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FAQs: DoD DMRDP JPC-1/MSIS (FY16 JPC-1/MSIS ATUMN) - Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH-15-DMRDP-MSIS-ATUMN

1) What is this funding opportunity about?

This solicitation supports research and development to build and test compensatory and adaptive medical tutor prototype(s). The goal is an evidence-based tutoring system that strengthens long-term retention of the cognitive skills used in clinical work, including patient assessment, clinical reasoning, clinical judgment, and diagnosis and treatment decision-making.

2) Who is funding this opportunity?

The opportunity is funded by the Department of the Army through USAMRAA under the DoD DMRDP JPC 1/MSIS program.

3) What is the official opportunity identification?

The opportunity is identified as FY16 JPC-1/MSIS ATUMN with Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH-15-DMRDP-MSIS-ATUMN.

4) What is the CFDA number for this program?

The solicitation is listed under CFDA 12.420 (Military Medical Research and Development).

5) What types of awards can be used?

The announcement allows multiple award instrument types: cooperative agreement, grant, or procurement contract.

6) How many awards are expected and what is the total funding?

The program expects to make about two awards with an estimated total funding of $3,000,000.

7) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The solicitation states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

8) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of entity (subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement).

9) What problem is the government trying to solve?

The focus is improving sustained learning of clinical cognitive skills. A key emphasis is reducing future dependence on the technology itself by using sustained learning methodologies so learners internalize and retain what they have learned rather than needing the tool continuously to perform well.

10) What does "compensatory and adaptive medical tutor" mean in this solicitation?

Based on the solicitation description, the tutor is expected to act like an intelligent, curriculum-aware coach that adapts instruction over time. It should determine where the learner is on a learning curve, choose learning paths aligned to curriculum objectives, and continuously reassess performance to reroute instructional content or practice activities as needed.

11) Is a static e-learning module responsive to what is being requested?

No. The solicitation explicitly signals that it wants more than static e-learning. The expected system should adapt dynamically, track progress over time, and make defensible instructional decisions based on measurable performance.

12) What capabilities must the tutor have to track learner progress?

The system must be able to (a) locate the learner relative to the course curriculum, learning objectives, and expected outcomes, (b) map performance to a learning curve, and (c) update its instructional plan as performance data accumulates over time to keep the learner moving toward the curriculum-defined end state.

13) How important is long-term retention in this opportunity?

Long-term retention is central. The prototype must demonstrate sustainment of cognitive information gained, meaning the effort should show that learners retain targeted knowledge and reasoning skills over time, not only immediately after training.

14) Do applicants need to define how long "sustained learning" lasts?

Yes. Proposers are expected to specify the intended duration of sustained learning (how long knowledge and clinical cognitive skills remain improved after training).

15) Can the project team choose the medical content area?

Yes. The tutoring domain can be chosen by the principal investigator and team, but it needs to map to military-relevant medicine.

16) What medical domains are examples of acceptable focus areas?

The announcement lists examples including shock assessment and management, traumatic brain injury, mental health assessment (including PTSD and substance abuse), musculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment, wound management and debridement, external fixation of fractures, ventilator management, and advanced emergency care procedures (for example lateral canthotomy or cranial decompression).

17) Is a pilot study required?

Yes. A structured pilot study is a required component of the effort.

18) What must be included in the pre-proposal related to evaluation?

The pre-proposal must outline the pilot study concept.

19) What must be included in the full proposal related to evaluation?

The full proposal must include a detailed pilot study protocol covering the training and evaluation methodology, the type of recruits/participants, recruitment numbers, anticipated dropout rate, assessment criteria, inter-rater reliability (where applicable), the medical domain(s) addressed, control groups, and statistical analysis plans.

20) What does the solicitation imply about the rigor of evaluation?

It implies a defensible evaluation design with measurable outcomes is expected, not merely a technical demonstration. The inclusion of control groups, statistical analysis plans, and inter-rater reliability (where applicable) signals emphasis on credible measurement.

21) What kind of deliverables are anticipated for the instructional approach?

One anticipated deliverable is a validated, well-supported set of recommendations for how the tutor will drive sustained cognitive knowledge and clinical reasoning skills, backed by contacts, references, and sources.

22) What is meant by a "documented vocabulary" deliverable?

The solicitation anticipates documentation of the tutor's vocabulary, including terminology and definitions for the chosen domain and for performance metrics. It should also explain how metrics locate a learner on the learning curve and guide adaptive decisions.

23) What documentation is expected regarding open vs proprietary components?

Applicants are expected to provide documentation separating open components from proprietary ones. This includes hardware/software requirements, common issues, update expectations, maintenance considerations, and any anticipated fees or schedules tied to proprietary components.

24) What architecture expectations are stated for the prototype?

The anticipated system architecture is expected to incorporate modularity, flexibility, robustness, and reliability, and it must incorporate an open source or open architecture approach.

25) Does the prototype have to fully achieve platform qualities during the project?

Not necessarily. Even if the prototype does not fully demonstrate all platform qualities during the project period, the design and architecture must clearly account for them and show how the solution could evolve into a durable, maintainable capability.

26) What is expected in the integrated design write-up?

A detailed integrated design write-up is anticipated describing how modularity, flexibility, robustness, and reliability are built into the architecture, plus a proposed timeline for adding those qualities if they are not fully realized within the prototype phase.

27) What are the intellectual property (IP) disclosure requirements?

The solicitation is explicit about IP transparency. Both the pre-proposal and full proposal must disclose any background IP tied to the solution, including ownership and licensing status.

28) Can applicants propose licensing arrangements with the government?

Yes. Applicants may indicate willingness and capability to pursue licensing arrangements with the government if the effort succeeds.

29) Is a live demonstration anticipated?

Yes. The program anticipates a live demonstration of the compensatory/adaptive medical tutor prototype.

30) Where is the live demonstration expected to take place?

The demonstration is most likely in the National Capital Area (Maryland/Northern Virginia), though it may occur at another government organization within the contiguous United States.

31) Are publications or public dissemination expected?

Dissemination is encouraged or expected through a submitted or presented abstract, or a draft/accepted publication. This indicates the effort should produce transferable knowledge and defensible findings, not just internal development outputs.

32) What is expected in the pilot study deliverable?

The pilot study deliverable is expected to include aims, methods, sample and sample size, inter-rater reliability, assessment criteria, analyzed results, conclusions, and recommended next steps.

33) When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted on July 29, 2015, with a closing date of December 17, 2015.

34) What is the archive date?

The archive date is January 16, 2016.

35) Who should applicants contact for technical access issues?

For technical access issues, applicants are directed to the CDMRP Help Desk at help@eBRAP.org or 301-682-5507.