Critical Technologies Market Insider - Week of September 16
Raj Sharma
TEDx | Deep market intelligence and smashing barriers are my superpowers | Connecting Public Sector with Emerging/Underserved Companies and Communities is my mission | Helping people is my only measure of success
🚨 This week's edition, you will find:
- 🔗 Supply Chain Resilience: Insights from the Department of Commerce's inaugural Supply Chain Summit and new partnerships driving competitiveness. 💼 Army SBIR Funding Boost: $350M expected for FY-24, surpassing last year's total. 🧠 Export Controls on Advanced Tech: New rules for quantum computing, semiconductors, and more. 📚 HBCU Research Initiatives: NSF awards $10.5M to support STEM innovation. ⚡ DOE Backs Early Career Scientists: $138M in funding for groundbreaking research.
- And more updates on AI, semiconductors, hydropower, and beyond!
- 🔗 Subscribe for full insights & join our community!
I. GENERAL EMERGING TECHNOLOGY NEWS
The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Council on Foreign Relations recently hosted the inaugural Supply Chain Summit, focusing on strengthening supply chain resilience. The Commerce Department unveiled the supply chain risk assessment tool, known as SCALE, to assess supply chain risks across industries. Seven new strategic partnerships were announced to boost U.S. industry competitiveness and promote innovative, resilient global supply chains.
The Army's acquisition chief expects the Army to award $350 million in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts by fiscal year 2024's end, surpassing last year's $317 million. Speaking at a small business summit, the Army chief highlighted the Army’s efforts to improve contracting speed, reducing SBIR prototyping awards to an average of 30 days. The establishment of the Army SBIR Contracting Center of Excellence three years ago has helped accelerate the process.
The U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued an interim final rule imposing export controls on critical technologies like quantum computing, semiconductor manufacturing, and advanced technologies. These controls align with international partners to enhance security and prevent adversaries from misusing these technologies. The rule includes a new license exception for trusted partners and measures to ensure ongoing research while strengthening export control effectiveness and collaboration with other nations.
Ideas Labs to Advance Research Capacity at the Nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities
The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded $10.5 million to support research capacity and collaboration at HBCUs through the ARC-HBCU Ideas Lab. The projects will enhance research facilities, build human capital, and foster interdisciplinary STEM research. The initiative promotes diversity, strengthens HBCU infrastructure, and creates sustainable networks for long-term growth in fields like semiconductors.
The U.S. Department of Commerce will publish a proposed rule requesting information from private companies about the development and security of dual-use AI models. The rule, part of efforts under the Defense Production Act, seeks data on AI model development, computing clusters, and their defense applications. Companies must report ongoing or planned projects, computing resources, and model safety testing. Industry feedback is invited on reporting timelines and data collection requirements.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $138 million to 91 early-career scientists across the U.S. for research in areas such as artificial intelligence, fusion energy, and quantum. The funding supports young researchers at 50 universities and 12 national labs. The Early Career Research Program , launched in 2010, aims to advance America's scientific workforce, with each awardee receiving substantial funding over five years to drive innovation and scientific discovery.
The Defense Logistics Agency's (DLA) newly released 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, "DLA Transforms: A Call to Action," prioritizes overcoming contested logistics challenges. The plan focuses on four key imperatives: People, Precision, Posture, and Partnerships. It aims to enhance military readiness through resilient supply chains, improve demand forecasting, strengthen partnerships, and ensure rapid adaptability to support warfighters in dynamic, contested environments.
II. PSF ANALYSIS & INSIGHTS
Public Dashboard: OTs Spending by Emerging Tech Category (FY18-23)
Based on our recent analyses Other Transaction Authorities are increasingly being used by agencies. We have analyzed which emerging tech categories and which agencies have been using OTAs.
Here are some facts:
- $48B in spending through OTs (FY18-FY23).
- While Electronic Warfare and biotech are the largest categories, biotech is inflated due to 2020 and 2021 pandemic-era spending.
- Over the past two years, Electronic Warfare, Space Tech, Clean Energy, Advanced Comm and Data Science are up along with microelectronics and advanced materials.
- DoD is by far the largest user, followed by HHS and DOE.
There's a lot more to uncover. You can access the Public Innovation Ecosystem Dashboard to see more information.
Customize the data for your use-case: Contact us if you would like to customize the critical tech datasets for your specific use-cases, through our Rapid Market Intelligence Sprints. Please reach out to us at support@publicspendforum.net .
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III. TECHNOLOGY SECTOR-SPECIFIC NEWS
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has begun constructing the $8.7 million Re-Entry Vehicle Integration Laboratory (REVIL) in New Mexico, slated for completion in 14 months. REVIL will focus on assembling and disassembling experimental re-entry vehicles and developing nuclear skills. The facility aims to enhance collaboration with defense agencies, DOE labs, and industry, advancing the U.S.' nuclear deterrence capabilities and strengthening its technological edge in nuclear science and re-entry technologies.
The U.S. Army has become the first Department of Defense branch to implement a generative AI platform across its operations. Deployed on the Army’s general-purpose cloud, the AI enhances coding speed, task efficiency, and document analysis. Army personnel report significant productivity improvements, with coding 35 times faster and task completion rates improving drastically. This AI integration is aimed at maintaining technological superiority and addressing extensive backlogs in Army operations.
The Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated $65 million to fund 38 projects in quantum computing. The initiative aims to advance software, control systems, and algorithms to enhance quantum computing's capabilities for complex scientific problems. This funding supports research in programming, error correction, and quantum system control, with projects running up to five years. The goal is to push the boundaries of scientific discovery and improve computational tools.
The Department of Energy’s Office of Science has launched a $23 million research initiative called New Frontiers, led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The program will partner with companies to advance technologies for future supercomputers, focusing on energy efficiency and addressing current HPC challenges. The initiative aims to drive R&D in hardware, software, and cross-cutting technologies, preparing for next-generation exascale computing needs in the 2029 timeframe.
The Department of State is partnering with India's Semiconductor Mission to enhance the global semiconductor ecosystem. This collaboration, funded by the International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund, aims to assess India’s semiconductor sector and infrastructure needs. The partnership will focus on creating a secure and resilient semiconductor supply chain, benefiting both nations by expanding India's semiconductor industry and supporting global digital transformation.
The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is leading a $15 million project called Rapid RUNNERS to revolutionize the production of large hydropower turbine runners. Using 3D printing and robotics, the project aims to reduce production times and enhance energy efficiency. By manufacturing components domestically, it promises to cut delays and strengthen the U.S. manufacturing sector while supporting clean energy production.
The Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated over $31 million through the Communities Sparking Investments in Transformative Energy (C-SITE) program to support 12 local governments and tribes in implementing clean energy projects. The funding will assist in energy efficiency upgrades, renewable energy installations, and workforce development in disadvantaged and small communities. Projects include creating resilience hubs, installing solar power, and developing energy-efficient housing.
IV. WORK WITH US
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National Science Foundation, NASA, DLA, Veteran Ventures, OSD (R&E) Microelectronics Commons. These are just some of our customers who have used PSF's Rapid Market Intelligence Sprints to run a market intelligence sprint for their use cases. Through old-fashioned analysis, powered by our award-winning data and AI, the Use Cases we are addressing include:
- Rapidly understanding supply/demand ecosystem and vendor landscape to support recruiting for upcoming challenges/SBIRs or expanding local ecosystems
- Understanding emerging tech trends and vendor capabilities to inform tech roadmaps and requirements definition
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