As the aviation industry is experiencing new interest in the form of unmanned aircraft systems of various sizes, as well as passenger and defense aircraft carrying urban air mobility applications, one of the primary bottlenecks continues to be domestic aerospace manufacturing. Maintaining assured, domestic, high-volume aerospace manufacturing will be key to meeting the demand. Further, such vehicles and their operations will result in increased need for maintenance and parts. Assured parts and hence a vibrant, diverse supply chain network need to be ready to meet the needs of high-volume manufacturing as well as maintenance support. MUREP in collaboration with the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD), requires three (3) U.S. Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to lead post-secondary education teams that will collaborate with other domestic entities including small businesses, to analyze the U.S. aerospace manufacturing supply chain ecosystem, provide technical apprenticeships, internships, and develop a manufacturing and supply chain network that aligns with aerospace (NASA and/or industry) high-volume manufacturing needs in proposals developed to increase high volume aerospace manufacturing participation for national competitiveness. The goals of MUREP Aerospace High-Volume Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management Cooperative awards are to: 1) Develop a significant scientific, engineering, and/or technology manufacturing and supply chain network led by MSIs that align with aerospace (NASA and/or industry) high-volume manufacturing needs for national competitiveness. The network will demonstrate strong collaboration with MSIs, provide technical degree/certification programs, leverage relationships with small businesses, and government to study gaps and opportunities in the aerospace high-volume manufacturing supply chain. 2) Contribute to the alignment of the next generation workforce with emerging trends and the needs of the aerospace industry supplier base, while expanding the nation's employee base for aerospace manufacturing and development as defined by NASA’s ARMD. 3) Support the development of entrepreneurship and students’ ability to commercialize high-volume manufacturing and supply chain principals related to aerospace by guiding students to become leaders and entrepreneurs in this ecosystem. Overall, this opportunity seeks to address the need for high-volume manufacturing in aerospace, and the future needs of aerospace high-volume manufacturing ecosystems by introducing new diverse, high volume, aerospace manufacturing networks, which will support the development of a broader technical aerospace manufacturing workforce while increasing the interest in aerospace manufacturing entrepreneurship opportunities. The proposals shall include networks that demonstrate strong collaboration with MSIs, provide technical degree/certification programs, leverage relationships with small businesses and government to study gaps and opportunities in high-volume manufacturing, aerospace supply chain. The proposals shall also contribute to the alignment of the next generation workforce with the needs of the aerospace industry supplier base, while expanding the nation's employee base for aerospace manufacturing and development as defined by NASA’s ARMD. Proposals shall also support the development of entrepreneurship and commercialization related to aerospace manufacturing and its supply chain by guiding students to become leaders and entrepreneurs in this ecosystem. Awards will be made as cooperative agreements to accredited Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) with Lead institutions or universities that offer supply-chain management degrees/certificates, or training degrees/certificates, or ABET accredited aerospace or mechanical or manufacturing engineering degrees, or a manufacturing, or high volume manufacturing program in the United States are eligible to apply for this NASA Research Announcement (NRA). The period of performance for an award is up to 2 years. Prospective proposers are requested to submit any questions in writing to
[email protected] no later than 10 business days before the proposal due date so that NASA will have sufficient time to respond. Proposers to this NRA are required to have the following, no later than the due date: 1) a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, 2) a valid registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) [formerly known as the Central Contractor Registry (CCR)], 3) a valid Commercial And Government Entity (CAGE) Code, 4) a valid registration with NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) (this also applies to any entities proposed for sub-awards or subcontracts.) Consult Appendix H Section H.3 for more eligibility information. Consult Appendix H Section 1.1.1 regarding network guidelines. Every institution that intends to submit a proposal to this NRA, including the proposed prime award or any partner whether an education institution, and other organizations that will serve as sub-awardees or contractors, must be registered in NSPIRES. Electronic submission of proposals is required by the due date and must be submitted by an authorized official of the proposing organization. Such registration must identify the authorized organizational representative(s) who will submit the electronic proposal. All principal investigators and other participants (e.g. co-investigators) must be registered in NSPIRES regardless of submission system. Potential proposers and proposing organizations are urged to access the system(s) well in advance of the proposal due date(s) of interest to familiarize themselves with its structure and enter the requested information. Electronic proposals may be submitted via the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES.) Additional programmatic information for this NRA may develop before the proposal due date. If so, such information will be added as a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) or a formal amendment to this NRA and posted on http://nspires.nasaprs.com. It is the proposer’s responsibility to regularly check NSPIRES for updates to this NRA. Point of Contact: Name: Clarence Bostic Title: Activity Manager, NASA MUSIC Phone: 757-864-7836 Email:
[email protected]