MEC: Stage 2 Full Proposals in Progress Update – Posted 27 March 2026 The CFP Submission Portal and Request Link is active here – FY26 CFP Submission Portal FY26 CFP Q&A Responses – See under Hub Lead Assets, Q&A Stage 2 Responses – Posted 3/27/2026 Proposal Questions & Support For all questions related to proposal preparation, submission requirements, or portal access, please contact the Commons Proposals Team at
contact@example.gov . To ensure timely support and coordination, hubs should direct all proposer inquiries to this centralized mailbox rather than individual NSTXL staff. This allows the team to track, triage, and respond to questions consistently across all hubs. Stage 2 Proposals Open – Posted 5 March 2026 Stage 2 proposals are in progress. The team has released updated resources to support submissions, including a revised Call for Projects (CFP), a Verbal Pitch PowerPoint Presentation Template, and Task Description Documentation Guidance. All updated documents are available in the Key Documents section located on the right-hand side of the page. Refer to Attachment A: Call for Projects (CFP) Guidance Refer to Attachment W: Verbal Pitch PowerPoint Presentation Template Refer to the new Attachment X: Task Description Documentation (TDD) Guidance Revisions – Posted 6 January 2026 The team has revised the Call for Projects (CFP), the Questions & Answers (Q&A) document, and added a new supplement file. You can access the revised documents in the Key Document section located on the right-hand side of the page. Refer to Q&A Revision 1 (dated January 6, 2026) for the most up-to-date Q&A. Updates were made to responses for questions 28, 42, and 43. Refer to CFP Guidance (dated January 6, 2026) for updates to Section B.6 (CFP Supporting Attachments), which is highlighted in orange for ease of reference. Refer to the new Attachment Q: White Paper Template References. Project Background Microelectronics Commons is a Department of War national network for onshore, microelectronics hardware-focused prototyping, laboratory to fabrication (lab-to- fab) transition of semiconductor technologies and semiconductor workforce training. In 2023, the Department of War (DoW) established the Microelectronics Commons – a network of eight regional Hubs to evolve laboratory prototypes to fabrication prototypes and to strengthen the semiconductor workforce. Annually, Hubs will compete for project awards. These annual project awards may include infrastructure (physical, digital, and human) required to accomplish the proposed prototypes. This Call for Projects (CFP) describes the desired capabilities for which project proposals are being sought. Current State and Desired End-State Innovative prototypes to include microelectronics materials, processes, devices, and architectural designs will be supported. Activities executed within Microelectronics Commons shall primarily fall under Budget Activity (BA) 3, although activities that fall under Budget Activities 2 and 4 will also be supported if they are in support of the lab-to-fab prototype (e.g., BA 2 activities may be needed to support iterative development, and BA 4 activities may be needed to support the transition of a project to DoW demonstrators). For further discussion on research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E) budget activities, see the DoD Financial Management Regulation, DoD 7000.14-R, Volume 2B, Chapter 5. ( VOLUME_2B (defense.gov). For further discussion on Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRLs), see the Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) Deskbook, Version 2.0. https://www.dodmrl.com/MRL_Deskbook_2025.pdf For further discussion on Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), see the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Deskbook, Version 2.0. https://www.cto.mil/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TRA-Guide-Feb2025.v2-Cleared.pdf Microelectronics Commons will support prototype projects across six technical areas that are critical to the DoW. Those areas are: Secure Edge/Internet of Things Computing 5G/6G Technology Artificial Intelligence Hardware Quantum Technology Electromagnetic Warfare Commercial Leap Ahead Specifically, prototype projects that achieve the desired capabilities and success criteria as described in the desired capabilities documents (Attachments B-G) are being sought. The current state, desired end-state, and success criteria for those prototype projects are included in the Desired Capabilities document. The end-state goal is microelectronics hardware-focused prototyping and lab-to-fab transition of semiconductor technologies. For lab-to-fab prototyping, the fab prototype must at least match if not exceed lab prototype technical specifications, and there must be a path to manufacturability in a Core (i.e., a foundry or fab). Projects that have been demonstrated in a lab and are ready for prototyping in a fab will have higher priority than lab prototyping projects. For specific technology area current state and desired end-state criteria, view each Call for Projects (CFP) document under the Key Documents section on the right-hand side of the page. Service area interests and capabilities can be found within the Microelectronics Commons Resource Library .
