Domestic Sourced or Manufactured Coal Tar Pitch to Meet Military Requirements

OUSD (R&E) CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Advanced Materials The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) seeks to provide responsive, best value supplies consistently to our customers. DLA continually investigates diverse technologies for manufacturing which would lead to the highest level of innovation in the discrete-parts support of fielded weapon systems (many of which were designed in the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's) with a future impact on both commercial technology and government applications. As such, advanced technology demonstrations for affordability and advanced industrial practices to demonstrate the combination of improved discrete-parts manufacturing and improved business methods are of interest. All these areas of manufacturing technologies provide potential avenues toward achieving breakthrough advances. Proposed efforts funded under this topic may encompass any specific discrete-parts or materials manufacturing or processing technology at any level resulting in a unit cost reduction. Advanced technology demonstrations for increasing production capacity, affordability and supply chain resiliency for coating techniques and processing are of high interest to DoD. These areas of materials and manufacturing technology provide potential opportunities toward achieving breakthrough advances for national defense. Proposed efforts funded under this topic may encompass diverse feedstock and processing at any level that will result in increasing production capacity, affordablity, and supply chain resiliency. Research and Development efforts selected under this topic shall demonstrate and involve a degree of risk where the technical feasibility of the proposed work has not been fully established. Further, proposed efforts must be judged to be at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 or less, but greater than TRL 3 to receive funding consideration. TRL 3. (Analytical and Experimental Critical Function and/or Characteristic Proof of Concept) TRL 6. (System/Subsystem Model or Prototype Demonstration in a Relevant Environment) DESCRIPTION: DLA R&D is looking for a domestic capability to address the lacking viable domestic source of defense grade coal tar pitch solid. Coal tar pitch is a pre-cursor material for a variety of military applications, including tactical munitions, strategic rockets and missiles, and large, advance-launch systems, and hypersonic veichles. The United States has been dependent on foreign sources or a single domestic source of coal tar pitch. Verifying a domestic manufacturing production process for coal tar pitch meets military reuqirements would elimate the costly foreign alliance for this material. R&D tasks include qualifying domestically manufactured or sourced coal tar pitch meets militrary requirements, and qualify the material on military applictions. PHASE I: This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II proposals ONLY. The successful proposal will submit documetation demonstrating the projet proposal is at the (Analytical and Experimental Critical Function and/or Characteristic Proof of Concept level (TRL 3). Develop applicable and feasible process demonstration for the approach described, and demonstrate a degree of commercial viability. PHASE II: Not to exceed a duration of 12 Months and a cost of $1,000,000. Proposals exceeding these limits will not be evaluated. Phase II will consist of making a pilot/low-rate Validate that domestically sourced coal tar pitch pre-cursor materials for the coal tar pitch material can be utilized. Validation would include, but not be limited to, prototype quantities, data analysis, and labortaory tests. A lab-scale process should be used to confirm the estimates and provide preliminary cost and pricing data. A business case will be generated using both DoD and commercial markets. Collaboration with a relavant DoD Component organzation/supplier (e.g., DoD lab and/or prime contractor) and one or more relavant DoD weapon system supply chain participants or other suitable organization is required Identify commercial benefit or application opportunities of the innovation. Innovative processes should be developed with the intent to readily transition to production in support of DoD and its supply chains. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: At this point, no specific funding is associated with Phase III. Relationships developed and progress made in Phase I and Phase II projects should result in the ability to produce to DoD orders and organic growth of business from there. Validate the prouction process can manufature coal tar pitch can meet property specifications of previously used coal tar pitch for military applications. Validation would include, but not be limited to, production quantities, data analysis, and labortaory tests. Qualify the coal tar pitch material on military applications. REFERENCES: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA542014.pdf KEYWORDS: Coal tar pitch