Notice

Competition document: bioprocessing waste into reusable products

Updated 14 October 2019

1. Introduction

This Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) competition is seeking proposals to develop a prototype system to aid with the recycling of waste fuel, oils, lubricants and other liquid chemicals to enable the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to manage waste on its permanent bases and at temporary sites during operations globally, producing reusable by-products. The benefits to the MOD are potential savings on the future waste removal contracts, and the wider environmental benefits to the UK of recycling the waste by-products.

The innovation should include the development of a bioprocessing engineering solution, and development of appropriate active components to break waste down into by-products. These active components need to include those that are biological in nature, be easily transported, with the ability to regenerate / grow, thus minimising ongoing input. The ability to capture the by-products for reuse is also fundamental to this competition. Bidders can address the development of all these aspects or individual aspects, provided they can show a joined-up capability which will deliver other areas through collaboration.

Phase 1 has approximately £1 million available to fund 3-5 proposals. Additional funding is anticipated to be available for future phases.

To help bidders understand the problem space and to facilitate opportunities for collaboration, an event will be held at RAF Brize Norton on 1 October 2019. To sign up to this event, register on the Bioprocessing Industry Day Eventbrite page.

This competition will close on 30 October 2019.

Queries should be sent to accelerator@dstl.gov.uk.

2. Competition Scope

2.1 Background

Large volumes of waste fuel, oil, lubricants and some liquid chemicals are generated across the MOD estate and are currently disposed of off-site through external waste management companies, at cost to the tax-payer. To note, fuel waste in this context is contaminated due to other additives being present – non contaminated waste fuel is already recycled. The ability for MOD to manage and reduce its own waste burden on-site and to recycle the by-products would not only save money, but would have a beneficial impact on the environment.

A team at Royal Air Force (RAF) Brize Norton have attempted to tackle this challenge by developing a small early Technology Readiness Level (TRL) bench based pilot and are sponsoring this competition to progress their work. The aim of the competition is to develop an end-to-end solution that produces reusable by-products from these waste materials.

The competition is focused on fixed site systems on permanent bases and will concentrate on developing a prototype system that should demonstrate the ability to be up-scaled to a permanent system. However, the longer-term challenge includes managing this waste for MOD at permanent UK and overseas bases and at temporary bases, in support of operations and exercises which would require portable technologies. Therefore, bidders should consider in Phase 1 the theoretical assessment of the feasibility of their system to be developed into an air transportable version. This should be included in the final report (further details provided below in Exploitation section).

The project plan for developing a bioprocessing system will be covered in two research and developments phases. Phase 1, which this competition is concerned with, covers the development and trial of a prototype system, and gathering data and information on optimum types and amounts of active components to break the waste down, as well as other key outputs outlined in this document. Any potential Phase 2 follow-on work, will involve a pilot bioprocessor being built and run at a UK MOD site, to fully establish the throughput, active components and other key data to support further testing and trialling and a potential procurement case for the systems. Phase 1 will run for 12 months and any potential Phase 2 is envisaged to last until at least 2023. Phase 1 is expected to achieve at least TRL 4 with any potential Phase 2 expected to reach at least TRL 5; however, faster development is welcome.

2.2 Scope

The MOD is looking for a bioprocessing system that will breakdown waste materials (as described) into reusable products, such as: water which can be reintroduced into the water course or reused on site, CO₂ to be captured and reused in innovative ways and the residue organic matter used as fertilizer for example. The long-term hope for the MOD is to have bioprocessors positioned across the MOD Estate (including overseas) to manage the waste generated.

Consideration needs to be made on the most effective way for the MOD to manage the waste it produces. Whether this is a large regional bioprocessor serving multiple MOD sites over a given area, a smaller bioprocessor on individual MOD establishments, or multiple smaller bioprocessors for large establishments (such as RAF Brize Norton). These considerations need to include financial and environmental costs including, for example, the transportation of the waste to a regional central point.

