HR001119S0084.pdf

Broad Agency Announcement ReSource

BIOLOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE

HR001119S0084

August 20, 2019

HR001119S0084, ReSource

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I: OVERVIEW INFORMATION

PART II: FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

1. Funding Opportunity Description

1.1. Program Overview

1.2. Technical Approach and Structure

1.3. Program Specifications

1.4. Program Metrics

1.5. Program Demonstrations

1.6. General Requirements

2. Award Information

2.1. General Award Information

2.2. Fundamental Research

3. Eligibility Information

3.1. Eligible Applicants

3.2. Organizational Conflicts of Interest

3.3. Cost Sharing/Matching

4. Application and Submission Information

4.1. Address to Request Application Package

4.2. Contact and Form of Application Submission

Disclosure of Information and Compliance with Safeguarding Covered Defense Information Controls

4.3. Funding Restrictions

4.4. Other Submission Information

5. Application Review Information

5.1. Evaluation Criteria

5.2. Review of Proposals

6. Award Administration Information

6.1. Selection Notices

6.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

6.3. Reporting

6.4. Electronic Systems

7. Agency Contacts

8. Other Information

9. APPENDIX 1 – Volume II checklist

PART I: OVERVIEW INFORMATION

Federal Agency Name – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Biological Technologies Office (BTO)

Funding Opportunity Title – ReSource Announcement Type – Initial Announcement Funding Opportunity Number – HR001119S0084 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) – 541714 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers (CFDA) – 12.910 Research and

Technology Development Dates o Posting Date: August 20, 2019 o Proposal Abstract Due Date and Time: September 26, 2019, 4:00 PM ET o Full Proposal Due Date and Time: November 5, 2019, 4:00 PM ET o BAA Closing Date: November 5, 2019 o Proposers’ Day: August 29, 2019 https://fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/DARPA-SN-19-73/listing.html

Concise description of the funding opportunity – The goal of the ReSource program is to provide the military with an integrated system to convert plastics, and other energy-dense waste, into food and strategic chemicals. Developed technologies should function in austere environments to extend long-term missions by engaging single-use wastes and scavenged materials as feedstock, consequently decreasing the logistic burdens and risks associated with delivery of supplies.

Anticipated individual awards – Multiple awards are anticipated.

Types of instruments that may be awarded – Procurement contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or Other Transaction.

Agency contact

The BAA Coordinator for this effort may be reached at:

ReSource@darpa.mil

DARPA/BTO

ATTN: HR001119S0084

675 North Randolph Street Arlington, VA 22203-2114 https://fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/DARPA-SN-19-73/listing.html mailto:ReSource@darpa.mil

PART II: FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

1. Funding Opportunity Description

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) often selects its research efforts through the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) process. The BAA will appear first on the FedBizOpps website, http://www.fedbizopps.gov/, and the Grants.gov website http://www.grants.gov/. The following information is for those wishing to respond to the BAA.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative proposals to address the following areas: (1) preparation of complex waste mixtures to enable their accelerated biological and bio-inspired conversion; (2) liberation of simple functional products and organic upgradeable molecules from pre-treated waste mixes; and (3) generation of strategic materials and chemicals through upgrading processes. Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in the development of novel polymer-degrading enzymes, optimized biological chassis systems, formulation of techniques to use mixed waste as inputs to biochemical reactions and feed engineered biological organisms, and invention of processes that generate high-value materials on-demand. Enhanced robustness to chemical and physical conditions atypical of natural biological systems will be critical, with final integrated systems anticipated to employ novel hybrids of mechanical, biological, and chemical catalytic approaches. While biological organisms are capable of degrading the components of military waste (e.g., food, plastic, paper, and metal) there are currently no biological technologies capable of reforming waste polymers to valuable materials. Key innovations are necessary to build a platform for rapidly transforming energy-dense waste into food/macronutrients, lubricants, or other strategically relevant products. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in incremental improvements to the existing state of practice.

1.1. PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The goal of the ReSource program is to provide the military with the ability to rapidly and efficiently up-convert military waste into valuable resources onsite and on-demand. This is significant because delivery of critical supplies and removal or disposal of waste present logistical burdens and endangerment of human lives during transport in contested environments.

Current industrial utilities are capable of incinerating or gasifying municipal wastes to generate electricity, but the footprints/power requirements of these large-scale systems are not compatible with military expedition or stabilization efforts. These different military scenarios also demand a variety of products and functional materials that could be derived from polymer-rich wastes generated during operations, or scavenged from the local environment, but at this time military operators use neither biological nor biochemical processes to re-form waste into value-added materials. The ReSource program is directed at providing a cross-scale approach to support the warfighter in the following scenarios:

Stabilization scenarios where humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) would be provided to major urban centers rendered inhospitable by conflict or natural disaster, through the conversion of waste to food/macronutrients, tactical materials, and water, for hundreds to thousands of people;

http://www.fedbizopps.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

Expeditionary/Special Operations scenarios that may require a lower product quantity, but would demand scavenged wastes to be processed within a minimal logistical footprint.

