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The second major report of the President's Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP), Accelerating U.S. Advanced Manufacturing, provides high-level recommendations for U.S. advanced manufacturing strategies, with emphasis on three manufacturing technology areas (MTAs): Advanced sensing, controls and platforms for manufacturing; Visualization, information, and digital manufacturing; and Advanced materials manufacturing. Detailed information on the recommendations for each MTA can be found in Annexes 1 through 10 of the AMP's report. Also of note are reports from the European Commission1 and industry2,3, which provide descriptions of advances in manufacturing, including leveraging of emerging information technologies. Consistent with the AMP's report, the evolution of manufacturing technology has arguably been most importantly dependent on the application of increasingly powerful and low-cost computation in manufacturing enterprises. NSF researchers are, and have been, actively engaged in pursuing fundamental advances in design theory and translation; real-time sensing and perception; data capture, representation, and analytics; machine architectures and human interfaces; materials and process modeling; scheduling and control algorithms; fault detection, analysis, and correction; and coordination of decisions across distributed production facilities that have led to the globally-connected, low-cost, flexible and resilient supply chains, computer-integrated factories, and digital design systems of the modern world. There is a general consensus about the increasingly important role of powerful, low-cost computation in manufacturing.

The objective of this program is to conduct research and advance the current state-of-the-art in photonic materials technologies, interactions, and applications using unique and innovative solutions for improved hardened materials and increased survivability of sensors, structures, systems, and aircrew members. Separate Task Orders will contain specific requirements relative to a particular program's technical objectives. Some of the key technical areas of interest include Optical Materials and Processing, Hardening Materials and Processing, Electro-Optic/Infrared (EO/IR) Sensor Protection, Warfighter Protection, Structural Protection, Optical Technology, Computational and Theoretical Studies on Functional Materials, Proactive Threat Defeat, and High Energy Laser Source Materials. The following initial Task Orders are anticipated:

The objective of this effort is to conduct exploratory and advanced research and development of materials technologies to control, manipulate, and protect against photonic energy. Research involved in the processing, structure, properties and performance of photonic materials will provide a means to mature and transition the highest priority products needed by the Air Force. These efforts will ultimately result in developed technologies that can be transitioned to legacy, developmental and future Air Force system components to provide an increase in aircrew protection, performance and efficiency while reducing cost and accelerating manufacture. The objective of this program is to increase aircrew survivability to flash-blindness and directed energy threats through unique and innovative R&D solutions, and to advance the current state-of-the-art in photonic materials technologies, interactions, and applications.

NOTE: $95 million is being added to this program over the next six years. We established the Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Systems (EPiQS) Initiative as an integrated research program in quantum materials that includes materials synthesis, experiment and theory, and that crosses the boundaries among physics, chemistry and materials science. The initiative supports exploratory research with the aim of accelerating progress in the field and propelling it into a state in which new, deeper questions can be asked about organizing principles of complex quantum matter and the materials can be interrogated in superior new ways. While we support basic research, we also expect some of these materials will find applications in new technologies that improve human life or change the way science is done.

The Environmental Health and Safety of Nanotechnology (Nano EHS) program provides support to examine and mitigate the environmental effects of nanotechnologies.  Fundamental research is sought to understand, evaluate, and lessen the impact of nanotechnology on the environment and biological systems.  The program emphasizes engineering principles underlying the environmental health and safety impacts of nanotechnology.  Innovative methods related to clean nanomaterials production processes, waste reduction, recycling, and industrial ecology of nanotechnology are also of interest.

The Environmental Health and Safety of Nanotechnology (Nano EHS) program provides support to examine and mitigate the environmental effects of nanotechnologies.  Fundamental research is sought to understand, evaluate, and lessen the impact of nanotechnology on the environment and biological systems.  The program emphasizes engineering principles underlying the environmental health and safety impacts of nanotechnology.  Innovative methods related to clean nanomaterials production processes, waste reduction, recycling, and industrial ecology of nanotechnology are also of interest.  

