IANDTRA/SCC-ApprovedPressRelease,24June2016

TheDefenseThreatReductionAgency(DTRA)/SCCannouncesthebeginningofaSmallBusinessInnovationResearch(SBIR)contractwithInstantAccessNetworks,LLC(IAN)anditssubcontractorsasofMarch28,2016entitled,“AcceleratingSociety-wideEMPProtectionofCriticalInfrastructureandMicro-grids”.DTRA’srequestforproposals(RFP)wasaninvitationtosmallbusinessestoparticipateinacommercialR&DprogramtocreateEMPprotectedmicrogridsforcriticalinfrastructureneededbothonandoffmilitarybasesandotherdefensecriticalinfrastructure.TheneedwasexplainedbyDTRAasfollows:“Anelectromagnetic(EM)attack(nuclearelectromagneticpulse[EMP]ornon-nuclearEMP[e.g.,high-powermicrowave,HPM])hasthepotentialtodegradeorshutdownportionsoftheelectricpowergridimportanttotheDoD….Restoringthecommercialgridfromthestillfunctioningregionsmaynotbepossibleorcouldtakeweeksormonths.”

AkeytaskonthiscontractistodemonstratehowtoacceleratetheadoptionofEMP-protectedcriticalinfrastructureandmicrogridsamongcivilianinstitutionsthatneedtooperateinislandmodeduringaprolongedpoweroutage.Thesecriticalsupplierstomilitarybasesincludewaterutilities,hospitals,andemergencycommunications.ThefinalreportwouldincludeproposalsforadditionalresearchintheimprovementofcomponenttechnologiesthatcompriseanEMP-protectedmicrogridsuchasEMPshielding,energygeneration,energystorageandenergysavingstechnology.Thoseimprovementscanleadtoperformanceandcostadvantagesthatcouldmakethesemicrogridscompetitivewithgridprovidedpowerinsomeareasofthecountryandmoreeasilyfundedineverylocation.IANsetitsowngoaltogathercollaboratorswhowillfundEMPprotectedmicrogridsforwaterutilities,hospitalsandemergencyoperationscenterssothattheydon’thavetofindfundsoutoftheircapitalbudgets.FairfaxWater,asubcontractortoIANinthiscontract,isagreatexamplebecauseofitscriticalroletomanydefensecriticalinfrastructureapplicationsinthenationalcapitalregionandbecauseoftheattractiveelectricityratesitenjoys.FairfaxWatersuppliesFortBelvoirandthesurroundingareaswith163milliongallonsofwaterperday.ThoughFairfaxWaterliesoutsidethebase,itisessentialforbaseoperationsbutlikelytobevulnerabletoEMPbecauseofitsdependenceoncivilianpowergridsthatarenotprotectedfromEMPeventhoughthelocalutilityinthisinstanceisotherwiseextremelyreliable.ProtectingcivilianinfrastructuresuchasFairfaxWaterisjustasimportantasprotectingthecriticalapplicationsonthebase.IANdevelopedEMP-protectedmicrogridsthatincludedsolar,windanddieselpowergenerationandcontrolroomsindependentlytestedtoexceedmilitarystandardsforEMPby1000fold.IANsubcontractorsincludeTechnologyAssessmentandTransfer(TA&T),amaterialsscienceR&Dfirmthatwillprovidetechnicalassistanceonelectromagneticshieldingmaterialsandcomponentsofenergystoragesystems;DCFusion/PowerAnalyticsthatwillprovidesupportfordirectcurrentmicrogridsandmodelingsoftwareforthedesignandmanagementofmicrogrids;JaxonEngineeringandMaintenancewhowillprovideEMPtestingsupportandEMPshieldingmanufacturingguidance;andFairfaxWater,whowillprovidewaterutilitymanagementguidance.AboutDTRA Defense Threat Reduction Agency/SCC Establishedin1998,theDefenseThreatReductionAgency(DTRA)/SCCprovidestheDepartmentofDefense’scoreintellectual,technical,andoperationalsupportexpertiseforcounteringthreatsposedbyweaponsofmassdestruction(Chemical,biological,radiological,andnuclear)andhigh-yieldexplosives.

AboutInstantAccessNetworks,LLC(IAN)IANisaveteranownedsmallbusinessthatprovidesresearchanddevelopmentandconsultingintheareasofcriticalinfrastructureprotectionforinformation,communicationandenergyapplications.ItsCEO,CharlesManto,canbereachedatcmanto@stop-EMP.comAboutTechnologyAssessmentandTransfer(TA&T) TechnologyAssessmentandTransfer,Inc.(TA&T)isaSmallBusinessAdministrationcertifiedWomanOwnedSmallBusiness(WOSB)thatspecializesinhightechnology,developingandcommercializingadvancedmaterialsfordefense,bio-medicalandindustrialapplications.TA&Tstrivestocommercializeitsinnovationsthroughcooperativedevelopmentprogramswithend-usersandtechnologylicensingtointerestedthirdparties.Primaryareasofinterestincludemagnetronsputtered,multilayerthinfilmsforsuperiorwear;erosionandcorrosionresistcoatings;low-costchemicalvaporinfiltrationoffiberreinforcedceramiccomposites;toughenedmonolithictransparentceramics;lasergainmaterials;strengthenedcarbonfoams;rapidprototypingofceramicsthroughstereolithography;directmanufacturingofceramicmicro-devices;andintelligentprocesscontrolofadvancedmaterialsprocesses.Forinformationcontact:info@techassess.com AboutdcFusiondcFUSIONfacilitatestheintegrationofdirectcurrentrenewableenergyresources(suchassolarphotovoltaics,windgenerators,energystoragefacilities,fuelcells,etc.)intotheU.S.andglobalelectricenergymarkets.dcFUSIONalsobringsmuchdatacenterexperiencetoitspartnershipwithPowerAnalyticswhosesoftwaresuite—DesignBase,PaladinLive,MicrogridPowerManagementSystem(MPMS),andEnergyNet,softwareintegratingtransactionswiththeelectricgrid.Forinformationcall:(919)848-6625AboutJaxonEngineeringandMaintenanceJaxonisadistinguishedleaderinElectromagneticPulse(EMP)hardeningandsurvivability.Jaxonisawomanowned,smallbusinessdedicatedtoachievingsurvivabilitygoalsfortheUnitedStatesandourAllies.Jaxondesigns,builds,testsandmaintainsEMPhardenedstructuresforgovernmentandcommercialclientsaroundtheworld.Forinformationcall:(719)484-8750AboutFairfaxWaterFairfaxWaterisVirginia’slargestwaterutilityandoneofthe25largestwaterutilitiesinthecountry,servingoneoutofeveryfiveVirginianswhoobtaintheirwaterfrompublicutilities.NearlytwomillionpeopleintheNorthernVirginiacommunitiesofFairfax,Loudoun,PrinceWilliam,FortBelvoir,Herndon,Dulles,Vienna,Alexandria,FallsChurch,andFairfaxCitydependonFairfaxWaterforsuperiordrinkingwater.FairfaxWaterhasthelowestcommodityrateintheWashingtonmetropolitanregionandisoneofonlyahandfulofwaterutilitiesinthecountrytoreceiveanAAAratingfromthetopthreefinancialratingservices.Forinformationcontact:PR@fairfaxwater.org