From the outset, proposed approaches and developed technologies should identify desired product outputs that align to either two scenarios: Stabilization efforts or Marine expeditionary units/Army special operations (or the equivalent). Each proposal must be directed to either the Stabilization or the Expeditionary /Special Operations track. Proposing teams may offer solutions to both tracks but should submit a separate proposal for each. Unique waste available in each scenario and associated waste management protocols should be considered. By program completion, developed platforms should be capable of resourcing on-demand products that could include the following: edible macronutrients; traditionally petroleum-derived products such as lubricants, adhesives, and tactical fibers; potable water, and other value-add molecules to an emergency ration (e.g., caffeine). Fuels and fuel additives (e.g., ethanol) will not be allowable final products but will be acceptable process intermediates. Developed technologies must function simply, reliably, and continuously in austere and/or isolated environments (e.g., far-forward positions with limited infrastructure). Revolutionary approaches directed at the breakdown of recalcitrant polymers residing in complex waste mixture environments – plastics and other carbon-rich materials – will be necessary to accomplish the program goal.

Interdisciplinary methods will also be required to produce and purify emergency rations adequate for consumption, or produce strategically relevant chemicals of suitable quality for immediate use.

1.2. TECHNICAL APPROACH AND STRUCTURE

1.2.1. Technical Areas

The ReSource program will develop a suite of tools and processes that blend biochemistry, biotechnology, and bio-inspired systems for the conversion of waste to food/macronutrients, Petroleum, Oils and Lubricants (POLs) used by the Armed Forces – including lubricants or oil and grease used in engines, machinery, and weapons systems – and other valuable materials on-demand. Emerging chemical and engineering technologies should integrate into the designed bio-based processes to ensure production within the time, scale, and dependability necessary to support the diverse aforementioned military operations. There are three interconnected Technical Areas (TAs) which must be developed concurrently over the duration of the effort (Figure 1).

Proposals that do not address all three TAs as characterized within this section will be considered non-responsive and not considered for review.

Figure 1: Workflow illustration of the three, non-consecutively numbered Technical Areas.

Technical Area 1: “Breakdown”

The objective of TA1 is to use prepared, pre-treated (see TA3A) waste as a feedstock. Proposals should offer novel solutions to the challenges associated with the recalcitrance of waste to decomposition, including both physical and chemical conditions that adversely impact the deconstruction of carbon-rich polymers in a complex, mixed waste environment. Proposed solutions must consider the rapidity, simplicity, and efficiency necessary for military operations;

as such, technological solutions that are robust against breakage, easily serviceable, and built from common components for replacement and repairs are preferred. The continuous integrated function of platforms will be essential, since the masses of waste input and required periods of operation increase drastically in later phases. Proposals must contextualize these constraints to align with their selected military setting. TA1 can be directed at fully deconstructing polymers to single-carbon monomers (e.g., carbon monoxide) to serve as substrates for TA2 pathways, but breakdown technologies that are incapable of producing intermediates (e.g., gasification) should meet the increasingly strict size, weight, and power (i.e., “SWaP”) goals defined for subsequent phases (Table 1). In addition to producing organic intermediate molecules suitable for upgrading, proposers will be required to generate breakdown molecules that could be used (nearly) immediately as a useful product (e.g., rifle lubricant) following a simple recovery step.

Technical Area 2: “Buildup”

The objective of TA2 is to utilize organic upgradeable intermediates to generate strategic materials and chemicals in unpurified forms at high efficiency and scale. The platform for producing materials should be fast, robust, easily operable, serviceable, and capable of prolonged periods of uninterrupted operation. Proposals should engineer the platform for production (e.g., consortia of microorganisms) to be resilient to increasingly non-optimal waste environments and reaction conditions.

Technical Area 3: TA3A“Release” and TA3B “Recovery”

The objective of TA3 is to devise up- and down-stream processes that will enable the maximized functions of TA1 and TA2 technologies. Specifically, TA3A is pre-treatment of complex waste mixtures to increase reactive surface area and optimize the conditions required for maximal release and conversion of recalcitrant polymers; TA3B is directed at separating desired intermediates throughout and recovering outputs of the engineered conversion process to provide purified, usable materials. Proposals to TA3 should address the challenges associated with pre-processing waste for conversion and addressing challenges associated with variable compositions of outputs produced at each step in the process. Proposers are expected to design a work plan to develop and employ novel tools that make waste amenable for conversion to upgradeable organic intermediates and end-products ready for direct use. Approaches should incorporate the design of novel extraction techniques, macro- and micro-compartmentalization within the system, and physical surface area characteristics necessary for biological and non-biological reactions to proceed sufficiently. Proposals should consist of multiple pilot tests at smaller scales to validate the path forward and inform down-selections between multiple variations in pre-treatment and purification approaches. In order to achieve the goals of the ReSource program, performers must demonstrate sufficient pre-treatment for the envisioned military waste to undergo satisfactory conversion steps and achieve satisfactory product purity for a proposed use-case.

1.2.2. Program Structure

The ReSource program will be accomplished over three sequential phases of increasing technical complexity. The durations are 15, 15, and 18 months, respectively. The successful completion of each phase will be determined by an End-of-Phase demonstration showing advancement and integration of the three TAs (Table 1). Independent Verification and Validation (IV & V) will occur throughout the program as described in Section 1.5.1.

Phase 1 (Base - 15 months): Proof of Concept

During Phase 1 performers will develop technologies for the Release (TA3A) and Breakdown (TA1) of waste mixtures, Buildup (TA2) of organic precursors, and product Recovery (TA3B), or a combination of these areas that satisfy the requirements of the selected military scenario.