Please see the below appendix (section 9) for the types and volumes of waste products produced by the RAF. Samples of these waste products will be provided to successful bidders.

3. Competition Challenges

This competition has three challenges:

Challenge 1

Develop a prototype bioprocessing system to at least TRL 4 to break down the waste into usable by-products.

Challenge 2

Develop the most effective active components to optimise the environments to achieve efficient break down of different waste products.

Challenge 3

Identify the recycling potential of the by-products to prove that there is a market and use for them.

In order to achieve a complete system, bidders may either choose to address all three areas in an end to end approach, or submit a collaborative proposal based on individual specialties, drawing together the capabilities from a number of partners.

This is a competition for innovation therefore bidders must be undertaking an innovative approach to at least one of the challenges and not offering an off-the-shelf product addressing all three categories. However, combinations of existing and novel capabilities are welcomed.

3.1 Clarification of what we want

Bidders may wish to consider some of the following outputs in writing their proposal:

• establish optimum temperature/pressure range for most effective results from system
• determine the most effective active ingredients for each waste type, including optimising levels per quantity of waste
• determine how to capture or identify how CO₂, and any other gaseous emissions, can be utilised
• determine whether the same active component could break down multiple waste types individually
• determine whether waste types can be mixed and broken down in one system simultaneously
• effective data capture for the time taken to breakdown waste types by volume, and the quantity of active component required to achieve this
• determine the make-up of the by-products and what, if anything, they could be used for
• identify future options of how to power the bioprocessor by stand-alone means (for example, if not on mains power)
• describe thoughts on optimum scale/ number of bioprocessors to best meet the MOD’s future needs
• determine whether the active components require regular “feeding” to maintain their effectiveness, or if they reproduce and need minimal ongoing inputs

We want novel ideas to benefit users working in UK Defence and Security. Your proposal should include evidence of:

• novel development, methodological advancement or proof of concept research which can demonstrate potential for translation to practical demonstration in any potential further phase
• clear demonstration of how the proposed work applies to any waste recycling context

3.2 Clarification of what we don’t want

For this competition we are not interested in proposals that:

• constitute consultancy, paper-based studies or literature reviews which just summarise the existing literature – a prototype system is required to reach TRL 4
• are an identical resubmission of a previous bid to DASA or MOD without modification
• offer demonstrations of off-the-shelf products requiring no experimental development (unless applied in a novel way to the challenge or used in combination with a novel component)
• offer no real long-term prospect of integration into defence and security capabilities
• offer no real prospect of out-competing existing technological solutions
• are not undertaking any research or innovation
• will not meet TRL 4, and not deliver a prototype system by the end of
• do not use biological organisms to break down waste

4. Exploitation

The aspiration for this competition and wider programme of work is to support the development of a bioprocessor that can be used at MOD fixed sites as well as potentially commercially across a range of industries and organisations. The secondary aspiration is to develop an air transportable system that can be used by the MOD on deployed operations and exercises, but also by Other Government Departments (OGD), and aid organisations supporting, for example, disaster relief operations.

To achieve these ambitions, we see innovation over Phase 1 and potential future phases, delivering a working system which will have been tested at a designated UK MOD establishment (Phase 2). We expect by this stage (end of Phase 2) the technology would have reached TRL 5 at a minimum, with any design or process adjustments being made through future work to bring the system up to TRL 6 and beyond, if necessary.

Theoretical work on an air transportable bioprocessor will need to be part of the final report for Phase 1. Whilst the static system must take priority, we want bidders to be considering how the system could be developed into an air-transportable solution to meet with the potential needs of the MOD, OGD and aid organisations. These considerations can include theoretical recommendations for how the air transportable system would be powered and size/scale for aircraft palletisation, including constraints and challenges. We envisage that potential Phase 2 work would include the development of a prototype air transportable bio-processing system, in addition to the trialling of a static bioprocessor.

