[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 24 (Monday, February 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5147-5148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02160]


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OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY


National Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing

AGENCY: Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

ACTION: Notice of Request for Information.

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SUMMARY: On behalf of the National Science and Technology Council, 
Committee on Technology, Subcommittee on Advanced Manufacturing, the 
Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) requests input from all 
interested parties on the development of a National Strategic Plan for 
Advanced Manufacturing. Through this Request for Information (RFI), 
OSTP seeks input from the public on ways to improve government 
coordination and on long-term guidance for Federal programs and 
activities in support of United States manufacturing competitiveness, 
including advanced manufacturing research and development that will 
create jobs, grow the economy across multiple industrial sectors, 
strengthen national security, and improve healthcare. The public input 
provided in response to this RFI will inform OSTP and NSTC as they work 
with Federal agencies and other stakeholders to develop the strategic 
plan.

DATES: Responses are due by March 7, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Responses should be submitted online at https://www.nist.gov/oam/rfi-response or via email to [email protected]. 
Submissions via email should include ``RFI Response: National Strategic 
Plan for Advanced Manufacturing'' in the subject line of the message.
    Instructions: Response to this RFI is voluntary. Respondents need 
not reply to all questions listed. For submissions via email, clearly 
indicate which questions are being answered. Email attachments will be 
accepted in plain text, Microsoft Word, or Adobe PDF formats only. Each 
individual or institution is requested to submit only one response. 
OSTP or NSTC may post responses to this RFI, without change, on a 
Federal website. OSTP, therefore, requests that no business proprietary 
information, copyrighted information, or personally identifiable 
information be submitted in response to this RFI. Please note that the 
U.S. Government will not pay for response preparation, or for the use 
of any information contained in the response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Said Jahanmir, 301-975-8324, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Law 113-235, The Consolidated and 
Further Continuing Appropriations Act 2015, incorporating the 
Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act of 2014 revised 42

[[Page 5148]]

U.S.C. 6622 to direct the National Science and Technology Council 
(NSTC) to develop and update, in coordination with the National 
Economic Council, a strategic plan to improve government coordination 
and provide long-term guidance for Federal programs and activities in 
support of United States manufacturing competitiveness, including 
advanced manufacturing research and development (R&D). Pursuant to this 
requirement, NSTC seeks to develop a National Strategic Plan for 
Advanced Manufacturing (``Plan'') that will create jobs, grow the 
economy across multiple industrial sectors, strengthen national 
security, and improve healthcare.
    Advanced manufacturing refers to a family of activities relating to 
the use and coordination of information, automation, computation, 
software, sensing, networking, and interoperability to manufacture 
existing products in new ways, or to manufacture new products emerging 
from the use of new technologies.
    NSTC has commenced the development of the Plan and, pursuant to 42 
U.S.C. 6622, is soliciting public input through this RFI to obtain 
recommendations from a wide range of stakeholders, including 
representatives from diverse manufacturing companies, academia, and 
other relevant organizations and institutions. The public input 
provided in response to this RFI will inform OSTP and NSTC as they work 
with Federal agencies and other stakeholders to develop the Plan.

Questions To Inform Development of the Plan

    Through this RFI, OSTP seeks responses to the following questions 
to improve government coordination and provide long-term guidance for 
Federal programs and activities in support of United States 
manufacturing competitiveness, including advanced manufacturing R&D. 
Responses should clearly indicate which question(s) is being addressed.
    1. In priority order, what should be the near-term and long-term 
objectives for advanced manufacturing, including R&D objectives, the 
anticipated time frame for achieving the objectives, and the metrics 
for use in assessing progress toward the objectives?
    2. How can Federal agencies and federally funded R&D centers 
supporting advanced manufacturing R&D foster the transfer of R&D 
results into new manufacturing technologies and United States-based 
manufacturing of new products and processes for the benefit of society 
to ensure national, energy, and economic security? What role can 
public-private partnerships play, and how should they be structured for 
maximum impact?
    3. What innovative tools, platforms, technologies are needed for 
advances in manufacturing? Of those that already exist, what are the 
barriers to their adoption?
    4. How can such Federal agencies and centers develop and strengthen 
all levels of manufacturing education and training programs to ensure 
an adequate, well-trained U.S. workforce for the new advanced 
manufacturing jobs of the future?
    5. How can such Federal agencies and centers assist small and 
medium-sized manufacturers in developing and implementing new products 
and processes?
    6. How would you assess the state of the following factors and how 
they impact innovation and competitiveness for United States advanced 
manufacturing?
    (a) technology transfer and commercialization activities;
    (b) the adequacy of the national security industrial base;
    (c) the capabilities of the domestic manufacturing workforce;
    (d) export opportunities and trade policies;
    (e) financing, investment, and taxation policies and practices;
    (f) federal regulations;
    (g) emerging technologies and markets;
    (h) advanced manufacturing research and development undertaken by 
competing nations; and
    (i) the capabilities of the manufacturing workforce of competing 
nations.
    7. Is there any additional information related to advanced 
manufacturing in the United Stated, not requested above, that you 
believe OSTP should consider?

    Dated: January 30, 2018.
Ted Wackler,
Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant Director.
[FR Doc. 2018-02160 Filed 2-2-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3270-F8-P