FA8650-19-S-6055-RFI.pdf

Request For Information – Research Capabilities in the fields of: Biological Sciences, Computer Modeling/ Simulation and/or Engineering

General Information Document Type: Request for Information

Solicitation Number: FA8650-19-S-6055

Response Date: 25 February 2019, 5pm CST

Classification Code: A - Research & Development

NAICS Code: 541715 (Research and Technology in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences

(except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology), and the small business size standard is 1,000 employees.

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only, as defined in FAR 15.201 (e), issued solely to obtain information for planning purposes. The information received will be used by the Government for assessment of capability only. Responses to this notice are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense.

This RFI is for capability assessment purposes only, and shall not be considered as a Request for Proposal (RFP), or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. Furthermore, not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future

Broad Area Announcement (BAA), if any is issued.

Both large and small businesses are encouraged to provide responses to this RFI. Furthermore, if a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities

(www.fbo.gov) website and is the responsibility of any interested parties to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this RFI.

General Description The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Radio Frequency Biological Effects (Bioeffects) group (711

HPW/RHDR) is conducting market research analysis for an anticipated Broad Agency

Announcement to award one or more contracts for research capabilities in the fields of: Biological

Sciences, Computer Modeling/Simulation and/or Engineering. Under the anticipated contract, research will be conducted to investigate the bioeffects of Directed Energy (DE) applications, specifically Radio Frequency/High Power Microwaves/Particle Beam (RF/HPM/PB) technologies.

The United States Air Force (USAF) is one of the largest developers and users of RF and HPM emitting devices in the world and consequently has been at the forefront of research on the bioeffects of RF/HPM radiation for more than 30 years. The mission of 711 HPW/RHDR is to promote maximum use of RF/HPM/PB technologies while protecting Air Force personnel from

RF/HPM/PB radiation hazards and minimizing negative operational impact. This requires an http://www.fbo.gov/ extensive research program in dosimetry and bioeffects of RF/HPM/PB radiation. Research results are transitioned and transferred to National and International health and safety standards which are used by the Air Force Surgeon General for Occupational Health and Environmental

Safety, as well as data that is used to support the rapid development and deployment of DE technologies. The advent of HPM and ultra-wide band directed energy weapons make the 711

HPW/RHDR’s products and services ever more essential to national security. Our goal is to provide the USAF with the world's best RF/HPM/PB radiation bioeffects research and science-based exposure standards, allowing maximum safe exploitation of DE for national defense. With joint-service cooperation we bring broad expertise, advocacy and involvement to RF/HPM/PB technologies.

The primary objective of the anticipated research includes: identifying benefits, risks and capabilities for a wide range of military RF/HPM/PB radiation systems. Additional objectives include: discovering new mechanisms of biological action of RF/HPM/PB on biological systems, predicting/mitigating the bioeffects of DE on personnel/mission performance and exploiting the bioeffects of DE for weapons applications.

Technical Background

The Radio Frequency Radiation branch is tasked with understanding the exposure limits of EM radiation (DC-THz) to military personnel. We perform basic and applied research to understand how EM fields interact with humans at the whole body, organ system, cell, and molecular levels.

This research mission requires an interdisciplinary team of researchers to model, validate and demonstrate the effects of RF on the human system. Specifically, we have a modeling core that utilizes advanced physics and thermodynamic modeling software to predict EM energy absorption patterns, heat flow within a biological system and the resulting biological effects. This core focuses on advancing model speed and capability to better assess risk of exposure and dosimetry of exposure at various system levels. We have an in vitro core that investigates how molecules, cells, and tissue respond to EM across the spectrum. This core uses the latest biological techniques including proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, electrophysiology, spectroscopy, and microscopy to assess the biological effect of EM exposures. Our engineering core focuses on execution of RF exposures to include proper beam steering, experimental setup and dosimetry.

This core group is comprised of engineers in the computer, electrical, and RF areas. Together these core groups work to fully assess the risk to our warfighters within a battlefield where RF systems are used extensively. The products generated by our team include peer-reviewed publication, modeling software, technical reports, technical presentations, technology demonstrations, and safety standard guidance.

