Transparent Polycrystalline Laser Gain Materials

The purpose of the Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III Program is to create, maintain, modernize, or expand the production capacities of domestic sources for critical components, technology items and industrial resources essential for national defense when such production capacity would otherwise be insufficient for meeting national security needs. The definition of domestic sources as defined in the Defense Production Act of 1950 is as follows: "A business concern that performs in the United States or Canada substantially all of the research and development, engineering, manufacturing, and production activities required of such business concern under a contract with the United States relating to a critical component or a critical technology item; and that procures from business concerns (described as above) substantially all or any components and assemblies required under a contract with the United States relating to a critical component or critical technology item." A key objective of the Title III Program is to accelerate the transition of technologies from R&D to affordable production and insertion into defense systems. The Act authorizes a wide range of financial incentives including purchases (e.g., payments for: qualification testing, materials, product samples, engineering effort for production scale up activities), purchase commitments (i.e., advance guarantee of minimum sales), development of substitutes, and purchase or lease of advanced manufacturing equipment for installation in Government or privately owned facilities. The Government contemplates that this project will last approximately 18 to 24 months including 3 months for review and approval of the final report. In addition, a no-cost equipment monitoring phase of up to 60 months after completion of the technical effort is anticipated.