Research Services Affiliate HERL and WARE Tech Transfer Assisted Program Award Notice and Justification and Approval Notice   2

Background
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is issuing this contract to the University of Pittsburgh as part of its mission to improve the mobility and function of people with disabilities through advanced engineering in clinical research and medical rehabilitation.

This contract is a continuation of services previously provided under contract 36C24E20C0005, emphasizing the strong collaboration between the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System's Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) and the University of Pittsburgh.

Work Details
The University of Pittsburgh will provide critical research services that include:

1. Creating realistic representations and assemblies to demonstrate how components fit and function together, including parametric models with editable dimensions and exploded views.

2. Documenting research findings, methodologies, and results in detail, presenting these at conferences and in published papers, and creating virtual environments for testing new devices.

3. Developing well-documented datasets for future reference or collaboration while mentoring graduate and undergraduate students as well as junior employees involved in research projects.

4. Preparing materials and performing machining tasks, including operating CNC (Computer Numerical Control) and RP (rapid prototyping) machines, maintaining equipment, and managing consumable components.

5. Testing newly created devices within current projects.

6. Providing administrative support to various teams within HERL, which includes inventory management, reporting, and participation in recruitment events.

Period of Performance
The contract will be performed over a five-year period from May 1, 2025, to April 30, 2030.

Place of Performance
The contract will be performed at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System located at 6425 Penn Avenue, Suite 400, Pittsburgh, PA.