DON27BZ02-NV017 TITLE: Expeditionary Water Quality Sensors
OUSW (R&E) CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Contested Logistics Technologies (LOG)
COMPONENT TECHNOLOGY PRIORITY AREA(S): Advanced Materials;Integrated Sensing and Cyber;Sustainment
PROJECTED CMMC LEVEL REQUIREMENT: Level 2 (Self)
OBJECTIVE: Develop simple-to-use water quality test kits or electronic sensors that require minimal training to enable personnel in the field to rapidly meet Technical Bulletin Medical 577 (TB-MED 577) requirements to certify potable water without liquid reagents.
DESCRIPTION: Expeditionary forces need updated water testing capabilities to support operations in austere, contested environments. Without proper water testing, water purified in the field are not certified potable for consumption. This creates an unacceptable logistics burden to transport water, or a health risks when consuming untested water; hindering the self-sufficiency, readiness, and lethality required for operations against a pacing challenge. Current approved state-of-the-art water quality testing kits are accurate but cumbersome, and overly complex, requiring chemical reagents, significant operator training, and for some parameters shipping to a certified lab. Present water quality testing methods are not practical for the small, distributed Stand-in Forces operating in expeditionary conditions.
In the event of detection of certain pathogens and contaminants, confirmation through certified laboratories may be required, necessitating sample transportation to CONUS, host-nation, or ally facilities—a process that can take 4-6 weeks. Delays of this magnitude are operationally unacceptable for forces in contested environments that need immediate assurance of water safety at the point of use. In addition, many critical parameters that impact water safety—including heavy metals, organic chemicals, and other contaminants—are not reliably tested with currently fielded sensors.
Force Design 2030 compels distributed forces to reduce their reliance on centralized logistics convoys; therefore, small units are increasingly required to produce and consume water at the tactical edge and at the point of need. Without a reliable and practical method to verify water quality in the field, these units face an alarming tradeoff between logistics supply certainty and warfighter health.
Therefore, the Navy needs simple, field-ready solutions to certify that expeditionary purified water conforms to TB-MED 577 short term potability military field water standards (STW MFWS) without external laboratory support. This SBIR topic seeks the development of new sensors and/or methodologies that will significantly improve existing water testing field kits. Improvements sought include but are not limited to: size and weight, more rapid testing results, simpler procedures requiring minimal training, elimination of liquid chemical reagents, and cost. Proposals can address one or more targeted improvements and can target one or more of the water parameters listed in the STP MFWS, such as physical properties, chemical properties, microbial contamination, chemical warfare agents, or radiological. Resulting improved sensors or methodologies must be integratable into future modernized water testing kits to allow squad- and platoon-level forces to verify compliance with TB MED 577 water safety standards in the field, reducing risk to personnel and decreasing reliance on vulnerable resupply chains. The expected end state of this effort is a fully developed, ruggedized, integratable sensor or set of sensors that enable rapid, automated testing of water quality in expeditionary environments in under 15 minutes (Threshold) / under 5 minutes (Objective), and/or detect all microbial threats in under 1 hour (Threshold) / under 15 minutes (Objective) without incubation or liquid reagents. Modular systems targeting specific critical parameters are equally encouraged and will be evaluated on technical merit.
PHASE I: Establish the technical feasibility of a preliminary conceptual design(s) of a new sensor or series of sensors, capable of rapidly verifying water quality in austere environments without requiring external laboratory support. Define and develop candidate concepts and sensor technologies. Conduct research that will assess the integration potential of the solution(s) into a portable kit for squad- (~13 Marines) and platoon- (40-50 Marines) level operations. Include approaches that may include modeling, simulation, and benchtop testing to evaluate detection accuracy, operational ruggedness, and ease of operation, all while referencing water safety requirements outlined in TB-MED 577. Deliver a final report documenting the technical progress; results of feasibility analyses; a breakdown of size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) improvements and/or trade-offs; performance projections of candidate concepts and sensor technologies; and a defensible preliminary design concept. Ensure that the new sensor(s) should not require liquid chemical reagents, which are problematic due to a short shelf life and customs clearance. Identify anticipated technical risks, mitigation strategies, and a clear development path for Phase II prototype, fabrication, and validation in the final Phase I report.
PHASE II: Design, develop, fabricate, and test a prototype sensor or series of sensors capable of rapidly verifying water quality in simulated expeditionary environments. Ensure that the prototype integrates selected sensor technologies into a ruggedized, portable form factor appropriate for use at the squad and platoon level. Develop hardware and software interfaces, refine user interaction for minimal training burden, and ensure the sensor(s) functions across a range of environmental conditions. Demonstrate and validate the prototype through laboratory and field testing against relevant key water quality parameters such as microbial contamination, heavy metals, salinity, turbidity, and chemical pollutants. Conduct testing that should confirm performance relative to defined metrics including accuracy, test time, ease of use, and environmental durability. Provide the following required Phase II deliverables: prototype hardware, technical data documenting performance results, field evaluation in coordination with a military exercise if practicable, and a detailed plan for Phase III transition opportunities within military and commercial application.
PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Support transition to the Program Manager Engineer Systems (PM ES) at Marine Corps Systems Command for integration into the USMC family of water systems and direct use by small units during distributed operations.
Beyond military use, the technology has strong dual-use potential. Civilian applications include humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, rapid deployment by first responders in areas with compromised infrastructure, commercial water treatment facilities, and consumer safety monitoring in developing regions. The commercial pathway may include partnerships with outdoor equipment providers, municipal water authorities, and NGOs focused on clean water access.
REFERENCES:
KEYWORDS: Water Quality; Purification; Sensors; Contaminates; Expeditionary; Health; Desalination; Reverse Osmosis; Detection
TPOC 1: Joseph Parker
joseph.f.parker23.civ@us.navy.milTPOC 2: David Thompson
david.h.thompson109.civ@us.navy.milTPOC3: Ken Ho
ken.k.ho.civ@us.navy.mil
** TOPIC NOTICE ** |
The Navy Topic above is an "unofficial" copy from the Navy Topics in the DoW FY-27 Release 2 SBIR BAA. Please see the official DoW Topic website at www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/solicitation-documents/active-solicitations for any updates. The DoW issued its Navy FY-27 Release 2 SBIR Topics pre-release on November 4, 2026 which opens to receive proposals on December 2, 2026, and closes January 6, 2027 (12:00pm ET). Direct Contact with Topic Authors: During the pre-release period (November 4, through December 1 , 2026) proposing firms have an opportunity to directly contact the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) to ask technical questions about the specific BAA topic. The TPOC contact information is listed in each topic description. Once DoW begins accepting proposals on December 2, 2026 no further direct contact between proposers and topic authors is allowed unless the Topic Author is responding to a question submitted during the Pre-release period. DoD On-line Q&A System: After the pre-release period, until December 16, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET, proposers may submit written questions through the DoW On-line Topic Q&A at https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login/ by logging in and following instructions. In the Topic Q&A system, the questioner and respondent remain anonymous but all questions and answers are posted for general viewing.
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