Aquagga Inc.

Aquagga Inc. is a Tacoma, Washington-based small business specializing in per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) remediation and destruction. The company has developed proprietary hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT) technology as an innovative solution to address PFAS contamination—commonly referred to as "forever chemicals"—in water, soil, and other environmental matrices. Through its federal contracting and grant activities, Aquagga provides research and development services, pilot-scale system demonstrations, and on-site destruction and remediation capabilities to defense and civilian agencies seeking solutions to PFAS contamination at military installations and other federal facilities.

Aquagga's federal contract portfolio demonstrates substantial engagement across multiple defense and civilian agencies with a total value exceeding $8.5 million in prime contract awards. The company has received research and development contracts from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), including a $1.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract awarded in August 2025 for PFAS remediation research with completion targeted for August 2027, and a $239,986 Small Business Innovation Research Phase I contract awarded in April 2024. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded Aquagga a $309,849 firm fixed-price contract under the Embedded Entrepreneurship Initiative in August 2024, recognizing the company's capabilities in commercializing its HALT technology. The Air Force Research Laboratory has been a significant contracting partner, awarding a $1.25 million Small Business Technology Transfer Phase II contract in September 2023 for development of molecularly imprinted polymers for real-time PFAS sensing, and a $75,000 STTR Phase I purchase order in November 2022. Additional defense contracts include a $1.11 million Other Transaction Agreement from the Office of the Secretary of Defense for on-site PFAS destruction and remediation, a $600,000 contract from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center for on-site disposal of aqueous film-forming foam using HALT technology, and a $1.49 million Small Business Innovation Research Phase II contract from the Army Research, Development and Engineering Command for on-site destruction of PFAS-impacted liquids. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded a $249,805 purchase order in August 2023 for demonstration of a pilot-scale continuous HALT system under the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program. The Environmental Protection Agency awarded a $500,000 firm fixed-price Small Business Innovation Research Phase II contract in January 2022 for advancing HALT technology for remediating PFAS-contaminated water and groundwater. All prime contracts designated Aquagga as a small business set-aside awardee where applicable. Additionally, Aquagga served as a subcontractor to the Trustees of the Colorado School of Mines on three separate awards beginning in October 2023, supporting advancement of HALT technology for on-site treatment of PFAS wastes, ex-situ treatment of PFAS-impacted soils and sediments, and the Department of Defense Strategic Environmental Research & Development Program.

Aquagga's federal grant awards total approximately $756,000 and demonstrate the company's engagement in technology development and commercialization initiatives. The National Science Foundation awarded Aquagga two prime grant awards: a cooperative agreement valued at an undisclosed amount with an ultimate completion date of October 31, 2027, focused on an optimized hydrothermal reactor for scalable and affordable PFAS destruction addressing technical risks related to system corrosion and chemical consumption in the HALT process, and a $256,000 Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project grant awarded in February 2021 for developing an additively manufactured reactor for emerging contaminant destruction under the NSF Engineering program. These grants reflect the agency's interest in supporting Aquagga's innovation in environmental remediation technology and its efforts to advance the commercial viability of its core HALT platform through risk reduction and process optimization activities.

Destruction and disposal of PFAS Forever Chemicals and Wet Waste Including AFFF, Contaminated soil and groudwater