Reconnecting to Internal Sensations and Experiences for Uniformed Personnel (RISE UP)

The Defense Health Agency, through the United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA), has issued a Notice of Intent to award a sole source contract for the Reconnecting to Internal Sensations and Experiences for Uniformed Personnel (RISE UP) program. This special notice indicates the government's intention to award the contract directly to Auburn University without competitive bidding. The program focuses on developing a psychological intervention framework and software platform specifically designed for military populations. The three-year contract would run from January 5, 2026, to January 4, 2029, and involves creating research tools on the Qualtrics platform to evaluate intervention efficacy for uniformed personnel. The initiative falls under research and development in social sciences and humanities, specifically targeting applied research for national defense purposes.

The primary objective of RISE UP is to develop and implement a specialized psychological intervention study framework tailored to military-specific research requirements. Alternative sources have 45 days from the September 3, 2025 publication date to respond in writing if they believe they can meet the military-specific research and development requirements outlined in the solicitation. Potential contractors must provide clear evidence of their capabilities to handle this specialized military research, with the government reserving the right to determine whether competitive procurement would serve its best interests. Questions regarding the opportunity must be submitted to Mr. Herbert Keen at herbert.e.keen@health.mil no later than 12:00 PM EST on October 20, 2025. If no viable alternative sources are identified during the 45-day response period, the contract will proceed as a sole source award to Auburn University without further competitive action.