White House Celebrates Two Years Since CHIPS Act, with Nod to the Microelectronics Commons

August 9, 2024

This month marks two years since President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act into law. In 2022, nearly $53 billion was invested in the effort to re-onshore semiconductor manufacturing capabilities to the United States. Over the last two years, the CHIPS and Science Act celebrated many “historic achievements,” including the CHIPS Incentives Program, expanding production of advanced packaging facilities, a tax credit for companies engaged in semiconductor manufacturing, and much more. One of these historic achievements, as noted by the White House in a recent Fact Sheet, is Microelectronics Commons.

In an address at the NDIA Emerging Technologies conference, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) noted the anniversary of the CHIPS Act, highlighting the many accomplishments, including Microelectronics Commons as one of the key achievements. Since its inception in 2022, Commons has made a name for itself, garnering the attention and support of local and congressional leadership, such as the Honorable Heidi Shyu, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Senator Mark Kelly (Arizona), Senator Todd Young (Indiana), and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey.

Timeline of Innovation

2022

In 2022, Microelectronics Commons was awarded nearly $2 billion through the Strategic and Spectrum Mission Advanced Resilient Systems (S²MARTS) Other Transaction Authority (OTA) to establish a regional ecosystem of manufacturing facilities across the United States

2023

September – The Department of Defense (DoD) made its official announcement of award for the Microelectronics Commons, signifying the first major award under the CHIPS and Science Act.

October – NSTXL hosted the Inaugural Microelectronics Commons Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. The Annual Meeting hosted over 700 in-person and more than a thousand virtual attendees, including members of the Microelectronics Commons program, the newly awarded Hub leads and their teams, key government players, industry performers and more. This event featured briefings from DoD leadership, as well as program updates and networking opportunities. Speakers included: HON Kathleen Hicks, Deputy Secretary of Defense, Dr. Dev Shenoy, Principal Director for Microelectronics for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), Dr. David A. Honey, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (DUSD(R&E)) and more.

November – Commons released its first Call for Projects (CFP). The CFP is the first round of projects that each of the Hubs will execute on. These projects are expected to be awarded by the end of 2024.

2024

February – In a three-week tour across the country, representatives from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Crane Division and National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL) were joined by Dr. Dev Shenoy, Executive Director of the Microelectronics Commons and Principal Director for Microelectronics to visit all eight Hubs of the Microelectronics Commons.

June – Commons released its first Call for Topics (CFT). The CFT is an opportunity issued by the OUSD, intended to garner input from the Hubs and their network of expertise on technical ideas that may be considered as potential project topics. These topics will guide the next round of project proposal activity across six technical areas that are critical to the DoD: 5G/6G, AI Hardware, Commercial Leap-Ahead Technologies, Electromagnetic Warfare, Secure Edge/IoT Computing and Quantum Technology.

July – Commons Hubs excel in workforce development initiatives. A crucial piece of Microelectronics Commons is the establishment workforce development, ensuring a robust pipeline of specialized workers ready to answer the call. Each of the eight Hubs has established their own workforce development initiatives. Examples include NEMC Hub’s Embedded Capture-the-Flag competition for students and California DREAMS Hub’s Cleanroom Gateway program. Read more highlights on workforce development initiatives here.

“While there is more to do, my CHIPS and Science Act is bringing chips manufacturing back to America, strengthening global supply chains, and is making sure the United States remains a world leader in AI and other technologies that families, businesses, and our military rely on each and every day,” said President Joe Biden in a statement release.

As we celebrate the second anniversary of the CHIPS and Science Act, we can clearly see the transformative impact the initiative has already had towards the DoD’s mission to advance and onshore domestic microelectronics. Proudly sitting at the heart of innovation, Microelectronics Commons continues to play a pivotal role in driving technological advancements. With its first projects expected to be awarded by the end of fiscal year 2024, the initiative is poised to shape the future of microelectronics, ensuring that the United States not only maintains but strengthens its leadership on the global stage. Through these efforts, America is securing its technological future, bolstering national security, and reinforcing its competitive edge in the global market.

About Microelectronics Commons

The Microelectronics Commons program established eight innovation Hubs in 2023 after Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act to strengthen American manufacturing, supply chains, and national security. By investing in this network of 8 regional prototyping Hubs with a focus in 6 main technical areas – 5G/6G, AI Hardware, Commercial Leap-Ahead, Electromagnetic Warfare, Secure Edge/IoT Computing and Quantum Technology – the United States is safeguarding our critical microelectronics supply chain. The Microelectronics Commons was awarded through the Strategic & Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S²MARTS) OTA, established by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division and managed by NSTXL, which is the premier rapid OT contracting vehicle for the Department of Defense (DoD) in trusted microelectronics, strategic & spectrum mission, and other critical mission areas.