The Department of Defense (DOD) has issued a call for proposals to accelerate the domestic production of microelectronics and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. The DOD plans to allocate up to $280 million for Microelectronics Commons projects next year, focusing on areas such as secure edge computing, 5G and 6G, AI hardware, quantum technology, electromagnetic warfare, and advanced commercial technologies. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between research and production, ensuring the availability of advanced microelectronics for national security purposes. It is supported by eight innovation hubs, and respondents to the solicitation must be members of the National Security Technology Accelerator and a Microelectronics Commons hub. The DOD plans to award prototype agreements for selected projects, potentially leading to follow-on production efforts.

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