaluation criteria is in the following order: Technical Merit > Viability > Feasibility and Desirability > Schedule and Affordability.

8-4. Material Compliance Solution Briefs shall conform to the following. Should a company submit anything longer, the Government will only evaluate the first ten (10) pages of a Solution Brief, broken down as follows:

• One (1) page Executive Summary. Providing an executive summary of the solution.

• Nine (9) pages of technical discussion explicitly addressing the target problem statement, desired outcomes and solution attributes, and how the proposed solution meets the evaluation criteria.

• One (1) ROM spreadsheet – Tab 1 as the bill of material costs to build an individual unit and Tab 2 to include the economies of scale quantities (i.e. 1-99, 100-499, 500-999, etc.) pricing.

8-5. Evaluation Timeline, Selection and Next Step

The Government estimates that it will require two (2) weeks or less to review and respond to Solution Briefs. At that time, the Government will inform the company that:

a) The Government has not selected to move forward with the submitted Solution Brief;

b) The Government requests that the company participate in an in-person (or virtual) pitch; or

c) The Government will issue a Request for Prototype Proposal (RPP).

The Government will inform companies whether they have or have not been selected to move forward with the submitted Solution Brief. Those companies whose Solution Briefs are deemed "selectable" may be invited to submit a more comprehensive pitch or proposal. At that time a due date and time for the following phase will be communicated.

After pitches, if held, the Government shall further down-select potential awardees and issue a request for solution proposal (“RSP”) to the remaining candidate firm(s). The RSP will have specific guidelines for submission and evaluation.

Notice to offerors: The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used during evaluations. Any AI tools utilized by the Government will be employed in a manner consistent with applicable regulations that govern the protection of proprietary and source selection sensitive information. No proposal data will be transmitted to or processed by external, non-Government systems without appropriate safeguards and authorizations in place.

PHASE 2 AND/OR PHASE 3

Phase 2 and/or Phase 3 submission requirements and evaluation criteria will be outlined within the invitation into the respective Phase. However, the Government anticipates the below:

PHASE 2: Live Pitch (unless bypassed) – an oral briefing/demonstration with a technical challenge with instructions provided following Phase 1.

PHASE 3: Solution Proposal – a written technical approach, statement of work, and pricing proposal in response to a request for solution proposal.

9. NON-GOVERNMENT ADVISORS

In accordance with AOS, Section I, the Government will use non-Government advisors from the following contractors with the contact information provided:

POC: Melanie Haynie Acquisition Specialist SME I, JPM CBRN Protection Coho Technology Solutions, LLC 4501 Singer Court Suite 300 Chantilly, VA 20151 804-852-0385 melanie.l.haynie.ctr@army.mil

As a reminder, by submitting information to the Government, the company further understands that it had an opportunity to enter into a NDA directly with the Non- Government Advisor and therefore waives any and all claims against the Government for any disclosures of proprietary information by the non-Government personnel. Such NDAs are the responsibility of the company, and the Government shall not be a party to them. Companies shall provide a copy of the signed NDAs to the Government with submissions.

10. FOLLOW-ON PRODUCTION

Companies are advised that any completed and successful prototype resulting from an award in response to this Call may result in the award of noncompetitive, follow-on Production Other Transaction Agreement or contract by the authority of U.S.C.

4022(f)(1) as implemented by DFARS 206.001-70. The follow-on production contract or agreement will be available for use by one or more organization(s) in the DoD and, as a result, the magnitude of the follow-on production contract or agreement could be significantly larger than that of the prototype effort.

11. ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST (OCI)

The Offeror shall perform an OCI analysis and submit the results of that analysis in addition to the white paper submission. The OCI analysis does not count towards the ten (10) page limitation. Specifically, the Offeror shall analyze the planned acquisition for actual or potential OCI situations associated with the Offeror or any of the Offeror’s proposed teammates or subcontractor’s performance under any contract or agreement the Offeror or the Offeror’s teammates or subcontractors has been or may be awarded by any federal agency or other entity. The Offeror shall describe in detail the methodology used to identify actual or potential OCI issues. If the Offeror identifies any actual or potential OCIs with respect to the performance of the Offeror or the Offeror’s subcontractors or teammates, the contractor shall provide an OCI Mitigation Plan to be incorporated as an attachment to any resulting contract or agreement.

Any proposed avoidance or mitigation techniques shall be consistent with FAR 9.5 and the most recent decisions of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the U.S.

Court of Federal Claims.