Notice of Intent to Issue Smart Manufacturing Request for Proposals

CESMII plans to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) focused on Smart Manufacturing (SM) technology applications in key industry verticals to create a momentum for scaling and deploying SM across the nation. CESMII plans to issue the RFP in early Fall 2024, with more details to follow.

Background 

Smart Manufacturing (SM) defines a digital transformation of the U.S. manufacturing industry for proactive management and automation of energy systems, manufacturing assets, line and factory operations, supply chains, and ecosystems. SM technologies include sensing, control, analytics and modeling, all integrated with a platform infrastructure that ensures seamless information flow and interoperability.  As the primary advocate for SM adoption in the U.S., CESMII, the Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute, has developed numerous innovations in SM technology, practice, and Education and Workforce Development (EWD).  CESMII’s mission to accelerate the adoption of SM in U.S. manufacturing has taken on global significance and urgency.  This mission is tightly aligned with the US National Strategy for Advanced Manufacturing [1] which calls out specific objectives for the Future of Smart Manufacturing, including the use of SM components such as sensors, analytics, predictive modeling, and seamless integration through data compatibility standards and infrastructure.  It also aligns with the DOE and White House goals [2] around Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, energy productivity, manufacturing competitiveness for SMMs, supply chain resilience, education and workforce development (EWD), and diversity. CESMII’s mission also align strongly with the framework and approach proposed in the Options for a National Plan for Smart Manufacturing recently published by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Math.

In the upcoming RFP, CESMII will pursue a selected number of projects that demonstrate scaling and deployment of SM solutions across companies in individual industries and cross-industry supply chains. Scaling and deploying will demonstrate industry integration, implementation, and reusability of existing SM solutions, practices, and infrastructure. The solutions will focus on scaling innovation, economic and energy optimization benefits in selected clean energy manufacturing and clean energy technology products industries, that include small and medium manufacturers (SMMs). These projects will support the launch of CESMII’s Scale and Deploy plan resulting in a growth trajectory of SM adoptions with CESMII’s resources and capabilities.

Topic Areas 

Topic 1: Smart Manufacturing for clean energy technologies and manufacturing industries

These industry-led projects will demonstrate scaling of technology innovation, economic and energy optimization benefits using existing advanced sensing, control, , and modeling solutions in multiple factories in two energy focused industries. CESMII encourages proposals from conventional industries (including but not limited to cement, steel, chemical, paper etc.) as well as clean energy technology industries (including but not limited to batteries, hydrogen, wind, and solar) to implement SM solutions using or augmenting technologies and components already developed by CESMII and its partners, particularly the SM Interoperability Platform (SMIP), SM Profiles (SMP) and the SM Marketplace.  Solutions should be deployed at multiple sites, across at least two companies in the same industry, to demonstrate scalability as well as reduction in cost of deployment through reusable SM components. Project teams may consist of manufacturers, systems integrators and prior project team members.  CESMII strongly prefers that the projects be led by manufacturers on each project team. Project duration should not exceed 24 months.  We are nominally looking to select two project teams (in two different industries) with approximately $1M in federal funding per project.  Participating teams will be required to provide a 1:1 cost share.

Topic 2: Smart Manufacturing for resiliency, operational and energy productivity in integrated supply chains

These industry-led projects will facilitate first-of-a-kind demonstration of integrated SM-enabled resiliency, operational and energy impacts for two supply chains. Each supply chain project will comprise of a large manufacturer or a coalition and at least 8 SMMs that are part of their supply chain for materials or components. Food, automotive, consumer products, semiconductor and microelectronics, aerospace and defense and pharmaceuticals are some examples of industries that would be considered for broad national impact. CESMII technologies, particularly the SM Platform (SMIP), SM Profiles (SMP) and the SM Marketplace, must be heavily leveraged to provide supply chain wide visibility to real-time data, and system level applications for resiliency, operational and energy productivity at the supply chain level. Project teams will consist of manufacturers, systems integrators and prior project team members (if applicable).  CESMII strongly prefers that the projects be led by manufacturers on each project team.  Project duration should not exceed 24 months.  We are nominally looking to select two project teams (in two different industries) with approximately $1M in federal funding per project.  Participating teams will be required to provide a 1:1 cost share.

More Information

• CESMII’s SM Innovation Centers will provide general SM and SMIP training for each impacted member of the supply chain projects (manufacturers, technology providers, machine builders, system integrators, and academia).
• CESMII will appropriately engage and equip each of our SM Innovation Centers to build the necessary competencies, engage with Manufacturing Extension Partnerships and SMMs in their region for upskilling and broader education efforts, and actively support these projects.
• CESMII plans to issue the RFP in early Fall 2024, with more details to follow. 

[1] National strategy for ADVANCED MANUFACTURING (whitehouse.gov)

[2] Economic Report of the President: (1) Supply chains are complex, outdated, and inefficient, resulting in a significant contribution of GHG emissions per Chapter 6; and (2) Energy Efficiency contributes almost 1/6th of the carbon reduction required to achieve net zero emissions per Figure 7-3.

About CESMII

CESMII – the Smart Manufacturing Institute – has a total current investment of $140M (with an additional $61M under negotiation) from Department of Energy funding and public/private partnership contributions, with a mandate to create a more competitive manufacturing environment here in the US through advanced sensing, analytics, modeling, control and platforms. CESMII is one of 17 Manufacturing USA institutes on this mission to increase manufacturing productivity, global competitiveness, and reinvestment by increasing energy productivity, improving economic performance and raising workforce capacity. University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) is the program and administrative home of CESMII. For more information about CESMII, its history and Smart Manufacturing, visit cesmii.org.

Any questions regarding this opportunity can be submitted to roadmapprojects.info@cesmii.org (an attempt will be made to answer all questions).