• Ongoing Funding Opportunities

Biden-Harris Administration Announces CHIPS Incentives Award of up to $6.6 billion with TSMC Arizona to Secure U.S. Leadership in Advanced Semiconductor Technology 

On November 15th, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded TSMC Arizona Corporation (TSMC Arizona), a subsidiary of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC), up to $6.6 billion in direct funding under the CHIPS Incentives Program’s Funding Opportunity for Commercial Fabrication Facilities. The award comes after the previously signed preliminary memorandum of terms, announced on April 8th, 2024, and the completion of the Department’s due diligence. The award will support the company’s planned investment of more than $65 billion in three greenfield leading-edge fabs in Phoenix, Arizona. The Department will disburse the funds based on TSMC Arizona’s completion of project milestones. 

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms of up to $18.2 million with Akash Systems to Support Development and Production of Emerging Semiconductor Technology 

On November 13th, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce and Akash Systems have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $18.2 million in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act. President Biden signed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act to usher in a new era of semiconductor manufacturing in the United States and advance U.S. economic and national security. The proposed investment would support the construction of 40,000 square foot cleanroom space within an existing building to transform it into a facility for semiconductor manufacturing. This proposed CHIPS funding, together with funding from Akash, venture capital firms, and other private investors, would support a $121 million investment and enable the company to leverage its intellectual property and experience of developing semiconductor technologies that serve important end markets, such as communications and the defense industrial base, while also creating over 400 direct manufacturing and construction jobs. 

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with Corning (up to $32 million) and Powerex (up to $3 million) to Support U.S. Supply Chain Resiliency 

On November 8th, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce signed two separate preliminary memoranda of terms (PMT) under the CHIPS and Science Act to provide Corning up to $32 million in proposed direct funding and Powerex up to $3 million in proposed direct funding. President Biden and Vice President Harris signed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act to usher in a new era of semiconductor manufacturing in the United States, bringing with it a revitalized domestic supply chain, good-paying jobs, and investments in the industries of the future. The proposed investment in Corning would support the company’s expansion of its existing manufacturing facility in Canton, New York, and is expected to create 130 manufacturing jobs and over 175 construction jobs. The proposed investment in Powerex would support the modernization and expansion of the company’s back-end production facility in Youngwood, Pennsylvania, and is expected to create over 55 manufacturing jobs and up to 20 construction jobs. 

Biden-Harris Administration Awards More Than $96 Million to Alaska, Ohio, Delaware, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Puerto Rico to Implement Digital Inclusion Efforts 

From November 7th to 14th, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded more than $96 million to Alaska, Ohio, Delaware, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Puerto Rico to implement their Digital Equity Plans. This funding comes from the $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, one of three Digital Equity Act grant programs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

Biden-Harris Administration Awards $72 Million to Expand Internet Access and Digital Literacy for Native Hawaiians 

On November 12th, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) more than $72 million from the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program to expand high-speed Internet access and adoption in Native Hawaiian households. 

NOAA Awards Coronagraph Contract for Space Weather Next Program of up to $60 million 

On behalf of NOAA, NASA has selected Southwest Research Institute of San Antonio to build three coronagraphs for the Lagrange 1 Series project, part of NOAA’s Space Weather Next program. Once operational, the coronagraphs will provide critical data to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, which issues forecasts, warnings, and alerts that help mitigate space weather impacts, including electric power outages and interruption to communications and navigation systems. 

The U.S. Department of Commerce Announces 12,000 American Workers Placed into Jobs Through Biden-Harris Administration’s Good Jobs Challenge 

On November 13th, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced more than 12,000 American workers have been trained and placed into jobs through the Good Jobs Challenge. The program, initially funded by the Biden-Harris Administration’s American Rescue Plan, is investing a historic $500 million into high-quality, locally-led workforce training programs across the country. The Good Jobs Challenge (GJC) is the first large-scale worker training program in the history of the U.S. Department of Commerce. 

U.S. Department of Commerce Senior Officials to Participate in United Nations COP 29 Climate Conference in Baku 

From November 11th-22nd, a delegation from the U.S. Department of Commerce led by Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D., and International Trade Administration (ITA) Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing Heather Evans will attend the 2024 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s 29th Conference of the Parties (COP 29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. The U.S. Department of Commerce delegation will join senior officials from across the Biden-Harris Administration as well as leaders from more than 190 countries to advance cooperative efforts to address the climate crisis.