On February 19, 2016 the U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced a competition for the formation of up to two Manufacturing Innovation Institutes to join the growing National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI). This competition will be the first NNMI solicitation in which proposals will be accepted on any advanced manufacturing topic.
As an open-topic competition, NIST will accept applications for a proposed Institute in any area of advanced manufacturing so long as it is not duplicative. That means that the application does not duplicate the technical scope and programs of federally funded Institutes within the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI), or technical focus area(s) that are identified within any in-progress Institute funding opportunity announced by a federal agency.
Like the other research facilities that are part of the NNMI, the NIST institutes will be private-public partnerships that foster collaboration among industry, academia, nonprofits and government agencies. Through the institutes, these stakeholders work to accelerate U.S. innovation and increase competitiveness by investing in industrially relevant, cross-cutting advanced manufacturing technologies and processes.
The Federal Funding Opportunity announcement contains a full list of requirements and evaluation criteria. To provide information to potential applicants, NIST plans to host one or more public events and informational webinars.
For more information: