<b>From:</b> "Steinberg, Franklyn" <<a href="mailto:franklyn@lewis-burke.com" target="_blank">franklyn@lewis-burke.com</a>><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><blockquote type="cite"><div><b>Date:</b> September 13, 2012 8:49:29 AM CDT<br>
<br><b>Subject:</b> <b>FW: National Robotics Initiative - update</b><br><br></div></blockquote><div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div>
<div><div style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"> </span><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">We wanted to make sure you </span><span style="color:#1f497d">are</span><span style="color:#1f497d"> aware that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has issued a new solicitation for the National Robotics Initiative (NRI), which was first announced by the Obama Administration in June 2011 (see original report below). As expected, NRI is now an ongoing initiative with regular solicitations, and is a major component of the Administration’s efforts in Advanced Manufacturing.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">Like the original NRI solicitation, the new competition involves NSF, the National Institutes for Health (NIH), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the <b><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";background:white;font-weight:normal">National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Both</span></b> small (1 to 5 years) and large projects (3 to 5 years) are supported through this solicitation. Up to $50 million per year is available to support 20-30 small awards and 5-10 large awards. Full proposals are due December 11, 2012 for small proposals, and January 23, 2013 for large proposals; letters of intent are not required. </span><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">More information, including program contacts and the full solicitation is available at <a href="http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503641" target="_blank">http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503641</a></span>.<span style="color:#1f497d"> </span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">Thanks,</span><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">Frank<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#1f497d">Frank Steinberg<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">Lewis-Burke Associates LLC<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">1341 G Street, NW<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">Washington, DC 20005<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><a href="tel:%28202%29%20289-7475" value="+12022897475" target="_blank">(202) 289-7475</a><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Policy Update: Obama Administration Announces Launch of Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Initiative and National Robotics Initiative<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Lewis-Burke Associates LLC – June 24, 2011 <u></u><u></u></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">On June 24, President Obama delivered an address at Carnegie Mellon University’s National Robotics Engineering Center to announce the new Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP) initiative through the White House. As part of this larger address, the Obama Administration also launched the National Robotics Initiative (NRI) today.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Highlights of the event:<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal">The AMP initiative builds upon the recommendations made in a June, 2011 report by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) which identified ways to build a stronger advanced manufacturing sector in the U.S. The initiative seeks to facilitate partnerships between the government, academia, and industry to better disseminate advanced manufacturing design methodologies. <u></u><u></u></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">AMP will be led by Andrew Liveris, Chairman, President and CEO of Dow Chemical, and Susan Hockfield, President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The initiative will also initially involve several U.S. engineering universities and private sector manufacturers. Further additions are expected.<u></u><u></u></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">As part of the initiative, the President announced a new Materials Genome Initiative aimed at reducing the time period to develop and deploy advanced materials. <u></u><u></u></li><li class="MsoNormal">
Separately, the Obama Administration also launched the NRI today, (first reported in February, 2011) which is intended to complement the AMP initiative by advancing robotics technology that can be utilized by the advanced manufacturing industry, among others. <u></u><u></u></li>
</ul><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Initiative<u></u><u></u></i></p><p class="MsoNormal">During the address, President Obama outlined the economic development opportunities that an advanced manufacturing sector in the U.S. could offer, stating that a robust manufacturing sector will help secure our economic leadership in the world. He cited examples from U.S. history, such as the development of more cost efficient steel that allowed the U.S. to lead the world in steel production.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">The President commissioned PCAST to conduct an analysis of the American manufacturing sector and provide recommendations on how the federal government can facilitate the development of a robust advanced manufacturing sector that would spur economic growth, create high-quality jobs and ensure American leadership in the development of promising new technologies. PCAST issued a report in June, 2011 (<a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-advanced-manufacturing-june2011.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-advanced-manufacturing-june2011.pdf</a>) which advises the President to launch an advanced manufacturing initiative. According to the report, the initiative should create an environment for innovation within the private sector through changes to tax policies and business regulations, robust support for basic research, and support to train a highly skilled workforce. The initiative should also invest to help overcome market failures by supporting the development and dissemination of broadly-applicable manufacturing technologies and investing in shared technology infrastructure with private industry.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">The new AMP initiative will facilitate partnerships between various U.S. federal agencies, academia, and private sector manufacturers to foster collaborative research and development (R&D) and build the necessary infrastructure, with the end goal of developing best practices for manufacturers and reducing their bottom line. <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">AMP will be led by Andrew Liveris, Chairman, President and CEO of Dow Chemical, and Susan Hockfield, President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The initiative seeks to address four strategic goals right away including: building domestic manufacturing capabilities in critical national security industries; reducing the time to develop and deploy advanced materials; investing in next-generation robotics; and developing innovative energy-efficient manufacturing processes. <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">As part of the initiative, the President announced a new Materials Genome Initiative (more information on the initiative can be found here: <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/materials_genome_initiative-final.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/materials_genome_initiative-final.pdf</a>), aimed at reducing the time period to develop and deploy advanced materials. Additionally, he announced that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will support new research into next generation robotics, and starting this summer, various federal agencies will begin partnering with industry to boost manufacturing in areas of national security. He also made special mention of several universities that are already engaged in the initiative, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, Stanford University, the University of California-Berkley, and the University of Michigan.<span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333"> </span>The manufacturers involved in AMP include Allegheny Technologies, Caterpillar, Corning, Dow Chemical, Ford, Honeywell, Intel, Johnson and Johnson, Northrop Grumman, Procter and Gamble, and Stryker. <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>National Robotics Initiative<u></u><u></u></i></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Obama Administration also launched the National Robotics Initiative (NRI) today, an interagency collaboration to develop advanced robotics systems which was unveiled in the President’s FY 2012 budget request to Congress. While they are separate initiatives, the NRI is intended to complement the AMP initiative by advancing the science and engineering of robotics technology that can be utilized by the advanced manufacturing industry, among others. The NRI will be led by the National Science Foundation (NSF), in partnership with NASA, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The agencies will provide $40 to $50 million in the first year of the initiative to support cross-cutting, collaborative research proposals. The budget is expected to grow as other federal agencies and industry partners become engaged. The solicitation for funding can be found here: <a href="http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11553/nsf11553.htm" target="_blank">http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11553/nsf11553.htm</a><u></u><u></u></p>
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