Army 17. 1 Small Business Innovation Research (sbir) Proposal Submission Instructions

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Human Systems

OBJECTIVE: Further develop and mature concentration technologies for food products to produce lower weight and volume rations with increased stability. Isolate and purify heat-sensitive health-promoting foods and compounds.

DESCRIPTION: There is a need to ease overburdened soldiers in small units by lightening the soldier load. An innovative solution is needed to reduce the water content and volume of ration components while ensuring nutrient retention. This would create lighter, more compact, higher-density energy sources for the soldier, thereby decreasing the soldier’s physical load, improving readiness, and optimizing nutritional support for enhanced energy and cognition.

Using novel concentration technologies, food may be reduced in volume and weight but still maintain the nutrients and sensory quality of fresh-like foods. For example, a concentration technology which utilizes evaporation and hydrolyzation removes up to 95% of the water from pasteurized milk, and its final concentrated product is 17% of its original volume.

This research proposal seeks to demonstrate proof of concept that there are novel concentration technologies able to reduce water content of foods by at least 50%, and significantly reduce volume, while maintaining quality and nutrients. Concentration technologies will reduce water activity of foods to prevent microbial growth and chemical reactions to lengthen shelf life and increase quality. Foods should be produced in such a way that water may or may not be added to the concentrated item at the time of preparation and consumption, depending on the nature of the food.

The removal of water from foods will in turn reduce packaging, transportation, and storage costs. Concentration processes include evaporation, reverse osmosis, osmotic water transfer, and freeze concentration (Berk 2013). Microwave vacuum and solid-liquid separation are also examples of emerging concentration technologies.

PHASE I: The goal of Phase I is to demonstrate the technical feasibility of producing a food product with a 3 year shelf-life using concentration technologies. The concentration technology should result in a reduction in weight and/or volume of the food by at least 50%. Provide an overview of the concentration process, mechanisms, and predicted outcomes. Provide a demonstration of feasibility of technology in the form of an initial concentrated prototype. Identify target foods ideal for concentration technology, such as fruits, vegetables, and shelf-stable milk. Develop a detailed analysis of predicted performance and outcomes of using such technology such as recovery and preservation of nutrients and sensory quality, viscosity, shelf-life. Define and develop key technical milestones. Provide cost savings of applying such technology to the field. Provide estimate of cost of production food item. Mitigate risk by identifying and addressing the most challenging technical hurdles in order to optimize the technology/process. The deliverables of this phase will include the identification of ideal representative food components, preliminary processing parameters to ensure stability, and a final report specifying proof of concept and data on potential volume, weight, water reduction, shelf-life stability, sensory acceptability and nutrient retention.

PHASE II: Using preliminary processing parameters determined during Phase I, develop and produce pre-production prototypes with targeted weight, volume and water reductions. Define manufacturability issues related to full-size production of the prototypes for military and commercial application. Pre-production prototypes produced should be sufficiently mature for analytical analysis (microbiological, sensory, nutritional and shelf life), technical demonstrations and limited field-testing. Prototypes should include three varied types of food items. Based on analytical results, finalize processing parameters and optimize foods using matured concentration technology. The Phase II effort will deliver the following: pre-production prototypes, validated novel concentration technology that provides higher quality food components when compared to traditional drying and/or concentration processes, a report documenting the technology, performance characterization and manufacturing capability.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The novel concentration technologies identified, developed/advanced and validated under Phase I and Phase II will be used to optimize existing ration components as well as provide high quality ingredients to develop stabilized, low weight and reduced volume rations components. These novel technologies are applicable for the civilian market and will benefit all users by reducing logistics, costs, and weight while improving the nutritional quality of rations.

REFERENCES:

1. http://www.berryondairy.com/Milk.html

2. http://nfscfaculty.tamu.edu/talcott/courses/FSTC311/Textbook/3-Chapter%203%20Separation%20and%20Concentration%20Technologies.pdf

3. http://www.eolss.net/sample-chapters/c10/E5-10-04-04.pdf

KEYWORDS: Concentration technology for food, evaporation, volume reduction, weight reduction, water reduction, dehydration

A17-070

TITLE: Compact Sanitation Center (CSC) for Expeditionary Field Feeding

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials/Processes

OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate a highly expeditionary three sink sanitation system to achieve low volume pack out during transportation. Furthermore, investigate novel methods to achieve increased fuel efficiency, lower weight, and a rugged design tailored to military applications.

