Suicide Prevention Virtual Assessment Event

Suicide Prevention

Virtual Assessment Event

14 – 15 July 2020

Submissions Closed on 17 June 11:59 PM EST

Purpose
SOFWERX, in concert with USSOCOM SOF AT&L S&T, the Preservation of the Force and Family (POTFF), and the USSOCOM Command Surgeon’s Office (SG), will host a series of events to identify capabilities for identification of suicidal ideation, risk factors for suicide, and prevention of suicide.

Background
This effort is in direct support of the USSOCOM Suicide Prevention Policy and is of special interest to USSOCOM’s Commanding General in alignment with his 1st SOF truth: “Humans are more important than hardware.” As such, SOF AT&L S&T, in conjunction with the USSOCOM POTFF directorate and the USSOCOM Command Surgeon’s office, strive to present a methodological process to understand and/or conduct medical studies and verifications on predictive tool(s) that can detect the risk or intent of suicide behaviors among a SOF population. Currently, suicide prevention relies on self-reporting, which results in very limited tracking and intervention. The overall goal is to keep our SOF Operators safe, healthy, and highly optimized. Our knowledge of the tool(s) to predict, detect, and affect suicide behaviors is severely limited. Our intent is to increase this knowledge through use of analysis of large data sets, social media, vocal analysis, biomarkers tools, and/or other technologies that can be used to predict and/or detect suicidal behavior.

Why You Should Participate
USSOCOM seeks to enter into non-FAR or FAR based agreements with Industry, Academic, and National Lab partners whose solutions are favorably evaluated by USSOCOM S&T subject matter experts. As such, the follow-on Assessment Event is considered competitive in the same manner as a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) or Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO), and solutions will be evaluated independently of one another primarily for technical merit. This serves dually as notification of the intent to research the feasibility of an agreement under 10 U. S. Code, Section 2371b and/or Section 2371b(f), and as notice of pre-solicitation activities IAW FAR 5.204.

Focus Area
A Collaboration Event was conducted between USSOCOM SOF AT&L S&T, the Preservation of the Force and Family (POTFF), the USSOCOM Command Surgeon’s Office (SG), and invited Subject Matter Experts (SME) to provide a better understanding of the path forward for suicide prevention across the SOF enterprise. As an outcome of that event, USSOCOM has defined an “Evidence-based Approach for Suicide Prevention” that lists the attributes of interest that assist with prevention, prediction, and treatment of suicidal behavior. Please review the list below.

Event Timeline
Completed Phase 1- 06 May 2020 Virtual Collaboration Event: SOFWERX will conduct a virtual Collaboration Event (CE) focused on identifying limitations, ways to overcome them, and develop operational use cases so that potential technologies may be better applied against them during the Assessment Event (Phase 4). During this event, SOF Medical practitioners/researchers will interact with selected Industry, Academic, Laboratory, and Non-Traditional partners to further communicate operational needs, and/or desirements. Participation in the event is not mandatory, however, it is designed to provide insights to ensure potential offerors understand the problem set(s) and increase the likelihood of matching technologies with SOF Medical practitioner’s/researcher’s needs. If you do not wish to participate in the Collaboration Event, you are free to submit your technology for review for the Assessment Event (AE) after 13 May. Request to Attend closed on 24 April 2020. More information will be forthcoming on or around 29 April as to your attendance and dial-in access.

Completed Phase 2 – 20 May 2020 to 17 June 2020 Submissions to the Virtual Assessment Event (AE) Open: As an outcome of the collaboration event, USSOCOM is interested in tools, techniques, processes, or concepts that align in the four focus areas. Interested respondents who could potentially provide solutions that meet the needs of USSOCOM S&T are encouraged to submit their solutions for USSOCOM review. To submit your technology for potential Phase 4 virtual attendance, please follow the submission instructions that will be near the bottom of this webpage after 20 May.

Completed 05 June Q&A Telecon: Interested offerors may participate in a virtual Q&A session to better understand the intent of the event by USSOCOM. The telecon will take place on 05 June at 1400-1500 EST.

Phase 3 – 18 June 2020 to 30 June 2020 Downselect: USSOCOM will downselect those respondents/submissions they feel have the highest potential to satisfy their technology needs that were outcomes of the 06 May event. Favorably evaluated submissions will receive an invitation to attend the Phase 4 Virtual Assessment Event. Those invitations will go out o/a 30 June.

Phase 4 – 14 July 2020 to 15 July 2020 Virtual Assessment Event: During the Virtual Assessment Event (AE), selected participants will be allotted a one-on-one session with the USSOCOM S&T evaluation panel to pitch, demonstrate, and/or discuss their solutions. The forum will include a Q&A portion, and discussions may continue outside of the event. Solution brief evaluation criteria will be outlined in the event invitation. If the USSOCOM evaluation panel favorably evaluates a solution brief, negotiations for Phase 5 may immediately begin.

Phase 5 – Path Forward: Successfully negotiated awards may fall under any combination of these categories:

Other Transaction Agreements under 10 U.S. Code, Section 2371 or 2371b* (prototyping/production follow-on)
Procurement contract for experimental purposes 10 U. S. Code, Section 2373
Business to business research and development agreement as a sub-award (15 U.S. Code, Section 3715)
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (15 U.S. Code, Section 3710a)
*An award under 10 U. S. Code, Section 2371b may result in the further award of a follow-on production agreement without additional competition based on successful prototype completion. The Government may make this follow-on production award even if all successful prototype criteria are not fully met during the prototype project.

Questions? 
For event-related questions, please contact Kinsey Crim, Kinsey.Crim@sofwerx.org
For technical questions, please contact Douglas Simpson, douglas.simpson@socom.mil