President's FY 2017 Budget Request for NIST Supports High-Performance Computing, Biomanufacturing

The U.S. Department of Commerce today released details of the President's budget request for fiscal year 2017 for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The total discretionary request for NIST is $1 billion, a $50.5 million increase over the FY 2016 enacted level. The funding supports NIST's cutting-edge research in areas such as computing, advanced communications and manufacturing, including biomanufacturing.

"The requested funds will help NIST continue to push the frontiers of measurement science, which is at the heart of all technological innovation," said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Willie E. May. "Our new work will enable advances that will lead to vastly more powerful computers, more efficient manufacturing and more effective spectrum sharing for increased communications capabilities to meet current and future public safety needs." 

Scientific and Technical Research and Services (STRS), $730.5 million

The STRS request includes $40.5 million above FY 2016 enacted levels that will support NIST's laboratory programs.

• Advanced Communications— Addressing the Spectrum Crunch (+$2 million; $14.8 million program total)
• Advanced Sensing for Manufacturing (+$2 million; $7 million program total)
• Biomanufacturing/Engineered Biology: Developing Engineering Principles for Efficient Biomanufacturing (+$2 million; $19.5 million program total)
• Ensuring a World Class Neutron Research Facility (+$4.8 million; $51.6 million program total)
• Lab to Market/Technology Transfer: Expand Technology Transfer Activities to Leverage Existing Authorities to Promote Data Sharing Efforts (+$2 million; $8 million program total)
• Measurement Science for Future Computing Technologies and Applications (+$13.6 million; $25.6 million program total)

Industrial Technology Services (ITS), $189 million

The ITS request includes an increase of $34 million above FY 2016 enacted levels. 

• Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) (+$11.1 million; $142 million program total)
• National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) (+$22 million; $47 million program total)

Construction of Research Facilities (CRF), $95 million

The CRF request is $24 million lower than FY 2016 enacted levels. 

• NIST Building 245 Renovations (+$40 million)

In FY 2017, NIST will continue to execute funds provided in FY 2015 through the NIST Public Safety Communications Research Fund to support development of cutting-edge wireless technologies for public safety users. This effort is part of the National Wireless Initiative included in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, which provides NIST with a total of $285 million from spectrum auction proceeds. 

Mandatory Funding

In addition to the above funding, the President's FY 2017 budget requests mandatory funding for: 

• NNMI: $1.9 billion to fully fund a network of 45 institutes by FY 2025,
• CRF: $100 million to renovate and modernize NIST facilities in order to maintain and enhance current research and development capabilities. 

View the U.S. Commerce Department's full FY 2017 budget request and Budget in Brief on the DOC website. 

As a non-regulatory agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. To learn more about NIST, visit www.nist.gov.