Department of Commerce

Photo of Lorraine M. CamposPhoto of Adelicia R. CliffePhoto of Alexandra Barbee-Garrett

On Tuesday, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) issued the First Notice Of Funding Opportunity (First NOFO) under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (CHIPS Act), P.L. 117-167.  As we have covered, the CHIPS Act provides for federal funding and assistance for the U.S. semiconductor industry, including building and operating new semiconductor factories, and

Photo of Stephanie CrawfordPhoto of Alexandra Barbee-GarrettPhoto of Lorraine M. CamposPhoto of Kate Beale

On February 28, 2023, the Commerce Department released the first Notice of Funding Opportunity (“First NOFO”) under the recently enacted CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS Act), P.L. 117-167.  The First NOFO seeks applications for assistance—including direct funding, loans, and loan guarantees—for projects to construct, expand, or modernize commercial semiconductor facilities.  

In addition, the Commerce Department’s CHIPS Program Office announced that it will issue two additional NOFOs this year—a second NOFO for semiconductor materials and manufacturing equipment facilities in the spring of 2023, and a third NOFO for research and development facilities in the fall of 2023.

The First NOFO is focused on the fabrication of leading-edge, current-generation, and mature-node semiconductors and includes both front-end wafer fabrication and back-end assembly, testing, and packaging.  According to the CHIPS Program Office’s webinar on February 28, the Commerce Department has begun accepting statements of interest for all potential applicants.  It will begin accepting full applications on a rolling basis beginning March 31, 2023 for leading-edge manufacturing facilities, and June 26, 2023 for current-generation, mature-node, or back-end manufacturing facilities. Continue Reading Commerce Department Opens First Round of CHIPS Act Funding for Semiconductor Manufacturers

Photo of Peter J. EyrePhoto of Monica DiFonzo Sterling

This week’s episode covers the Department of Commerce’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking relating information and communications technology and services, an update from the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, GAO testimony about ongoing supply chain challenges at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the American Jobs Plan, and is hosted by partner Peter Eyre and counsel Monica

Photo of Mary-Caitlin RayPhoto of Evan Chuck

Last week, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would ban some U.S. Federal agencies from purchasing drones and drone components manufactured in certain foreign countries.  The “Drone Origin Security Enhancement Act,” would prevent all government agencies from purchasing drones based solely on their country of manufacture.  A similar bill currently in the

Photo of Kris D. MeadePhoto of Rebecca SpringerPhoto of Kate M. Growley, CIPP/G, CIPP/USPhoto of Laura J. Mitchell Baker

Following the announcement of the White House’s Executive Order on Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence (EO) and the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Artificial Intelligence Strategy (AI Strategy) in February, as reported on here, the United States recently endorsed the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Council’s (OECD) Recommendation on Artificial Intelligence (Recommendation) –