Corrosion Considerations in Ammonia Fuel Systems for the Marine Sector Research Program

The Association for Materials Protection and Performance issued RFP AR 2026-01, Corrosion Considerations in Ammonia Fuel Systems for the Marine Sector, to support a focused research project examining corrosion and materials degradation risks associated with the use of ammonia as a marine fuel. The project responds to the marine industry's movement toward lower-emission fuels and the resulting need to understand corrosion risks in critical engine, fuel storage, transfer, and distribution systems. AMPP notes that ammonia can create significant materials challenges, including stress corrosion cracking in steel substrates. Although industrial sectors have decades of experience handling ammonia, marine applications introduce operating conditions such as dynamic loading, vibration, cyclic temperature changes, and saltwater exposure that require dedicated evaluation. The project is a desk-based study centered on a comprehensive literature review rather than laboratory testing. The selected team must review and synthesize research, industry experience, technical data, materials selection practices, corrosion control approaches, and relevant industry standards. Required technical coverage includes fuel transfer and bunkering operations, onboard ammonia fuel storage, fuel distribution systems, and engine component susceptibility. The research must also evaluate the standards and regulatory landscape, including relevant consensus standards organizations, classification society requirements, materials and testing standards, protective system standards, inspection practices, pressure vessel and piping codes, International Maritime Organization requirements, SOLAS considerations, flag state requirements, port state control, and regional regulatory differences. Cross-sector knowledge from ammonia production, fertilizer manufacturing, refrigeration, storage and distribution terminals, and chemical process industries must also be considered. The research is intended to identify corrosion mechanisms, materials performance issues, knowledge gaps, limitations in existing test protocols and standards, and opportunities to transfer established ammonia-handling knowledge into the maritime sector. Expected outputs include an assessment of standards that are directly applicable or potentially adaptable, identification of areas where standards are lacking, prioritization of research and standards-development needs, and actionable recommendations for subsequent work. The scope expressly excludes laboratory or experimental testing, failure mechanisms not caused by ammonia, detailed engineering design, economic or financial feasibility analysis, comprehensive life-cycle assessment, detailed operating procedure development, and crew training requirements. The maximum project budget is $50,000 USD. Proposals above that amount will not be considered. The required budget may include personnel, subcontractor, literature acquisition, other direct, and clearly stated indirect or overhead costs. The RFP does not state a required cost share or matching contribution. Applications from international teams are accepted, and the selected team may perform the work from a location of its choosing. Regular virtual collaboration with AMPP is required. The proposal instructions contemplate organizations such as universities, research institutes, consulting firms, and other proposer types without establishing a specific organizational-form restriction. Subcontracting is permitted if disclosed in the proposal, although the prime contractor remains responsible for all work and deliverables and AMPP must approve subcontractor changes after award. Proposers must disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest and must conduct the work in accordance with research ethics and integrity requirements, including accurate representation of sources, disclosure of limitations and uncertainties, and objective analysis free from commercial bias. A signed electronic proposal must be submitted in English as an Adobe PDF by email to research@ampp.org no later than 5:00 PM Eastern Time on September 25, 2026. Late proposals will be considered non-responsive and will not be evaluated. The proposal narrative may not exceed 15 US letter-size pages using at least 11-point font and one-inch margins; the cover sheet, resumes, budget worksheet, schedule, and references are excluded from that limit. Required components, in the specified order, are a cover page, one-page executive summary, organization description, background and objectives, detailed technical approach, project team information and resumes, work plan and schedule, itemized budget using Attachment A, and three professional references. The technical approach must address the literature search strategy, analysis framework, stakeholder engagement if applicable, subsequent research recommendation development, quality assurance, and risk management. Questions about the RFP must be submitted in writing to research@ampp.org by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on September 11, 2026. Proposals will first be screened for responsiveness and completeness and then evaluated on understanding of the background and objectives, technical approach and methodology, team qualifications and experience, work plan and schedule, budget, and overall proposal quality. AMPP may conduct finalist interviews, perform reference checks, request clarifications, and negotiate scope, schedule, or budget before final selection. The evaluation period is September 25 through October 16, 2026, finalist interviews may occur during the week of October 19, and selection notification is scheduled for October 30, 2026. The target contract execution date is December 1, 2026, subject to AMPP's right to adjust the schedule. The project duration is eight months from contract execution. Required milestones include a kickoff meeting within two weeks of contract execution, completion of the initial literature review in Month 2, a mid-project review during Months 3 through 4, a 75 percent draft report during Months 5 through 6, final report submission during Months 6 through 7, and a final presentation during Months 6 through 8. Monthly virtual progress meetings are required, with a one- to two-page written progress update due two business days before each meeting. The principal technical deliverables are a comprehensive public-facing research report and a 45- to 60-minute virtual presentation with a Microsoft PowerPoint slide deck. The RFP was issued August 14, 2026, and provides no statement that this opportunity recurs annually, biennially, or on another regular cycle.

Address all four required technical areas and demonstrate a comprehensive literature and standards review strategy; explain access to standards databases and technical literature; show how data quality, conflicting information, gap analysis, prioritization, quality assurance, and project risks will be handled; align the work plan with AMPP milestones; emphasize team expertise in ammonia systems, marine applications, and corrosion science; justify costs and keep the total proposal at or below $50,000; follow the required content order, PDF format, page limit, and submission deadline.