How the laydown of any potential fixed site bioprocessors across the wider MOD Estate will be achieved is one of the key factors that will be informed from the outcomes of Phase 1 and potential future phases. The data gathered will enable the MOD to select the optimum size/ scale, and the throughput of the system designed based on predicted through-life costs.

All proposals to DASA should articulate the expected development in technology maturity of the potential solution over the lifetime of the contract and how this relates to improved operational capability against the current known (or presumed) baseline. Your deliverables should be designed to evidence these aspects with the aim of making it as easy as possible for potential collaborators/stakeholders to identify the innovative elements of your proposal in order to consider routes for exploitation. DASA Innovation Partners are available to support you with defence and security context.

It is expected that, as part of the deliverables, an exploitation plan will be developed, and a finalised plan will form part of the final report. DASA will work with you throughout Phase 1 to help formulate this plan and to begin bringing it to life.

You may wish to include some of the following information in your proposal, where known, to help the assessors understand your exploitation plans so far:

• the anticipated benefits (for example, in cost, time, improved capability) that your solution will provide to the user
• whether it is likely to be a standalone product or integrated with other technologies or platforms
• expected additional work required beyond the end of the contract to develop a functional system to be based in the UK
• additional future applications and wider markets for exploitation
• how your product could be tested in a representative environment in later phases
• the intended defence or security users of your final product and whether you have previously engaged with them, their procurement arm or their research and development arm
• awareness of, and alignment to, any existing end-user procurement programmes
• wider collaborations and networks you have already developed or any additional relationships you see as a requirement to support exploitation
• any specific legal, ethical, commercial or regulatory considerations for exploitation

5. How to apply

Proposals for funding to meet these challenges must be submitted by 30 October 2019 at midday via the DASA submission service for which you will be required to register.

The total funding for this challenge is expected to be £1 million for Phase 1 with an upper limit of £330k per successful bidder. Therefore, individual proposals cannot exceed £330k (ex VAT). If successful, contracts will be awarded up to a maximum duration of 12 months based on contracts being let in December 2019. Suppliers will be required to complete a demonstration of their innovation towards the end of the contract period.

Additional funding for any potential future phases to increase the TRL further may be available. Any future phases will be open to applications from all suppliers and not just those who have submitted Phase 1 successful bids. Further guidance on submitting a proposal is available on the DASA website.

5.1 What your proposal must include

When submitting a proposal, you must complete all sections of the online form, including an appropriate level of technical information to allow assessment of the bid and a completed finances section. Completed proposals must comply with the financial rules set for this competition. The upper-limit for this competition is £330K (ex VAT). Proposals will be rejected if the financial cost exceeds this upper limit. It is also helpful to include a list of other current or recent government funding you may have received in this area if appropriate, making it clear how this proposal differs from this work.

A project plan with clear milestones and deliverables must be provided. Deliverables must be well defined and designed to provide evidence of progress against the project plan and the end-point for this phase. They must include a final report where would like to see all raw data and technical semantics as well as the exploitation plan described above. You should also plan for attendance at a kick-off meeting at the start of Phase 1, an end of project event at the end of Phase 1, as well as regular reviews with the appointed Technical Partner and Project Manager; all meetings will be in the UK. Your proposal must demonstrate how you will complete all activities/services and provide all deliverables within the competition timescales (12 months). Proposals with any deliverables (including final report) outside the competition timeline will be rejected as non-compliant.

A resourcing plan must also be provided that identifies, where possible, the nationalities of those proposed Research Workers that you intend working on this phase. In the event of proposals being recommended for funding, DASA reserves the right to undertake due diligence checks including the clearance of proposed Research Workers. Please note that this process will take as long as necessary and could take up to 6 weeks in some cases for non-UK nationals.