Performers must establish a proof-of-concept toward the invention of an integrated novel waste conversion process.

Phase 2 (Option – 15 months): Technology Advancement

Proposers should formulate their Phase 2 work plans to accomplish technological advancement of their selected TAs. Possible approaches could include performing pilot tests with simple waste mixtures to prepare for an End-of-Phase demonstration at scale. Results should give a good indication that multiple waste-stream types in a mixture can be converted to an upgradable organic intermediate.

The statement of work (SOW) should contain tasks to isolate and collect upgradable, organic intermediate molecules and use these molecules to demonstrate sufficient purity by generating at least one product – food and/or POLs by the end of Phase 2. This will validate the quality of the purified organic upgradable molecules and feasibility toward successful product generation in Phase 3.

Phase 3 (Option – 18 months): Operationalize

The aim of Phase 3 is to operationalize the biological technologies and tools to function in simulated theatre conditions with actual Department of Defense (DoD) waste. As a proof-of-principle toward this end, the program will conclude with the conversion of a sample of military waste into at least one usable product, including food, POLs, or tactical material, depending on the chosen operational scenario. To ensure the necessary robustness toward potential real-world scenarios, this final demonstration will be accomplished under a pressure test (to be determined) inclusive of an exacerbating factor (e.g., contaminating the starting material with fouling microorganisms).

Table 1: Program structure and general overview.

Phase 1

(Months 1-15) Phase 2

(Months 16-30) Phase 3

(Months 31-48)

Plastic: 50 g 20 kg 3,000 kg

Platform (maximum energy consumption):

Uncoupled systems for breakdown and buildup

(2,000 kWh/day)

Integrated system leveraging innovative engineering (700 kWh/day)

Streamlined footprint for operational setting

(300 kWh/day)

St ab ili za tio n

Output: 10 g 4 kg 900 kg of food

Waste mixture:

50 g 1 kg 10 kg

Platform (maximum energy consumption):

Multiple containers composed of innovative materials (10 kWh/day)

Single container with multiple micro/macro compartments (3 kWh/day)

Simple, dependable engineering

(1.8 kWh/day)

Ex pe di tio na ry

Sp ec ia l O pe ra tio ns

Output: 2.5 g 100 g 2.5 kg of food and/or POLs

1.3. PROGRAM SPECIFICATIONS

1.3.1. Military Waste

The components of military waste that are in scope for this program are non-hazardous items that include general refuse and food waste (Table 2). The main constituents are plastic bottles, other plastic types from food containers (e.g., wrappers or kitchen wastes), metal (e.g., discarded aluminum containers), cardboard (e.g., shipping wastes), paper (e.g., office waste), and glass.

Waste materials foraged from the environment such as these and vegetative debris (e.g., leaf matter and grasses) could also be incorporated into the waste pool, but proposers should anticipate the environmental fouling and degradation of scavenged items. In addition, food wastes are highly variable and could consist of uneaten portions of “meals ready-to-eat” (MREs) or cooking oil residues. Consideration of the complex nature of military waste compositions will be necessary to design a stepwise conversion process that is amenable to the unpredictability of mixture contents, and prototyping reaction chambers with the appropriate sieve and micro/macro compartments for preparation, decontamination, and purification. Each component of military waste can have a wide range of abundance at any point of collection, and the final integrated process should reliably convert mixed waste regardless of potential contaminating inputs. The increased difficulty of developing innovative methods to deconstruct additional aliphatic compounds is desired, while leveraging existing organisms and enzymes for deconstructing plastics prevalent in mixed waste is also within scope, so long as it is one part within an overall novel process. Examples of other waste types that are in scope for the program are foraged hydrocarbon- and carbohydrate-based materials (e.g., leaves/bark/branches and clothing), wood pallets, cardboard, and paper. Specific metrics for the deconstruction of waste mixture are given in Section 1.4.

Table 2: Distribution of military waste.

Food Paper Plastic Metal Glass Total Range

(kg/person/day)

0.5 – 1.7 0.4 – 2.3 0.004 – 1.43 0.059 – 0.66 0.02 – 0.06 ~1-10

1.3.2. Products

The desired products of the program are food, POLs, and materials that would serve otherwise strategic and/or tactical purposes, and should be in line with the proposer’s chosen concept of operation (i.e., either Stabilization or Expeditionary/Special Operations).

For the goal of on-demand food production from waste, the generation of macronutrients by performers is not constrained to a pre-defined collection of outputs, and products will not require additional post-purification processing beyond what could be a foodstuff material, though directly edible single or combined materials may be preferred. On-demand nutrients are highly valued in both Stabilization and Expeditionary/Special Operations scenarios. Proposals must clearly describe their rationale for the choice of macronutrient product(s), as well their described relevance and nutritional benefit. While glucose will be a useful intermediate for conversion, it should comprise <10% of the final product mass; platform outputs that include more complex digestible carbohydrates (e.g., starch) and inclusion of higher-value fats/fatty acids and/or amino acids/protein may be preferred. Platform technologies directed at macronutrient production may include biological chassis (i.e., prokaryotic or eukaryotic organisms) as viable outputs, but edibility, total nutritional content, and dietary impact must be clearly outlined for each, and constraints to system use (i.e., SWaP) and robustness (i.e., ease of operation and serviceability) will be considered. Inclusion of electrolytes and vitamins, though not required, may also be preferred, and capture and/or production of these and other beneficial micronutrients via biologic or non-biologic means would be considered valuable, but not essential.

