Army Blood Link (ABL) – Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)

Army Blood Link (ABL) – Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) for Blood Product Transport

Request for Proposals (RFP) – Other Transaction Authority (OTA) Prototype Project

Brief Description of Requirement

The 419th Contracting Support Brigade, Fort Liberty, North Carolina, on behalf of XVIII Airborne Corps Joint Operations Innovation Outpost (JIOP), is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) for the competitive award of an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) prototype project for the Army Blood Link (ABL) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).

The Government seeks to develop and deliver two (2) prototype UAS capable of transporting 20 units of Government‑designated blood products per mission, including all approved primary, secondary, thermal‑control, shock‑protection, monitoring, and restraint packaging. Each system shall provide a minimum usable payload‑compartment volume of 1.25 cubic feet and a minimum payload capacity of 35 pounds, with a payload capacity range of 25–50 pounds.

The contractor shall provide a validated transport container that maintains the Government‑specified product temperature range for the required mission duration and environmental conditions. The ABL UAS will be employed in contested and denied environments where ground transportation is not viable and will support both training and deployed operational missions for medical units (e.g., medical brigades).

Additional technical, performance, and interface requirements are provided in the attached Salient Characteristics – Army Blood Link (ABL) UAS for Blood Product Transport, which form an integral part of this notice and the basis for proposal evaluation.

Period and Place of Performance

a. Prototype Period of Performance (PoP):

The anticipated PoP for the prototype OTA is up to 3 months from effective date of award, unless otherwise negotiated. (Recommend modification of existing commercial UAS)

Offerors shall propose a schedule that delivers fully functional prototype systems (including complete payload containers and support equipment) no later than 3 months after award, including time allocated to testing, refinement, and documentation in coordination with the Government.

b. Place of Performance / Delivery Location:

Primary delivery and demonstration locations will be within the continental United States (CONUS). The initial delivery location is anticipated to be:

Fort Liberty, North Carolina (or other designated XVIII Airborne Corps / medical unit location).

Specific delivery instructions, test locations, and access requirements will be provided at time of award and coordinated with the Agreements Officer’s Representative (AOR).

Anticipated Agreement Information

a. Type of Instrument:

This effort will be executed as a prototype project agreement under DoD Other Transaction Authority (OTA).

b. Type of Contract/Agreement Consideration:

The ABL prototype effort will be structured as a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) OTA agreement for the design, integration, delivery, and demonstration of the prototype systems, in accordance with the DoD OTA Guide and applicable implementing guidance.

c. Acquisition Procedures:

Acquisition procedures will follow OTA prototype project procedures as outlined in the DoD OTA Guide and implementing Army guidance for competitive prototype projects.

d. Authority:

This prototype project is pursued under Title 10, U.S.C., Section 4022 (Other Transaction Authority for Prototype Projects).

e. Follow‑On Production:

This competitive prototype project may result in a follow‑on production agreement (which may be FFP or other appropriate structure) without the use of competitive procedures, consistent with Title 10, U.S.C., Section 4022.

Follow‑on production is contingent upon:

Successful completion of the prototype effort, as determined by the AOR; and

Increased or continued demand for the ABL capability; and

A clear Government determination that a follow‑on production award is in the best interest of the Government.

Summary of Technical and Operational Requirements

The ABL UAS shall meet or exceed the requirements set forth in the attached Salient Characteristics document, including but not limited to:

Mission Role & Employment:

Transport Government‑designated blood products in contested/denied environments where ground transportation is not viable.

Support training missions (1–5 per month) and operational deployments (multiple missions per day).

Payload Capacity & Volume:

Transport 20 blood units including all packaging and protection.

Minimum usable payload volume 1.25 ft³.

Payload capacity range 25–50 lb, with minimum 35 lb capability.

Blood Transport Container & Thermal Control:

Validated container compatible with UAS payload bay.

Maintain required blood temperature for up to 3 hours at 15 °F to 120 °F with high humidity.

Protection against rain, dust, sand, solar heating, and chemical contamination.

Range, Endurance & Mission Distance:

Minimum 30 km one‑way operational radius at maximum combined fuel/energy and payload load.…