MTEC Pre-Announcement: “PRimer and prObe Manufacturing PlaTform (PROMPT)”
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC), in support of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), has issued a pre-announcement for a Request for Project Proposals (RPP) titled "PRimer and prObe Manufacturing PlaTform (PROMPT)". This initiative seeks to develop a fully automated, man-portable, and ruggedized prototype platform for the on-demand, expeditionary manufacturing of clinical-quality nucleic acid primers and probes. The system must be designed for operation in far-forward or austere environments by non-specialist personnel. The RPP is expected to be released soon, with a proposal preparation period of approximately 30 days.
Technical Objective & Requirements
The primary technical objective is to develop, integrate, and demonstrate a prototype platform that addresses critical technology gaps in expeditionary medical diagnostics. This includes replacing traditional, hazardous synthesis chemistry with field-stable alternatives and integrating novel, on-board capabilities for automated purification and quality control validation of reagents. The successful outcome will be a self-contained system capable of producing sequence-verified, high-purity oligonucleotides from a digital sequence file within hours, enabling rapid, decentralized diagnostic responses without reliance on traditional laboratory infrastructure or cold chain logistics.
Key requirements include:
- Integration: Nucleic acid synthesis (PCR primers/probes), basic purification, and first-line quality control into compact, ruggedized instruments optimized for reduced size, weight, and power (SWaP), operable by minimally trained personnel. Instruments should meet MIL-STD-810.
- Chemistry & Stability: High coupling efficiency for 20-40 nucleotide PCR primers/probes using field-safe chemistries. Reagents must demonstrate stability at room temperature (20–25°C) for at least 12 months and function reliably across –20°C to 55°C without cold-chain dependence.
- Production: Improve oligonucleotide production time and yield to generate multiple high-quality nucleic acid-based molecular assay reagents per synthesis run.
- Purification & Verification: Provide approaches (e.g., cartridge-based cleanup, microfluidic electrophoresis) comparable to gold standard methods (HPLC, LCMS).
- Demonstration: End-to-end workflows through pilot projects, comparing field-manufactured primers/probes to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) equivalents. Prototypes must be provided for independent evaluation.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Presolicitation (Pre-announcement for an RPP)
- Anticipated Awards: One or more awards
- Period of Performance: Not to exceed 24 months
- Set-Aside: None specified (MTEC membership required for proposal submission)
- RPP Release: Expected as soon as possible
- Proposal Preparation: Approximately 30 days from RPP release
- Published: May 28, 2026
Acquisition Approach
The upcoming RPP is expected to utilize a two-stage approach:
- Solution Brief: Interested offerors will submit solution briefs for evaluation.
- Pitch Event: Selected offerors will be invited to participate in a pitch event with the government sponsor for final award selection. The RPP will be posted on the MTEC website (mtec-sc.org), with a summary on SAM.gov.
Additional Notes
MTEC membership is required for proposal submission. MTEC's mission is to assist DoD agencies by providing cutting-edge medical technologies to protect and optimize Warfighters' health. Inquiries should be directed to Dr. Chuck Hutti at chuck.hutti@mtec-sc.org.