Format & Page Limitation RFI responses must be comprised of two (2) sections as described below. Please limit your responses to a page count of one (1) page for section one and no more than fifteen pages (15) for section two. Responses should be written in Arial, size 11 font with normal 1” margins.

Section One: Please provide information to the following administrative information:

Company Name

Point of Contact (POC) Name

Point of Contact (POC) Email

Mailing Address

Phone Number

Fax Number

Please provide a statement that the respondent does/does not carry a Top

Secret/SCI/SAP/SAR security clearance

If the respondent does not currently carry a Top Secret/SCI/SAP/SAR security clearance please provide an additional statement if the respondent can/cannot acquire this clearance level

Section Two: Based on the technical background presented above, interested parties should provide a statement of interest to include the following information:

Discussion of previous experience/capabilities in the fields of: Biological Sciences, Computer Modeling/Simulation and/or Engineering.

Discussion of the technical approach to complex, interrelated biological and engineering research and how it compares to other approaches in the trade space.

Discussion of application of cutting edge research approaches to investigation of subtle effects in biological systems.

Discussion of any previous experience/capabilities in the fields of: DE, RF, HPM and/or PB technologies.

Discussion of advanced engineering approaches to making measurements of

RF/MW/PB fields in extremely challenging environmental conditions.

Discussion of application of new approaches to mathematical and numerical bioelectromagnetic and thermodynamic modeling for prediction of thermal and non-thermal effects in biological systems.

Submission of Documentation RFI packages are due via email to: Mr. Leland Johnson at leland.johnson.2@us.af.mil, Mr. David

Roux at david.roux.1@us.af.mil and Mr. Alexander Mitchell at alexander.mitchell.6@us.af.mil by

5:00 pm Central Standard Time 25 February 2019. All responses shall be unclassified.

mailto:leland.johnson.2@us.af.mil mailto:david.roux.1@us.af.mil mailto:alexander.mitchell.6@us.af.mil

Additional Information All interested parties may submit information that shall be considered by the agency. Further, this notice is part of Government market research. Information received as a result of this request will be considered as sensitive and will be protected as such. Any company or industry proprietary information contained in responses should be clearly marked as such, by paragraph, such that publicly releasable and proprietary information are clearly distinguished. Any proprietary information received in response to this request will be properly protected from unauthorized disclosure. The Government will not use proprietary information submitted from any one source to establish the capability and requirements for any future acquisition, so as to inadvertently restrict competition.

Lab Tour/ Industry Day: An industry day with lab tours is scheduled for 13 March 2019; more information will be posted on FBO as the details are finalized or date changes.

Questions: All routine communications regarding the announcement should be directed to the contractual point of contact listed below. Technical questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to Mr. Leland Johnson at leland.johnson.2@us.af.mil. Verbal technical questions will NOT be accepted; accordingly, questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information.

Summary: THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. It is intended to obtain information specifically related to industry’s capability to provide research capabilities in the fields of: Biological Sciences, Computer Modeling/Simulation and/or Engineering in relation to the bioeffects of DE applications via RF/HPM/PB technologies.

The information received will be used by the Government team for planning purposes only.

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 information submitted.

Technical POC: Mr. Leland Johnson, (210) 539-7950, E-mail:

leland.johnson.2@us.af.mil, Mail address: Attn: Leland Johnson, 711 HPW/RHDR, 4141

Petroleum Road, Fort Sam Houston TX 78234-2644.

Contracting POC: David Roux, phone: (937) 713-9795, e-mail: david.roux.1@us.af.mil, Mail address: Attn: David Roux, AFRL/RQKHA Bldg 45, 2130 8th St., Wright-Patterson AFB, OH

45433-7541.

THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR PROPOSALS. DO NOT SUBMIT

PROPROSALS AT THIS TIME.

mailto:leland.johnson.2@us.af.mil mailto:leland.johnson.2@us.af.mil mailto:david.roux.1@us.af.mil