Description: This Request for Information (RFI) is the initiation of market research under Part 10 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and is not a Request for Proposals (RFP). The Government does not intend to pay for any information furnished pursuant to this RFI. The National Science and Technology Council?s Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Manufacturing Research and Development (R&D), comprised of representatives from 15 government agencies and coordinated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is soliciting expressions of interest from industry, academic organizations, and government agencies regarding the development of a Technology / R&D Interagency Roadmap for Supply Chain Integration. An initial two-day planning workshop is scheduled for December 12 and 13 in Huntsville, AL at NASA?s Marshall Space Flight Center. This workshop will develop the general content of the Supply Chain Integration Technology / R&D Interagency Roadmap and establish a foundation for further planning for potential R&D projects. Due to space constraints and the need to ensure a balance of industry and government perspectives, participation in the workshop is by invitation only. If you are interested in attending the workshop, please complete the short information questionnaire posted below and return it together with your firm?s information via e-mail by October 31, 2006. Questionnaire: To assist in the selection of the appropriate team to develop the Supply Chain Technology / R&D Interagency Roadmap, interested parties are requested to respond to the following questionnaire. 1. Do you have knowledge or tools that support improved Product Life-cycle Management across the supply chain? Specifically, we seek expertise in requirements and intent tracking throughout the supply chain for all facets of the lifecycle including design, engineering, production, delivery, and product support. If this is of interest to you, please briefly describe the reasons for your interest and any specific tools or expertise that you could supply. 2. In your work with or knowledge of supply management, are you aware of problems that exist due to the inability of systems to seamlessly exchange information or of systems that assist in such interoperability? Are you involved in or interested in standards that could assist in supply chain integration? Are you aware of or interested in the use of semantic technologies for harmonizing supply chain operations? Briefly provide any relevant information. 3. a) Is your organization, or are you, currently involved in the development or deployment of advanced technologies that enhance intelligence and security in supply operations? If so, please identify and briefly describe your program(s)/application(s). b) What advanced technology areas are most ?ripe? for dramatic return on investment from an investment in development, technology maturation and deployment? 4. What new green, sustainable, energy efficient manufacturing technologies should be encompassed in environmentally aware supply chain management (e.g., incorporating environmental issues into forward supply chain; reverse logistics and recycling)? Please describe your or your company?s involvement in any of these new technologies: 5. Are you involved in research of deployment concerning tools that support integrating services and manufacturing supply chains (e.g., OEMs providing after-sales services; Service industries as a supply chain)? Please identify and briefly describe your activities: 6. Are you or your organization involved in activities that support the culture and skills needed for implementing the next generation supply chains? Activities of interest include workforce training for Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) employees and collaboration and cooperation across supply chains. Please identify and briefly describe your activities: 7. Are there organizations that are taking lead roles in supply chain integration that should be contacted regarding this activity? 8. Please provide any roadmaps you would like to share in advance of the workshop with your submittal of this questionnaire. 9. Please provide your contact information: a. Name b. Company c. Address d. Email e. Phone Responses to this RFI that indicate that the information therein is proprietary or represents confidential business information will be received and held in confidence for U.S. Government use only. However, the intent of the IWG on Manufacturing R&D is to develop a broadly shared roadmap, from the aggregate of the information provided from industry as a whole, and it is desired that all responses be nonproprietary. All responses must reference RFI no. 821-20061011 Point of Contact: NIST: Dr. Albert Jones (
[email protected]) and Mr. David Stieren (
[email protected]) Email your questions to either or both of the above individuals.