DESCRIPTION: Army mobile kitchens require a method to wash, rinse, and sanitize kitchen wares in order to conduct field feeding operations. The Army has fielded the Food Sanitation Center (FSC) to provide this capability, which is equipped with a three sink system heated by three burners utilizing an open combustion heat exchange concept that is noisy, inefficient, and requires a large amount of volume for packing off during transportation. One such kitchen that is supported by the FSC is the Army’s Assault Kitchen (AK). The AK is designed to support a feeding strength of 250 Unitized Group Ration – Heat and Serve (UGR-H&S) meals in stationary as well as mobile operation. It is also able to prepare a subset of Unitized Group Ration – A (UGR-A) menus, but only while stationary. For washing, rinsing, and sanitizing kitchen wares, the AK can either be supplemented with an FSC transported by a separate vehicle, or utilize a field expedient method of sanitation that involves cleaning and sterilizing kitchen wares in insulated food containers filled with hot water. Thus, the Army would greatly benefit from a low-volume, energy-efficient sanitation solution that would allow storage of said system within the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) that tows the Light Tactical Trailer (LTT) containing the AK. With this new system, the Army could provide the AK with the capability of a fully functional sanitation system without reliance on a separate FSC, or a field expedient method.

The envisioned future system consists of three separate sinks with a closed combustion heat exchanger that enables the use of a single burner to achieve the required minimum temperatures in each sink to meet regulatory standards (110°F for wash sink, 120°F for rinse, and 171°F or higher for sterilization) and can pack-off into a volume of no more than 25” W x 28” L x 42” H. An innovative approach will be required in order to meet this constraining pack out volume. Offerors should consider different approaches to modularize different components, including the combustion chamber (whether as part of separate water heater or internal to the system), and the trade-offs between technical approaches to sink design. In addition to low risk approaches (ex. nesting sinks), higher risk approaches that can achieve smaller pack out volumes will also be considered. Such approaches include, but are not limited, collapsible sinks utilizing gasket lined side walls or novel utilization of fabrics. There is no exact target size and fill volume for the sanitation sinks, the only requirement is that it must be possible to sterilize kitchen wares in accordance to regulatory standards. Any approach should consider the largest items that require washing, which are the 15 gallon stock pot (NSN 7330-00-292-2307), insulated beverage dispenser (NSN 7310-01-245-6937), and insulated food container (NSN 7360-01-408-4911.)

After sanitation operations have been completed, waste water will need to be drained from the system. In an expeditionary setting it cannot be assumed that there will be appropriate waste water tanks or blivets to receive sanitation waste water, but if run through a grease trap to remove grease and particulate solids the waste water may be drained to the ground. The proposed design should include details regarding the hosing, grease trap, and potentially sump pump (if necessary) to address this need.

The burner for the envisioned system is government owned and will be provided to selected offerors at the appropriate time. The burner is a 60,000 BTU/hr gun-style pressure atomizing type designed for on/off modulation. It is powered by 120VAC NEMA 5-15 cord, weighs approximately 20 pounds, is approximately 16” W x 65/8” L x 9” H, and has a 35/8” diameter firing tube that’s centered approximately 101/2” left side of the burner and 27/8” from the top. Any proposed approach should contain justification for why this firing rate is sufficient for their design, or if not, provide justification for a higher firing rate if necessary. It is fueled by an external five gallon jerry can that will need to be considered as part of the pack off requirement.

There are a few additional factors that need to be considered for any proposed design as well. Since this is an expeditionary piece of equipment, weight has to be considered since it will be need to be man portable. The weight target for each separable component should be 36 pounds or less with a threshold of 72 pounds. Operator safety concerns should also be addressed, including scenarios requiring the proper ventilation of combustion gases if operated in an enclosed space. Complexity, reliability, maintainability, and cost of the system should be considered when proposing a design. The per unit production cost objective for manufacturing in quantities of 100 or more units is $9,000 or less, with a threshold of $15,000. (Assume a burner cost of $1500 in production.)

PHASE I: During Phase I, offerors shall materially demonstrate (i.e., not just perform a paper study) the feasibility and practicality of the system with breadboard fabrications of component technologies. A final report shall also be delivered that specifies how full-scale performance requirements will be met in Phase II. The report shall also detail the conceptual design, performance modeling, safety, risk mitigation measures, MANPRINT (Manpower and Personnel Integration Program), estimated production costs, and knowledge gained during the development process. Phase I proposals will be judged on how clearly they present a focused innovative concept, developmental path, and arguments for feasibility. Comparisons should be made against existing technology, as well as other conceivable approaches that might be proposed. Concepts will be judged on innovation, anticipated performance, and important metrics such as cost, complexity, reliability, maintainability, pack out volume and weight. These and other measures of worth should be discussed explicitly and quantified when possible. Research teams will be evaluated based on their core competency relative to the technology proposed, their ability to commercialize, and the potential for commercialization of the specific technologies.

