Opportunity Information: Apply for ONRBAA09 013
Apply for ONRBAA09 013
- The Office of Naval Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Component Development for Advanced Shipboard Desalination Systems" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300 Basic and Applied Scientific Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 17, 2009 and posted on Mar 3, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 1, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
- Federally Funded Research Development Centers (FFRDCs), including Department of Energy National Laboratories, are not eligible to receive awards under this BAA. However, teaming arrangements between FFRDCs and eligible principal bidders are allowed so long as they are permitted under the sponsoring agreement between the Government and the specific FFRDC. Navy laboratories and warfare centers as well as other Department of Defense and civilian agency laboratories are also not eligible to receive awards under this BAA and should not directly submit either white papers or full proposals in response to this BAA. If any such organization is interested in one or more of the programs described herein, the organization should contact an appropriate ONR POC to discuss its area of interest. The various scientific divisions of ONR are identified at http://www.onr.navy.mil/. As with FFRDCs, these types of federal organizations may team with other responsible sources from academia and industry that are submitting proposals under this BAA.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Office of Naval Research (ONR) grant opportunity titled "Component Development for Advanced Shipboard Desalination Systems" focuses on advancing the next generation of technologies that can improve how the U.S. Navy produces freshwater at sea. The Navy has relied on reverse osmosis (RO) desalination as its shipboard standard since the early 1990s, largely because RO systems have outperformed older distillation-based approaches in practical, day-to-day ship operations. Compared with conventional distillers, RO plants generally demand less constant monitoring and fewer personnel hours, while also lowering operating costs through reduced power consumption, reduced dependence on a ship's steam systems, less need for chemical additives, and better reliability and maintainability. ONR is building on these advantages by pushing targeted research and development aimed at modern membrane-based separation advances that have accelerated over the past two decades, including better membrane materials, improved pump technologies, new membrane configurations, updated operating strategies, and staged separation processes.
A key point in this solicitation is that it is not looking for complete, ready-to-deploy desalination systems. Instead, it is specifically aimed at component-level development over a two-year period. The intent is to mature promising water purification and desalination components to a level where they are credible candidates for integration into future robust shipboard desalination systems. The stated maturity goal is Technical Readiness Level (TRL) 4 or 5, which generally corresponds to laboratory validation and relevant-environment validation of components or breadboard prototypes, rather than full-scale operational demonstrations. ONR also signals a likely follow-on effort in the future: a second program that would assemble complete shipboard desalination systems and mature them to TRL 6, potentially using components advanced under this current program. That forward-looking structure matters because it shows ONR is trying to build a pipeline from research-grade component concepts to integrated systems that can be tested in realistic conditions.
Administratively, this opportunity is listed as a discretionary funding program and supports science and technology research and development under CFDA 12.300 (Basic and Applied Scientific Research). The funding instruments referenced include grants and procurement contracts, indicating ONR may choose the contractual mechanism that best fits a proposed scope and performer arrangement. Cost sharing is not required. The opportunity was posted March 3, 2009, created March 17, 2009, and had an application closing date of June 1, 2009, with an archive date of July 1, 2009, reflecting the historical nature of this particular announcement (ONR BAA 09-013 / Funding Opportunity Number ONRBAA09 013).
Eligibility is broadly open ("unrestricted") with important exclusions for certain federal entities. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), including Department of Energy national laboratories, are not eligible to receive awards directly under this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). However, they may participate in teaming arrangements with eligible primary applicants when permitted by their sponsoring agreements. Similarly, Navy laboratories and warfare centers, as well as other Department of Defense and civilian agency laboratories, are not eligible to submit white papers or full proposals directly, but they may collaborate or team with eligible academic or industry applicants. The solicitation encourages interested federal labs to coordinate with the appropriate ONR point of contact to discuss alignment with program interests, rather than submitting as a direct offeror.
In practical terms, the announcement is a targeted ONR research effort meant to strengthen the building blocks of future shipboard desalination systems. It recognizes the operational benefits that made RO the Navy standard, tracks the broader acceleration in membrane and separation technology, and uses a phased readiness approach: mature components now (TRL 4-5), then potentially integrate and demonstrate complete systems later (TRL 6). For proposers, the clearest takeaways are the component-level focus, the two-year maturation window, the TRL targets, and the eligibility boundaries that shape who can lead proposals and how teaming may be structured. For full technical requirements and submission details, the announcement directs applicants to the complete ONR BAA 09-013 documentation and provides a contact (Lynnette Desorcie) for help accessing the full posting.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this ONR grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Component Development for Advanced Shipboard Desalination Systems" and is associated with ONR BAA 09-013 (Funding Opportunity Number ONRBAA09 013).
