BRDEE_-_Industry_Day_Questions_&_Answers.pdf

1. You mentioned that you do surveillance, do you also do Clinical Trials?

No, we do not do clinical trials

2. Does the Government anticipate the contractor to provide procurement services for product and services that have not yet been determined?

Described in BAA and SOO

3. Has the Government considered using the GSA OASIS contract?

The OASIS contract is known but was not considered as it is an A&AS contract.

4. Does the Government envision 100% of the support to be provided by FTEs at TSRL or is reach back for engineering and modeling support advantageous?

Our mission is to do research. We need to get the mission done. This is not a services contract, it is R&D. We are looking for you to tell us how to solve it. We anticipate the majority of work will be accomplished on-site as there are high-powered RF transmitters, specialized research equipment, and laboratories located here. However, the awardee will be providing solutions to our research needs and these solutions may include experts and or work at other locations with appropriate equipment/facilities.

5. Is there a heavy focus on the management?

This is not an A&AS contract, we will ask you for a solution. It is up to you how to manage it.

Management is needed only as necessary for the R & D work to be accomplished. It is unlikely there will be management tasks beyond those required to accomplish the S&E work.

6. What is the interest of the BRDEE in commercialization facilitation from the research support services provider?

RHDR typically uses SBIR contracts for efforts with potential commercialization. This R&D contract will have little to no work geared towards commercialization.

7. What modeling and simulation software, codes, or tools do you typically use? Would you entertain other solutions outside of what you currently use?

Our list is a reference. This effort is solution centric not process centric. If there is an innovative solution to get there in a better way, that would be value added.

We frequently use Matlab, COMSOL, Python for model prototyping and development.

We have licenses for XFdtd (commercial EM).

We use ThermoReg and Vitruvius (Government owned through SBIR, SBIR data rights still apply).

We develop prototypes into more mature s/w for internal use using C, C++, CUDA, Python.

Yes, we are open to other software solutions, and are constantly exploring options and looking for ways to improve our capabilities.

8. What is the method of detection when propagating RF and hitting bacteria? In genomics? In proteomics?

We have currently analyzed viability. In the future, we will also examine genomics and proteomics.

9. What Bio Safety Level are we at?

Bio Safety Level 2

10. Do you use other methods of analysis other than imaging?

We use Proteomics, Genomics, metabolomics and compliment imaging

11. Do you build your own bioinformatics?

We don't innovate in that domain generally as there are appropriate tools available (COTS).

12. Do you perform DNA or RNA sequencing?

We have a small lab in house, large efforts are sent out to collaborators or industry.

13. Does your cell culture include multi-level multi-type or single-level single-type, organs, or skin harvesting?

We typically do single level. We are moving in the direction of organ on a chip.

14. Do you co-culture to create multi-level tissues?

We currently do not, but it is an area of growth in our research.

15. Do you have any cell picking or sorting technologies?

No

16. What about support of combat casualty care?

We do not do medical work, however our bioeffects data can be translated to clinicians as needed.

17. Do you support research of biological protection against Directed Energy?

Yes.

18. Do you have a supportive stock or do you have to take it out of the BAA and procure?

We are contemplating a Cost Plus Fixed Fee contract. There will be supportive stock available for use by occupants of the facility to include government and contract employees. Any material that is required for use that is determined to be Special Test Equipment (STE) will be acquired by the contractor on an as needed basis. If supportive stock is not STE, a request for the government to purchase will have to be completed.

19. What is the position about modifying commercial items?

Depends on item.

20. Your research program measuring dielectric constants, do you do it before and after exposure?

Both, typically before.

21. What is your top need? What are you looking for industry to bring to you? Do you anticipate growth in the future?

3 Strategic Areas: Modeling, Physics, Engineering (Antiquated and Advanced). All are interdependent and have remained fairly stable with variation in funding between years with anticipated growth in the future.

22. Can we propose to just a part of the BAA?

Yes.

23. Will materials and procured equipment be included in the BAA?

It depends, see the definition of Special Test Equipment (STE) in FAR 2.101. It’s your proposal, propose what you believe is necessary and we will line through non-STE items. There will not be a plug number, it is your job to make the determination of how you do this. We will NOT give you a list of items to procure.

24. Where are we going in the future?

Modeling & Simulation and Physics, we don’t bend metal. Particle beam technology. Getting safety standards to establish a battlefield standard for “critical” level of RF. DE is part of AF 2030 effort. Fieldable defenses and bioeffects research to support fieldable systems from this research.

Modeling, it is very difficult to model behavior and we currently have more physics based responses, a move toward including behavior as well, closing the gap.

25. When you do validation, is it based on the RF dose on a sensor or on a model and what is your level of fidelity?

In terms of validation:

When we perform empirical validation studies, we carefully measure the dose being applied to the target. The measured data internal to the target is always referenced to this free-field dosimetry data. The models will be executed assuming the same applied external dose, and model results will be compared to the measured target response.

In terms of applied field dose, we have a known +/- dB of those measurements, depending on the technique required for the measurement.

26. Can we propose on the facilities here or offsite?

See the announcement, you can propose to perform the work wherever you like.

27. Do you have any interest in commercialization?

If it meets the goals of the research and makes sense.