Industry Day for SimLEARN Orlando - Telepresence Robotics - Early June 2024_.docx

Request for Information (RFI)/Sources Sought Notice (SSN) The National SimVET (Simulation Validation, Evaluation and Testing) Program Title: Telepresence Robotics in Clinical Simulation

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)/SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE (SSN) ONLY (as defined in FAR 15.201(e)); this is not a solicitation. A Solicitation is not available currently. This notice does not constitute a commitment by the United States Government and does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. Those submitting information are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. Submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary; the Government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred.

The purpose of this RFI/SSN is to conduct market research and obtain information on industry capability to support the requirement as described in the problem statement below. Responses to this request for information may influence the establishment of an acquisition strategy (including Veteran-owned, Service-disabled Veteran-owned, and other small business participation, and vehicles and methods to acquire the products/ services). All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed beneficial and legally appropriate. Your responses may be shared with all stakeholders, thus the information received will not be considered proprietary.

1. Introduction:

The National Simulation Validation, Evaluation and Testing (SimVET) Center is a common space that gathers simulationists, health care professionals, and public health leaders to fulfill the Simulation Learning, Evaluation, Assessment, and Research Network (SimLEARN) mission to advance Veteran health care. SimVET National Simulation Center (NSC), SimVET Portfolio has a new program, SimVET Synergist, that will take an interprofessional team (IPT) approach to looking for Telepresence Robots capable of being driven by remote end users or autonomously within the NSC’s 50,000 square foot simulated hospital that can also accept independent sim cards for isolating the robots on their own robotic telecommunication network (e.g. 5G blends such as ultrawide band, 5G low or mid bands, 5G Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS), 4G or cellular driven Wi-Fi signals), while in operation. The purpose of SimVET Synergist is to provide the opportunity between academia, Government, and industry sectors to collaborate for one specific solution.

2. Problem Statement:

In VA, the simulation continues to grow. The NSC has identified gaps in efficiency, with one notable gap being a lack of effective means to accurately have remote clinical, operational, or technical subject matter experts (SME) participate in live simulation through remote means. A web meeting solution isn’t enough as the remote participants often need to interact with the personnel in the space where a given simulation physically is happening. Specifically, remote simulation participants must be equipped to move around small spaces (e.g., inpatient or outpatient rooms) with several other personnel in the room and communicate with them without being too disruptive to the simulation experience. The lack of an effective tool creates issues with access to live and remote simulations. The SimLEARN NSC proactively seeks to discover current available tools, and then determine the best possible (most plausible) solution(s) for Telepresence Robots for the VHA simulation community.

3. Project Aim:

There is a fair amount of published research in the development of Telepresence Robotics for the simulation community in multiple offerings to date. Having such technology will inform future development efforts by stakeholder groups including manufacturers, Construction and Design engineers, and direct care providers, and as a result will improve the remote cross-pollination and participation of our simulation community over time.

The first project that will be undertaken is Telepresence Robotic in Clinical Simulation for the VA simulation community (By December 2024).

Project goals include:

· (Primary goal) Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that can overcome traditional teleconferencing challenges and allow the user to control the robot and physically interact with people in remote locations or accompany the user to speak on their behalf by use of the solution tool.

4. Response Instructions:

a. Response format, deadline, and page limit- Interested parties should respond to this RFI by 2:00 PM ET on April 12, 2024, via e-mail to jacky.jean-jacques@va.gov and brian.stevenson@va.gov. Limit all responses to no more than 15 pages.

Responses should be submitted in Microsoft Word format with 12 pt. or greater font size. Respondents should limit marketing material to allow sufficient space for adequate, direct, and substantive responses with the information of most interest to the Government.

In all correspondence relevant to this RFI/SSN please identify it as a response to the “The National SimVET (Simulation Validation, Evaluation and Testing) – Telepresence Robotics in Clinical Simulation” a.k.a. Autonomous Caregivers (on response and in Subject Line of email).

CONFIDENTIALITY: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

b. Specific Response Instructions- If your organization has the potential capability to offer a Telepresence Robot that can be used to enhance remote participation of simulationists across VHA’s 170 VAMC-based simulation cells, please provide the following information:

One-page Cover Sheet containing—

1. Organization name, address, and web site.

2. Point of contact to include e-mail address and telephone number.

3. Business size (large or small). If small, please provide type of small business.

4. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) that best fits the areas covered in this RFI.