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The goal is to advance next-generation technologies that improve how the U.S. Navy produces freshwater at sea by maturing promising desalination and water purification components that could be integrated into future shipboard desalination systems.
Is ONR looking for complete, ready-to-deploy shipboard desalination systems?
No. The solicitation specifically states it is not seeking complete, ready-to-deploy desalination systems. It is focused on component-level development.
What does "component-level development" mean in this context?
It means the work should focus on developing and maturing individual components (or breadboard-level component prototypes) relevant to shipboard desalination and water purification, rather than delivering a fully integrated shipboard desalination plant.
How long is the development window for the work described in the announcement?
The announcement describes a two-year period for component maturation and development.
What Technical Readiness Level (TRL) is ONR targeting under this program?
The stated maturity goal is TRL 4 or TRL 5, which generally corresponds to laboratory validation and relevant-environment validation of components or breadboard prototypes.
Does this program include full-scale operational demonstrations on Navy ships?
Not under this component-focused solicitation. The TRL 4-5 goal indicates validation at laboratory and relevant-environment levels rather than full operational, shipboard demonstrations.
Is there an expected follow-on program after this effort?
ONR signals a likely follow-on effort in the future: a second program that would assemble complete shipboard desalination systems and mature them to TRL 6, potentially using components advanced under this current program.
Why is the Navy interested in improving shipboard desalination now?
The Navy has used reverse osmosis (RO) desalination as its shipboard standard since the early 1990s, and ONR is building on RO advantages while leveraging advances in membrane-based separation that have accelerated over the past two decades.
Why has reverse osmosis (RO) been the Navy shipboard standard?
According to the announcement, RO has outperformed older distillation-based approaches in day-to-day ship operations and generally requires less constant monitoring and fewer personnel hours, while also reducing operating costs through reduced power consumption, reduced dependence on ship steam systems, less need for chemical additives, and improved reliability and maintainability.
What kinds of technology improvements does ONR highlight as relevant to this effort?
The announcement points to modern membrane-based separation advances, including improved membrane materials, improved pump technologies, new membrane configurations, updated operating strategies, and staged separation processes.
What type of funding program is this listed as?
It is listed as a discretionary funding program supporting science and technology research and development.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity supports work under CFDA 12.300 (Basic and Applied Scientific Research).
What funding instruments may be used for awards under this opportunity?
The announcement references grants and procurement contracts, indicating ONR may choose the contractual mechanism that best fits the proposed scope and performer arrangement.
Is cost sharing required?
No. The announcement states that cost sharing is not required.
Who is eligible to apply as a primary applicant?
Eligibility is broadly open ("unrestricted"), but with important exclusions for certain federal entities (including FFRDCs and various government laboratories) from receiving awards directly or submitting directly as offerors under this BAA.
Are Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) eligible to receive awards directly?
No. FFRDCs (including Department of Energy national laboratories) are not eligible to receive awards directly under this Broad Agency Announcement.
Can FFRDCs participate in projects in any way?
Yes. The announcement indicates FFRDCs may participate in teaming arrangements with eligible primary applicants when permitted by their sponsoring agreements.
Can Navy laboratories or warfare centers submit white papers or full proposals directly?
No. Navy laboratories and warfare centers, as well as other Department of Defense and civilian agency laboratories, are not eligible to submit white papers or full proposals directly under this solicitation.
Can government laboratories collaborate with eligible applicants?
Yes. The solicitation notes that these laboratories may collaborate or team with eligible academic or industry applicants.
What does ONR recommend for federal labs that are interested in the topic area?
The announcement encourages interested federal labs to coordinate with the appropriate ONR point of contact to discuss alignment with program interests, rather than submitting as a direct offeror.
When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted March 3, 2009, created March 17, 2009, and had an application closing date of June 1, 2009.
Is this a current open funding opportunity?
The dates provided indicate it is a historical announcement. It also lists an archive date of July 1, 2009.
Where should applicants look for the full technical requirements and submission details?
The announcement directs applicants to the complete ONR BAA 09-013 documentation for full technical requirements and submission details.
Who is the contact mentioned for help accessing the full posting?
The announcement provides a contact name: Lynnette Desorcie, identified as a point of contact for help accessing the full posting.
What are the key takeaways for proposers based on the description provided?
The clearest takeaways are the component-level focus (not full systems), the two-year maturation window, the TRL 4-5 targets, the possibility of a later system-integration program targeting TRL 6, and the eligibility boundaries that determine who can lead proposals and how teaming may be structured.
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