The National Research Council is looking for a few good companies – or their leaders, anyway.
Together with Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC), the NRC is working to advance state-of-the-art armour technology solutions for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and other user communities. So it is planning to develop and implement a Canadian Security Materials Technology Roadmap and is inviting industry involved in armoured vehicles and/or personal protective equipment to sit on a steering committee.
In a notice posted on Buy and Sell, the government’s procurement website, the NRC noted said that while Canada’s armoured vehicle and personal protective equipment industry is globally competitive, the “industry is based upon conventional engineered materials such as Kevlar, polymer matrix composite laminates and monolithic ceramics, which are rapidly approaching their performance limits. While there are continuing advances in constitutive material properties such as fibres and monolithic ceramics, these advances are occurring at a relatively slow rate compared to the rapidly evolving demands for higher performance and lower weight protection systems.”
As a result, it is seeking to advance “new transformational technologies.”
The roadmap process is intended to “engage stakeholders to define and implement R&D projects aligned with science and technology investment priorities.” It will first seek to provide a high-level roadmap for industry. The steering committee will then have the option to instigate a second pahse “to deep dive into specific technology domains identified during Phase 1. This may involve formation of technical sub-committees that will report back to the SMTRM Steering Committee.”
Among other things, committee members will be expected to provide input into the direction and goals of the SMTRM; vet the proposed work plan, objectives and timeline; actively participating in each stage of the roadmap development process and contributing to technical discussions; recommend appropriate implementation strategies, including leveraging from other initiatives or involvement from other stakeholders; review and validate documentation produced throughout the process such as workshop reports; foster effective, open, transparent and fair discussions; encourage interchange of information between TRM participants; and act as a champion for the SMTRM.
The steering committee will be jointly chaired by representatives from industry and the National Research Council Canada and membership is open to leaders within any company operating in Canada.