The goal of the Combustion and Fire Systems program is to generate cleaner global and local environments, enhance public safety, improve energy and homeland security, and enable more efficient energy conversion and manufacturing. 

The MoM program supports fundamental research in interdisciplinary solid mechanics.  Emphasis is placed on fundamental understanding that i) advances theory, experimental, and/or computational methods in MoM, and/or ii) uses contemporary MoM methods to address modern challenges in material and device mechanics and physics. Proposed research can focus on existing or emerging material systems across time and length scales; especially of interest are contemporary materials including complex solids, phononic/elastic metamaterials, soft materials, and active materials.  Research is welcome in emerging areas of multiscale methods, nanomechanics, manufacturing mechanics, and areas that incorporate fundamental understanding of physics and chemistry into the continuum-level understanding of solids.

The Fluid Dynamics program supports fundamental research and education on mechanisms and phenomena governing fluid flow. Proposed research should contribute to basic understanding; thus enabling the better design; predictability; efficiency; and control of systems that involve fluids. Encouraged are proposals that address innovative uses of fluids in materials development; manufacturing; biotechnology; nanotechnology; clinical diagnostics and drug delivery; sensor development and integration; energy and the environment. While the research should focus on fundamentals, a clear connection to potential application should be outlined.

The Fluid Dynamics program supports fundamental research and education on mechanisms and phenomena governing fluid flow.  Proposed research should contribute to basic understanding; thus enabling the better design; predictability; efficiency; and control of systems that involve fluids.  Encouraged are proposals that address innovative uses of fluids in materials development; manufacturing; biotechnology; nanotechnology; clinical diagnostics and drug delivery; sensor development and integration; energy and the environment. While the research should focus on fundamentals, a clear connection to potential application should be outlined.

NIJ seeks proposals for basic or applied research and development projects that will: (1) increase the body of knowledge to guide and inform forensic science policy and practice or (2) lead to the production of useful materials, devices, systems, or methods that have the potential for forensic application. The intent of this program is to direct the findings of basic scientific research, research and development in broader scientific fields applicable to forensic science, and ongoing forensic science research toward the development of highly discriminating, accurate, reliable, cost-effective, and rapid methods for the identification, analysis, and interpretation of physical evidence for criminal justice purposes.

Air Force Research Laboratory, Aerospace Systems Directorate, AFRL/RQ, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, is soliciting technical and cost proposals for research in the areas of next generation aircraft thermal, power, and controls (NGT-PAC). NGT-PAC will conduct applied research to increase knowledge and understanding of future thermal, power and controls requirements while advancing technology development in an effort to prove technological feasibility and assess operability and producibility of thermal, power, and controls components and architectures through proof of principal demonstrations. Affordability will be enhanced through use of existing airframe and engine designs as testbeds. Research will be organized in two primary focus areas: 1) Engine 2) Airframe. Offerors shall propose to one of the Basic Contract SOOs (either engine or airframe) and the associated (engine or airframe) Task Order 0001 SOO. The offeror must specify in their proposal which Basic Contract SOO their Statement of Work (SOW) is based upon (engine or airframe). Offerors proposing to both the engine and airframe SOOs shall prepare a separate SOW and proposal for the engine SOO and the airframe SOO.

The Mind, Machine and Motor Nexus (M3X) program supports fundamental research at the intersection of mind, machine and motor. A distinguishing characteristic of the program is an integrated treatment of human intent, perception, and behavior in interaction with embodied and intelligent engineered systems and as mediated by motor manipulation. M3X projects should advance the holistic analysis of cognition and of embodiment as present in both human and machine elements. This work will encompass not only how mind interacts with motor function in the manipulation of machines, but also how, in turn, machine response and function may shape and influence both mind and motor function.

The Chemical and Biological Separations (CBS) program supports fundamental research on novel methods and materials for separation processes.  These processes are central to the chemical, biochemical, materials, energy, and pharmaceutical industries.  A fundamental understanding of the interfacial, transport, and thermodynamic behavior of multiphase chemical systems as well as quantitative descriptions of processing characteristics in the process-oriented industries is critical for efficient resource management and effective environmental protection.  The program encourages proposals that address emerging research areas and technologies, have a high degree of interdisciplinary thought coupled with knowledge creation, and integrate education and research.

