Proposals in this area should have addressed the current and future environmental and worker safety liabilities associated with the design, construction, maintenance, demilitarization, repair, and operation of Department of Defense (DoD) weapons systems and platforms. Areas of interest include the following:

Manufacturing and Maintenance

• Alternative Materials. Demonstrate environmentally benign materials for application in weapons and platforms. Targeted applications for alternative materials include but are not limited to:
  • Coatings
  • Surface Treatments
  • Refrigerants
  • Flame Retardants
  • Degreasers
• Alternative Processes. Demonstrate processes that eliminate or reduce the generation or use of hazardous or toxic materials.
   
• Alternative Inspection Methodologies. Demonstrate new technologies for the inspection of weapons systems that would reduce the requirement for maintenance and overhaul.
   
• Monitoring and Control of Emissions. Demonstrate technologies to detect and monitor hazardous materials used in industrial processes as well as the technologies to control the release of these materials into the environment.

Energetics

• Alternative Materials. Demonstrate new propellants, pyrotechnics and explosive materials that reduce or eliminate the release of toxic materials into the environment.
   
• Alternative Manufacturing Processes. Demonstrate environmentally benign synthesis and production processes for energetic materials and munitions.
   
• Monitoring and Control of Emissions. Demonstrate technologies to detect, monitor, and control hazardous materials used in munitions manufacturing.
   
• Demilitarization of Ordnance. Demonstrate technologies to disassemble a specific high volume ordnance item and recycle the energetic materials from the item.

Waste Reduction

• Ships. Demonstrate technologies that reduce or eliminate liquid wastes from ships or control their release into the environment.
   
• Forward Operating Bases. Demonstrate technologies that reduce or eliminate solid waste streams and have the potential to generate a useful energy source.

Firefighting
Demonstrate alternative formulations (or associated application technologies) that are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS)-free and can potentially meet performance requirements in MIL-PRF-24385F.

SPECIAL INTEREST TOPIC

• ESTCP issued one topic area of general interest through a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) to the private sector: Innovative Technology Transfer Approaches

DoD investigators were encouraged to submit proposals through the DoD submittal process that respond to this BAA topic area.

Proposals should have included a plan to conduct a Sustainability Analysis of appropriate proportion to the proposed research and development. Proposals should establish a lifecycle framework that can mature as the technology or process advances through the acquisition process. This tiered approach aims to develop and document a minimum data set at each stage of research and development that can be used to make informed decisions and streamline transition to an acquisition program. The Sustainability Analysis may include varying depths of data and information that can inform the goal and scope of an analysis; the identity and quantity of relevant inputs and outputs to the system; and the estimation of life cycle impacts and costs.

Funded projects will appear below as project overviews are posted to the website.