The Department of Defense (DoD) recently announced a three-year, $9.5 million award to create and improve microelectronics-focused education training centers in Indiana with non-profit Regional Opportunity Initiatives, Inc. (ROI). This public-private effort will address the need for increased microelectronics production and serve the critical shortfalls of a skilled microelectronics workforce. This award was made by the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program through the Cornerstone Other Transaction Agreement (COTA).
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Resilience (DASD(IBR)), Ms. Carla Zeppieri, said, "ROI's participation in strengthening the Indiana Uplands cause is directly aligned with the DoD National Imperative for Industrial Skills initiative's vision for a robust microelectronics workforce development ecosystem that will perform as the backbone in obtaining reliable access to microelectronics research, development, design, and manufacturing."
ROI will work closely with K-12 schools, postsecondary colleges and universities, employers, and other institutions to develop and enhance the region's advanced microelectronics expertise and ecosystem. This partnership bridges the gap between urban and rural technology opportunities, fosters innovative and economic growth in underserved areas, and supports the National Defense Industrial Strategy's strategic priorities of enhancing Supply Chain Resilience and Workforce Readiness.
IBAS and COTA are overseen by the DASD(IBR)'s Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Program (MCEIP), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy. Since the beginning of FY 2024, MCEIP programs have invested over $130 million in the defense microelectronics industrial base.
About the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy (OASD(IBP))
The OASD(IBP) works with domestic and international partners to forge and sustain a robust, secure, and resilient industrial base, enabling the warfighter, now and in the future.