FAQs

What is the purpose of NPI?
The intent of the New Product and Idea (NPI) website is to serve as a gateway to partnerships with the US Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC). Submission to the NPI is not a substitute for other more appropriate vehicles, such as responding to Requests for Proposals (RFPs), the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) or Program Announcements (PAs), nor does it take the place of a pre-proposal that may be required by a BAA or PA. NPI provides a mechanism for submitters to obtain feedback with respect to USAMRDC's interest in their products, services, or ideas, without requiring an extensive submission.

What does NPI do for me?
Submissions to the NPI provide quick turn-around review and feedback by our experts. This review will provide insight into the applicability of the product or idea to the USAMRDC mission and actions that may need to be taken by the submitter.

When is it appropriate to submit to NPI?
It is appropriate to submit to the NPI when you would like to assess the interest or applicability of your product or idea to USAMRDC.

When should I expect to receive a response to my NPI submission?
Submissions to the New Products and Ideas websites are reviewed internally by our review team. Our goal for this review is 30-60 days. Please be advised that depending on the nature of your products and the work load of our review team, these reviews may take longer. However, we do our best to address these submissions in a timely manner.

May I be awarded a contract or grant as a result of my NPI submission?
NPI submissions are not proposals and no awards can be made as a result of submitting to the NPI. Research proposals must be submitted through the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) or Program Announcements (PAs), as appropriate, and proposals for equipment, supplies and services must be submitted in response to Requests for Quotes (RFQs) or Requests for Proposals (RFPs). The NPI Website is not an entry portal to these funding vehicles.

Where can I learn more about USAMRDC's missions and program?
Our research efforts are focused on providing solutions to the Warfighter at home and abroad. Research areas of interest include military infectious disease, combat casualty care, military operational medicine, clinical and rehabilitative medicine, medical and chemical defense, as well as telemedicine and advanced technologies. A complex organization, USAMRDC protects and sustains the health and fighting ability of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines through its programs in medical research, medical materiel development, medical logistics and the development of new knowledge to improve military health care at home and on the battlefield. USAMRDC is engaged in a broad spectrum of activities, from basic research in the laboratory to innovative product acquisition and the fielding and life-cycle management of medical equipment and supplies for deploying units. USAMRDC requires products and technology that are applicable to the austere medical environments to which we may be deployed. To learn more, go to (https://mrdc.amedd.army.mil/).

Is there a place where I can showcase my medical products and supplies to USAMRDC?
"Vendor Day" provides opportunities for vendors to showcase their medical products and supplies. This cooperative venture is a series of dates set aside for vendors of medical equipment and supplies to display their products to multiple service organizations at one time. To register for a place at an upcoming Vendor Day, go to http://www.health.mil/VendorDay.

Where can I learn more about USAMRDC's current and upcoming funding opportunities?
The Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) and Program Announcements (PAs) are posted on Grants.gov. To view USAMRDC’s BAAs and PAs, go to www.grants.gov. Search for USAMRDC’s announcements by inserting “12.420” in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) block. This site is updated daily. Similarly, you may search for USAMRDC’s current contract opportunities by going to www.fedbizopps.gov. If you do not know the number of a particular opportunity, enter "W81XWH" in the "Keyword/Solicitation #" block and press "Search". This site is updated daily. You may also access these opportunities on the Army Single Face to Industry (ASFI) website, and may be accessed by going to https://acquisition.army.mil/asfi/ and click on “Procurement Notifications” under the heading, “ASFI for Industry”. If you do not know the number of a particular solicitation, scroll down the list of contracting offices to identify the US Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity to find a listing of solicitations for USAMRDC. The ASFI site is updated daily. To find a projection of upcoming opportunities, go to USAMRDC’s Advanced Acquisition Forecast (AAF), which can be found at https://www.usamraa.army.mil/pages/AAAF/index.cfm. The AAF is a projection of possible future contracting opportunities with elements of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command and other activities on Fort Detrick. The AAF is updated periodically.

What happens with my NPI submission after I receive confirmation of submission?
Your NPI submission is reviewed by a team of experts. Then, an assessment in the form of a disposition of the idea or product is provided to the submitter in as little as 30 days.

Is there other funding available for my product/idea?
Research funding within USAMRDC is very limited and varies from year to year. There is no particular time of the year where funding is more available than at other times. If your company is a small business and you are looking for a relatively small amount of funding, you may also want to consider the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. For more information on these programs, consult https://www.acq.osd.mil/doing-business.html

If I wish to apply for research funding, how can I increase my chances for approval of my grant application?
First, remember that research applications are to be submitted under the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) or Program Announcements (PAs), as appropriate. If you wish to apply for research funding, the NPI is not the appropriate vehicle for you to use. That being said, if you are going to apply for research funding through the BAA or a PA, the following guidance should be helpful. One way to strengthen your proposal is to consider partnering with another organization. We recommend choosing one with a strong research program, one which is known for its research programs, or a researcher who has a strong history of research and publications. Prepare a strong pre-proposal. Begin by reading the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) very carefully. Study the USAMRDC's areas of scientific interest ("Research Areas of Interest") as defined in the BAA and ensure that the work you're proposing closely aligns with our mission. When preparing your pre-proposal, address the questions/subjects that are a part of the pre-proposal format, and reflect a reasonable and realistic timeline and budget for completion of the work that's being described. As research dollars are limited, only the very best research proposals will be funded. If, after submission of a pre-proposal, you are invited to submit a full proposal, an additional piece of guidance would be to ensure that you construct your proposal with the evaluation criteria in mind.

What if I don't complete my session all in one sitting?
We recommend that you save every so often as the system has a timeout feature after 15 minutes. We also recommend that you save your information in a word document for reference in case that the submission does not save.