You must identify any ethical / legal / regulatory factors within your proposal and how the associated risks will be managed, including break points in the project if approvals are not received. MODREC approvals can take up to 5 months therefore you should plan your work programme accordingly. Further details are available in the DASA guidance. If you are unsure if your proposal will need to apply for MODREC approval, then please contact DASA for further guidance or refer to the DASA guidance on our website. In addition, requirements for access to Government Furnished Assets (GFA) should be included in your proposal. Samples of each waste type to be trialled will be provided by the RAF; please specify the likely required volumes in your bid and any relevant storage or licence issues to use this material. DASA cannot guarantee that GFA, beyond these waste samples, will be available.

Failure to provide any of the above listed will automatically render your proposal non-compliant.

5.2 Public facing information

When submitting your proposal, you will be required to include a proposal title and a short abstract. If your proposal is funded, the title and abstract you provide will be used by DASA, and other government departments as appropriate, to describe the project and its intended outcomes and benefits. It will be used for inclusion at DASA events in relation to this competition and included in documentation such as brochures for the event. Your proposal title will also be published in the DASA transparency data on GOV.UK, along with your company name, the amount of funding, and the start and end dates of your contract.

5.3 How your proposal will be assessed

At Stage 1, all proposals will be checked for compliance with this competition document and may be rejected before full assessment if they do not comply. Only those proposals who demonstrate their compliance against the competition scope and DASA criteria will be taken forward to full assessment. Failure to achieve full compliance against Stage 1 will render your proposal non-compliant and will not be considered any further:

Mandatory Criteria

The proposal outlines how it meets the scope of the competition.	Within scope (Pass) / Out of scope (Fail)
The proposal fully explains in all three sections of the DASA submission service how it meets the DASA criteria	Pass / Fail
The proposal clearly details a financial plan, a project plan and a resourcing plan to complete the work proposed in Phase 1	Pass / Fail
The proposal identifies the need (or not) for MODREC approval	Pass / Fail
The proposal identifies any additional GFA required for phase 1	Pass / Fail
Maximum value of proposal is £330k (ex VAT)	Pass / Fail
The proposal demonstrates how all research and development activities/services (including delivery of the final report) will be completed within 12 months from award of contract (or less)	Pass / Fail
The bidder provides unqualified acceptance of the terms and conditions of the Contract	Pass / Fail

Proposals will then be assessed against the standard DASA assessment criteria (Desirability, Feasibility and Viability) by subject matter experts from the MOD (including Dstl), other government departments and front-line military commands. You will not have the opportunity to comment on assessors comments.

DASA reserves the right to disclose on a confidential basis any information it receives from bidders during the procurement process (including information identified by the bidder as Commercially Sensitive Information in accordance with the provisions of this competition) to any third party engaged by DASA for the specific purpose of evaluating or assisting DASA in the evaluation of the bidder’s proposal. In providing such information the bidder consents to such disclosure. Appropriate confidentiality agreements will be put in place.

Further guidance on how your proposal is assessed is available on the DASA website.

After assessment, proposals will be discussed internally at a Decision Conference where, based on the assessments, budget and wider strategic considerations, a decision will be made on the proposals that are recommended for funding.

Proposals that are unsuccessful will receive brief feedback after the Decision Conference.

5.4 Things you should know about DASA contracts

Please read the DASA terms and conditions which contain important information for suppliers. For this competition we will be trialling a new Standardised Contracting (SC) Innovation Contract, links to the contract here: Terms and Schedules. We will require unqualified acceptance of the terms and conditions. For the avoidance of any doubt, for this Themed Competition we are NOT using the DASA Short Form Contract (SFC).

Funded projects will be allocated a Project Manager (to run the project) and a Technical Partner (as a technical point of contact). In addition, the DASA team will work with you to support delivery and exploitation.

We will use deliverables from DASA contracts in accordance with our rights detailed in the contract terms and conditions.

