The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) intends to announce an open competition for a new Manufacturing USA institute. The expected competition will seek to establish a Manufacturing USA institute focused on using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the resilience of U.S. manufacturing. The U.S. Government intends to enter into a five-year agreement with the possibility of a non-competitive extension for up to an additional two (2) years and provide federal funding of up to $70 million. This funding is to be matched or exceeded by funding from private industry and other non-federal sources, with a required minimum 1:1 cost share.
NIST intends that the new institute will both contribute to and benefit from the expertise within the existing network of manufacturing institutes. As required by the Manufacturing USA authorizing statute, NIST will ensure that the AI institute to be established will not substantially duplicate the work of the existing network of institutes.
The formal funding opportunity is anticipated following the publication of the Notice of Intent (NOI). To stay up-to-date on NIST-funded Manufacturing USA institute competition information, please subscribe to our mailing list.
NIST plans to use a two-stage process for soliciting applications for this directed-topic Manufacturing USA institute.
In addition, only a single concept paper may be submitted from a lead applicant entity. However, entities may be partners on multiple proposals submitted.
NIST anticipates that the due date for submission of concept papers will be a minimum of 45 days from the publication of the funding opportunity announcement.
AI for Resilient Manufacturing Institute Teaming Partner List.
Note that this NOI for an AI Manufacturing USA institute is separate from any planned solicitations for Manufacturing USA semiconductor institutes funded through the CHIPS Act and is separate from NIST’s U.S. AI Safety Institute (USAISI). Interested parties should monitor https://www.nist.gov/chips/chips-rd-funding-opportunities for information regarding CHIPS-funded semiconductor institutes, and https://www.nist.gov/artificial-intelligence/artificial-intelligence-safety-institute for updates on the USAISI.
Additional resources for the AI for Resilient Manufacturing Notice of Intent
Inquiries about the competition may be sent via email to ManufacturingUSA [at] nist.gov (ManufacturingUSA[at]nist[dot]gov) with a subject line stating, ‘AI for Resilient Manufacturing.’