DOUBLE TIME
manufacturing capabilities or the regula- tory experience of larger, more traditional contractors—can help widen what MTEC calls the “aperture of innovation,” which is typically not available under standard FAR-based contracting. Such outreach takes place in a variety of settings: scien- tific meetings, military meetings like the annual Military Health System Research Symposium, investor pitch sessions, and even via partners in the venture capital world, among others.
Further, OTA agreements give companies the opportunity to team with one another to provide more complete proposals that better meet the government’s techni- cal requirements. To that end, MTEC facilitates virtual or in-person meetings between both parties to help members develop a proposal that brings together complementary capabilities to meet the sponsor’s technical needs.
MTEC IN ACTION An example of the OTA in action can be seen in the development of the Ascent Platform, a wearable sensor technol- ogy from LifeLens Technologies that's designed to enable Army leaders to moni- tor the health status of Soldiers. Supported by the Warfighter Health, Performance and Evacuation Project Management Office within the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (a subor- dinate unit of USAMRDC), and funded through MTEC, LifeLens Technologies
successfully demonstrated the Ascent Platform during the Army Expedition- ary Warrior Experiment at Fort Benning, Georgia, in early 2021. Te platform was used to capture data from 48 missions over the course of the event, reporting zero field failures in the process. As it stands now, the LifeLens Technologies team will use the data gathered from the event to plan for subsequent fielding with the project management office.
“Using the OTA for wearable sensors has been extremely successful for our teams,” said Rosarius. “We are seeing the value of this tool in the sensor and other areas for both our researchers and [program managers] to assist in avoiding injuries and ultimately saving lives.”
Since MTEC became fully operational in January 2016, USAMRDC has awarded more than 160 different proto- typing projects through it with more than $550 million in government fund- ing. With such an established record of success, the command now focuses on the next step, the next hurdle to clear. How does USAMRDC keep pace with not only changing military landscapes on one side of the equation, but also near- constant technological improvements on the other? For Rosarius, the answer is constant innovation.
“I think we can go forward much faster,” she said. “I think technologically, there’s
What separates the OTA from other standard contracting mechanisms is that it allows for increased speed and flexibility for both parties.
20 Army AL&T Magazine Winter 2022 QUICK TURNAROUND
Critical Innovations LLC, the company behind the prototype Fast Onset Abdominal Management (F.O.A.M.) hemorrhage control application tool, was able to begin work on prototype delivery in just three to four months using $600,000 in base OTA funding through MTEC. (Photo by Critical Innovations LLC)
so many opportunities out there; a lot of it is going to be IT-, network-, tele-driven in the future. Tere’s so much technology from industry, academia and our own expertise to piggyback on.”
Langdon notes that, just this year, MTEC developed a unique commercialization program that provides outreach, educa- tion, mentoring, networking services and investment support to MTEC members; all of which will likely be integral to a sustained environment of innovation.
“With these service offerings, MTEC aims to help align innovators with military
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