The Department of Defense (DOD) is seeking proposals for the development of a rapid identification system for pathogens from environmental resources, specifically targeting military-relevant bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The objective is to create a durable, easy-to-use product that can quickly identify pathogens in environmental samples, with a focus on reducing analysis time to under four hours and requiring minimal pre-processing. This initiative is crucial for enhancing environmental surveillance capabilities, which can serve as an early warning system for outbreaks and improve public health responses, particularly in military settings. Proposals are due by April 23, 2025, with the opportunity being part of the SBIR program, and further details can be found at the DOD SBIR website.