Regional Innovation Clusters for Manufacturing Capacity and Supply Chain Security

Regional Innovation Clusters for Manufacturing Capacity and Supply Chain Security for Office of Investment and Innovation (OII)

This is not a request for proposals (RFP).  There is no request for proposal, statement of work, or drawings available with this announcement. 

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Made in America Manufacturing Initiative aims to restore the U.S. industrial base, bring back American jobs, and promote our nation’s economic dominance and national security. The SBA seeks to understand the availability and capabilities of qualified contractors with the skills, knowledge, and training to create new Regional Innovation Clusters (RICs) that bolster this initiative.  These RICs will assist small businesses in matching innovative technology to industry needs, reshore critical industrial and manufacturing capabilities, create more secure domestic supply chains, spur job creation, and increase the number of innovative small businesses and entrepreneurs in the nation.

SBA is requesting interested vendors provide information to help the government assess industry capabilities. Interested vendors are requested to provide their target industry and geographic location for the RIC efforts in their response to this Source Sought Notice (SSN). While SBA does not require specific industries to be served through the RICs, industries of interest should align with national priority areas such as those described in Executive Order (EO) 14154: Unleashing American Energy; EO 14179: Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence; EO 14241: Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production.

These industry areas include:

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Critical Minerals
• Nuclear Energy (Microreactors)
• Disruptive Technology
  • Quantum Information and Enabling Technologies
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Information Technology (cybersecurity, cyber operations, data storage, etc)
  • Semiconductors

The SBA Office of Investment and Innovation (OII) is seeking information on potential contractors that would be interested in creating new Regional Innovation Clusters to support small businesses with current supply chain issues, as well as building domestic capabilities for disruptive technology areas. These clusters will involve public-private partnerships that align federal, state, and local resources with regional strengths to catalyze technology innovation and economic growth opportunities in communities both within the region and beyond, and secure national supply chains. A typical RIC contractor is responsible for:

1. Cluster Management and Oversight including project management and how the contractor will onboard and manage cluster members (small businesses and partner organizations).
2. Small Business Support Service Delivery in Specified Industry including delivering at least three different types of small business assistance and anticipated goals for number of small businesses assisted.
3. Creation and Expansion of Cluster Network in Specified Industry including the ability to coordinate amongst partner organizations and regional stakeholders to support delivery of services to small businesses and coordinate their efforts to expand services and support the delivery of new and needed services within the region.
4. Report Development including quarterly and annual reporting and performance benchmarks for anticipated impacts to small businesses, including but not limited to revenue increases, receiving capital, winning contracts, and job creation.

Responses to this Sources Sought Notice (SSN) are due by May 30, 2025. If you are interested, please submit your detailed capabilities in WRITING via email to RICs@sba.gov.  Written statements should demonstrate the same or similar experience to the services described above.  This is not a request for proposals (RFP).  There is no request for quote, statement of work, or drawings available with this announcement. 

Response to the SSN is strictly voluntary; no reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this SSN or any follow-up information requests.  If you choose to submit a response, clearly identify this Sources Sought Notice number, your UEI number, and capability statement. 

Your email capability information MUST not exceed 5 pages and be SPECIFIC to creating new RICs for the industry areas identified above.  As part of your capability statement, please include a description of past projects, contract numbers, dollar amounts, time frame, duration, region and/ or industry supported, impacts to small businesses or regional economic development goals, challenges experienced, customer point of contact information including email and telephone (for example, contracting officers, project managers), and any other pertinent information. Be sure to include your UEI number on your documentation.