Issue Date: June 14, 2018
Due Date: July 20, 2018

Click here to download the RFI.

RFI Purpose and Goals:
The Maine Technology Institute is collecting publicly available information on technologies that could be deployed within Maine’s forest industry. The purpose of this RFI is to encourage technology companies to submit preliminary information on their technology and related value proposition to MTI by July 20, 2018. Information submitted will be included in MTI’s Forest Industry Emerging Technology Database, which is now being developed. The ultimate goal of this project is to accelerate the matchmaking to connect the most viable, commercially relevant forest industry technologies with Maine. MTI will evaluate the technologies in the database to determine which technologies warrant a deeper level of evaluation and technoeconomic analysis.

MTI is planning on issuing a Forest Industry Innovation Challenge in Fall 2018. Your company will not qualify for this innovation challenge unless you submit basic information in response to this RFI. MTI has a strong track record of accelerating the development of new technologies in Maine. In 2018, MTI invested in new technologies as part of the Maine Technology Asset Fund 2.0. MTI anticipates that the Forest Industry Innovation Challenge will result in an investment similar to MTAF investments.

Over the past several years, Maine’s forest industry has come together to chart a course for the future of the industry. The industry remains strong and robust, contributing an estimated $8.5 billion annually to the state’s economy. It is poised to embrace new opportunities and there have been recent success stories. In the past two years, approximately $253.5 million has been invested in Maine’s forest industry, including pulp and paper equipment, wood processing equipment, energy production, and new facility construction.

RFI Intended Audience:
MTI seeks to solicit information on all types of forest industry technologies, including technologies to manufacture solid wood products, energy products, engineered wood products, advanced products, construction materials, mass timber, wood composites, biobased chemicals, bioplastics, advanced biofuels, and nanocellulose.

RFI Submission Requirements:
Submissions are due by Friday July 20, 2018 and should be submitted to Biobased Maine via email at info@biobasedmaine.org. MTI has hired Biobased Maine to collect information on forest industry technologies and help evaluate them. Questions about this RFI should also be directed to Biobased Maine. Information submitted should include the elements listed below. If your submission is lacking some of the elements listed below, you will still be entered into MTI’s pipeline of forest industry technologies. It is optional how much information you choose to submit. If existing web pages, promotional materials, published articles, or press releases are responsive to the elements below, feel free to send those (or links to those) instead of a formal written submission. Please try to keep responses to no more than 20 pages.

Basic Information:

  • Name of Company
  • Headquarters (city, state, zip)
  • Point Person (name, title, email, phone)[1]
  • CEO (name)

Technology/Product:

  • Type of Technology
  • Product Manufactured
  • Value Proposition/Market Disruption
  • Existing Customers and Off-Takers
  • Links to Public Presentations
  • Patents and/or Licenses

History/Track Record:

  • Years in Business
  • Level of Technology Deployment (Pilot, Demonstration, Small Commercial, Commercial)
  • Existing Facilities (City, State)
  • Total $$ Invested in Company to Date (if publicly available)
  • Primary Investors (if publicly available)
  • Current JVs (if publicly announced)

Wood Resource Questions:         

  • Wood Species Needed (species or hardwood vs. softwood)
  • Feedstock Quantity Needed per Year (specify green or dry and units)
  • Biomass/Feedstock Specifications (chip size, quality, etc.)

Facility Needs:        

  • Transportation Needs (rail, deep water port, etc.)
  • Energy/Thermal Load
  • Acreage Needed
  • Wastewater Treatment Needs
  • Building/roof height 

Other:

  • Number of Jobs (FTEs) for facility operation
  • Previous Relationships with Maine (name of contact within Maine)
  • Workforce needs/skill sets 

Financing:

  • CAPEX/OPEX of existing facility(ies) (if publicly available)
  • Federal incentive programs desired for economics to work

State incentive programs desired for economics to work

[1] Please note that contact information for the Point Person will not be shared with the general public or anyone else without prior approval from the submitting company. Other information submitted as part of this RFI process may be shared with Maine stakeholders and communities.

 

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