PHASE II: During Phase II, the offeror is expected to develop, fabricate, and deliver two fully-functional prototypes that are mature enough to operate and demonstrate in a lab setting and under limited operational conditions. Before delivery, the offeror is expected to subject the prototype systems to an array of performance tests and exercises demonstrating the current level of capability and maturity. Quantitative and qualitative data collected during these activities shall be delivered in progress reports and final reporting along with updated design, safety, MANPRINT, component specifications, performance characteristics, production cost estimates, recommendations for future technology development, and opportunities to reduce cost/complexity during manufacturing.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: During Phase III, the offeror is expected to complete final system modifications and testing needed to sufficiently validate that requirements necessary to begin transition and commercialization will be met. Delivered prototypes will undergo technology demonstrations and potentially additional development in collaboration with Product Manager – Force Sustainment Systems. If successful, system will transition to the Assault Kitchen Program of Record.

This new sanitation system stands to greatly benefit the Army’s expeditionary field sanitation capabilities, as well as reducing fuel usage, cost, and logistics burden. If successful, the technology could expand to commercial and industrial food service in remote settings, the off-grid community, and disaster relief applications.

REFERENCES:

1. https://www.logsa.army.mil/etmpdf/files/080000/085410.pdf

2. https://www.logsa.army.mil/etmpdf/files/060000/067500/068741.pdf

3. http://nsrdec.natick.army.mil/media/print/FSE_3ED.pdf

KEYWORDS: "Field feeding, Field sanitation, Three sink sanitation, Modular prototype, Fabrics"

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials/Processes

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this effort is to develop new tactical camouflage materials to enhance the level of protection against emerging sensor threats in support of the Ultra-Lightweight Camouflage Net System (ULCANS) Capability Development Document (CDD), approved 17 November 2015. This material will enable better concealment of heavy military equipment and platforms with a given background against a variety of sensor threats when viewed from an adversarial position. Once production is established, the material will be used in applications to cover equipment like military vehicles and shelters. It is paramount that the materials be durable enough to last in austere environmental conditions while also being flame resistant and while still providing multispectral concealment of assets compared to their background. Developed materials and prototypes will be measured for physical performance using testing methods already common to other shelter and netting systems in addition to any or all of the following: bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), directional-hemispherical reflectance (DHR) and emissivity measurements. Data from this testing may be inserted into hyperspectral modeling and simulation efforts to gauge performance.

DESCRIPTION: The commercial and governmental land use markets continue to advance remote sensing technologies for crop and forestry applications. Distinct spectral characteristics have been studied for use in the fields of agriculture and farming. Characteristics such as plant species identification, vegetation density, overall health, and maturity for harvest are all currently identifiable traits using remote sensing technologies with mindful analysis. The variety of multispectral signatures typical to vegetation have military applications because they could be used as a means to discern current military vehicle camouflage systems. Current systems are able to conceal objects in woodland or arid backgrounds in the visible and near-infrared spectra. The objective of this effort will be to conceal equipment using materials as spectrally matched as possible through the entire threat spectrum to include as many of the following as possible: UV (200-400 nm), Visible (400-700nm), Near-Infrared (600-900 nm), Shortwave Infrared (0.9-2.5 µm), Midwave IR (3-5 µm), Longwave Infrared (8-12 µm), and Radar (1 mm – 1 m). The use of careful analysis combined with capable multispectral sensors may highlight the differences between man-made materials not spectrally matched and any surrounding vegetation or terrain features.

At the lab level, these methods are capable of identification of commercial organic compounds or coating resins down to the producer’s part number. The remote sensing instrumentation is not yet capable of this selectivity but is moving in this direction. Regions of the electromagnetic spectrum that are of interest to this effort include the wavelengths between ultraviolet and far infrared. Radar scattering and absorption also continue to be important methods for concealment

Successful tactical camouflage systems must be lightweight to facilitate short strike and erect cycles. Durability is also a factor and a minimum 2 years of continuous field life is required with a stretch goal of 5 years. Multiple visible camo patterns must be available with the associated spectral response of woodland, desert, urban and the arctic terrain. In addition to these basic patterns, the operational force may require unique patterns for matching mission specific terrains.