Effective September 1, 2013, the Materials Engineering and Processing Program (MEP) (PD 13-8092) will be accepting proposals that address engineering principles as they relate to material processing and performance. This program replaces the Materials Processing and Manufacturing (MPM), Materials and Surface Engineering (MSE), and Structural Mechanics and Materials (SMM) programs. This new MEP program is effectively a merger and evolutionary advance of these three programs. The MPM, MSE and SMM programs will no longer be accepting new proposals1. The Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMM) in Directorate for Engineering (ENG) of the National Science Foundation (NSF) created the Materials Engineering and Processing (MEP) program to support fundamental research addressing the interrelationship of materials processing, structure, properties and/or life-cycle performance for targeted applications. Processing and performance of all material systems are of interest. These include polymers, metals, ceramics, semiconductors, composites, and hybrids thereof. Research driven by scientific hypotheses are encouraged when suitable, and materials in bulk form or focus on special zones such as surfaces or interfaces that are to be used in structural and/or functional applications are appropriate for this program. Analytical, experimental, and numerical studies are supported and collaborative proposals with industry (i.e. Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)) are encouraged.

As "The Army's Sensor Developer," NVESD researches and develops cutting edge technology, with the goal of exceeding U.S. Soldier requirements, and allowing an asymmetrical advantage in changing battlefield environments. This BAA solicits proposals against a broad range of night vision technologies which support the Warfighter and challenges of Asymmetric Warfare. The technologies have been divided into three (3) sections: Science and Technology; Ground Combat Systems; and Modeling and Simulation.

The Biomaterials program supports fundamental materials research related to (1) biological materials, (2) biomimetic, bioinspired, and bioenabled materials, (3) synthetic materials intended for applications in contact with biological systems, and (4) the processes through which nature produces biological materials.  Projects are typically interdisciplinary and may encompass scales from the nanoscopic to the bulk.  They may involve characterization, design, preparation, and modification; studies of structure-property relationships and interfacial behavior; and combinations of experiment, theory, and/or simulation.  The emphasis is on novel materials design and development and discovery of new phenomena.

MGI recognizes the importance of materials science to the well-being and advancement of society and aims to "deploy advanced materials at least twice as fast as possible today, at a fraction of the cost." DMREF integrates materials discovery, development, property optimization, and systems design and optimization, with each employing a toolset to be developed within a materials innovation infrastructure. The toolset will synergistically integrate advanced computational methods and visual analytics with data-enabled scientific discovery and innovative experimental techniques to revolutionize our approach to materials science and engineering.

The following programs have due dates that fall between October 1 - 25, 2013, and these dates are being revised due to the Federal  government shutdown. These revised dates apply whether the proposal is being submitted via the NSF FastLane System or  Grants.gov. Due to compressed proposal deadlines resulting from the shutdown, proposers are advised that they may experience a  delay when contacting IT Help Central with technical support questions. Frequently asked questions regarding these date changes  are available on the Resumption of Operations page on the NSF website at: http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/postshutdown.jsp. 

MGI recognizes the importance of materials science to the well-being and advancement of society and aims to "deploy advanced materials at least twice as fast as possible today, at a fraction of the cost." DMREF integrates materials discovery, development, property optimization, and systems design and optimization, with each employing a toolset to be developed within a materials innovation infrastructure. The toolset will synergistically integrate advanced computational methods and visual analytics with data-enabled scientific discovery and innovative experimental techniques to revolutionize our approach to materials science and engineering.

This is a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) describing the research areas of interest for the Advanced Processing of Electronic Components for Space (APECS) program. The objectives of APECS is to conduct research and development (R&D) activities to explore the implementation of new monolithic devices to coalesce functionalities into a single chip or to enable to circuits and optoelectronic devices and interconnects based on the antimonides based material systems.