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AI for Resilient Manufacturing Institute Competition
Manufacturing USA Institute Competition
Artificial Intelligence for Resilient Manufacturing
On July 22, 2024, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a new Manufacturing USA Institute, with a focus on using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the resilience1 of U.S. manufacturing. NIST anticipates funding up to $70 million over five years to establish and operate this Manufacturing USA institute. NIST intends that the new institute will both contribute to and benefit from the expertise within the existing network of Manufacturing USA 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 institutes2.
To stay up-to-date on NIST-funded Manufacturing USA institute competition information, please subscribe to our mailing list.
NIST is making available a teaming partner list that enables entities to share information, foster collaboration, and advance shared goals. This list allows entities to share their contact information and capabilities so that potential applicants can reach out and consider utilizing their expertise to advance AI for resilient manufacturing
AI for Resilient Manufacturing Institute Teaming Partner List.
Application Process
There are two main components to this application:
Mandatory Concept Paper: All applicants must submit a concept paper, was due on September 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
- Concept papers must be submitted through Grants.gov
- Please note that an active SAM.gov registration and unique entity identifier (UEI) are required to submit application materials through Grants.gov. This process can take up to three weeks, so applicants are encouraged to complete this step early.
Full proposal application: After the concept paper review, only invited applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal. Full applications will be due on or around January 23, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
Events
Webinar: AI for Resilient Manufacturing Institute Notice of Funding Opportunity
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Click here to download the presentation.
Click here to watch the webinar.
- This free informational webinar provided general information regarding this NOFO and offered general guidance on preparing proposals. NIST staff answered general questions (scope, eligibility, evaluation criteria, review process, deadlines). Proprietary technical questions about specific proposal ideas are not permitted.
- NIST will not critique or provide feedback on any proposal ideas during the webinar or at any time before submission.
- Webinar participation is not required to submit a concept paper and attendance will not be considered in the application review and selection process. Advanced registration was required to attend the webinar.
Proposers Day: AI for Resilient Manufacturing Institute
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Click to download the morning session and afternoon session presentations.
Click to watch the morning session and afternoon session recordings.
Proposers Day was intended to:
- Familiarize prospective applicants with the NOFO's objectives and structure
- Provide additional information relevant to the application process
- Bring potential applicants together in a collaborative atmosphere to network and support partnerships
NIST will not critique or provide feedback on any proposal ideas during the Proposers Day or at any time before submission.
Participation in the Proposers Day is not required to submit a concept paper and attendance will not be considered in the application review and selection process. Advanced registration was required to attend Proposers Day.
Need to contact us?
Do you have questions not addressed in our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page? Email your question(s) to ManufacturingUSA [at] nist.gov (ManufacturingUSA[at]nist[dot]gov) with the subject line, ‘AI for Resilient Manufacturing.’
Additional Resources
Other References and Reports
Competition Resources and Sample Templates
Concept Paper & Application Preparation & Submission Slides
Concept Paper & Application Preparation & Submission Presentation
AI for Resilient Manufacturing Institute Teaming Partner List
Towards Resilient Manufacturing Ecosystems through AI Report
1Resilient Manufacturing: Resilience may be defined as the ability of a given system to prepare for and adapt to unexpected events; to quickly adjust to sudden disruptive changes that negatively affect performance; to continue functioning during a disruption (sometimes referred to as “robustness”); and to recover quickly to its pre-disruption state or a more desirable state. The adoption of AI has the potential to strengthen the resilience of U.S. manufacturing through improvements in productivity and efficiency, worker safety, and quality control systems while reducing downtime for predictive maintenance, waste, and defects. AI adoption has the potential for efficient utilization of other digital technologies in optimizing product design and process flow, and energy management. Furthermore, the adoption of AI technologies can drive greater resilience for manufacturing supply chain networks and increase the visibility of domestic suppliers. Source: Brookings Institute
2Note 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.