FA8650-19-S-6001-RFI.pdf

Sources Sought - Request for Information (RFI) Air Force Research Laboratory Airman Systems Directorate

Molecular Assessment and Sensing Technologies (MAST) Dated: 18 Dec 2018

1. CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS AND POINTS OF CONTACT (POC)

Address Department of the Air Force, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Aerospace Systems Directorate Contracting Office, AFRL/RQKHA, 2130 8th St., Bldg. 45, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7541.

Contracting POC

1. Contracting Officer, Colleen S. McDonald, email: colleen.mcdonald@us.af.mil

2. Contract Negotiator, Joseph Mamer, email: joseph.mamer@us.af.mil

Technical POC

1. Program Manager, Heather Lyons, email: heather.lyons.8@us.af.mil

NOTE: See paragraph 5 on how to request for clarification.

2. GENERAL INFORMATION

a. This Request for Information (RFI) is a Government effort to conduct Market Research to support potential future planning initiatives. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a solicitation (Request for Proposal or Request for Quotations) or a promise to issue a solicitation in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever.

Furthermore, we are not at this time seeking proposals. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the responding party’s expense.

3. GENERAL INTENT

a. Background

The Human Signatures Branch (RHXB) located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, provides the Air Force with research to perform the mission “Discover, analyze, and transition the full spectrum of molecular signatures research to optimize Airman performance and maximize the full potential of the Airman-machine weapon system”. RHXB addresses this notion by developing advanced science and technology solutions for the discovery, characterization and exploitation of unique human signatures using non-invasive sensing technologies to enable real-time decision-making assessment (i.e. stress, fatigue, hypoxia, exposures).

b. Approach

The effort will focus on ten key technical research areas: Biomarker Discovery, Air Quality Monitoring, Molecular Tools for Biosignature Tracking, Engineered Microorganism, Real- Time Molecular Sensors, Sensor Development and Testing, Data Science and Model Development, Next Generation Sequencing, Exploiting Host-Microbe Interactions, and Synthetic Biology. The effort will pursue innovative molecular assessment sensing technologies for individuals in operational environments for improved human performance and protection in real-time capabilities. RHXB is interested in developing existing and novel technologies that be integrated into current and future AF and DoD platforms. System Biology efforts could examine the genome, metabolome, proteome, transcriptome, epigenome, microbiome, cell and tissue architecture and their changes in response to perturbations in diverse AF relevant operational environments and build models spanning multiple scales. The research effort should address the following technical research areas:

Biomarker Discovery This technical area focuses on identifying markers and mechanisms of human performance for conditions such as stress, fatigue, hypoxia to recognize and take appropriate measures to counteract the effects prior to performance degradation. This research area include using non-invasive media to collect exhaled breath, saliva and sweat to minimize the impact of Air Force operators in various working conditions and developing and testing tools to enable collection, sensing, and proper processing of biomarker.

Air Quality Monitoring The technical area covers aircraft air quality, as well as general environmental and occupational sampling to enable personnel to perform risk assessment. This research area may include testing commercial-off-the-shelf sensor technologies, developing sensors specific to the desired operational environment, and determining changes to technologies to enable mission readiness using statistical analysis, machine learning techniques and differential profiling tools.

Molecular Tools for Biosignature Tracking This technical area advances the science and technology associated with understanding, developing and applying engineered biosensors for assessment and augmentation of human performance as well as the impact of chemical and/or genetic exposures to human health and performance. This research area may include, but not limited to: 1) developing, implementing, and fielding engineered microorganism-based sensors to modify bacteria to sense and respond to Air Force related targets of interests, including chem/bio agents for surveillance and biomarkers for diagnostic applications, 2) developing and demonstrating the use of real-time biosignature tracking sensors for biomarker detection in biofluids to use in point-of-care diagnostics, 3) developing and exploring molecular tools that expand current capabilities to monitor neurochemicals in the brain and peripheral tissue to aid understanding of brain function, and 4) the development of nanomaterial-based sensing platforms for rapid and sensitive quantification of biomarkers and different analytes in the field, as well as the study of fundamental interactions governing the sensing properties of bio-nano hybrids.

