Commercialization center looks for new ideas

The Center for Commercialization of Advanced Technology announced a solicitation to help fast-track commercialization of technologies for the Defense and Homeland Security departments, officials from the center said.

CCAT is a partnership between academia, government and industry that is funded by the DOD. The group seeks submissions from industry and academia that support a range of needs deemed a priority by both defense agencies.

Since its inception in July 2001, CCAT has sponsored 24 solicitations resulting in nearly 800 applications. During that time 238 commercialization awards, valued at more than $14 million, have been granted to 130 technologies developed by private companies, government laboratories and universities.

"By structuring our solicitation with specific technology requirements provided by our DOD government partners, in addition to general technology areas, we are appealing to a wide group of commercially viable applicants and a diverse set of technologies," said Tom Sheffer, CCAT program director.

This CCAT solicitation features four tracks within which are listed a variety of solicitation topics. The solicitation topics within each track range from specific technology requirements to more general technology categories that address a variety of DOD and homeland defense/security needs.

The four tracks are:

• General Department of Defense Technologies


• General Homeland Defense/Security Technologies


• Marine Corps Systems Command Technologies and


• Office of Naval Research (Expeditionary Unit Water Purification System)