YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining announced a new open project call worth a total of $1.7 million.
The project call, Joint Additive Qualification for Sustainment – Supplier Qualification – Group 1, funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Manufacturing Technology Office, aims to accelerate the integration of nontraditional suppliers and scale defense industrial base capabilities by training and supporting additive manufacturers to meet required process control documents for qualified additive manufacturing production.
Up to five awards are anticipated.
The project presents an opportunity to enhance the additive manufacturing supply chain by improving alignment with government acquisition requirements. By developing comprehensive training and audit programs, the efforts will ensure additive manufacturing contract manufacturers implement essential process controls, fostering efficient and qualified production for government needs, a news release states.
“Additive manufacturing is at a turning point. The time for talking is over – we need to drive standardization and qualification now to unlock real growth, especially for the Department of Defense,” said Ben DiMarco, technology transition director at America Makes. “As an institute, we are taking action through efforts like the JAQS-SQ program – rallying industry leaders to accelerate supplier qualification, strengthen supply chain trust and ensure the defense industrial base is mission-ready.”
The submission deadline is 5 p.m. Oct. 2. Awards are expected to be announced Nov. 10. For more information and to submit a proposal, click HERE.