Engineered Microorganisms This technical area engineers microorganisms for evaluation of biological responses to operational stressors to mitigate potential risk in product development and to continuously, rapidly monitor a given physiological/psychological state. The area develops and optimizes tools for selection and in silico design of elements to control gene expression in a variety microorganisms and their cell-free transcription/translation systems in response to a target of interest. This effort utilizes high through-put methods to increase speed of selection of new switches and binding characterization to support a pipeline for in silico design novel sense and respond mechanisms. This work involves, but is not limited to, the integration of multiple cell lines that sense different targets and communicate with each other to asses a complete scenario and provide decision making capabilities to be integrated in fieldable complex sensors for autonomous surveillance.

Real-Time Molecular Sensors This technical area covers exploratory sensor development on biomarker sampling and analysis that provides targets including but not limited to exhaled breath, saliva, odor, and perspiration, to sense and assess a variety of individual physiological and health levels.

Experiments may include, but not be limited to: 1) investigating the key factors in high performance chemical and biochemical molecular sensor development, 2) enhancing the sensing performance to target molecules on nano/bio materials and electrode arrays by probing their chemical, biochemical, optical and electronic signatures, 3) transforming molecular affinity and sensing technology towards array-based sensing elements, 4) generating target-specific diagrams/charts, and 5) expediting sensing platform development by constructing a rapid-real time molecular sensor development pipeline.

Sensor Development and Testing This technical area involves developing, implementing, integrating, and automating analysis tools to advance the utility of Human Performance through Physiological Assessment, as well as produce algorithms to enable staff to better predict performance and enhance recovery from physiological exertion. This research area includes, but is not limited to: 1) the development of sensor systems that include both wearable and point-of-use diagnostics for physiological and performance monitoring which leverage handheld, smartphone technologies, 2) correlating physiological sensor data to performance and incorporate into a single database, 3) producing state-of-the-art bioinformatics platforms and software systems that can intelligently analyze the sensor signature data and incorporate autonomous notification and threat analysis for detected signatures, 4) developing recommended recovery techniques based off of sensor data that will enhance performance, 5) validating commercial off the shelf technologies and molecular sensors developed for biological, chemical and/or environmental material analysis, and 6) performing collection, monitoring and analysis of signatures potentially relevant in correction of operational deficiencies.

Data Science and Model Development This technical area involves, but not limited to, the analysis of diverse datasets to forecast behavior, interpret multimodal time series, explore variance, discover knowledge within high dimensional data, with the intent to better understand sensor system design, development, interpretation and analyte identification with application to human performance monitoring.

Research may be conducted to lower bias or variance when analyzing biological datasets, to develop novel analytical techniques to automate efficient processing of terabytes of sequence data, and to engineer data features from complex system sensor measurements to correlate with various biochemical, physiological or aeromedical endpoints. Key elements of the research will involve programming, scalable parallel implementation of analytics, multivariate statistics, time series analysis, Bayesian methods and empirically demonstrating the benefits of proposed data methods. This technical area also involves using in vitro and in vivo data to develop in silico models to predict a biological response from cell level all the way up to human response.

Next Generation Sequencing This technical area focuses on using a range of next generation sequencing techniques which may include, but not limited to 16s/18S metagenomics, shotgun metagenomics, RNA-seq that will be used to address changes in the gut microbiome and the use of transcriptomics to evaluate gene expression biomarkers. Data analysis will be used to correlate changes in the microbiome and relate it to how the microbiome influence (gut-brain axis) the expression of blood-based/saliva based biomarkers.

Exploiting Host-Microbe Interactions This technical area focuses on characterizing how components of the human microbiome in different tissue/organs are affected by conditions experienced by the warfighter during their deployment. These deployed conditions can be real or simulated using human and/or animal models. Discovery and analysis of signatures of performance degradation and/or disease, as well as signatures of performance optimization, will lead to interventions pertaining to human performance optimization and disease prevention/treatment. These may include prebiotic, probiotic, synbiotic strategies, as well as engineered human microbiome components that sense and respond to changes in human performance and disease.

Engineering the microbiome may enhance airman performance by producing beneficial molecules/metabolizing deleterious ones.

Synthetic Biology The technical area focuses on understanding biological mechanisms to develop sensors and enhance performance.

c. Description

The Air Force wants to assess industry’s capability to support the ten key technical research areas outlined above.

Key considerations should include (but are not limited to):

(1) Technical Feasibility;

(2) Performance;

(3) Resource Availability;

(4) Cost.

d. Assumptions

It can be assumed:

(1) Basic, Applied, and Advanced Experimental demonstration may be required.

