Small Continuous Kraft Digester

The Center for Research and Advancement of Fiber Products Technologies (CRAFT), through the Department of Energy and ORNL UT-Battelle LLC, is issuing a Request for Interest for a laboratory-scale digester. The required system must accurately simulate continuous Kraft pulping conditions to evaluate cooking chemistry, process performance, and pulp yield, with a specific technical requirement to reliably detect yield changes of approximately 1%. The equipment must offer programmable control over temperature, pressure, residence time, alkali concentration, and liquor-to-wood ratio, utilizing either chip movement or a stationary wood-chip bed with circulated liquor. The final system will be delivered and installed at ORNL facilities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This sources-sought notice is for market research and does not constitute a commitment to purchase, though any future contract is anticipated to be firm-fixed-price under NAICS code 333243. Interested providers must submit their responses by October 16, 2026, to Procurement Manager Tess Klatt. Submissions must include a survey of abilities covering Ariba Supplier Portal registration, US Government debarment status, and a three-year history of safety and environmental compliance. Technical responses should detail equipment specifications, performance data regarding repeatability, estimated costs, delivery schedules, and a reference list of relevant project experience.