MTEC Multi-Topic Request for Project Proposals: Military Medical Prototype Advancement (MTEC-26-04-MultiTopic)
Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).
Executive Summary
The Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC) has released its Fiscal Year 2026 Multi-Topic Request for Project Proposals (RPP), solicitation number MTEC-26-04-MultiTopic, under Other Transaction Agreement No. W81XWH-15-9-0001. This is the full solicitation, not a pre-announcement. The RPP was issued on August 6, 2026, and Enhanced White Papers are due by October 30, 2026 at Noon Eastern Time.
The opportunity funds military-relevant medical prototype technologies, medical techniques, knowledge products, devices, drugs, and biologics across 15 Focus Areas spanning primary prevention, infectious disease, trauma and wound infection, sepsis, musculoskeletal injury, pain management, anesthesia, and blast and blunt exposure monitoring. Note that the released RPP now includes 15 Focus Areas rather than the 14 described in the earlier pre-announcement. Focus Area 15 (Blast and Blunt Sensors for Exposure Monitoring) has been added, and several Focus Area titles were refined.
Each proposal must address one and only one Focus Area. Competition is expected to be highly competitive and uses a two-stage Enhanced White Paper process. Evaluations run on a rolling, first-in first-out basis, so early submission is an advantage. Only current MTEC members in good standing may submit as the prime.
Application deadline: October 30, 2026, Noon Eastern Time.
How much funding would I receive?
For most Focus Areas the funding amount, number of awards, and period of performance remain unspecified and are contingent upon the availability of federal funds. For informational purposes, MTEC states that the average size of MTEC awards for the initial period of performance is approximately $2.0M to $3.5M over a 2 to 3 year period of performance. These figures are historical averages and are not guaranteed award amounts.
The released RPP does specify funding for three sub areas. For Focus Area 10A, therapeutic interventions to accelerate recovery from musculoskeletal injury, the Government anticipates 1 to 2 awards of roughly $3M each, with a period of performance not to exceed 36 months. For Focus Area 10B, preservation of musculoskeletal health, the Government anticipates 2 to 3 awards of roughly $1.5M each, also with a period of performance not to exceed 36 months. For Focus Area 15, blast and blunt sensors for exposure monitoring, a total of $10.5M is available for 2 awards, one of which may be up to $7M, with a period of performance not to exceed 48 months and an expected FY27 start.
Focus Area 10 and Focus Area 15 awards are expected to begin in FY27. Awards from the RPP overall are expected to be made in FY 2027 and FY 2028.
For Focus Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, and 14, the Government has chosen to keep funding availability unspecified given the wide range of prototype maturity that could be responsive. Offerors are encouraged to propose budgets and a period of performance commensurate with the nature, scope, and complexity of the proposed work, and to structure budgets around major deliverables so that Sponsors can more easily allocate available funding.
Awards may be structured incrementally and tied to completion of milestones and deliverables.
What could I use the funding for?
Each proposal must address only one Focus Area. Proposed solutions may include medical techniques, knowledge products, and materiel such as medical devices, drugs, and biologics. Military relevance is a key requirement.
Examples of work that could be included in the period of performance include non-GLP laboratory research, exploratory studies of candidate devices, drugs, or systems, evaluation in laboratory or animal models, prototype development and maturation, nonclinical and preclinical studies for a regulatory data package, preparation of regulatory submissions (IND, IDE), clinical feasibility and pivotal studies as needed, stability and shelf-life studies, GMP manufacturing establishment, and prototype delivery for military-relevant testing.
Focus Areas:
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The aim of this focus area is to develop and evaluate non-training interventions/activities that address risk and protective factors for harmful behaviors. Priority risk/protective factors to address include: morale, fairness, work-life balance, passive leadership, toxic leadership, and workplace hostility.
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The aim of this focus area is to develop interventions or trainings to combat the key contributors to obesity and physical inactivity. This focus area encourages offerors to consider resource/environmental constraints and social and psychological barriers present for warfighters when developing solutions.
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The aim of this focus area is to identify and develop solutions against key drivers of help-seeking. Solutions should prioritize high-impact resources/services and Service member populations at elevated risk for harmful behaviors.
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The aim of this focus area is thedevelopment of solutions to prevent or delay wound infections (bacterial, fungal, and/or antimicrobial-resistant) following battlefield and complex traumatic wounds, including in austere or contested environments, for use at the point of injury and in prolonged care environments (Roles 1 and 2), without negatively impacting wound healing. High-priority pathogens include Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, and invasive fungal infections.
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The aim of this focus area is the development of products, including immune modulators, novel drugs, immunotherapeutics, and other pathogen-agnostic and/or host-directed approaches, to treat sepsis following battlefield and complex traumatic wounds (excluding burn wounds), including in austere or contested environments.
