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Topic DON27TZ02-NV010 from the DoW STTR 2027 BAA, Release 2. Pre-release now; proposals due January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET.
Quick answer
DON27TZ02-NV010 is a Department of the Navy STTR topic seeking a seafloor electrochemical power harvester that uses the natural redox gradient between sediment and seawater to power Arctic ISR sensor nodes without battery swaps. It is an STTR topic that starts at Phase I; as an STTR, it requires a research-institution partner. Proposals are due January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET.
Solicitation at a glance
- Topic number: DON27TZ02-NV010
- Official title: Persistent, Geochemically-Driven Low-Temperature Power Systems for Subsea Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
- Agency: Department of the Navy
- Program: STTR (DoW STTR 2027 BAA, Release 2)
- Award type: Phase I (see topic text for Phase II)
- Award amount: Phase I base up to $200,000 plus an option up to $115,000. Source: Navy Release 2 instructions in DSIP.
- CMMC level: Level 2 (Self)
- ITAR: No
- Technology areas: None
- Pre-release (direct TPOC contact allowed): November 4 to December 2, 2026, 8:00 AM ET
- Opens in DSIP: December 2, 2026, 8:00 AM ET
- Proposals due: January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET
- Official source: DSIP Topics app (search DON27TZ02-NV010)
BW&CO's take
What the Department of the Navy wants
Seabed ISR nodes and UUV docking stations in the Arctic rely on lithium batteries that degrade in cold, are hazardous, and require costly replacement. The Navy wants a modular, non-toxic harvester that draws power from the sediment-seawater redox difference, operates at -2°C, delivers at least 250 mW average net power, and stores enough energy to run up to a 5W payload for 10 minutes every 4 hours over 24+ months. Biologically mediated approaches using only indigenous sediment microbes are prioritized. Phase I builds a benchtop prototype with native sediment; Phase II delivers a TRL 5/6 ruggedized unit with boost converters, tank-tested in simulated Arctic conditions.
Who is a good fit
- Benthic or sediment microbial fuel cell research, especially in cold or deep-sea conditions
- Electrode and catalytic materials development for electron transfer at low temperatures
- Low-power energy harvesting electronics, DC-DC boost conversion, and energy storage design for sensor payloads
- Ruggedized subsea hardware design and tank or at-sea testing experience
Watch-outs
- This is an STTR topic, so you need a formal research-institution partner performing a meaningful share of the work.
- Introducing or seeding any exogenous, synthetic, lab-grown, or non-native microbes is strictly prohibited; only indigenous sediment populations may be used.
- Performance targets are demanding: reliable operation at -2°C, at least 250 mW average net power, a credible path to 5W, and 24-month endurance, with the Phase II prototype positioned for testing against PMS 485-D2 surrogate sensor payloads.
- The topic requires CMMC Level 2 (Self). It is not marked as ITAR-restricted in the topic metadata.
Think your company fits DON27TZ02-NV010? Talk with BW&CO before the January 6 deadline.
Plan Your DON27TZ02-NV010 Submission
Official topic text (verbatim from DSIP)
The text in this section is copied word for word from the official DSIP topic as published on November 4, 2026. DSIP is the official source and topics can be amended. Always confirm the current version at dodsbirsttr.mil before you submit. Our commentary above is BW&CO's interpretation, not Government guidance.
Title
Persistent, Geochemically-Driven Low-Temperature Power Systems for Subsea Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
Objective
Develop a modular, self-sustaining, non-toxic subsea energy-harvesting capability that exploits naturally occurring sediment-seawater geochemical gradients to provide persistent, logistics-free power for distributed Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) sensor nodes in Arctic marine environments, with reliable operation at -2°C, and providing at least 250mW average net harvested power and storing sufficient energy in an onboard storage subsystem to operate up to a 5W (objective) sensor payload for 10 minutes every 4 hours over a projected 24+ month deployment.
Description
The Department of the Navy’s expanding operational requirements in the Arctic domain demand persistent subsea situational awareness. Current seabed ISR nodes and Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) docking stations rely on conventional lithium-chemistry batteries. These legacy power sources present severe logistical and operational limitations: they suffer from rapid capacity degradation in extreme cold, possess highly toxic/hazardous chemistries, and require frequent, resource-intensive physical replacement (battery swapping) in highly contested or ice-covered environments.
To achieve persistent, logistics-free ISR, the Navy has a critical need for an environmentally benign, deploy-and-forget power architecture. This STTR topic seeks the development of Seafloor Electrochemical Power Harvesters to generate continuous electrical current by exploiting the natural oxidation-reduction (redox) potential difference between the anoxic marine sediment (mud) and the oxygenated overlying seawater. The proposed approach must demonstrate a credible path to 5W power and 24-month endurance in sub-zero Arctic conditions through a ruggedized seabed electrochemical power-harvesting architecture that maximizes long-term energy extraction while using only indigenous sediment microbial communities and naturally occurring geochemical gradients. Proposed solutions may use abiotic or biologically mediated mechanisms via electrode design, power management, and optimum emplacement.
Biocatalytic Prioritization & Environmental Strictures:
While purely abiotic electrochemical approaches will be considered, approaches that leverage biologically-mediated processes (e.g., utilizing natural biocatalysis to enhance electron transfer at the anode) will be prioritized due to their potential for higher power density and self-renewing longevity.