Like nutrients, POLs are necessary, day-to-day chemicals that are exclusive of fuels and fuel additives that are commonly used and vital to the warfighter. All POLs are in scope for this program, as long as proposers present a reasonable technical path and a substantiated concept-of-operation scenario. Some examples are adhesives, general and specialized lubricants – the latter including rifle cleaner, lubricant, and protectant (CLP), which is particularly valuable – and other functional oils. Tactical materials (e.g., polymer-based fabric for bandages) are also highly valued in both Stabilization and Expeditionary/Special Operations scenarios. Like proposal requirements described for macronutrients above, proposers should clearly delineate use cases for POLs and other strategic products and their pathway feasibility in their proposals. Though not required, platforms capable of generating diversified outputs (food, POLs, and/or other tactical materials) may be preferred. The purity requirements of final products should meet military specifications consistent with existing DoD standards for use, or in unique cases, ad hoc specifications will be provided, if deemed permissible. The DoD Qualified Products Database (https://qpldocs.dla.mil/search/default.aspx) may be a useful tool to determine specifications of proposers’ products of interest.

https://qpldocs.dla.mil/search/default.aspx

1.3.3. Size, weight, and power (SWaP)

The SWaP objectives for the program are designed to deliver an efficient and dependable integrated system for either Stabilization or Expeditionary/Special Operations and are defined in Table 3. Intermediary milestones may be executed under alternative SWaP parameters, but the ultimate goal must be for the system to perform under program SWaP as each milestone is reached. To achieve success during Phase 2, systems will be required to function under less optimal conditions with increased masses of waste to process and a reduced energy allowance.

Energy requirements must logically align with the concept of operations and be clearly delineated to substantiate they remain within SWaP.

In Phase 3, the permitted size and weight allotments reach a maximum, whereas the power is most limited, but the developed prototype platform should be simple to use and dependable, robust against breakage, easily serviceable, and built from common components for replacement and repairs. Energy requirements should be aligned to the envisioned operation and defined clearly to ensure SWaP has been met or exceeded.

Proposers should include a simple process flow diagram of their final system concept to describe its anticipated components and operating ranges. A rationale for the energy requirements of the systems should be provided and will depend on the implemented technologies and their integration. These will differ according to the proposed mechanical, chemical, and/or biological approaches, and the energy requirements for each. Technology advancements that relax reaction conditions, reduce energy demand, and lessen platform vulnerabilities to stress-strain factors and corrosion by enabling process operations closer to ambient conditions are preferred.

Table 3: SWaP objectives for integrated systems by Phase and scenario.

Phase 1 (Months 1-15)

Phase 2 (Months 16-30)

Phase 3 (Months 31-48)

Size: ≤10 m3 ≤33 m3 ≤500 m3

Weight: 2,000kg 10,000 kg 50,000 kg

St ab ili za tio n

Power: 2000 kWh/day 700 kWh/day 300 kWh/day

Size: ≤1 m3 ≤2 m3 ≤3 m3

Weight: 200 kg 200 kg 200 kg

Ex pe di tio na ry

/S pe ci al O pe ra tio ns

Power: 10 kWh/day 3 kWh/day 1.8 kWh/day

1.4. PROGRAM METRICS

Although the following program metrics are specified, proposers should note that the Government has identified these goals with the intention of bounding the scope of effort, while affording the maximum flexibility, creativity, and innovation in proposing solutions to the stated problem. Proposals should cite the quantitative and qualitative success criteria that the proposed effort will achieve by the time of each Phase’s program milestone and intermediary metric measurement.

Phase 1 Metrics – Proof-of-Concept, Months 1-15

The Phase 1 objectives, metrics, and milestones are designed to generate data and information which establishes proof-of-concept toward the invention of a novel step-wise conversion process (Table 4). Proposers should submit work plans to develop technologies for conversion of at least two waste materials. Those proposing to meet the Stabilization scenario program goals will be required to work with plastic mixtures comprising at least two types (Section 1.3.1). The ratio of plastic types must be consistent with amounts found in actual military waste. Proposals directed at the Expeditionary/Special Operations scenario will be required to work with mixed waste comprising at least two distinct waste types (Section 1.3.1), and one of the two must be plastic.

The ratio of plastic to the other chosen waste type must be consistent with amounts found in actual military waste. In either scenario, food waste may be included in the process, but would not fulfill waste metrics for Phase 1.

Proposals should work toward the development of innovative methods to pre-treat and maximize the reactivity of individual waste types (TA3A) to enable downstream breakdown processes (TA1), upgradable organic intermediate molecule buildup (TA2), and the design and testing of extraction and purification techniques conducive to both novel breakdown and upgrading processes (TA3B). Proposed approaches can begin the buildup process from the outputs derived from TA1, or by demonstrating that the input could be a plausible breakdown product from waste by directly generating monomeric, carbon-containing molecules (e.g., carbon monoxide produced by gasification). During Phase 1, the Buildup (TA2) processes can also be uncoupled from the Breakdown (TA1) pathway, and chemically-equivalent surrogates to the anticipated TA1 outputs used as inputs; however, proposers should note that the End-of-Phase 2 demonstration will require the use of organic outputs generated from processed wastes via TA1 as feedstock for TA2.

