Cooperative Agreement 70NANB22H040

TITLE: DEVELOPING A ROADMAP TO STRENGTHEN THE US MANUFACTURING SUPPLY CHAIN VIA THE DIGITAL THREAD PURPOSE STATEMENT: THE GOAL OF THIS WORK IS TO DEVELOP A TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP TO IMPROVE THE RESILIENCE AND CAPACITY OF THE US MANUFACTURING SUPPLY CHAIN THROUGH THE DIGITAL THREAD. STAKEHOLDERS WILL IDENTIFY CRITICAL WEAKNESSES AND GAPS IN DIGITAL THREAD TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOP A TANGIBLE, ACTIONABLE, INDUSTRY-DRIVEN DOCUMENT THAT WILL GUIDE RESEARCH AND ENABLE EFFECTIVE ADOPTION OF DIGITAL THREAD TECHNOLOGY THROUGHOUT THE EXTENDED SUPPLY CHAIN. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: ACTIVITIES INCLUDE CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS, PERFORMING SITE VISITS, HOSTING AND FACILITATING COLLABORATIVE WORK SESSIONS, CARRYING OUT SUBSTANTIVE LITERATURE REVIEWS, PRESENTATIONS BY PROJECT PARTICIPANTS AND EXTERNAL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, AND CONDUCTING SURVEYS INCORPORATING THE DELPHI TECHNIQUE, WHICH WILL ALSO INCLUDE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS WHO MAY NOT BE OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING ACTIVELY IN THE ROADMAPPING EFFORT. THE WORK WILL INCLUDE COLLABORATIVE IDEATION, CRITICAL DESIGN THINKING, ROADMAPPING, AND CONSENSUS BUILDING ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT. THIS PROJECT WILL CULMINATE IN THE RELEASE OF A WELL-DEFINED ROADMAP IDENTIFYING KEY OBJECTIVES AND CHALLENGES, MAPPING THE TECHNOLOGY GAPS AND PATHWAYS TO ADDRESS EACH, AND RECOMMENDING APPROACHES TO HAVE A LASTING IMPACT. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP PROPOSED, WHEN IMPLEMENTED, WILL ENABLE US MANUFACTURERS TO IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS, PRODUCE HIGHER QUALITY GOODS, RAPIDLY IDENTIFY SUPPLY-CHAIN DISRUPTIONS AND QUALITY ISSUES, AND EXPAND REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES BY IDENTIFYING CHALLENGES AND INITIATING A STRATEGY TO ADDRESS IMPEDIMENTS TO ADOPTION AND RAPID IMPLEMENTATION OF DIGITAL THREAD TECHNOLOGIES. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: U.S. MANUFACTURERS OF ALL SIZES, THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS, AND CONSUMERS WILL BENEFIT FROM A ROADMAP BRINGS TOGETHER INDUSTRY AND ACADEMIA TO IDENTIFY BARRIERS AND PRE-COMPETITIVE WORK THAT IS NEEDED TO STRENGTHENING DIGITAL THREAD TECHNOLOGIES THAT MAKE EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE, AND TIMELY USE OF THE DIGITAL INFORMATION COLLECTED AND EXCHANGED THROUGHOUT MANUFACTURING SUPPLY CHAINS AND DIGITAL SUPPLY NETWORKS. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT PLANS TO SUBAWARD FUNDS TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE, ENGAGE SMALL-TO-MEDIUM MANUFACTURERS, SUPPORT THE CORE ROADMAPPING ACTIVITY, IDENTIFY THE DIGITAL THREAD CHALLENGES INHERENT TO THE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SUPPLY CHAIN ACROSS MULTIPLE INDUSTRIES AND CROSS-CUTTING TECHNOLOGIES INCLUDING SMMS, AGRICULTURE SECTOR, MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS, PUBLIC HEALTH AND BIOLOGICAL PREPAREDNESS ECOSYSTEM, AND DEFENSE AND TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRIES.