Naval Medical Logistics Command paves way for sepsis research

Photo By Julius Evans | Christopher Sherman, NMLC's chief, research and services contract division (left) and Thomas Hood, lead contract specialist on the cooperative agreement, pause a moment after discussing contracts and proposals. Naval Medical Logistics Command awarded a $34 million cooperative agreement to the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine in support of sepsis research in February 2014.  

FREDERICK, MD, UNITED STATES

03.24.2014

Story by Julius Evans 

Naval Medical Readiness Logistics Command, Williamsburg, VA

FREDERICK, Md. - Naval Medical Logistics Command awarded a $34 million cooperative agreement to the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine in support of sepsis research in February 2014.

The consortium working this effort includes Naval Medical Research Center, Duke University, George Mason University, University of Washington and Makerere University-Walter Reed Project in Uganda.

Sepsis is a serious medical condition caused by an overwhelming immune response to infection. Chemicals released into the blood to fight infection trigger widespread inflammation that may result in organ damage. Blood clotting during sepsis reduces blood flow to limbs and internal organs, depriving them of nutrients and oxygen. In severe cases, one or more organs may fail.

NMLC became aware of the need for an assistance agreement to support sepsis research efforts in late July 2012 by direct contact from the Naval Medical Research Center. NMLC sought and received assistance agreement authority in April 2011 from the Naval Supply Systems Command in order to fully support United States Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery’s (BUMED) portfolio of research and development requirements. The cooperative agreement award supporting sepsis research aligns with the authority that was granted to NMLC.

“Naval Medical Logistics Command has always had the lead acquisition role in awarding the Austere Environments Consortium for Enhanced Sepsis Outcomes cooperative agreement,” explained Christopher Sherman, NMLC’s chief, Research and Services Contract Division. “Naval Medical Research Center is our customer and functioned as the subject matter experts by conducting the peer and programmatic reviews of the applications (i.e., proposals). Naval Medical Logistics Command is the only command in BUMED with authority to award assistance agreements.”

That unique distinction among Navy commands was acknowledged by BUMED in remarks given during NMLC’s September 2013 change of command ceremony. Rear Adm. Donald R. Gintzig, deputy chief, Medical Operations and Future Plans, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, explained, “Naval Medical Logistics Command has the most unique role in the United States Navy, ensuring that all Forces Afloat and Military Treatment Facilities around the globe have world-class medical equipment on-hand… .”

Following NMLC’s mission statement, to deliver patient centered logistics solutions for military medicine, and the vision to become the Department of Defense’s premier medical logistics support activity, this agreement is representative of how NMLC accomplishes its support role in providing medical solutions world-wide.

“Naval Medical Logistics Command specifically requested assistance agreement authority from Naval Supply Systems Command to provide a greater level of support for BUMED’s research and development mission,” Sherman explained. “Once NMLC received the assistance agreement authority, BUMED netted its own organic capability for making assistance agreement awards and no longer had to rely on external contracting offices for this support.”

With this type of unique responsibility, NMLC remains poised to continue providing world-class medical logistics support as it realizes its vision of becoming DOD’s premier medical logistics support activity.

• Date Taken: 03.24.2014
• Date Posted: 03.24.2014 13:45
• Story ID: 122444
• Location: FREDERICK, MD, US