In order to further define the challenges needing solutions, the organization has released four RFPs.

1. Yield-protective pretreatment – Develop pretreatments or in situ pulping additives that reduce the impact of the peeling reaction on the kraft pulping yield (Read RfP)
2. Accelerate delignification – Develop strategies or in situ pulping additives that increase the rate of delignification without increasing the rate of carbohydrate degradation (Read RfP)
3. Catalytic delignification – Evaluate transition or main group metals that can perform two-electron oxidation and/or serve as a delignifying chemical system (Read RfP)
4. Improve O2 delignification selectively to enable higher-kappa – Develop methods to delignify higher-yield (higher Kappa) pulps to conventional residual lignin levels through enhanced oxygen delignification (Read RfP)

The proposals should describe projects that could be one to two years in duration and should not exceed $150,000 total ($75,000 per year).  Agenda 2020 expects to have funds available to sponsor three projects in total for the four RFPs that are being issued. The funding that has been indicated by member companies is dependent on receiving high quality, responsive proposals that meet the criteria as outlined in the RFP.

All proposals are due by Friday, Sept. 2 at 5 pm EST.  The selection decision for the winning proposal is expected to be made no later than Oct. 10.

For more information, contact Chris Luettgen at 404.894.6908 or chris.luettgen@rbi.gatech.edu.