The metrics associated with Phase 1 TA1 are designed to explore novel approaches for the deconstruction of waste and advance the state-of-the-art in the rational design of novel enzymes, identify and collect enzyme candidates from the field, and re-engineer known enzymes (or microorganisms), with the ultimate goal of enhancing the speed and efficiency of deconstructing pre-treated, breakdown-reactive materials generated from TA3A. Other chemical, thermal, or combined approaches are within scope, as long as the increasing amounts of waste and given SWaP objectives for each successive Phase are taken into account. While the deconstruction metric for TA1 stipulates ≥ 50% waste breakdown, proposers should be aware that the metric for later phases is no less than 95% deconstruction of the input; hence, it is strongly recommended that both types of plastic be addressed at the outset.

The metrics associated with Phase 1 TA2 are to establish proof-of-concept by establishing the buildup process required to upgrade outputs that will be derived from TA1. Using purified, chemically-equivalent surrogate input(s) at this stage will be acceptable, but proposers must describe: 1) how their surrogate is a plausible breakdown product from military waste, and 2) how it would serve as a feedstock for the synthesis of desired product(s) via the proposed conversion platform. Phase 2 will require performers to use waste breakdown products as TA2 inputs, so they will be strongly encouraged to shift from using purified organic surrogate inputs as quickly as possible, so shake-downs of fully integrated systems can be accomplished.

Performers must also delineate and account for carbon flux from input polymers to intermediates and output products.

The metrics associated with TA3 are designed to enhance the reactivity of recalcitrant waste inputs and demonstrate a plausible path of purification for the envisioned downstream use case.

Proposals should identify and test effective pre-treatment strategies to make waste increasingly amenable to downstream biological conversion processes (TA3A). These strategies may include:

identifying the biological or mechanical action procedures for pre-treatment; determining the requisite characteristics of the waste reaction chamber; and elucidating the physical surface area changes that must occur so microorganisms, enzymes, and processed waste material can interact sufficiently throughout all stages of the process. The necessary purity of collected upgradeable molecule mixtures and products will be based on the isolation of these molecules at 95% homogeneity.

Table 4: Phase 1 metrics by TA and military scenario (Sc).

Sc TA Objective Metric Milestone

Pre-treat and process waste input ≥ 50 g Demonstration of waste processing and feeding

Design implements for plastic waste mixtures ≥ 2 plastic types Baseline uninhibited reaction efficiencies3A

Increase reactivity of waste > 20% Improvement of reactive surface area

Validate breakdown of mixed plastic waste into feedstock

> 50% deconstruction Generation of substrate for buildup and unpurified products

Produce an upgradeable substrate ≥ 25 g (≤ 10% glucose)

Generation of monomers and oligomers from polymeric wastes

Increase rapidity of deconstruction > 25 g/day

Demonstration of sufficient deconstruction in a single day

Engineer platform for production > 20% conversion Production sufficient to meet DoD need

Produce sufficient upgradeable organic molecules

≥ 10 g Generation of unpurified product precursors

St ab ili za tio n

Optimize rapidity of conversion > 10 g/day Production platform fits operational scenario

Sc TA Objective Metric Milestone

Route intermediates and products for purification ≥ 10 g Generation of purified product precursors 3B

Show plausible path forward for downstream use case > 95% purity Isolation of homogenous, organic molecule mixture

Establish novel, substantial pre-processing techniques

≥ 50 g (≤ 25% of cellulosic waste material)

Commencement of process at proof of concept scale

Pretreat and process a mixture of waste ≥ 2 waste types

Commencement of process with two distinct waste types

3A

Increase reactivity of waste > 10% Validation of pretreatment techniques

Validate breakdown of mixed waste

> 50% deconstruction (≥ 25% of each waste type)

Generation of substrate for buildup and unpurified products

Generate deconstruction output ≥ 25 g (≤ 25% glucose)

Production of upgradeable molecules and unpurified product

Deconstruct mixed waste effectively > 25 g/day

Demonstration of deconstruction in a single day

Engineer a platform for production > 5% conversion Production of upgradeable organic molecules

Generate upgradeable organic molecules ≥ 2.5 g Yields sufficient product

Ex pe di tio na ry

Sp ec ia l O pe ra tio ns

Demonstrate sufficient rapidity for production > 2.5 g/day Production rate fits operational scenario

Show recovery and extraction ≥ 2.5 g Recovery of upgradeable molecules 3B

Purify aqueous, organic, and inorganic components > 95% Capture of homogenous mixture

Phase 2 Metrics – Technology Advancement, 16-30 months

The Phase 2 objectives, metrics, and milestones increase in difficulty by moving to larger masses of waste (Table 5). The metrics under TA1 are designed to advance research toward mitigating the challenges of working with unpredictable mixtures of waste components and to overcome processing by-products that inhibit desired reactions. Intermediary molecules and final outputs generated during the build-up (TA2) process must be identified and quantified to facilitate down-selection between all characterized build-up conversions and ensure that anticipated products best align to DoD need. All performing teams will isolate and collect upgradable organic intermediate molecules, then assess the quality of these molecules in a functional demonstration by generating one (1) DoD-valued product. This will contribute to validating the application of purified organic upgradable molecules for product generation, a vital advancement toward achieving the ReSource program goal. Under TA3A, performers are expected to interrogate surface area and micro/macro interactions of waste, enzymes, chemicals, and microorganisms, and to produce and test prototype procedures, pre-treatments, and chambers for the preparation of mixed waste for breakdown. Under TA3B, performers will produce and test various prototype mechanisms and materials for partitioning organic upgradable molecules from contaminants.

