November 18, 2016
Dear Colleague Letter NSF 17-030

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing interest in research proposals to address critical fundamental research needs in advanced manufacturing, especially proposals that will enable innovations in one or more of the Manufacturing USA institutes' focus areas and leverage the facilities, infrastructure and member companies of an institute.

Basic research in advanced manufacturing forms the foundation for many breakthrough technologies and innovations with significant economic and societal impact. This DCL encourages proposals that address critical fundamental research needs in advanced manufacturing in one or more of the Manufacturing USA institutes' focus areas. The resulting knowledge can, in turn, enable new technologies that feed into the innovation pipelines of one or more of the Manufacturing USA Institutes. Proposals that include a collaboration with an Institute and leverage the facilities, infrastructure and member companies of that Institute are particularly encouraged. A summary of the Institute focus areas can be found at https://www.manufacturing.gov/nnmi-institutes/.

This is not a new program. Interested proposers are encouraged to submit proposals to the regular NSF programs. Proposals in response to this DCL must meet the requirements of the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and the review criteria of the program to which they are submitted. Proposals in response to this DCL should have a title prefixed by “Manufacturing USA:”