Request for Information (RFI) ORBS Bridge Contract

The United States Air Force is seeking information from potential contractors to support the Optical Radiation Bioeffects and Safety (ORBS) program. The program aims to conduct research studies on the bioeffects of directed energy (DE) technologies and provide science-based information to support national and international safety standards. The contractor will be expected to perform basic to early applied research and advanced technology development and transition in three main functional areas: Novel Laser Bioeffects, Nuclear Flash and Laser Eye Protection, and Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis. The contractor will be required to characterize the fundamental bioeffects associated with DE technologies, optimize and assess the safety and effectiveness of DE systems, and develop and assess dosimetry tools. Some of the key tasks and deliverables include: * Conducting laboratory and field studies to determine the short and long-term bioeffects associated with laser exposures * Developing and executing experimental plans to test and evaluate laser eye protection devices * Providing modeling and simulation support to laboratory experiments and DE applications * Designing and characterizing protective devices * Investigating DE countermeasures * Providing science-based information to the DoD to support national and international safety standards