Medical, Biomedical & Biodefense: Support to the Warfighter Symposium

Warfighter Strong: Medical & Human Performance Needs of the Fighting Force. The face of conflict is changing. Technological advances have introduced levels of battlefield complexity that would have been unimaginable even a few years ago. America's Warfighter faces not only physical challenges, but also increasing cognitive demands driven by data and information overload. Our military readiness paradigm must evolve from emphasizing strength and speed to one focused on preparedness, agility, information management, and endurance. During conflicts, we must also emphasize rest, recovery, and rehabilitation to reduce the strain of prolonged stress and minimize wear and tear on the Warfighter.

• Stephen M. DeLellis MPAS, PA-C,  LTC USA (Ret), Senior Director, Military Health, Loyal Source Government Services
• Other speakers to be announced.

Senior Executive Leadership Panel: Medical Acquisition Priorities and Opportunities Across DoW and VA. The evolving national security environment, increasing healthcare demands, and rapid pace of technological innovation are transforming how the Department of War (DoW) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) acquire, field, and sustain medical capabilities. This executive-level panel brings together senior acquisition leaders from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), Department of Veterans Affairs, and Defense Health Agency (DHA) to discuss the strategic priorities shaping the future of military and veteran healthcare acquisition.

Panelists will provide insights into current and emerging requirements, acquisition strategies, supply chain resilience, medical logistics modernization, sustainment challenges, and the integration of innovative medical, biomedical, and biodefense technologies into federal healthcare systems. Attendees will gain a better understanding of how these organizations are adapting acquisition processes to improve readiness, enhance healthcare delivery, strengthen operational medical support, and accelerate the transition of innovative solutions from concept to deployment.

The discussion will explore opportunities for collaboration among government, industry, academia, and research institutions while highlighting key capability gaps, procurement trends, and future investment priorities across military health, veteran healthcare, and medical logistics enterprise programs. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how acquisition leadership is driving modernization efforts to support America's warfighters, veterans, and healthcare professionals in an increasingly complex operational environment.

• TBA, Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support
• Ronald Miller, D.M., Chief Officer of Support Operations, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs
• TBA, Defense Health Agency

Business Opportunities with the Department of War, Defense Health Agency & Defense Logistics Agency. Panel presenters will identify requirements Department of War, Defense Health Agency and Defense Logistics Agency for medical products and services, devices, pharmaceuticals, training, IT and staffing needs.  They will also outline the processes they utilize to acquire these products and services, including prime vendors, GSA schedules, Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) and commercial contracts.  Business forecasts will also be shared. Prospective primes, subcontractors and suppliers, including small businesses, should attend this session.

• TBA, Department of War
• TBA, Defense Logistics Agency, Medical
• TBA, Naval Medical Forces Atlantic

Business Opportunities in Operational & Medical Logistics with Military Service Medical Commands. Military service medical commands and the broader military health enterprise provide business opportunities for companies specializing in operational logistics, medical supply chains, healthcare technology, and readiness support.  This session’s experts will discuss: medical supply chain & distribution, healthcare IT & medical logistics systems, medical equipment lifecycle management, operational & expeditionary medicine support and business forecasts.  This session is for companies that have demonstrative capabilities in: medical readiness, supply chain resilience, healthcare IT modernization and expeditionary medical support.

• TBA, Defense Logistics Agency, Medical
• TBA, Naval Medical Forces Atlantic
• TBA, Army Medical Logistics Command
• TBA, Womack Army Medical Center

Business Opportunities with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Panel presenters will identify requirements of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and clinics in the region for medical products and services, including research and development, supplies, equipment, devices, pharmaceuticals, training, IT and staff augmentation.  They will also outline the processes they utilize to acquire these products and services, including use of prime vendors, GSA schedules, Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) and commercial contracts.  Businesses and researchers with the capacity to support VA medical centers and clinics, vendors or other business with medical products or services should participate in this session.

