The Department of Commerce has launched an opportunity for smaller supply chain projects and vendors to secure CHIPS for America funds to produce the equipment, chemicals and other materials that are critical to U.S. semiconductor manufacturing.
The funding opportunity has a two-phase application process and is open to projects with less than $300 million in capital investment focused on building, expanding and modernizing facilities for the semiconductor supply chain, the department said Friday.
Under the initial phase, the Commerce Department will accept — from Dec. 1 to Feb. 1 — concept plans describing how the proposed projects will address the strategic objectives.
With Phase 2, the department will assess the concept plans and ask the selected applicants to submit a full application for the CHIPS incentives.
“The smaller supply chain projects enabled by this funding will play a crucial role in creating a sustainable U.S. semiconductor ecosystem, providing large chipmaking facilities with access to the equipment, materials, and supplies required to boost U.S. domestic manufacturing,” said Laurie Locascio, undersecretary of Commerce for standards and technology.
“By investing up and down the supply chain, CHIPS for America will enable a diverse range of critical businesses to contribute to advancing U.S. technology leadership and fuel innovation for decades to come,” added Locascio, who also serves as director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.