The Army seeks an advanced technical material capable of meeting the planned requirements set forth within the ULCANS CDD (a copy of this CDD can be provided after the contract award). The fabric shall be flame resistant, durable, flexible and as lightweight as possible. The production-level fabric shall have a target cost not to exceed $3.34 per square foot or $35.95 per square meter. The new tactical camouflage material will possess at a minimum the following capabilities:

1. Protection against Multi-spectral/hyper-spectral detection:

Recent advancements in sensor acquisition and information-processing technologies have fostered the advancement of multi-spectral and hyper-spectral sensors. Multi-spectral sensors are able to scan through multiple channels within the electro-magnetic spectrum such as the portions of the visual, near infrared, and thermal infrared. Such sensors assess a cross section of wavelengths and, with analysis, are able to assist in acquiring a target within a window of particular spectral region even though it might be effectively concealed in another. Hyperspectral sensors collect data across a continuous portion of the electro-magnetic spectrum. These sensors can scan many narrow bands across a wide region of the spectrum and are able to provide detailed information about target spatial and spectral patterns. As absorption and emission bands of given substances often occur within very narrow bandwidths, they allow high-resolution hyper-spectral sensors to distinguish the properties of the substances to a finer degree than an ordinary broadband sensor.

2. Protection from visual detection, observation and surveillance:

Woodland, Desert, Urban and Arctic systems shall have a mean detection range equal to or less than 1000 meters when deployed in both a leafless and fully leafed deciduous tree background when viewed by individuals with vision no worse than 20/30 vision and normal color perception during day light hours.

3. Provide force protection from detection, observation and surveillance by electro-optic, thermal, shortwave-infrared, near-infrared, radar, ultraviolet systems:

a. Thermal Signature: The system shall provide thermal concealment in daytime and nighttime conditions in their respective background environments. The temperature of the systems shall closely track the average apparent background temperature within a maximum of ± 5º C [14º F] above and below the average apparent background temperature within the 3-5 and 8-12 micron band.

b. Near Infrared: When deployed under nighttime low light conditions (quarter to half-moon) the system shall be undetectable at a distance of 500 meters or more when being viewed with a PVS-7 and/or AN/PVS-14 tactical starlight image intensifier.

c. Shortwave-Infrared: The system shall closely match the background and/or foreground spectral properties in the 1.1 to 2.5 micron band undetectable above 500m.

d. Radar: The system shall blend with the background radar signature to a degree similar to or better than the most current version of camouflage in the Army inventory.

e. Ultraviolet (snow only): Provide ultraviolet reflectance characteristics that blend with snow background equal to or below the visual range.

4. Overall dry weight

The maximum weight of the camouflage system (not including support structure) shall be less than 9 oz. per sq. yd.

5. Climate and weather conditions

The system shall perform in all environments, climates, and weather conditions (See MIL-PRF-44271C pages 21-22)

6. Fungus

The screen material shall not support fungal growth (Samples shall be tested in accordance with Aspergillus niger according to AATCC 30 (1999), test III without glucose).

7. Flame Resistance

The system needs to be flame resistant or self- extinguishing with no melt drip. (Four 12”x12” samples will be tested according to Option B of ASTM D 3659).

PHASE I: The awardee shall propose a six (6) month period of performance with a three month option period to research and develop material solutions to address the detailed spectral performance characteristics. This first phase will focus on the creation of a hyperspectral prototype that has blending performance across the infrared spectrum in the regions of visible (400-700 nm), near-infrared (700-900nm) and shortwave infrared (900-2500nm) for one (1) of the four environments (woodland, arid, snow, urban). The awardee shall also document a plan of action that details the method to prototype and manufacture a hyperspectral material that will blend into all regions of the threat spectrum; UV (200 nm) through Radar (1 m).

In addition, in order to fulfill reporting requirements, the awardee shall report monthly on their progress in the form of a 4-8 page technical report indicating accomplishments, project progress and spending against schedule, associated data tables, graphics, and any other test data.

Deliverables:

• Six (6) monthly reports as described above

• A final report suitable for publishing onto the Defense Technical Information Center that describes the project and the work performed

• A total of three (3) 1 m2 swatch samples of prototype fabric showcasing the awardee’s solution capable of hyperspectral blending in the VIS-NIR-SWIR bands in the awardee’s selected operational environment (woodland, desert, urban, or arctic).

• Limited evidence depicting the fabric’s ability to meet hyperspectral blending in the visible, near-infrared and shortwave-infrared spectrums. This limited evidence may include fabric testing and component material specifications.

• A detailed report or plan of action that describes a method to achieve full threat spectrum blending performance in each of the 4 operational environments. This plan should include details on how to effectively conceal against Hyperspectral, Multispectral and LADAR.