The Department of Defense (DoD) has detailed the allocation of five grants totaling approximately $25 million via the Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program.
Officials said the allotment stems from the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation — leveraging an additional $11.7 million in non-federal funds for a total investment of $36.7 million.
In August, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment designated five Defense Manufacturing Communities and directed the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation to solicit grant applications based upon the competitive ranking of proposals by a Defense Manufacturing Community Review Panel.
Per the DoD, $5 million has been earmarked to the Commonwealth of Virginia Office of Veterans and Defense Affairs-led Defense Manufacturing Consortia to execute a $7,045,113 project to recruit, train and modernize the Commonwealth’s maritime workforce. Also, the North Carolina State University Industry Expansion Solutions-led Defense Manufacturing Consortia will receive $5 million to initiate a $7,466,588 project involving advanced textiles/autonomous wearables while implementing a strategy addressing expedited needs amid businesses transitioning out of COVID-19 restricted operations to longer-term technological opportunities.
Additionally, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station-led Defense Manufacturing Community Consortia is slated to receive a $4.99 million grant toward a $6,947,453 project injecting targeted Smart Manufacturing skills and technologies into the Texas defense aerospace manufacturing ecosystem portfolio.
The University of Tennessee at Knoxville-spearheaded Defense Manufacturing Community Consortia has been awarded $5 million for a $8,624,399 project addressing next-generation machine tools and smart manufacturing processes. Finally, the Wichita State University National Institute for Aviation Research Defense Manufacturing Community Consortia has been designated to receive a $5 million grant to deliver a $6,576,590 project expanding capabilities, processes, sustainment planning, workforce, and engineering competencies to weapon system prototype development.