For this phase/competition, £1 million is currently available to fund proposals. There may be occasions where additional funding from other funding lines may subsequently become available to allow us to revisit those proposals deemed suitable for funding but where limitations on funding at the time prevented DASA from awarding a subsequent Contract. In such situations, DASA reserves the right to keep such proposals in reserve. In the event that additional funding subsequently becomes available, DASA may ask whether you would still be prepared to undertake the work outlined in your proposal under the same terms.

6. Phase 1 Dates

Dial-in	23 September 2019
Pre bookable 1-1 telecom sessions	23 September 2019
Bioprocessing Industry Day	01 October 2019
Competition closes	midday 30 October 2019
Contracting	aim to start December 2019 and end up to 12 months later

7. Supporting events

23 September 2019 – A dial-in session providing further detail on the problem space and a chance to ask questions in an open forum. If you would like to participate, please register on the Q&A Dial In Eventbrite page.

23 September 2019 – A series of 20 minute one-to-one teleconference sessions, giving you the opportunity to ask specific questions. If you would like to participate, please register on the 1-1 Eventbrite page.

01 October 2019 - A collaboration event / industry day, giving you the opportunity to meet DASA, technical specialists and end-users. If you would like to participate, please register on the Bioprocessing Industry Day Eventbrite page.

8. Help

Competition queries including on process, application, technical, commercial and intellectual property aspects should be sent to accelerator@dstl.gov.uk, quoting the competition title.

While all reasonable efforts will be made to answer queries, DASA reserves the right to impose management controls if volumes of queries restrict fair access of information to all potential suppliers.

9. Appendix

9.1 MOD Waste Data Sheet

FY 2017/18 EWC - European Waste Catalogue

EWC Code	Product Description	Total (kg)	Total Resold (kg)	Total Removed as Waste (kg)
130205	mineral-based non-chlorinated engine, gear and lubricating oils	717,075.60	4,050.00	713,025.60
130507	oily water from oil/water separators	46,670.00	22,670.00	24,000.00
130701	fuel oil and diesel	474,306.05	469,306.05	5,000.00
130702	petrol	4,201.00	4,201.00	0.00
130703	other fuels (including mixtures) - JETA-1, Kerosene, Diesel, AVGAS, Gas Oil	1,142,069.65	1,126,069.65	16,000.00
130206	synthetic engine, gear and lubricating oils	5,100.00	5,100.00	0.00
130307	mineral-based non-chlorinated insulating and heat transmission oils	1,305.00	1,305.00	0.00

FY 2018/2019 EWC - European Waste Catalogue

EWC Code	Product Description	Total (kg)	Total Resold (kg)	Total Removed as Waste (kg)
130205	mineral-based non-chlorinated engine, gear and lubricating oils	631,130.00	18,315.00	612,815.00
130507	oily water from oil/water separators	14,000.00	0.00	14,000.00
130701	fuel oil and diesel	1,586,307.00	1,586,307.00	0.00
130702	petrol	26,059.00	26,059.00	0.00
130703	other fuels (including mixtures) - JETA-1, Kerosene, Diesel, AVGAS, Gas Oil	858,005.00	854,416.00	3,589.00
130206	synthetic engine, gear and lubricating oils	0.00	0.00	0.00
130307	mineral-based non-chlorinated insulating and heat transmission oils	0.00	0.00	0.00

Notes:

1. Total Resold Column represents waste product that can be recycled and is sold as product under an MOD Contract.
2. Total Removed as Waste column is the waste product that cannot be recycled and thus the key area for Bioprocessing. Bidders should provide data on ability to bioprocess total quantity, as well as this column to ensure complete picture of requirement is captured.
3. For conversion to L work on 1 Kg to 1 L and apply +/- 10% range to allow for differing Specific Gravities between fuels and oils.

9.2 Safety Data Sheets for Engine Oil and Aviation Fuel

These contain information surrounding the identification, composition of ingredients and measures to handle the substances included in the data sheets, namely aviation turbine fuel, aircraft hydrocarbon non petroleum fluid and synthetic lubricating aircraft turbine engine oil.