These approaches will likely include engineering novel structures within chambers for the purification (e.g., sieves), and new methods to scale the compartmentalization of impurities. It is anticipated that the performers will explore biochemical, chemical, physical, and engineering advancements to ensure process fidelity and robustness, including sustained operation under variable pH and alterations in other chemical attributes that will likely occur during the integrated process.

Table 5: Phase 2 metrics by TA and military scenario (Sc).

Sc TA Objective Metric Milestone

Increase capacity of system ≥ 20 kg Increased scale of waste input

Begin process with plastic mixture ≥ 2 plastic types Optimization for mixture challenges at scale3A

Increase reactivity of waste > 30% Improvement of reactivity

Deconstruct plastic for discharge or downstream conversion

> 95% deconstruction Breakdown starting material by weight

Generate upgradeable and/or biodegradable molecules

≥ 19 kg TA2 precursor and/or product1

Increase rapidity of deconstruction > 2.8 kg/day Maintained rate of deconstruction

Convert from TA1 or otherwise deconstructed waste input

> 20% conversion Maintained conversion sufficient for DoD need

Increased yield of buildup platform ≥ 4 kg Produced sufficient amount for DoD need

Increase rapidity for production at scale > 570 g/day Maintained daily production rate

Upgrade organic molecules to product(s) ≥ 1 product Generated macronutrients and water at sufficient purity

St ab ili za tio n

3B Purify organic upgradable molecules

Capable of TA2 conversion into ≥ 1 product

Isolation of output from inhibitors

Sc TA Objective Metric Milestone

Increase capacity of system ≥ 1 kg Increase scale of waste input

Begin process with waste mixture ≥ 3 waste types

Optimization for heterogeneous mixture at scale

3A

Increase reactivity of waste > 15% Improvement of reactivity

Deconstruct mixed waste for discharge or downstream conversion

> 95% deconstruction Breakdown starting material by weight

Generate biodegradable and/or upgradeable molecules

≥ 950 g TA2 precursor and/or product

Increase rapidity of deconstruction > 135 g/day Maintained rate of deconstruction

Convert from TA1 or waste input > 10% conversion Maintained conversion sufficient for DoD need

Increased yield of buildup platform ≥ 100 g Produced sufficient amount for DoD need

Increase rapidity for production at scale > 14 g/day Maintained daily production rate

Ex pe di tio na ry

Sp ec ia l O pe ra tio ns

Upgrade organic molecules ≥ 1 product Sufficient purity to generate macronutrients or POLs

3B Purify organic upgradable molecules

Capable of TA2 conversion into ≥ 1 product

Isolation of output from inhibitors

Phase 3 Metrics – Operationalize, 31-48 months

During Phase 3, performers will work with relevant, military-specified waste mixtures that have pre-defined characteristics. Military waste generally consists of food residues, plastic, paper, and cardboard, plus less abundant variable components (e.g., metal and glass) that could potentially contaminate or inhibit the processes. The objectives, metrics, and milestones of Phase 3 are established to ensure these processes are capable of converting complex mixtures of waste to upgradeable organic intermediates and products in a timely manner, and potentially convert or dispose of those contaminants as they arise. Proposers will be expected to assemble the military waste mixture they will implement during Phase 3 according to pre-defined distribution specifications and will describe the alignment between their engineered system and the envisioned DoD use.

The overall objective is to produce and purify food/macronutrients, POLs, and/or tactical materials. Any residual outputs of the engineered system that are not usable products should be non-toxic, biodegradable, environmentally compatible, and/or upgradeable. The environmental amelioration of processed, non-usable byproduct should be able to occur in a reasonably rapid, safe, and non-descript fashion, so emphasis should be placed on the traceability of residual waste amounts for the Expeditionary/Special Operations scenario.

Product purity will be a performer-defined and effort-specific metric and must be consistent with existing standards for use of final product. For example, if the performer has chosen to generate a macronutrient, then it must be purified to the standard defined for safe consumption. In line with this, if the performer has chosen to produce rifle lubricant, then it must meet specifications necessary for its immediate application and use. The proposed purification techniques for use will be closely evaluated during Phase 3 to ensure the proposed products are made rapidly and safely.

Table 6: Phase 3 metrics by TA and military scenario.

Sc TA Objectives Metrics Milestones

Input at scale ≥ 3000 kg Engineered for mixed plastics

Input plastic mixture ≥ 2 plastic types Engineered for mixed plastics

Increase reactivity of waste > 40% Engineered for mixed plastics

3A

Mitigate one exacerbating factor TBD Demonstrated platform resilience

Deconstruct for discharge or downstream conversion > 95% deconstruction Met breakdown metric with actual military waste

Deconstruct for high output yield ≥ 2,850 kg Production of non-plastic deconstructed output1

Deconstruct rapidly at scale > 100 kg/day Met rate metric at scale

Produce sufficient amount for use > 30% conversion Optimized process for generation of products

Generate high yield of product(s) ≥ 900 kg Produced sufficient amount for DoD need2