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The aim of this focus area is the development of knowledge product solutions to optimize clinical practice guidelines for the prevention of infection in traumatic penetrating wounds.
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The aim of this focus area is the development of solutions to prevent bacterial diarrhea resulting from high-priority pathogens (Campylobacter jejuni, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, and Shigella) in operational settings.
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The aim of this focus area is the development of prophylactic drugs and vaccines, to prevent all four serotypes of Dengue Fever.
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The aim of this focus area is on developing pathogen-agnostic and/or broad-spectrum solutions for prevention or treatment of Lassa fever virus, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV), and various hantaviruses, which are high-consequence pathogens that pose distinct risks to the deployed Joint Force.
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The aim of this focus area is the development of solutions for musculoskeletal injury interventions for the pre-hospital environment. Specifically, this focus area seeks (1) therapeutic interventions to accelerate recovery from musculoskeletal injury or (2) solutions for the preservation of musculoskeletal health.
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The aim of this focus area is for solutions that inform risk/benefit decisions and create evidence-based recommendations for the Joint Trauma System (JTS) to refine and optimize existing Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) and Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) protocols.
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The aim of this focus area is to accelerate the development of safer, opioid-sparing analgesics by leveraging the FDA's 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway for repurposed drugs delivered via novel administration methods. The desired end-state is a candidate drug/device combination ready to enter Phase I clinical trials.
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The aim of this focus area is to advance the preclinical development of a novel, non-addictive analgesic compound with a mechanism of action suitable for treating acute, combat-related trauma. The desired end-state is a promising lead candidate with a data package sufficient to justify further investment in IND-enabling studies.
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The aim of this focus area is to develop and demonstrate a prototype system or therapeutic for the management of anesthesia and procedural pain in austere environments (Role 1 and 2). The goal is to produce a solution that reduces the cognitive burden on providers and can be used by non-specialists.
Are there any additional benefits I would receive?
Potential additional benefits include:
Potential award of one or more non-competitive follow-on tasks based on successful project performance and milestone progression, awarded to the original awardee.
Access to MTEC member teaming resources, the Member Profiles directory, and M-Corps subject matter experts.
Potential access to MTEC's consortium network and its relationships with the Defense Health Agency and other government agencies.
Eligibility for the "basket" provision: proposals with technical merit that cannot be funded immediately remain eligible for funding for two years from the date of submission.
What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?
Key dates from the released RPP:
RPP issued: August 6, 2026
BIDS submission portal opens: no later than August 21, 2026
Enhanced White Paper due: October 30, 2026, Noon Eastern Time
Proposers Conference series: webinars expected within several weeks of RPP release
Teaming Connects: virtual sessions to be scheduled; 3 minutes and 1 slide per pitch
Period of performance start: no sooner than 4 months after the submission deadline unless otherwise specified
Awards expected: FY 2027 and FY 2028
The solicitation uses a two-stage Enhanced White Paper process. In Stage 1, current MTEC members submit Enhanced White Papers in the mandatory format. Selected offerors are invited to submit a full cost proposal in Stage 2. Evaluations and award recommendations are conducted on a rolling, first-in first-out basis, so submitting early in the open window is advantageous.
Application deadline: October 30, 2026, Noon Eastern Time.
Where does this funding come from?
The opportunity is released through the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC), a 501(c)(3) non profit. MTEC supports the Department of Defense and Department of War, the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, the Defense Health Agency, and other government agencies. MTEC operates under a renewable Other Transaction Agreement with a ten year term, Agreement No. W81XWH-15-9-0001, with the Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity, awarded under the authority of 10 U.S.C. § 4022.
Who is eligible to apply?
The prime performer must be an MTEC member in good standing at least three days prior to submission of the Enhanced White Paper. Subcontractors and lower tier subawardees do not need to be MTEC members. Proposed projects must fit MTEC's prototype definition and must not be exploratory, and a foundation of preliminary data is required. A minimum KRL or TRL of 3 at the time of submission is required unless a Focus Area specifies otherwise. Proposed solutions must not have been submitted to MTEC under RPPs within the past two years, including the 25-04-MultiTopic and 24-01-MPAI solicitations; substantially revised proposals that respond to prior Government feedback are allowed, but identical resubmissions are not. Each Enhanced White Paper must align to a single Focus Area.
Members who have not paid the MTEC Assessment Fee within 90 days of its due date are not considered members in good standing.
What companies and projects are likely to win?
Selection is highly competitive and is based on technical merit, programmatic considerations including portfolio composition, and the availability of funds. The number of meaningful submissions normally exceeds what available funding can support.
The RPP now specifies three evaluation factors:
Programmatic Relevance, which covers alignment to the Focus Area, the clinical problem and research gap, and demonstration of the minimum requirements: military relevance, prototype fit, minimum KRL or TRL, new submission, and single Focus Area alignment.
