RFI: Beacon Program - Medical Countermeasure (MCM) Candidate Integration and Subcontractor Management

The Department of the Army Materiel Command Army Contracting Command Aberdeen Proving Ground is seeking a prime contractor to serve as the integration and management entity for the Beacon program, which focuses on accelerating the identification and screening of chemical threat medical countermeasure (MCM) candidates through a data-driven approach. The contractor will be responsible for obtaining MCM candidates identified by the Government, executing comprehensive testing protocols including non-clinical and clinical studies, managing Chemical, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) development, and conducting operationally relevant testing while maintaining a robust pipeline for transitioning successful candidates to advanced development. Key qualifications include demonstrated expertise in managing complex government contracts related to medical or drug development, a designated Program Manager with advanced government contracting experience, in-house regulatory capabilities, established relationships with Contract Research Organizations (CROs), Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs), and testing laboratories, and the ability to manage sensitive data and intellectual property at CUI and Secret classification levels. The contractor must establish biweekly programmatic and technical meetings with the Government, develop and maintain a monthly Integrated Master Schedule, manage rapid subcontract awards, ensure compliance with FDA Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP), and animal welfare regulations, and demonstrate robust risk identification, assessment, and mitigation procedures. This is a Request for Information (RFI) for market research purposes only, with responses due by March 20, 2026, and interested parties should review the draft Statement of Objectives and specific RFI questions before submitting their replies.

This opportunity carries no set-aside designation and does not identify any incumbent contractors or current award holders. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the pre-solicitation notice, and no incumbent contractor information is provided. The anticipated period of performance is 60 months, indicating a substantial, long-term engagement requiring sustained program management and subcontractor oversight capabilities. Prospective contractors should note that this RFI does not constitute a commitment to award a contract and serves solely to inform the Government's market research efforts. The Government will retain control of MCM candidate selection and testing requirement definition, while the contractor will function as the primary administrative and management entity responsible for subcontract execution. Contractors interested in this opportunity should prepare comprehensive responses addressing organizational capabilities, subcontractor management practices, regulatory expertise, security and data handling protocols, and relevant case studies demonstrating prior success with similar medical countermeasure development initiatives.