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For inquiries, please email BusinessLiaison@doc.gov
Please find the monthly 2023 edition of the Office of Public Engagement's newsletter below.
This month’s newsletter will cover:
- Upcoming DOC Grant Opportunities
- Biden-Harris Administration Designates 31 Tech Hubs Across America
- Department of Commerce to Undertake Key Responsibilities in Historic Artificial Intelligence Executive Order
- MBDA Hosts 40th Annual Minority Enterprise Development Week
- Almost 14 Million Jobs Created and a Manufacturing Boom is Bidenomics in Action
- Economic Development Administration Announces $13.5 Million to Support U.S. Manufacturers
- CHIPS for America National Semiconductor Technology Center Leaders Announced
- Joint U.S. Department of Commerce and USTR Readout of Sixth Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Negotiating Round in Malaysia
- U.S. Department of Commerce Announces 2023 Market Development Cooperator Award Recipients
- Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo Meets with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade
- 3 Questions on Tech Hubs with Secretary Raimondo
 On October 23, the U.S. Economic Development Administration announced outcomes from Phase 1 of the Tech Hubs Program, designating 31 Tech Hubs across America. The Tech Hubs Program exemplifies place-based economic development strategies by combining federal resources with regional assets and expertise. These 31 Tech Hubs, selected out of nearly 400 applications, will be eligible to apply for implementation funding through Phase 2 of the program. EDA also awarded 29 Strategy Development Grants (SDG) to help communities significantly increase local coordination and planning activities. These 29 SDGs will help a consortium either develop its Phase 2 strategy or lay the groundwork for a possible future Tech Hubs Designation.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said Tech Hubs "will supercharge innovation across the nation by spurring cutting-edge technological investments and creating 21st century job opportunities in people's backyards." The announced Tech Hubs focus on industries ranging from autonomous systems, quantum computing, biotechnology, precision medicine, clean energy advancement, semiconductor manufacturing, and more.
Read the full EDA press release here and White House fact sheet here for more information.
“The Commerce Department plays a pivotal role in the U.S. government’s approach of seizing the potential that comes with the development of advanced AI, while mitigating dangerous capabilities or risks to safety. Today’s executive order reaffirms that leadership as our Department prepares to undertake significant responsibilities to carry out the President’s vision to build a safer, more secure world. Building on the voluntary commitments secured from leading American companies earlier this year, the President is taking a critical step forward to facilitate and incentivize safe and responsible innovation in AI.” - Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo
President Joseph R. Biden signed an executive order (EO) to build U.S. capacity to evaluate and mitigate the risks of artificial intelligence (AI) systems to ensure safety, security, and trust, while promoting an innovative, competitive AI ecosystem that supports workers and protects consumers. The U.S. Department of Commerce will play a key role in implementing the EO, combining sophisticated standards and evaluation capabilities with a robust combination of reporting requirements and voluntary measures. Specifically, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will be responsible for carrying out a significant portion of the EO’s objectives.
The Department will also play a critical role in international venues to ensure safe, secure, and trustworthy AI development and use globally. Later this week, Secretary Raimondo will travel to the United Kingdom to participate in the AI Safety Summit 2023. Earlier this year, Secretary Raimondo joined President Biden at the White House to announce the voluntary commitments on AI from leading American companies, which she helped to secure. She has been a leader in securing the G-7 Principles and Code of Conduct also announced today and authored an op-ed in July on AI with Secretary Blinken for the Financial Times.
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From October 22-25, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) hosted its annual National Minority Enterprise Development (MED Week) Conference. In collaboration with the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), MBDA convened thousands of minority business leaders, government officials, corporate executives and thought leaders to celebrate the achievements of U.S. minority business enterprises (MBEs). Nearly 4,000 stakeholders attended this year’s conference, spanning industries from clean energy to artificial intelligence, manufacturing and more. Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary Raimondo, Deputy Secretary Graves, and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg all highlighted the Administration's work championing equity in business.
Read Deputy Secretary Graves' remarks here.
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National Manufacturing Day on October 6th marked a theme of Bidenomics successes across America. Over the last month, 336,000 jobs were created, part of the 14 million jobs now created under President Biden. Unemployment also remained under 4% for 20 months in a row and counting, the longest stretch in over 50 years. Additionally, the share of working-age Americans in the workforce hasn't been higher in 20 years, as well as the share of working age women with jobs. Accompanying these achievements, inflation has fallen by 60% since last summer.
Overall, under President Biden, 815,000 manufacturing jobs have been created, and another 830,000 in construction and engineering have also been created. Businesses have invested more than half a trillion in manufacturing and clean energy, and investments in manufacturing construction hit an all-time high. Wages are rising under President Biden's leadership, and current levels are higher than last year and higher than before the pandemic, accounting for inflation. These achievements are a result of three core elements of Bidenomics: Making smart investments in America, empowering American workers, and promoting competition to lower costs.
On October 26, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported third quarter real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 4.9%, exceeding expectations. Read more about recent successes of President Biden's Investing in America Agenda here.
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On October 10, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced $13.5 million in U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants to support 11 Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers (TAACs) that help manufacturers affected by imports adjust to increasing global competition and to create jobs. The TAACs, which each service multiple states/regions, are located in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington.
On October 11, the National Institute of Sciences and Technology (NIST) announced that an independent selection committee selected the incoming board of trustees that is expected to oversee a nonprofit entity that will operate the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC). The NSTC is the core research and development (R&D) component of the Department of Commerce’s CHIPS for America program.
The NSTC will be a hub of collaboration for members of the entire semiconductor manufacturing and supplier ecosystem and will accelerate the pace of innovation and help lower the cost and time required to bring new technologies to market.
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The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) participated in the sixth in-person negotiating round for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from October 15-24, 2023.Building on the discussions that took place during the fifth negotiating round in Bangkok, Thailand in September 2023, the IPEF partners continued to make progress on negotiations towards high-standard outcomes under Pillars I (Trade), III (Clean Economy), and IV (Fair Economy). Officials also continued discussions on next steps for the proposed IPEF Supply Chain Agreement (Pillar II) following substantial conclusion of negotiations in May and public release of the text on September 7th.
The United States will continue to engage with IPEF partners and will participate in additional in-person negotiating rounds in 2023. Additional details regarding the next in-person negotiating round will be announced at a later date.
For more information and updates on IPEF, please visit www.commerce.gov/ipef.
On October 16, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced the two new recipients of the 2023 Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) grant awards for projects aimed to boost U.S. exports and support jobs across the country. Administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA), the MDCP program awards cooperative agreements that establish partnerships between ITA and non-profit industry groups through which ITA provides technical and financial assistance up to $300,000 for three-to-five-year export-development projects that address trade barriers, enhance U.S. industry competitiveness, and sustain U.S. jobs. This year’s MDCP awards include $299,241 to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) based in Michigan, and $147,348 to Medical Alley in Minnesota.
Read more about the MDCP here and the full press release here.
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On October 11, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo met with the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, in Abu Dhabi. Secretary Raimondo addressed non-oil bilateral trade opportunities and discussed with her counterpart how the two nations can strengthen their bilateral relationship, which exceeded $21.6 billion so far this year. Secretary Raimondo expressed her commitment to increase cooperation in priority sectors, such as clean energy, sustainable industrial development, and advanced technology.
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