Washington, DC – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), in conjunction with the United States Coast Guard’s Research and Development Center (USCG RDC), launched the “Environmentally Friendly Replacement for Buoy Mooring Systems” prize competition, with a maximum award of up to $290,000.

S&T and the USCG Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) Program are seeking innovative technologies from individuals and entities to improve navigational buoy mooring systems so as to have minimal impacts on the ocean floor and environmentally sensitive areas.

“Improving our buoy mooring systems is critical,” said Dr. Reginald Brothers, DHS Under Secretary for Science and Technology. “Our current mooring system is outdated and hasn’t changed in decades. We want a system that is friendly to our ocean floors, especially in environmentally sensitive areas.”

Interested in learning more? Read the full S&T Press Release.