Federal Announcements

The U.S. Department of Labor announced that IPC International Inc., a global association of electronics industry manufacturers and suppliers, has established a national Registered Apprenticeship program to develop talent through industry standards and formal certification pathways.

MxD, the digital manufacturing and cybersecurity institute, announced a new partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) to advance digital adoption by small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs).

Manufacturing USA is a national network of manufacturing institutes established in 2014 by the multi-agency collaboration that guided its formation. This DCL encourages the submission of research and educational proposals that align with the technical focus areas of the Manufacturing USA Institutes to establish NSF programs in the Directorates for Engineering (ENG), STEM Education (EDU), and Technology Innovation and Partnerships (TIP).

The Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a program of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has published a new interactive map to help manufacturers find workforce-related programs and services offered by MEP Centers in every state and Puerto Rico.

BioFabUSA, a Department of Defense-sponsored Manufacturing Innovation Institute announced the launch of the Biofabrication Technician Registered Apprenticeship Program to empower America's workforce with essential skills and knowledge for careers in the biofabrication sector while helping the Department meet the science and technology challenges for decades to come.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) launched an updated Semiconductor Alert Mechanism administered by the International Trade Administration. The Semiconductor Alert Mechanism aims to help industry experts at Commerce detect and assess bottlenecks in our semiconductor supply chains and better mobilize and coordinate U.S. government resources to reduce chokepoint risks.

The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) has made one cooperative agreement award totaling $1,000,000 as part of its 2021-NIST-MEP-CAP-01 Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs). GENEDGE Alliance (GENEDGE), the MEP Center in Virginia, will lead a project, the Medical Manufacturer MedAccred Accreditation Pathway (MedMMAP Phase III).

The Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration is awarding a $2 million grant to the city of Etowah, Tennessee, for redevelopment of the local water treatment plant. This grant will provide for the establishment of a new manufacturing facility that will support the electric vehicle and battery storage industries, in a region impacted by changes in the energy economy.

Through the Future Manufacturing program, the U.S. National Science Foundation makes targeted investments in the future of manufacturing research and helps grow the manufacturing workforce. It is one of several NSF programs that support advanced manufacturing. The Future Manufacturing program's purpose is to discover manufacturing solutions that overcome current scientific, technological, educational, economic, and social barriers to provide new manufacturing capabilities for U.S. companies.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration is awarding a $1.1 million grant to Gaston College in Dallas, North Carolina, to support expansion of the school’s Textile Technology Center. This grant will provide for the purchase of new equipment to support the needs of existing textile and apparel firms, strengthening the talent pipeline, and promoting entrepreneurial opportunities in a region impacted by changes in the energy economy.