Development and U.S. Based production of a rugged fully encapsulating T5SUIT for the absl-4 AG and other BSL-4 environments (phase 4) -- to incorporate feedback from ergonomic and user testing and…

The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service awarded Advanced Functional Fabrics Of America, Inc. a $133,327.10 cooperative agreement on August 1, 2026, to develop and produce a rugged fully encapsulating T5 suit for BSL-4 agricultural research environments, incorporating feedback from ergonomic and user testing and manufacturing a test batch of positive pressure suits for extended testing. This award is Phase 4 of an ongoing effort under the Agricultural Research Basic and Applied Research program (CFDA 10.001). Performance is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with completion expected by February 29, 2028. The cooperative agreement follows a prior $605,520 award to the same recipient in September 2023 for initial development of the protective suit for Biosafety Level 4 environments.

Development and U.S. Based production of a rugged fully encapsulating T5SUIT for the absl-4 AG and other BSL-4 environments (phase 4) -- to incorporate feedback from ergonomic and user testing and to manufacture a test batch of positive pressure suits to for extended testing.