Strategic Long-Term Participation by DoD in Its Manufacturing USA Institutes

To effectively mature and transition DoD manufacturing science and technology advances into production, DoD must have access to a robust and responsive U.S. industrial base which is often driven by advanced manufacturing technologies. The Manufacturing USA institutes are considered crucial and game-changing catalysts that are bringing together innovative ecosystems in various technology and market sectors critical to DoD and the nation. Since 2012, DoD has invested $600 million directly in its Manufacturing USA institutes with the understanding that the initial federal investment included (1) core funding and (2) one-time, start-up funding to establish the institutes within a period of 5 to 7 years. As the institutes now begin to reach year five, DoD is evaluating the effectiveness of the institutes in fulfilling their goals and the best on-going roles for the federal government, including on-going funding options, to ensure optimal benefit to U.S. competitiveness. This report reviews the role of DoD's investment to date in establishing its eight institutes as public–private partnerships and its engagement with each institute after it has matured beyond the start-up period. Table of ContentsFront MatterExecutive Summary1 DoD Manufacturing USA Institutes: Background and Study Design2 Lessons Learned and Operating Changes to Consider3 Alternate Public–Private Partnership Options4 DoD Long-Term Manufacturing Institutes' Strategy: Business Model Options and Implications5 Committee Findings and Recommendations6 Follow-On Consensus Study7 Afterword - Rationale for Continued Engagement with the InstitutesAppendixesAppendix A: Statement of TaskAppendix B: Institutes' Offerings Value Proposition Rankings by StakeholderAppendix C: Summary of Potential Improvements to the DoD Institutes' OfferingsAppendix D: Summary of Potential Improvements Related to the DoD Institutes' Strategy GoalsAppendix E: Committee Member Biographical InformationAppendix F: AcronymsAppendix G: Other Resource DocumentsAppendix H: Workshop Agenda and Participant List