America Makes Announces Project Call for DoD Manufacturing Challenge

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – America Makes, in cooperation with Manufacturing Innovation Institutes and OSD ManTech, is offering a project call of up to $1.5 million to fund multiple projects under a Point of Need Challenge from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Individual project budgets are not to exceed $500,000.

The DoD PoN Manufacturing Challenge Project Call addresses dual-use applications that are responsive to specific needs of the DoD and the domestic manufacturing industry. This project call is focused on a single special topic area derived from the Department of Defense’s manufacturing community and contains seven challenges regarding manufacturing applications of interest to the DoD.

As additive manufacturing continues to play a role in technological advances within the aerospace and defense industry, America Makes members are encouraged to submit innovative manufacturing solutions that can be deployed close to the war fighter.

Solutions must be designed to operate within challenging operational environments, as the reach of U.S. forces is global. Technologies will be demonstrated at a location chosen by the Department of Defense within the continental United States that represents one of two operational environments: cold, arctic weather or hot/humid conditions.

Project teams can propose against one or more of the seven challenges and must include America Makes as an execution partner.

There are two steps to the process.

Step 1 includes a five-page concept paper and a quad chart, and Step 2 is an invitation-only overview of presentations. The deadline for submission of the concept packet is Feb. 6.

The seven challenges include:

• Build the Forward Operating Base Challenge
• Unmanned Ground Vehicle Challenge
• Warfighter Medical, Health and Nutrition Challenge
• Power Challenge
• Cyber Challenge
• Staying in the Fight Challenge
• Other

Each challenge is based on a class of supply. Projects shall demonstrate the technology that could address the scenario and be deployed and performed in the required operational environment.

The deadline for submitting presentations and supporting documents is Feb. 28, while team presentations are scheduled for March 8 and 9.

All participants must be America Makes members.

Awards should be announced on or about March 23, while the target project start date is May 15.

Project completion date is prior to Dec. 15.

America Makes will host a webinar at 11 a.m. Jan. 17 to discuss the project call and answer any questions. Registration is not necessary. Join the webinar HERE.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.