Technical Approach, which covers the hypothesis and objectives, scientific rationale and preliminary data, experimental design and feasibility, the team's ability to execute including regulatory compliance, and the statement of work and budget.
Commercialization Readiness Advancement, which covers technical maturity advancement, the market and business model, and the development and regulatory strategy, or a plan to transition the technology to the government where commercialization does not apply.
Proposals are rated Outstanding, Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Unacceptable. High merit ratings do not guarantee funding, since decisions also weigh funding priorities and portfolio balance.
The projects best positioned are those that address exactly one Focus Area, demonstrate clear military relevance, meet the prototype definition, satisfy the minimum KRL or TRL, include supporting preliminary and preclinical data, address a clearly identified DoD medical need, and include the Focus Area's mandatory submission documents.
Are there any restrictions I should know about?
Each proposal must address only one Focus Area, and failure to align to a single Focus Area may result in an Unacceptable rating. Projects must not be exploratory and must have preliminary data. The minimum KRL or TRL is 3 at submission unless a Focus Area specifies higher. Solutions submitted to MTEC within the previous two years may not be resubmitted.
Several Focus Areas carry mandatory documentation at submission, for example preclinical efficacy data, toxicity data if the FDA requires it, and documented FDA engagement, and missing required documentation can result in an Unacceptable rating. Route of administration limits apply to Focus Areas 8 and 9, which allow oral, intramuscular, transdermal, or subcutaneous administration only and exclude intravenous. Animal studies are prohibited under Focus Area 10A and out of scope for Focus Area 15.
Research involving human subjects or animals requires review by the DHA R&D MRDC Office of Research and Regulatory Compliance, specifically the Office of Human Research Oversight for human subjects and the Animal Care and Use Review Office for animals, in addition to local IRB or IACUC review. Allow two to three months for the human subjects review and three to four months for the animal review, and build at least 30 days into the schedule for the compliance office review and authorization process.
The MTEC Assessment Fee of 2 percent of the total funded value is not allowable as a direct charge and must not be included in proposed direct costs. Do not submit classified information in the Enhanced White Paper.
What do I need to submit?
Stage 1 requires six documents for all Focus Areas, submitted separately through BIDS, each 5MB or lower: Enhanced White Paper, limited to ten pages including the cover page, using the mandatory template in Section 8. Warranties and Representations. Statement of Work and Milestone Payment Schedule. Current and Pending Support. Intellectual Property and Data Rights Assertions, signed. Technology or Knowledge Readiness Level Checklist. Additional documents are required or encouraged depending on the Focus Area, including Extramural Research Involving Human Subjects, Documentation of FDA Engagement, Letters of Support, Biographical Sketches, and a Published or Additional Data Addendum. Refer to Addendum 6 of the RPP for the matrix showing which documents apply to each Focus Area. The Enhanced White Paper must be in 12 point font or larger, single spaced, 8.5 by 11 inches, with margins of at least 0.5 inch. Full cost proposals are only required in Stage 2, for offerors recommended for funding. Submissions are made through BIDS at https://bids.mtec-sc.org/Hub/Portal.nsf/Start?ReadForm. It is the offeror's responsibility to ensure a timely and complete submission, so submit ahead of the deadline.
How is my application evaluated?
MTEC first conducts a preliminary screening for compliance. Enhanced White Papers that pass are forwarded to the Government for source selection against the three evaluation factors above, sometimes with external peer review. Favorably evaluated offerors may be invited to a dialogue with the Government. The outcomes are an overall recommendation of Award, placement in the basket, or non selection. Given the high submission volume and compressed rolling review cycles, feedback may be very brief.
How long will it take me to prepare an application?
The RPP does not specify a preparation time, but the ten page Enhanced White Paper, the six required documents, and the Focus Area specific data requirements, including preclinical data and FDA engagement documentation for several areas, mean preparation should begin now. Because evaluations follow a rolling process where the earliest complete submissions are reviewed first, submitting earlier in the open window improves the odds. Companies proposing human subjects or animal research should account for the additional regulatory review timelines noted above.
How can BW&CO help?
BW&CO can help your team:
Assess fit against the 15 Focus Areas and confirm you are targeting exactly one.
Determine whether your technology satisfies MTEC's prototype definition and the minimum KRL or TRL 3 expectation, and complete the readiness level checklist accurately.
Build a compelling military relevance narrative tied to the Joint Trauma System guidelines, Tactical Combat Casualty Care protocols, or other Department of War requirements documents.
Develop the Enhanced White Paper strategy and draft the full ten page paper plus the six required documents.
Assemble Focus Area specific requirements, including preclinical data packages, FDA engagement documentation, and letters of support.
Identify teaming partners through MTEC's Member Profiles directory and prepare for Teaming Connects.
Sequence your submission to take advantage of the rolling review.
Prepare the Stage 2 cost proposal and supporting materials if invited.
