BCIP Funding Awards $405k Federal Contract for Defence Technology

Morgan Advanced Materials, headquartered out of Windsor, United Kingdom, is a world leader in advanced materials science and engineering of ceramics, carbon, and composites. Operating out of 50+ countries, the company is solving challenging technical problems within the healthcare, petrochemicals, transport, electronic, energy, security and defence, and industrial markets.

The company’s Composites and Defence Systems business in Burlington, Ontario has received a $404,828 federal government contract from the Build in Canada Innovation Program (BCIP) for their ultra-lightweight rifle plate. 

To accelerate the development of the pre-commercial innovation into a commercially sellable product, Morgan Advanced Materials applied and was successfully invited to participate in the Build in Canada Innovation Program. BCIP is a first-procurement program offered through the federal government. It offers innovators a government contract to supply their product and allows for valuable feedback from the government department that tests/evaluates the product’s benefits over its current products or processes.

$405k in Innovation Funding Awarded for Security and Defence Technology

Morgan Advanced Materials runs multiple businesses dedicated to serving specific sectors. Their Composites and Defence Systems business operating out of Burlington, Ontario develops high strength, lightweight, and fatigue-resistant products. The product range includes: engineered composites for commercial application, soldier protection systems, bomb disposal suits, vehicle systems, and platform armour.

The company has developed an ultra-lightweight rifle plate protection tool (Light Weight Armour 324+ ic06) that is ideal for personnel in the military and security industries. The composite inserts fit inside front and back pockets of body armour to protect the wearer from bullets. The rifle plate shatters bullets upon impact and absorbs the momentum of shots.

Through the Build in Canada Innovation Program, Morgan Advanced Materials’ Composites and Defence Systems will receive $405k in innovation funding.

As the product is not ready to enter the marketplace, Morgan Advanced Materials applied to the Build in Canada Innovation Program, which provides funding and end-user testing for pre-commercial goods to fuel the innovation’s development into a commercially sellable product. The company was partnered with Defence Research and Development Canada, which will test the product in real-life settings.

“Innovations like the ultra-lightweight rifle plate designed by Morgan right here in Burlington mean we are better able to protect those who work so hard to protect us.”
– Pam Damoff, Minister of Public Services and Procurement

Build in Canada Innovation Program: Federal Government Contracts for Canadian Innovators

The Build in Canada Innovation Program is offered to organizations across the country to help them partner with federal government departments who can purchase and test their pre-commercial technologies. BCIP funding invests in Canadian companies with cutting-edge technologies to generate economic growth in communities across the country.

BCIP funding supports technology projects with contracts up to $500,000 (standard innovations) or up to $1 million (military innovations).

• Standard Component: Provides Canadian government contracts for health technologies, environmental technologies, safety and security technologies, and enabling technologies.
• Military Component: Offers federal government contracts for command and support technologies, technologies that protect soldiers, training system technologies, in-service support technologies, and arctic and maritime security technologies.

Typically, there is an open call for BCIP applications, meaning that innovators can submit their pre-commercial innovations for BCIP consideration at any time before the closing date. Please note, the call for proposals is currently closed due to a large volume of submissions.

To be notified of the next Build in Canada Innovation Program Call for Proposals and to learn more about other funding programs, register for Mentor Works’ Government Funding Snapshot Newsletter.

Posted: July 5, 2018 by Myra Bredin. Updated: July 5, 2018 by Myra Bredin.