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 Contents Front Matter Executive Summary 1 DoD Manufacturing USA Institutes: Background and Study Design 2 Lessons Learned and Operating Changes to Consider 3 Alternate Public-Private Partnership Options 4 DoD Long-Term Manufacturing Institutes' Strategy: Business Model Options and Implications 5 Committee Findings and Recommendations 6 Follow-On Consensus Study 7 Afterword - Rationale for Continued Engagement with the Institutes Appendixes Appendix A: Statement of Task Appendix B: Institutes' Offerings Value Proposition Rankings by Stakeholder Appendix C: Summary of Potential Improvements to the DoD Institutes' Offerings Appendix D: Summary of Potential Improvements Related to the DoD Institutes' Strategy Goals Appendix E: Committee Member Biographical Information Appendix F: Acronyms Appendix G: Other Resource Documents Appendix H: Workshop Agenda and Participant List