(2) Access to AFRL/RHXB’s internal resources (personnel, equipment, facilities, etc.) may be available when coordinated or expressed use is given.

e. Response

Based on the information presented above, responding parties will provide a statement of interest on company letterhead and include the following information:

(1) Discuss any previous and current experience in the nine technical research areas.

(2) Discuss any company organizations, facilities, or capabilities that can be used to support the nine technical areas.

(3) Discuss any partnerships you may pursue in order to ensure your ability to support the nine technical areas. Be as specific as possible.

(4) Discuss your approach to designing and conducting research and technical studies.

Responses to this RFI should address ANY OR ALL of the technical research areas outlined above. Please be clear in the response as to whether your company would be capable of performing research in all ten technical areas or just a subset of the technical areas.

4. REQUIRED RESPONSE, FORMAT, & SUBMISSION

Responses must be unclassified and any Proprietary information provided must be marked accordingly. To protect such data, each line or paragraph on the pages containing such data must be specifically identified and marked with a legend similar to the following:

“The following contains proprietary information that (name of Responder) requests not be released to persons outside of the Government, except for the purposes of review and evaluation.”

Note: See Format and Page Limitations and Submission of Documentation paragraphs for additional instructions.

a. Format & Page Limitation

Responses will be provided to the Government in BOTH paper form and on CD-ROM media.

Submitted responses must be on standard letter size 8-1/2 by 11 inch paper, limited to a maximum of ten (10) single-sided, single-spaced pages. This page limit is to be treated as a maximum and RFI responses containing fewer pages will be accepted. The font for text should be Times New Roman 12-point or larger. The Responder may use oversized pages (including “foldouts”) where appropriate to contain graphic presentations. Oversized pages do not count as extra pages within the page limitations. Existing commercial documentation and product literature can also be submitted and is not subject to a page limitation. Submitted responses should be in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat format.

b. Submission of Documentation Responses are due no later than 4 January 2019, 1500 EDT by any acceptable courier, delivery service, or hand delivery only to: Ms. Colleen S. McDonald, AFRL/RQKHA, 2130 8th St., Bldg.

45, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7541. Bldg. 45 is a secure building and all visitors must be escorted. Please use the phone located in the lobby of bldg. 45 to call Ms. Colleen S.

McDonald at 937-713-9843 or Mr. Joseph Mamer at 937-713-9854.

5. REQUESTS FOR CLARIFICATION

A responder may request clarification in writing from the Contracting Office for any of this Request for Information that is unclear by sending an e-mail to the contracting points of contact above.

Any requests for clarification must be received no later than five (5) business days prior to the close of this RFI in order to receive a timely response. Clarifications may be posted on the RFI announcement website to benefit all interested responders. Interested responders are encouraged to periodically check the website during the response period for clarifications.

6. DISCLAIMER

This is a RFI to obtain information about capabilities and market information related to the technology of interest for planning purposes. This RFI is not a request for competitive proposals;

therefore, responses to this notice are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Companies that respond will not be paid for the information submitted.

No telephone calls will be accepted requesting a bid package or solicitation.

All information received shall be safeguarded from unauthorized disclosure. Responses must be unclassified and any proprietary information provided must be marked accordingly.

7. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

All responsible sources may submit information in response to this RFI. Responses to this RFI are due no later than 4 January 2019, 1500 EDT. Please note: the Government is not required to provide feedback to RFI responders. Direct all inquiries to the Contracting Points of Contact listed above.

An Industry Day (Open House) will be conducted in the RHXB laboratories on 7 February 2019 (if inclement weather shall occur, it will be rescheduled for 8 February 2019). If the respondent wishes to attend this one day event, it is required that notification via email be provided to the Technical POC listed on this RFI no later than 4 January 2019, 1500 EDT. Any notification past this date will not be processed. Also, at most two (2) individuals per company will be permitted to attend this one day event. Those wishing to attend must be a US citizen and must provide the Technical POC with all of the following information in order to gain base access: 1).

full name exactly how it appears on the driver’s license/identification card of each attendee; 2). a valid email address for each attendee; and 3). each attendee’s full driver’s license/identification card number and the state of issue. Further instructions regarding on-base parking and transportation to the various laboratories will be provided prior to the 4 January 2019 date.