Produce rapidly at scale > 30 kg/ day Produced at time scale for DoD need

St ab ili za tio n

3B Purify food/macronutrient(s) and water

≥ 900 kg food/macronutrients

Purified sufficient quantity for DoD use

Sc TA Objectives Metrics Milestones

Purify food/macronutrient(s) and water

Metric consistent with existing standards for use

Provided necessary homogeneity for use case

Input at scale ≥ 10 kg Engineered for realistic military waste

Input military waste mixture ≥ 3 waste types (2 must be plastic)

Engineered for diverse military waste

Increase reactivity of waste >20% Pre-defined military waste stream

3A

Mitigate one exacerbating factor TBD Demonstrated platform resilience

Deconstruct to be untraceable and/or upgradeable

> 95% deconstruction Demonstrated complete deconstruction at scale

Deconstruct for high output yield ≥ 9.5 kg

Production of untraceable and/or upgradeable molecules

Deconstruct rapidly at scale > 340 g/day Maintained rapid deconstruction at scale

Convert sufficient amount for use > 25% conversion Optimized process for generation of products

Yield sufficient products for use ≥ 2.5 kg Produced sufficient amount for DoD need2

Produce at timescale necessary for use > 89 g/day Produced at time scale for

DoD need

Purify food, POLs, or tactical materials ≥ 2.5 kg Purified sufficient quantity for DoD use

Ex pe di tio na ry

/S pe ci al

O pe ra tio ns

3B Purify food, POLs, or tactical materials

Metric consistent with existing standards for use

Provided necessary homogeneity for use case

1.5. PROGRAM DEMONSTRATIONS

The successful completion of each phase will be determined through an End-of-Phase demonstration showing technical advancement and potential for functional integration of the proposed TAs. From the outset, performers will be working under one of two selected scenarios—Stabilization or Expeditionary/Special Operations—which will define the respective program SWaP objectives and specific demonstration metrics. In Phase 1, performers will deliver a key demonstration showing the conversion of waste to non-toxic, upgradeable organic molecules. In Phase 2, performers will be expected to demonstrate the conversion of larger masses of waste with increased heterogeneity (i.e., mixture of plastics and cellulosic materials).

Phase 3 will require a system demonstration on a pre-defined military waste stream at scale.

Efficient conversion, energy return on investment, and minimal footprint will be emphasized.

1.5.1. Independent Validation and Verification (IV & V)

Independent verification and validation (IV & V) testing will be conducted by a third-party organization, to be identified and retained by DARPA. This third-party IV & V organization will be responsible for testing the engineered system and its corresponding protocols and procedures in accordance with the metrics outlined in Sections 1.5.2 and 1.5.3, with supervision by DARPA.

The IV & V team will be responsible for conducting a mid-phase 1 Trial Run at the performer’s site, Month 9. The IV & V-managed system testing of the Trial Run will include:

• Prototype systems are tested by IV&V team.

• Tests performed following performer protocol under performer guidance.

• Performer teams allowed to troubleshoot and analyze results.

• Results of IV&V testing provided to performers, Month 10.

The IV & V team mid-phase 1 Trial Run report is due Month 11.

The IV & V team will be responsible for conducting an end of phase 1 demonstration at the performer site, Month 12. The IV & V-managed system testing of the end of phase 1 demonstration will include:

• Prototype systems are tested by IV & V team.

• Tests performed following performer protocol under performer guidance.

• Performer teams allowed to troubleshoot and analyze results.

IV & V-managed system test of end of phase demo report is due Month 13.

1.5.2. Mid-Phase 1 Trial Run (Month 9)

A mid-phase 1 Trial Run will be conducted by the performers in conjunction with the IV & V team. During the mid-phase 1 Trial Run, performers will demonstrate that they have launched functional individual (non-integrated) system components. The Trial Run should show that the non-integrated process is functioning to convert minimal amounts of waste under reduced constraints. Performer teams will be required to allow the IV & V team to re-perform their Trial Run under the reported protocols and specifications; Trial Run objectives and their respective metrics will be specified to selected performers. Performers that do not pass the review of the Trial Run may not continue to Phase 2. The Trial Run report will be due no later than 30 calendar days after Trial Run is performed, Month 10.

1.5.3. End-of-Phase 1 Demonstration (Month 12)

The objective of Phase 1 is to establish proof-of-concept using a basic system consisting of either mixed plastic waste types as an input (Stabilization) or a mixture of plastic and cellulosic material (Expeditionary/Special Operations). This phase will conclude by demonstrating that a designed step-wise process can convert waste to upgradeable organic molecules and, potentially, unpolished products. The minimum objectives are that performers will convert at least 50 grams of mixed plastic waste (Stabilization) or mixed waste (Expeditionary/Special Operations) to upgradeable organic precursor molecules over the course of a single day (Table 7). Performer teams will be required to allow the IV & V team to test their system for reproducibility and reliability of capabilities. Continued funding will be contingent upon the system’s ability to meet the metrics (Section 1.5.3), under defined objectives (Table 3), presentation of a solid development plan for the remainder of the program, due Month 13, and funding availability.

Table 7: Phase 1 demonstration metrics should be accomplished by running a non-integrated system over the course of a single day.

