Federal Announcements

In celebration of National Small Business Week and in recognition of the critical role that small manufacturing businesses play in the economy, the White House released a report detailing how the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda is providing critical support for small businesses in manufacturing industries, including through the State Small Business Credit Initiative.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced $52 million for 19 selected projects, including $10 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to strengthen America’s domestic solar supply chain, and $30 million in funding for technologies that will help integrate solar energy into the grid. The research, development, and demonstration projects aim to enhance domestic solar manufacturing, support the recycling of solar panels, and develop new American-made solar technologies.

HHS is announcing the “HHS Bridge Access Program For COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments Program’ to maintain broad access to COVID-19 vaccines for millions of uninsured Americans. The program will create a unique $1.1 billion public-private partnership to help maintain uninsured individuals’ access to COVID-19 care at their local pharmacies, through existing public health infrastructure, and at their local health centers.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced five competitively selected higher education institutions to serve as Centers of Excellence for DOE’s Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) Program and will receive a combined $18.7 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Over more than four decades, the IAC Program has provided more than 20,000 assessments at small- and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs), which comprise more than 90% of the nation’s manufacturing base.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced $50 million in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for states to ensure that smart manufacturing technologies and high-performance computing are more accessible by domestic manufacturing firms. The State Manufacturing Leadership Program aims to remove existing barriers that prevent innovative, data-driven tools and technologies from being used by small- and medium-sized manufacturers.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration is awarding a $500,000 grant to Ivy Tech Community College, Kokomo, Indiana, to help establish the Center of Excellence in Advanced Manufacturing. This project will provide autonomous robots and other equipment needed to help the Center prepare trainees for in-demand positions at regional manufacturing firms.

The Department of Defense released its Biomanufacturing Strategy, a document that will guide research efforts, industry partnerships, and relationships with allies in a rapidly developing technology field with significant implications for national security and economic competitiveness.

President Biden signed an Executive Order (E.O.) to advance biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation for a sustainable, safe, and secure American bioeconomy. Today’s announcements in response to the President’s E.O. will help strengthen America’s bioeconomy, rebuild our supply chains here at home, and support the nation’s innovation ecosystem. They will also help ensure we can make in the United States all that we invent in the United States.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2 million grant to Mid-State Technical College, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, to support the development of the College’s Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering Technology and Apprenticeship Center.

The Commerce Department released the notice of funding opportunity laying out the guardrails for companies applying to make major investments in the semiconductor industry in America, including a novel requirement that recipients craft a program tailored to the location to provide child care for all of their workers.