• TBA, Department of Veterans Affairs, OSDBU
• TBA, Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN6
• TBA, Fayetteville VA Medical Center
• TBA, Western North Carolina VA Health Care Center
• TBA, Durham VA Health Care System
• TBA, Salisbury VA Health Care System

AI Enabled Healthcare: "Doc in a Box." This panel will highlight how AI-powered “Doc in a Box” technologies can improve medical support for the warfighter across a range of operational environments. Featuring experts from government, academia, and industry, the discussion will explore emerging innovations that accelerate triage, strengthen clinical decision-making, and support medical care in austere environments where traditional medical infrastructure may not be available. Topics of discussion will include remote diagnostics, AI-enabled triage and decision support, wearable and sensor-enabled monitoring, point-of-care data collection, and tools that support care delivery where physicians, specialists, connectivity, or traditional medical infrastructure may not be available.

From Requirement to Reality: Industry on the Front Lines.  Military and federal medical agencies face an increasingly complex operational environment where speed, readiness, resilience, and innovation are no longer optional-they are mission critical. From battlefield medicine and force health protection to veteran care, biodefense preparedness, AI-enabled diagnostics, advanced manufacturing, logistics, and human performance optimization, the gap between identified capability requirements and deployable real-world solutions continues to narrow.

This panel brings together leaders from defense industry, military medicine, federal acquisition, and operational communities to examine how emerging requirements become fielded capabilities. Panelists will discuss the realities of responding to urgent operational needs, navigating federal procurement pathways, aligning innovation with mission priorities, and overcoming the common barriers that slow transition from prototype to deployment. The discussion will also explore how small businesses, research institutions, manufacturers, and nontraditional defense contractors can better engage with the Department of Defense, the Defense Health Agency, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and prime integrators to accelerate outcomes for warfighters and veterans.

Attendees will gain insight into:

• Current military medical and biodefense capability gaps
• How operational requirements are generated and validated
• What industry gets right—and wrong—when responding to federal needs
• The role of rapid acquisition, OTA agreements, SBIR/STTR programs, and public-private partnerships
• Lessons learned from recent operational medical challenges
• Future opportunities in military healthcare, biomedical innovation, and national preparedness

The session is designed to create candid dialogue between requirement owners, acquisition leaders, frontline operators, and solution providers working at the intersection of healthcare innovation and national defense.

Innovation Opportunities in Chemical, Biological, Radiological & Nuclear Defense. Coming soon...

Medical Innovation Opportunities with Consortia and Federal Agencies.  The session will discuss the opportunities available for research and development, prototyping, and production through Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) of the Federal Government. OTAs represent a growing sector of government acquisition with many potential advantages for non-traditional entities over FAR-based contracts. OTAs are used by Capability Program Executive for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (CPE CBRND), the Defense Health Agency (DHA), and other federal agencies.

• TBA, USASOC Human Performance and Wellness
• TBA, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM)
• Dennis McGurk, Director, North Carolina Center for Optimizing Military Performance (NC-COMP)
• TBA, Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC)
• Gloria Elliott, Program Manager, Scalable Solutions, Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)
• TBA, Defense Health Agency
• TBA, Nationals Institutes of Health
• TBA, US Army Medical Capability Development Integration Directorate (MED CDID)

Department of Veterans Affairs One-On-One Meetings. The Department of Veterans Affairs will host one-on-one meetings with industry. This forum provides a unique opportunity for dialogue with key decision makers from multiple Veterans Affairs offices.  Participants should bring capabilities statements and prepare a concise “elevator pitch” to communicate a compelling business case for the Veterans Affairs to procure their goods and/or services.

• TBA, Department of Veterans Affairs, OSDBU
• TBA, Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN6
• TBA, Fayetteville VA Medical Center
• TBA, Western North Carolina VA Health Care Center
• TBA, Durham VA Health Care System
• TBA, Salisbury VA Health Care System