Sc Objective Metric

Pretreat mixed plastic input ≥ 50 g

Process compatible with mixture input ≥ 2 plastic types

Deconstruct half of the waste input > 50%

Convert mass input to mass output (upgradeable molecules) > 20%

St ab ili za tio n

Generate upgradeable organic molecules output ≥ 10 g

Pretreat mixed waste input ≥ 50 g

Process compatible with input waste mixture input ≥ 2 waste types

Deconstruct half of the waste input > 50%

Convert mass input to mass output (upgradeable molecules) > 5%

Ex pe di tio na ry

Sp ec ia l O pe ra tio ns

Generate upgradeable organic molecules output ≥ 2.5 g

1.5.4. End-of-Phase 2 Demonstration (Month 29)

The objective of the End-of-Phase 2 demonstration is to convert larger masses of waste with increased heterogeneity (i.e., mixture of plastics and cellulosic materials) using a fully integrated system over the course of seven (7) days (Table 8). Continued funding will be contingent upon the system’s ability to meet the metrics (Section 1.5.4), under defined objectives (Table 3), presentation of a solid development plan for the remainder of the program (due Month 29), and funding availability.

Table 8: Phase 2 demonstration metrics should be accomplished by running a fully integrated system over the course of seven (7) days.

Sc Objective Metric

Pretreat mixed plastic input ≥ 20 kg

Process compatible with mixture input ≥ 2 plastic types

Deconstruct the majority of waste input > 95%

Convert mass input to mass output (upgradeable molecules) > 20%

St ab ili za tio n

Generate food/macronutrient precursors ≥ 4 kg

Pretreat mixed plastic input ≥ 1 kg

Process compatible with mixture input ≥ 3 waste types (2 must be plastic and 1 cellulosic)

Deconstruct the majority of waste input > 95%

Convert mass input to mass output (upgradeable molecules) > 10%

Ex pe di tio na ry

Sp ec ia l O pe ra tio ns

Generate food/macronutrient, POL, or tactical material precursors ≥ 100 g

1.5.5. End-of-Phase 3 Demonstration (Month 47)

The third phase will conclude with a system demonstration on a sample of military waste over the course of twenty-eight (28) days (Table 9). Efficient conversion, serviceability of the machinery used, energy return on investment, and minimal footprint should be considered.

Table 9: Phase 3 demonstration metrics should be accomplished by running a fully integrated system over the course of twenty-eight (28) days.

Sc Objective Metric

St ab i liz at i

Pretreat mixed plastic input ≥ 3,000 kg

Sc Objective Metric

Process compatible with mixture input ≥ 2 plastic types

Deconstruct the majority of waste input > 95%

Convert mass input to food/macronutrients and water, or tactical materials > 30% on

Generate desired product Food and water (or tactical materials) for 300 people

Pretreat mixed plastic input 10 kg

Process compatible with mixture input ≥ 3 waste types (2 must be plastic)

Deconstruct the majority of waste input > 95%

Convert mass input to POLs or food/macronutrients > 25%

Ex pe di tio na ry

Sp ec ia l O pe ra tio ns

Generate desired product POLs for 100 weapons or food/macronutrients for 10s of people

1.6. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1.6.1. Proposing Teams

It is expected that proposals will involve multidisciplinary teams that include expertise from multiple complementary disciplines (e.g., biology, chemistry, and engineering). Specific content, communications, networking, and team formation are the sole responsibility of the proposer teams. Proposer teams should submit a single, integrated proposal led by a single Principal Investigator, Program Integrator/Manager, under a single prime contractor that addresses all program phases, as applicable.

DARPA will hold a Proposers Day (see Section 8, Other Information) to facilitate the formation of proposer teams with the expertise necessary to meet the goals of the program and enable sharing of information among interested proposers through the DARPA Opportunities Page and the Proposers Day registration website.

1.6.2. Data Sharing

DARPA anticipates that a large amount of data will be generated under this program by each team. Data analyses and validation results will be strengthened by compiling and integrating information across all performers. Therefore, the ReSource program will require that performer data, analysis, and software executables (or source code) be shared with DARPA, the IV & V team, and US Government stakeholders. Performers are strongly encouraged to establish the appropriate agreements to enable collaboration and data sharing beyond these organizations.

DARPA encourages sharing of pre-existing data and capabilities, including those generated through funding from other sources.

1.6.3. Biocontainment/Biosafety (Engineered Organisms)

This program will support engineered biological research conducted in containment and will not support proposals that include uncontained environmental release of engineered organisms. The inclusion of biocontainment strategies and/or assessment to all TAs is very strongly encouraged.

1.6.4. Permits and Compliance

It is the proposing team’s responsibility to obtain all necessary federal, state, and local government permits and approvals, and abide by all applicable laws where necessary for the proposed work to be conducted. Proposals should include sufficient documentation to allow the Government team to determine whether the proposed work is in compliance. Failure to apply for and/or obtain federal, state, and local permits, approvals, letters of agreement, or failure to provide environmental analysis where necessary will delay the award of funds if a project is otherwise selected for funding.

1.6.5. Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications (ELSI)

DARPA maintains its commitment to ensuring that efforts funded under this BAA adhere to ethical and legal regulations currently in place for Federal and DoD-funded research. Program plans will be reviewed and discussed by a panel of expert external advisors with expertise in bioethical issues that may emerge as a consequence of advances in ReSource technologies.

Proposers to this BAA should address potential ethical, legal, and societal implications of the proposed technology, as deemed appropriate.

1.6.6. Regulatory Strategy

Proposers must present a detailed plan for early and continued engagement with regulators (e.g., Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency) throughout…