Welcome
The Leonard Wood Institute (LWI) assists with training-related research, technology transfer, and business development initiatives that are valuable to the U.S. Army's Maneuver Support Center (MANSCEN) and Fort Leonard Wood. Specifically, LWI seeks ways to support the Army's Training Transformation Initiative, which is designed to ensure that soldiers are fully and adequately trained and equipped.
LWI is dedicated to helping the Army identify and utilize the capabilities of reseachers, from both public and private organizations, to perform training-related research and development and to provide services related to current and future Army programs that support the Army's Transformation into the fighting force of the future.
Through its efforts, LWI focuses on supporting Fort Leonard Wood's unique training missions. In particular, LWI finds and assists businesses, universities and other organizations that improve training performance in the areas of:
- Protection;
- Engineering;
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defense;
- Mines, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and Unexploded Ordnance;
- Non-Lethal Weapons;
- Complex and Dynamic Threat Environments
LWI's support of training missions at Fort Leonard Wood and MANSCEN are governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU defines how the Army, LWI and its partners cooperate in research, experimentation, technology exploration, product development, and instructional support. LWI is a collaborative research organization composed of universities, local businesses, and not-for-profit research institutions that was formed to support Fort Leonard Wood through the development and transfer of new technologies.
Both LWI and Fort Leonard Wood were named for Major General Leonard Wood (1860-1927), an aggressive and energetic soldier who was instrumental in transforming the U.S. Army into a modern fighting force. Read General Wood's biography and learn why General Wood's life and accomplishments inspire the work of LWI.
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LWI Announces Results of 2008 Collaborative Research Project Funding Competition
The Leonard Wood Institute has awarded more than $16,000,000 in funding for research and development (R&D) projects that will be carried out over the next year to benefit the U.S. Army’s mission at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
The funding will support twenty-nine R&D projects that will begin work immediately in areas of interest to the Army that include: improved sensor capabilities for detection of chemical and biological threats; improved detection of improvised explosive devices (IED’s) and landmines; the development of better metallic and ceramic armors; better management of power and wastewater systems at forward operating bases; the efficient conversion of battlefield waste products, such as tires and plastics, to useable fuel; a new tool for the rapid identification of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); a new composite materials bridging system for infantry and light vehicles; and the remediation of chemical, biological and nuclear (CBRN) contamination.
Earlier this year, LWI invited businesses, universities and other research organizations to submit R&D proposals to provide solutions to a broad range of technology needs defined by the Army. In response to the invitation, LWI received 223 proposals that requested a total of $143,000,000 in funding. In order to select the most worthy proposals for funding, LWI used a competitive review process that assigned scores to each proposal in categories such as overall military benefit, academic or technical soundness, and regional economic impact.
LWI received its appropriated federal funding from the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) through a Cooperative Agreement, Number W911NF-07-2-0062. The views and conclusions contained in this release, and those contained in research that will be published are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of ARL or the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute research reports for Government purposes, notwithstanding any copyrights.
To examine the list of approved projects, click on the following link: 2008 Collaborative Research Projects
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Announcment of Funding Availability
The Leonard Wood Institute (LWI) is seeking applications from qualified, Missouri-based small businesses that are in need of funding for particular types of research and development (R&D) activities. LWI will accept applications under this program through 5:00 p.m. CDT, Monday, May 13, 2009.
The purpose of this funding, through LWI’s “Phase 0” Early Stage Business Research and Development Program, is to increase the number of small, technology-producing businesses that can submit high-quality Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) federal funding proposals and to improve the potential for these companies to receive federal awards.
LWI's “Phase 0” Program is not an official part of the federal government’s SBIR or STTR programs and it is not a federally required step. The “Phase 0” program is also not associated with the Missouri Technology Incentive Program (MoTIP) For Small Business, which is sponsored by the Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC), in partnership with the Missouri Small Business and Technology Development Centers (MO SBTDC). Programs similar to LWI’s “Phase 0” and MoTIP, however, have been shown to greatly improve the rate of Phase I award among participating companies.
Funding available through the LWI “Phase 0” program may be used to perform applied R&D work designed to provide proof of concept development and testing, which is sometimes referred to as translation research, and other specified research and development activities, including market validation, that will result in the submission of competitive Phase I SBIR or STTR federal funding proposals to the Department of Defense (DoD) or any other SBIR/STTR participating agency in technology areas of interest to the U.S. Army and LWI, as detailed in LWI's Request for Proposals (RFP).
LWI intends to award approximately $500,000 in R&D funding to successful applicants through sub-awards for projects to be initiated and completed during in 2008 and 2009. Research funding was made available to LWI through a Cooperative Agreement (W911NF-07-2-0062) with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and is intended to produce useful technologies for the U.S. Army that have good potential for commercialization. There is no set limit on the amount of funding available per applicant, but LWI expects that most approved applications will be in the $2,500-$50,000 range. In the 2007-2008 program cycle, LWI funded nine (9) Phase 0 awards totaling approximately $382,000, or an average award of about $43,000. Several of the awardees have submitted or will submit Phase I proposals to one or more federal agencies.
LWI's RFP contains "Phase 0" application procedures and may be found by following the link 2009-2009 Phase 0 .
For more information contact Dr. Paula Mihalcik, LWI Technical Program Manager, at (573) 329-8502, extension 2122 or by e-mail at Paula.Mihalcik@leonardwoodinsitute.org.
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