Deadline: 16-Aug-2024
The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB) announces an open competition for organizations to submit a statement of interest (SOI) to carry out a program under the International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund, created by the CHIPS Act of 2022.
Program Objectives
- The CHIPS Act established the ITSI Fund “to support the development and adoption of secure semiconductors, and semiconductor supply chains” with the goal to make the global semiconductor supply chain more resilient, diversified, and secure. EB administers a portion of the ITSI funds, the “ITSI Promote” line of effort, to help expand international semiconductor assembly, testing, and packaging (“ATP” or “downstream”) capacity in key partner countries that will in turn diversify the global semiconductor supply chain. The goal of this program is to bring that capacity online in ways that will be beneficial to the new U.S. semiconductor manufacturing facilities as well as their allies and partners. The State Department announced its partnership with Costa Rica under the ITSI Fund on July 14, 2023.
- EB’s objectives under the ITSI Fund are to:
- Expand and diversify the required workforce for semiconductor ATP facilities to ensure growth; and
- Improve regulatory environments that will encourage private sector efforts that generate additional capabilities in ATP facilities.
Categories
- This solicitation includes two (2) categories under which applicants may submit SOIs.
- Category 1: Workforce Development
- Illustrative activities include:
- Build or expand public-private partnerships that create a new pipeline of talent for ATP facilities. Create new or expand internship and apprenticeship programs and scholarships in the ATP industry.
- Develop programs to certify students in equipment key to the ATP industry.
- Create or expand educational and training exchanges between Costa Rican and U.S. industry, academic institutions and research facilities, with a focus on ATP industry.
- Streamline the process for updating curricula at universities and vocational education and training (VET) providers, including implementing existing, best-of-class curriculum.
- Build workforce training and certification programs at the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity Digital Center of Excellence. Create partnerships with industry to ensure skills needs are developed.
- Illustrative activities include:
- Category 1: Workforce Development
- Category 2: Policy and Regulatory Reform
- Illustrative activities include:
- Reduce administrative burdens for business creation and the development of local suppliers and customers. Explore options to support start-ups and entrepreneurs specific to ATP, including for example through co-investment funds, investor matchmaking platforms, and business creation advisory services.
- Promote innovation in semiconductor-related fields and knowledge transfer, including by better aligning the national innovation priorities with those of higher education institutions, enhancing the role and capacity of the innovation promotion agency, and improving administrative capacities for intellectual property examination and litigation.
- Illustrative activities include:
Funding Information
- Award Ceiling: $2,000,000
- Award Floor: $500,000
- Performance Period: 36 months or less.
Participants and Audiences
- Policy experts, industry leaders, educational institutions, and U.S. and foreign government officials. Beneficiaries should include, but are not limited to, Costa Rican educational institutions, and U.S. and foreign private industry. Work should align with Costa Rica’s National Semiconductor Roadmap goals and demonstrate collaboration with the Costa Rican government.
Priority Country
- Costa Rica
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- U.S. or foreign non-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non governmental organizations
- U.S. and foreign public, private, or state educational institutions
- U.S. and foreign for-profit organizations
- Public International Organizations
For more information, visit Grants.gov.