 This was followed on 23 July 1941 by letter from Taylor that offered a National Defense Research Committee (NDRC) contract to produce , for which the NDRC was prepared to pay $5 per pound for low-grade and $10 for high-grade heavy water.At the time it was selling for up to $1,130 a pound.Cominco's president, Selwyn G. Blaylock, was cautious.