5. If applicable, GSA (or other) contract number, schedule, and SIN category.

6. If SDVOSB, are you certified as such at Veteran Small Business Certification (sba.gov)?

One-page Index-- Please provide an index to assist the Government in identifying where you have addressed each question below in your Capabilities Statement and Market Information. Please provide question number and corresponding page and section heading and/or paragraph number.

Capabilities Statement and Market Information – In addition to providing your capabilities statement and market information, your responses should address the following questions:

Telepresence Robotics in Clinical Simulation Questions:

1. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that is capable of remaining fully operational, connected and compatible with Wi-Fi, 4G, private 5G Citizen Broadband Radio Service or 5G mid and low bands by use of the solution tool.

2. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that is capable of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Compatibility by use of the solution tool.

3. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that is capable of Self-contained wireless audio-video appliance with recording abilities by use of the solution tool.

4. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that is capable of simple point and click user interface with multiple driving methods by use of the solution tool.

5. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that is capable of remote user-controlled mobility, volume, mute, camera lights, and hi-resolution snapshots by use of the solution tool.

6. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that is capable of auto-docking for battery recharging by use of the solution tool.

7. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that has a battery life of 4-8 hours or more by use of the solution tool.

8. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that has a cloud-based computing network, app and dashboard with comprehensive web tools for managing your robots and users’ privacy, permissions and connectivity controls by use of the tool.

9. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that has sensors to assist with driving, collision avoidance with obstacles and preventions from falling down steps by use of the solution tool.

10. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool with a design that has considered slope surfaces to verify that it does not turn over. Concerning handling and maneuverability, the total center of mass is considered at the minimum height again to confirm a precise motion further by use of the solution tool.

11. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that is controllable. For a mobile robot that is characterized by movement, vision, and communication, the controllability of the overall system is necessary. This includes methods to control the audio-video communication channel, wheel driving system, and height adaptation. All these features should be remotely controlled with the help of internet connection and PC or smartphone by use of the solution tool.

12. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that has a speed variable (dynamic performance motion) that can mirror the natural walking gate of an average human (171cm/5’7”) or slower by use of the solution tool.

13. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that can carry a user-interface device for simplifying the usability and wide-range applicability, the robot is proposed to hold input systems at a flexibility height that rises. The user interface is designed to be accessible and understandable for all age peoples in different postures such as sitting, lying on the bed, and standing by use of the solution tool.

14. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that Robust (stable) robustness and stability of the system is a regarded feature to avoid failure as well as to empower the robot traveling on various road types, whether it is on rough or obstacle by use of the solution tool.

15. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that is compact. A compact system with an extended capability owes the flexibility and usability of the system in various application ranges. Most existing telepresence robots have fixed dimensions though there are telescopic telepresence robots, hardly adaptable and agile. Ease to assemble, use, pack, and store are the other features considered to measure the compactness of the system by use of the solution tool.

16. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that can be autonomous or driven by a human. the battery is the main problem of today’s embedded system desiring autonomy. Furthermore, if applicable to your robot solution, autonomy should be demonstrated after mapping to show that a user can pick a room and the robot will make its way to that room (e.g., Roomba) without having to be driven. Single room point and click based on map-building by use of the solution tool.

17. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that has a wheeled layout (or other layout means) used to share the distributed loads equally. This layout contributes to achieving the desired characteristics like robustness, maneuverability, controllability, and stability by use of the solution tool.

18. Demonstrate, if applicable to your robot, that the proposed solution is a tool that has removeable heads (e.g., Tablet Size or Size of Screen). Specifically, this allows VA to keep iPads secure and connect them to the OI&T Network by use of the solution tool.

19. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that has a tilting head and telescoping neck (See-What-I-See) by use of the solution tool.

20. Demonstrate that the proposed solution, if applicable to your robot, is a tool that it has the capability of facial recognition by use of the solution tool.

21. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that has the capability of fingerprinting (navigation orientation, mappable, trainable) as safety parameters to keep users and robots from hitting walls or objects when in motion by use of the solution tool.

22. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that has a help desk feature for a sustainment footprint (e.g., updates of firmware, security patches, Operating System (OS) or software updates) by use of the solution tool.

23. Demonstrate that the proposed solution is a tool that has data sharing and Microsoft Teams compatibility with an app for management of data and files and is OS agnostic by use of the solution tool.

5. Industry Day Based on the viability and the innovative nature of the RFI’s responses provided, VA will send invites to selected respondents for an industry day at SimVET National Simulation Center in Orlando, FL, in early June 2024. The purpose of the Industry Day is to further explore the most technically capable solutions on the market. The aim of the project is to increase awareness of and bring innovative Telepresence Robotic solutions to the VHA in the near and distant future.