2022-05-31 DMCSP Frequently Asked Questions.pdf

Defense Manufacturing Communities Support Program (DMCSP)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the Defense Manufacturing Communities Support Program (DMCSP)?

The Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program is a program from Department of Defense (DoD) that offers technical and financial support to communities DoD designates as Defense Manufacturing Communities (DMCs). Communities are designated as Defense Manufacturing Communities based on a competitive yearly process.

The program was created to recognize communities that demonstrate best practices in attracting and expanding defense manufacturing by bringing together key local stakeholders and using long-term planning that integrates targeted public and private investments across a community’s entire defense industrial ecosystem.

This program is authorized under Section 846 of the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act.

2. Who may apply for this program?

Proposals for designation as a Defense Manufacturing Community must be submitted by a “Lead Organization” on behalf of the region’s consortium.

Eligible “Lead Applicants” include:

· an established entity with a defined management structure, and the authority to bind the regional manufacturing consortium to deliver the proposed strategy;

· an entity recognized as such by key partners and stakeholders through formal written documentation; and

· one of the following types of entities:

o Institution of higher education or a consortium of higher education institution o Public or private non-profit consortium of defense industries, or o State, local or tribal government organization

Additionally, the consortium:

· may be composed of members from academia, defense industry, federal laboratories, commercial industry, and State and local government organizations;

· must demonstrate regional collaboration capabilities and technological or industrial base supply chains that are determined critical to national security, and;

· must demonstrate complementarity with DoD Manufacturing Innovation Institutes

3. What are DoD Manufacturing Innova�on Ins�tutes?

Department of Defense Manufacturing Innova�on Ins�tutes are manufacturing ecosystems established since 2012 with common manufacturing and design challenges revolving around specific technologies. To date, the Department of Defense has established nine (9) Manufacturing Innova�on Ins�tutes. To learn more about current Defense Manufacturing Innova�on Ins�tutes, visit htps://www.dodmantech.mil/Manufacturing-Innova�on-Ins�tutes/.

For a complete roster of all exis�ng manufacturing innova�on ins�tutes, see htps://www.manufacturingusa.com/ins�tutes.

4. How many organiza�ons typically comprise a consor�um? Should a consor�um include both large and small industries?

A consor�um is an associa�on of ins�tu�ons and stakeholders who have formed an agreement to combine resources and solve a common challenge. Consor�um members do not need to have a specific number or size of organiza�on. Consortia membership is not limited to a geographic service area; however, as a practical management matter, the majority of the consortia members are expected to be located in a relatively close geographic region.

Applicants should make the case that their consor�a has the op�mal number of diverse members, scope of work and leadership structure.

5. Can memoranda of understanding demonstrate that the Lead Organization has the authority to bind the regional manufacturing consortium to deliver the proposed strategy?

Yes

6. Can federal laboratories, military bases, Manufacturing Extension Partners, or DoD Manufacturing Innovation Institutes be members and/or a Lead Organization of consortia?

Yes

7. Can an organization be a member and/or serve as a Lead Organization for more than one Defense Manufacturing Communities consortia?

Yes

8. Can Defense Manufacturing Innovation Institutes support more than one Defense Manufacturing Communities consortia?

Yes

9. How can applicants demonstrate complementarity with Department of Defense Manufacturing Innovation Institutes?

Applicants should demonstrate that Defense Manufacturing Innovation Institutes have meaningful roles in one or more strategy or activity, demonstrated through letters of commitment/support or memoranda of understanding as applicable. The relationship doesn't need to be translated into a financial relationship through sub-award agreements.

10. Can a national organization serve as a member and/or Lead Organization of a Consortium?

Yes https://www.dodmantech.mil/Manufacturing-Innovation-Institutes/ https://www.manufacturingusa.com/institutes

11. Is there a special provision for Investing Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) communities?

No. However, Investing Manufacturing Communities Partnership communities are eligible to apply for Defense Manufacturing Communities designation.

12. Can a current Defense Manufacturing Community apply for this fiscal year?

No. However, members of a current Defense Manufacturing Community can join a new consortium to apply and implement a new initiative. The new initiative can overlap with the service area of a current Defense Manufacturing Community.

13. What is an eligible area?

Applicants may define the regional boundaries of their consortium based on capabilities of the region as a whole in key technologies or industrial base supply chains that are determined to be critical to national security.

The proposed defense manufacturing community should provide evidence that their community ranks high in the nation for their key defense manufacturing technology or supply chain.

14. How may funds be used?

Eligible activities for financial or technical assistance include:

· equipment or facility upgrades;

· workforce training, retraining, or recruitment and retention, including that of women and underrepresented minorities;

· business incubators;

· advanced research and commercialization, including with Federal laboratories and depots;

· supply chain development (including the identification and correction of supply chain disruptions in order to further improve the supply chain); and

· small business assistance

15. How does a community apply for funding under this program?

The application is a two-step process:

· First, your consortium needs to apply - and receive - designation as a Defense Manufacturing Community from the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation.

Subject to annual appropriations, the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation will release a Notice of Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov that details the information proposers must submit to be considered for a Defense Manufacturing Community designation, including conformance with a series of criteria specified in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

· Secondly, upon receiving a designation, the most competitive Defense Manufacturing

Communities will be invited to submit a grant application for funding. At this stage, applicants will need to provide a more detailed implementation strategy, work plan and budget for their proposed project.

16. Does the entire consortium receive the designation or just the Lead Organization?

The entire consortium receives the designation.

17. How much money is available per grant?

For Fiscal Year 2022, $30 million is available for award up to the appropriation amount. The maximum award for any one consortia is $5 million.

18. What is the grant period?

Once obligated, the funding remains available for expenses for up to five (5) years, as approved by the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation in the grant terms and conditions.

19. Is there a cost sharing or match component for communities to the grant award?

At the time of the application, applicants are required to demonstrate a matching share of at least 20 percent (20%) of the entire project/s cost (federal and non-federal funds combined).

20. Can applicants count as their matching share any funds related to the proposed project that have been spent since August 13, 2018?

Yes, as long as the matching fund is non-Federal and has been expended on eligible activities.

21. How to get started?

To learn more and apply for Defense Manufacturing Community designation, please go to Grants.gov and search for the Notice of Federal Funding Opportunity OLDCC-22-F-0001.

For more information about Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program, visit:

https://oldcc.gov/defense-manufacturing-community-support-program

For updates about the Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program, please sign up for our emails: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDODOLDCC/signup/14050.

https://oldcc.gov/defense-manufacturing-community-support-program https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDODOLDCC/signup/14050