Executive Summary
RTI International, on behalf of NC-COMP and supporting the Defense Health Agency, seeks a digital mild traumatic brain injury assessment app with objective neurocognitive and motor measures for Roles of Care 1 and 2. MTEC membership is not required. Proposals are due November 10, 2026, 5:00 PM ET.
The award path runs through RTI. "Any resulting award will be made as a subcontract to RTI," and RTI's government client "may down select one or more respondents for further evaluation or negotiations." A strong response shows objective, clinically meaningful measures that work in austere settings and fit existing Department of War IT systems.
Solicitation at a Glance
- Agency: RTI International on behalf of the North Carolina Center for Optimizing Military Performance (NC-COMP), in support of the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Portfolio Acquisition Executive Medical Products, Warfighter Readiness, Performance, and Brain Health (WRPBH) Project Management Office
- Opportunity: Request for Solutions: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) Assessment Software Application
- Number: SS-FY26-03
- Award Vehicle: Subcontract to RTI
- Funding: No ceiling posted; proposals must include a detailed budget with an initial cost estimate
- Due date: November 10, 2026, by 5:00 PM ET (the posting lists "5 p.m. EDT")
Think your company qualifies? Talk with BW&CO before the November 10 deadline.
What Is the mTBI Assessment Software Application RFS?
It is a Request for Solutions (RFS) posted by the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC) on October 16, 2026, on behalf of RTI International. RTI is seeking solutions for "a digital mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) assessment application (app)" for military use, including Roles of Care 1 and 2. The work supports NC-COMP and the DHA Warfighter Readiness, Performance, and Brain Health Project Management Office.
What Problem Is the Defense Health Agency Trying to Solve?
Military medical teams need a way to assess mild traumatic brain injury close to the point of injury. The app is meant "to support forward triage, recovery monitoring, and return-to-activity decisions in military operational environments," including "supporting Progressive Return to Activity decisions."
Priority Capabilities: What the Defense Health Agency Is Looking For
- Objective indicators: the app "must provide objective, clinically meaningful indicators of neurocognitive and motor domain deficits."
- MACE 2 alignment: "objective measures aligned with Military Acute Concussion Evaluation 2 (MACE 2) cognitive and motor domains."
- Forward use: support for Roles of Care 1 and 2.
- Austere operation: "capable of operation in austere environments."
- IT integration: "integration with existing Department of War (DoW) Information Technology (IT) ecosystems."
Funding and Award Terms
- Amount: the posting does not state a funding ceiling or total budget.
- Budget: offerors must "submit a detailed budget to give an initial estimate of the anticipated costs associated with this project."
- Award type: "Any resulting award will be made as a subcontract to RTI."
- Selection: RTI's government client may down select one or more respondents for further evaluation or negotiations.
Eligibility and Participation
- Open call: "All capable and qualified sources are encouraged to respond to this request."
- MTEC membership: "MTEC membership is not required to submit a proposal."
- NC-COMP membership and fees: "There is no fee or NC-COMP membership requirement to submit a proposal."
- Proprietary information: proprietary information will not be shared with other offerors or industry partners when marked accordingly.
How to Apply
- Download the Request for Solution PDF linked from the MTEC posting for technical requirements and submission details.
- Watch for RTI's responses to offeror questions, scheduled for October 27, 2026 (by 5 p.m. EDT). The question deadline (October 21) and the virtual proposers conference (October 22) have passed.
- Prepare a technical response and a detailed budget with an initial cost estimate.
- Submit directly to RTI, as the RFS instructs, by November 10, 2026, 5:00 PM ET.
- Send questions or comments to mTBIRFS@rti.org.
What Happens After You Submit?
- Review: RTI's government client may down select one or more respondents for further evaluation or negotiations.
- Award: any resulting award is a subcontract to RTI.
- Schedule: the MTEC posting does not give an evaluation or award timeline.
Is This Opportunity a Good Fit for Your Company?
It fits companies with a digital concussion or brain health assessment tool that produces objective cognitive and motor measures, ideally mappable to MACE 2, and that can run in low-connectivity, austere settings and connect to existing DoW IT systems. A concept without objective, clinically meaningful measures, or one that depends on clinic-only equipment, is a weaker fit.
How BW&CO Can Help
BW&CO has helped deep-tech and dual-use founders secure more than $350M in non-dilutive funding. For defense health solicitations like the mTBI Assessment Software Application RFS, we help you:
- Check fit: map your app's measures to MACE 2 cognitive and motor domains.
- Shape the story: show how the app supports triage, recovery monitoring and return to activity at Roles of Care 1 and 2.
- Address deployment: explain austere operation and DoW IT integration clearly.
- Build the budget: prepare the detailed initial cost estimate RTI requires.
- Manage the deadline: keep the response on track for November 10.
Plan Your mTBI Assessment App Submission
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is running this?
RTI International, on behalf of NC-COMP, in support of the Defense Health Agency WRPBH Project Management Office. MTEC posted the request on RTI's behalf.
When are proposals due?
November 10, 2026, by 5:00 PM ET. The posting lists the time as "5 p.m. EDT."
Do I need to be an MTEC member?
No. "MTEC membership is not required to submit a proposal."
Is there a fee or NC-COMP membership requirement?
No. "There is no fee or NC-COMP membership requirement to submit a proposal."
How much funding is available?
The posting does not state a ceiling. Offerors must submit a detailed budget with an initial estimate of anticipated costs.
What kind of award will this be?
"Any resulting award will be made as a subcontract to RTI."
Which settings must the app support?
Military operational environments, including Roles of Care 1 and 2, with operation in austere environments and integration with existing DoW IT ecosystems.
Where do I send questions?
Email mTBIRFS@rti.org. RTI's responses to offeror questions are scheduled for October 27, 2026.
Can BW&CO help with an mTBI Assessment Software Application submission?
Yes. BW&CO helps teams check fit, shape the technical response and build the budget. Book a call with our team.
Source: MTEC: RTI Request for Solution, Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) Assessment Software Application