EB International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund

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.

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.

Objectives

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.
The State Department announced its partnership with Mexico under the ITSI Fund on March 28, 2024.

Categories

This solicitation includes three (3) categories under which applicants may submit SOIs.
- Category 1: Workforce Development
  - Illustrative activities include:
    - Strengthen linkages of higher education curricula with the needs of the industry by coordinating with domestic industry and fostering international partnerships.
    - Develop programs to certify students in equipment key to the ATP industry.
    - Encourage more participation of women in the semiconductor industry, including through the NiñaSTEM program and Modo STEM initiative.
    - Strengthen and expand vocational education and training (VET) programs with a focus on semiconductor skills and occupations to support ATP.
    - Enhance coordination with industry to ensure that VET training meets the needs of the industry, including through stronger dual school-industry training programs.
    - Support the development of VET trainers and facilitate the involvement of industry experts in VET institutions.
- Category 2: Policy and Regulatory Reform
  - Illustrative activities include:
    - Establish a coordination mechanism across all relevant federal and regional government institutions, and semiconductor stakeholders.
    - Strengthen the framework for the national semiconductor strategy with measurable goals and milestones for the development of the semiconductor ecosystem.
    - Leverage existing data infrastructure to inform policies for the semiconductors sector.
    - Integrate information relevant for semiconductors in the digital one-stop-shop.
    - Facilitate trade of relevant inputs for semiconductors through a customs program for a pre-determined list of key inputs and through electronic customs scans.
    - Support planning, analysis, and permitting processes required for development of specific infrastructure required to support semiconductor manufacturing, including clean energy for semiconductor firms.
- Category 3: Supply Chain Development
  - Illustrative activities include:
    - Promote development of Mexican small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their participation in the North American semiconductor supply chain, particularly in the ATP segment.
    - Expand partnerships between U.S. and Mexican providers of assistance and counseling to SMEs (e.g. incubators, accelerators, technology centers, small business development centers) with a specific focus on the semiconductor ATP industry.
    - Facilitate semiconductor manufacturing operations in Mexico sourcing inputs from within Mexico.
    - Promote matchmaking between U.S. and Mexican semiconductor firms or closely related sectors.

Funding Information

Award Ceiling: $2,000,000
Award Floor: $500,000
Program 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, Mexican educational institutions, and U.S. and foreign private industry. Work should demonstrate collaboration with the Mexican government.

Priority Country

Mexico

Eligibility Criteria

The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- U.S. and 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.