Wearable Safety & Physiological Monitoring Technology

THIS IS NOT A NOTICE OF SOLICITATION ISSUANCE, BUT RATHER A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) from industry that will allow the Government to identify commercial capabilities. The information sought herein is for planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a request for quote (RFQ), request for proposal (RFP), invitation for bid (IFB), or as an obligation or commitment on the part of the Government to acquire any product or service. There shall be no basis for claims against the Government as a result of information submitted in response to the RFI. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI, or otherwise pay for any information submitted by respondents to this request. This notice is for market research purposes only and is not indicative of a full requirement.

Any proposed items must meet or exceed the following specifications:

Wearable Safety & Physiological Monitoring Technology

Introduction & Objective

The Government is conducting market research to identify commercially available, mature, and emerging technology solutions capable of enhancing the safety, accountability, and survivability of every Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) Soldier participating in Assessment, Selection, Qualification, and Professional Military Education (PME) courses.

The Government seeks to understand industry capabilities, technical maturity, scalability, cost drivers, and risks associated with a wearable solution that provides real-time two-way communication, accurate location tracking, and continuous biometric monitoring viewable by cadre and safety personnel for safety management and risk mitigation.

ARSOF training pipelines subject candidates to physically and mentally demanding conditions across varied terrain, climate, and duration. These conditions present inherent risks—including heat injury, cardiac events, dehydration, hypothermia, and physical incapacitation—that may occur outside the immediate observation of cadre. A technology-enabled safety monitoring capability is sought to enable early detection of physiological distress, rapid location of distressed personnel, and timely medical intervention.

Technical Requirements & Capabilities

To meet the requirements of this RFI, proposed systems should satisfy the following criteria. Respondents need not address every area but should clearly identify which capabilities they can provide.

1 Two-Way Communication

• Reliable two-way communication between wearer and cadre or safety personnel, allowing cadre to communicate with any selected user individually or the entire cohort simultaneously. Users may only communicate directly with cadre.
• Communication options include voice, data, or a combination of both.
• Wearer-initiated distress or man-down alert capability.
• Automated alerts sent to cadre when biometric thresholds are exceeded.
• Operation in degraded, denied, or no-infrastructure environments, such as mesh networks, satellite, or cellular fallback.

2 GPS / Location Services

• Near-real-time geolocation with desired accuracy of 10 meters or less and updates occurring every 30 seconds or less.
• Configurable and on-demand location updates.
• Geofencing with automated alerts when boundaries are departed.
• Reliable performance in GPS-degraded environments.
• Wearers must not be able to access location or time data from the device.
• Automated alerts at the control center when a unit remains stationary for preset periods as specified by cadre.

3 Biometric Monitoring

• Continuous monitoring of core body temperature, and heart rate at a minimum.
• Configurable, course-specific alert thresholds.
• Additional desirable parameters include respiration rate, hydration indicators, skin temperature, gate measurement, blood oxygen saturation (SpO₂), and fall/impact detection.
• Monitoring equipment must not be constrictive, restrictive, or otherwise detracting from training.

4 Cadre Monitoring / Command Dashboard

• AI enabled to assess all data collected and provide warnings
• Centralized, simultaneous, real-time view of all monitored personnel (location, biometrics, alerts)
• Monitor 400+ devices per base station.
• Easy to use with minimal training.
• 24/7 Software Support for troubleshooting.
• Tiered alerting (visual/audible/push).
• Historical data logging and after-action analytics.

5 Hardware / Wearable

• Lightweight, low-profile design that does not restrict movement or blood flow for the wearer.
• Ruggedized construction with a target rating of IP67 or higher.
• Battery life sufficient for training events lasting over 24 hours, with rapid recharging capability.
• If reusable, must be easily sanitized.
• Must not interfere with other devices or wearers when in proximity.
• Waterproof up to 2 meters or greater.
• Audible distress beacon for rapid locating of wearers in crisis.

6 Cybersecurity & Data

• Approach to DoD RMF / Authority to Operate (ATO) per DoDI 8510.01.
• FIPS 140-2/140-3 validated encryption in transit and at rest.
  • PHI/PII handling, role-based access, data ownership, and disposition.

Information Requested from Industry- Interested vendors are requested to submit white papers or product data sheets, not to exceed 8 pages, detailing the following:

Section A — Company Information

1. Company name, address, CAGE Code, UEI, and primary point of contact

2. Business size and socioeconomic status under the applicable NAICS code (e.g., small business, 8(a), SDVOSB, WOSB, HUBZone)

3. Commercial and/or government customer base relevant to this capability

Section B — Solution / Capability Description

1. Description of your solution and which capability areas it addresses

2. Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and current maturity (fielded, prototype, in development)

3. Demonstrated performance in austere, disconnected, or military environments

4. Known limitations, constraints, or accuracy/reliability considerations

Section C — Cybersecurity & Data

1. Current ATO status or RMF experience within DoD; estimated timeline to achieve ATO if not already held

2. Approach to protecting PHI/PII, encryption, and data ownership/disposition

Section D — Implementation & Sustainment

1. Scalability to support large cohorts and multiple geographically dispersed locations

2. Training, technical support, maintenance, warranty, and sustainment approach

3. Lead times for delivery, fielding, and standup

Section E — Current Contracts

1. Existing contract vehicles through which the solution is available (e.g., GSA Schedule, SEWP, CSO/OTA eligibility, SBIR/STTR)

Section F — Optional

1. Any additional information, innovations, or recommendations relevant to this requirement

2. Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost/pricing model (e.g., per-device, subscription, enterprise license)

Documentation provided must address all required elements listed herein. Providing only a reference to a website is unacceptable for purposes of this announcement and will not be considered. All proprietary or corporate data received must be clearly identified. Do NOT submit classified material. Contractors interested in providing these supplies shall be registered in the System for Award Management (www.sam.gov).

The Government makes no commitment to respond to questions submitted in response to this notice. No requests for capability briefings will be honored as a result of this notice. Information provided will not be used as a part of any subsequent solicitation requirement. No reimbursements will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement and/or any follow-up information requests.

Failure to respond to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future associated requests for quotations that may be issued. Respondents will NOT be individually notified of the results. However, if the final determination results in the verification of a sole-source negotiation, a Notice of Intent to Sole Source and the redacted Justification and Approval will be posted to www.sam.gov.