The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command announced Aug. 19 that it has signed an agreement to create a first-of-its-kind Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium, which will be a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation designed to organize and conduct advanced applied research for prototype development addressing a range of military capability needs.

SCRA Applied R&D will serve as the prime contractor for MTEC and will include teaming partners RTI International, Tunnell Government Services, Changing Our World, and Innovation Financing Roundtable.

MTEC will focus on prototype advanced development, from material solution analysis through engineering and manufacturing for prototype and testing. The technology domains where MTEC intends to operate include military infectious diseases; combat casualty care; military operational medicine; clinical and rehabilitative medicine; medical chemical, biological and radiological defense; advanced medical technologies and medical training; and health information sciences.

"MTEC's mission is to assist the USAMRMC and others by providing cutting-edge technologies to transition medical solutions to marketplace," said Dr. J.B. Phillips, the project officer with USAMRMC's Principal Assistant for Acquisition and lead for MTEC. "These technologies will protect, treat and optimize the health and performance of service members across the full spectrum of military operations."

MTEC will also engage in biomedical research in prototyping; capitalization of private sector technology opportunities; technology transfer; and commercialization of intellectual property and follow-on production.

"We are thrilled to join with the U.S. Army medical research professionals in this innovative approach for maintaining and restoring the health of our service men and women," said SCRA Applied R&D President Chris Van Metre. "We look forward to leveraging the experience we have gained from managing similar government and industry enterprise partnerships and applying it to this important endeavor."

As MTEC ramps up over the next six months, SCRA Applied R&D will work to organize the new consortium and attract additional partners. Membership in the MTEC is open to qualified large and small businesses, venture capital firms, academia and other non-profit entities engaged in biomedical R&D focused on dual-use technologies improving service member health and performance.

Phillips said MTEC is expected to be fully operational by February 2016. MTEC's first awards will likely be made in mid-2016, focusing first on regenerative medicine and vision restoration.

For more information on membership, visit FedBizOpps