Manufacturing Technology Acceleration Center (M-TAC) Pilot Projects

Announcement of Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO)

Back to Closed Federal Funding Opportunities

Closed March 2014

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is amending its July 23, 2013 Announcement of Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) (2013-NIST-MEP-MTAC-01) that solicits proposals for the Manufacturing Technology Acceleration Center (M-TAC) Pilot Projects.
NIST is issuing this amendment (Amendment 1) to the FFO to make five (5) changes. These changes provide:

1. extended time to submit proposals,
2. clarification on the eligibility criteria,
3. clarification on the potential for NIST to fund additional proposals if additional funding is available,
4. clarification on the acceptance of non-substantive information that may be missing from a submitted application package, and
5. changes to the reporting requirements.

To view the amended Federal Funding Opportunity, click here. To Download a copy, click here.

NIST invites proposals from eligible applicants to conduct approximately two (2) pilot projects that will inform future NIST investment leading to the development of a network of Manufacturing Technology Acceleration Centers (M-TACs). The emphasis of these pilots will be to demonstrate the conduct of technology transition and commercialization activities with small and mid-sized U.S. manufacturers to foster their readiness to adopt and/or adapt advanced technologies into their manufacturing processes and products. The pilots will specifically focus on addressing the technical and business challenges encountered by small and mid-sized U.S. manufacturers as they attempt to integrate, adopt, transition, and commercialize both existing and emerging product and process technologies into their operations to help them grow and compete within manufacturing supply chains as innovative, value-adding components of our nation's economy.

These pilots will be operated by existing Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers and are expected to work in collaboration with other existing resources, including research consortia and institutions such as those operating as part of or in conjunction with the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI), state and local technology-based economic development intermediaries, industry associations, industry-university partnerships, and manufacturing organizations. The pilots will create and test business models for potential, future operationalized M-TACs that can scale up on a national level to serve the needs of significant numbers of small and mid-sized manufacturers – on the order of thousands on an annual basis. The pilots will also document successes and challenges.

Anticipated Amounts: NIST anticipates funding two (2) pilot project awards at a level of approximately $500,000 each. The pilot projects awarded under this FFO will have a budget and performance period of approximately one (1) year.

Dates: Electronic applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday, September 23, 2013. Paper applications must be received by NIST no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, September 23, 2013. Applications received after the respective deadline will not be reviewed or considered. The approximate start date for awards under this FFO is expected to be March 2014.

To view the full Federal Funding Opportunity, please click here. To download a copy, please click here.

Please submit your proposals via www.grants.gov under Funding Opportunity number 2013-NIST-MEP-MTAC-01

M-TAC Pilot Project Competition Time-line:
Below is an outline of the key steps during the M-TAC Pilot Projects Competition. These actions will take place over the next several months. Updates and changes will be posted to this site as needed.

• July 2013 – Post Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) (60 Day Posting)
• August 13, 2013 Information Webinar Conducted
• September 23, 2013 – All Proposals due (refer to FFO for specifics)
• Late September 2013 - January 2014 – Review Process Continues and Selection of Proposed Awardees
• Mid-January – March 2014 – Preparation/Review and Execution of Official Award Package

Information Webinar:
An information webinar was held on Tuesday, August 13, 2013. The presentation slides and webinar recording are available online. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Please submit questions regarding this request for information to Diane Henderson @ diane.henderson [at] nist.gov (diane[dot]henderson[at]nist[dot]gov).

To view the current FAQ's click here.

Strengthening manufacturing supply chains through the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) - The President's 2014 Budget proposes a $25 million increase for MEP to launch a series of Manufacturing Technology Acceleration Centers (M-TACs). M-TACs will be industry-specific centers that can serve as coordination points within key supply chains to assist small manufacturers in technology transition and commercialization efforts that are critical to their success within these supply chains. In June 2013 MEP published a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public comment to inform the creation of the M-TACs.