However, to prevent any risk of ecological disruption to fragile Arctic ecosystems, solutions must strictly rely on harnessing the naturally occurring, indigenous populations already present in the local sediment. The introduction, deployment, or seeding of any exogenous, synthetic, lab-grown, or non-native biological agents (microbes/bacteria) is strictly prohibited.
By utilizing advanced electrode materials that naturally synergize with the local subsea environment, the system must reduce or avoid reliance on deployable primary batteries for the supported payload while ensuring operational viability in extreme cold and high-pressure conditions.
Phase I
Formulate the theoretical electrochemical model for sub-zero geochemical harvesting. Identify and test advanced catalytic electrode materials that maximize electron transfer efficiency at -2°C, prioritizing architectures that optimize interaction with indigenous sediment microbial communities and/or indigenous electroactive microorganisms.
Conduct a benchtop prototype demonstrating the targeted voltage and current density in a simulated cold-water/sediment environment utilizing only native sediment samples, accompanied by a scalable power management design.
Phase II
Scale the Phase I material architecture into a prototype ruggedized, modular power generation unit. Integrate the system with advanced, low-loss DC-DC boost converters to condition the output for standard ISR payloads. Conduct extensive tank testing in simulated Arctic conditions to validate the 24-month longevity and an objective of 5W output. Position the Phase II prototype to be tested against PMS 485-D2 surrogate sensor payloads to prove integration and power conditioning.
Deliver a TRL 5/6 deployable prototype system and comprehensive testing data proving capability integration with a surrogate acoustic or environmental sensor. Prepare a Phase III commercialization/transition plan.
Phase III Dual Use Applications
Transition the technology into a deployable form factor for Navy undersea infrastructure. Integrate the power module with operational subsea sensor networks, UUV charging nodes, or acoustic listening arrays. Deliver a qualified plug-and-play auxiliary power module that can be integrated into the next-generation Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) surveillance architectures managed by PMS 485.
Transition the technology to commercial sectors for powering offshore oil and gas monitoring equipment, oceanographic research sensors, and early-warning tsunami detection networks.
References
Lowy, D. A., & Tender, L. M. (2008). Harvesting energy from the marine sediment–water interface: III. Kinetic activity of quinone-and antimony-based anode materials. Journal of Power Sources, 185(1), 70-75.
Shang, Y., Huang, Y., Li, L., Wu, F., & Chen, R. (2025). Electrochemical energy storage toward extreme conditions: driving human exploration beyond current boundaries. Chemical Reviews, 125(12), 5674-5744.
Tender, L. M., et al. “The First Demonstration of a Microbial Fuel Cell as a Viable Power Supply: Powering a Meteorological Buoy.” Journal of Power Sources / public university record, 2008.
Reimers, C. E., et al. “Benthic Microbial Fuel Cell as Direct Power Source for an Acoustic Modem and Seawater Oxygen/Temperature Sensor System.” Environmental Science & Technology, 2011.
Joiner, Kevin L., Eric Bozeman, Matthew L. Bond, Angelica Sarmiento, David B. Chadwick, Kevin Hardy, and Yolanda Meriah Arias-Thode. 2023. “Deep-Sea Benthic Microbial Fuel Cell Split-Release Landers”, Sustainable Energy and Environmental Technologies and Assessments, 58: 103352.
Bond, Matthew, Y. M. Arias-Thode, Matias Andersson and Stefan Petrovic Wångerud. 2020. "The Undersea Surveillance and Communication Project Agreement (USC PA): Sea Trial 4 –Evaluation of Microbial Fuel Cells in the Baltic Sea," NIWCPAC-TR-3209; AD1144241.
Joiner, Kevin, Gabriel L. Tukeman, Anna Y. Obraztsova, Y. Meriah Arias-Thode. 2020. Impact of sediment parameters in the prediction of benthic microbial fuel cell performance. RSC Advances 10: 26220-26228.
Chief of Naval Operations (2014). The United States Navy Arctic Roadmap for 2014 to 2030.
Keywords
Subsea Power; Arctic ISR; Arctic Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance; Geochemical Energy Harvesting; Undersea Logistics; Advanced Catalytic Materials; Contested Environments; Seafloor Electrochemical Systems
Frequently asked questions
What is DON27TZ02-NV010?
It is a Department of the Navy STTR topic to develop a modular, self-sustaining, non-toxic subsea energy harvester that exploits naturally occurring sediment-seawater geochemical gradients to power distributed ISR sensor nodes in Arctic marine environments.
When is DON27TZ02-NV010 due?
Proposals are due January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET. DSIP pre-release began November 4, 2026, and direct contact with the topic authors is allowed only until the topic opens on December 2, 2026, 8:00 AM ET. After that, questions go through DSIP Topic Q&A.
Is this a Phase I or Direct-to-Phase II topic?
It is a Phase I STTR topic. Phase I formulates the electrochemical model, tests electrode materials at -2°C, and demonstrates a benchtop prototype using only native sediment samples. Phase II scales to a ruggedized TRL 5/6 prototype. As an STTR, it requires a research-institution partner.
Are purely abiotic approaches allowed?
Yes. Purely abiotic electrochemical approaches will be considered, but approaches that use biologically mediated processes, such as natural biocatalysis at the anode, will be prioritized for their potential power density and self-renewing longevity.