Digital Thread Manufacturing Prototype Project

The Digital Thread Manufacturing Prototype Project, conducted under agreement W900KK-23-9-0004, is an Other Transaction Agreement between the Department of Defense and the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. This initiative addresses critical skilled labor shortages within the defense industrial base by promoting advanced digital manufacturing technologies and workforce development. The project focuses on the establishment and operation of an end-to-end digital thread lab in East Hartford, Connecticut, designed to provide specialized training for approximately 500 defense industrial base participants annually. Key deliverables include the creation of a digital manufacturing curriculum framework and the development of career pathway roadmaps to ensure a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers. The contract is a firm fixed price agreement with a total value of 7,099,450 dollars, structured across five primary contract line item numbers covering project management, facility establishment, training, curriculum development, and final reporting. The agreement includes rigorous data rights and software licensing terms to ensure government purpose rights and the transferability of commercial licenses from various vendors. Project oversight is managed by an Agreements Officer Representative who serves as the technical liaison, monitoring progress and certifying milestone completions for payment. All activities are governed by a detailed statement of work and specific end user license agreements to maintain compliance with federal law and technical data requirements.