Opportunity Information: Apply for N00014 18 S F005
The FY 2018 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) N00014-18-S-F005 is a discretionary grant opportunity issued by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) to carry out the Manufacturing Engineering Education Program (MEEP), a program created in the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (10 U.S.C. 2196). At its core, the FOA is about strengthening the U.S. manufacturing engineering talent pipeline so the Department of Defense (DoD) can rely on a workforce capable of building advanced military systems and components and maintaining U.S. technological superiority. Rather than funding narrow, single-course efforts, the emphasis is on consolidated, integrated education programs that either establish new manufacturing engineering education capacity or significantly enhance existing programs.
The FOA encourages applicants to anchor their education and training efforts in one or more distinct manufacturing technology areas that matter to defense and industry. Examples named in the announcement include manufacturing of lightweight structures, systems, and materials; robotics for manufacturing; manufacturing that exploits nanotechnology; manufacturing of components and systems for power generation, storage, or distribution; and manufacturing of multi-functional electronics and/or optical devices. The FOA also leaves room for other manufacturing technologies that are important to a region or a specific industrial sector, which signals that proposals can be tailored to local supply chain realities as long as the training remains industry-relevant and clearly tied to manufacturing engineering needs.
A major theme running through the FOA is multidisciplinary manufacturing engineering education. ONR is looking for programs that prepare students to operate in modern design-to-production environments where multiple engineering disciplines must work together, and where manufacturing decisions are increasingly informed by computational tools for modeling and simulation. In practice, that means proposals should show how students will build the skill sets needed to collaborate across disciplines during design, development, and manufacturing, and to understand how manufacturers and suppliers of different sizes (from start-ups to major integrators) fit together to deliver complex defense-relevant systems.
Within that broader goal, the FOA highlights several specific priorities. First is instruction that covers the full manufacturing engineering enterprise, not just isolated technical skills. Second is giving students real work experience through internships, summer placements, or cooperative education/work-study models, reflecting a clear preference for hands-on exposure to real manufacturing settings. Third is meaningful faculty and student engagement with industry that directly supports manufacturing engineering education, such as collaborative projects and sustained partnerships rather than one-off interactions. Fourth is geographical diversity, indicating the program is interested in strengthening manufacturing education capacity across different parts of the country, not concentrating awards in only one region.
The FOA provides a wide menu of allowable education and workforce-development activities, giving applicants flexibility in how they build an end-to-end program. These activities may include classroom and laboratory instruction, thesis or capstone projects (individual or team-based), internships and co-ops, and engagement with industrial facilities, consortia, or similar organizations in the U.S. (and, where appropriate, foreign countries for certain interactions). It also explicitly includes faculty development; recruiting highly qualified manufacturing educators; hosting seminars, workshops, and targeted skills training; and creating mechanisms for student-industry interaction such as visiting scholars, personnel exchanges, or participation by industry executives. On the curriculum side, the FOA supports developing new manufacturing curricula or modernizing existing courses and programs. It also contemplates broader workforce training programs, joint programs with defense laboratories and depots, and expanded manufacturing education and outreach opportunities for members of the armed forces, their dependents, veterans, and DoD employees.
From an evaluation and outcomes standpoint, the FOA expects applicants to show that the proposed program (or collection of programs) will measurably improve understanding of manufacturing engineering challenges and potential solutions, and that this improved understanding will translate into higher-quality, more effective instruction. In other words, the deliverable is not only trained students, but also demonstrable programmatic improvement: better curriculum, better learning experiences, stronger industry alignment, and clearer pathways into manufacturing roles relevant to defense needs.
Eligibility is broad but has important exclusions. Eligible applicants include responsible sources from U.S. industry, U.S. nonprofit institutions, U.S. institutions of higher education, and consortia of these entities or industry. The FOA notes that submissions begin with white papers, and foreign entities are not considered. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), including Department of Energy national laboratories, cannot receive awards as prime recipients under this FOA, although they may participate through teaming arrangements with eligible prime applicants if their sponsoring agreements allow it. Similarly, Navy laboratories, military universities, warfare centers, and other DoD or civilian federal laboratories are not eligible to submit white papers or applications as primes, but they may collaborate with eligible applicants; the FOA provides a point of contact (Dr. William Mullins) for those federal organizations to discuss potential projects and coordinate appropriately. University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs) are generally eligible to submit white papers unless their specific DoD UARC contract restricts that participation.
Administratively, the opportunity is listed under CFDA 12.300, categorized as Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and uses the grant funding instrument. The FOA was created on January 12, 2018, and the original closing date listed is May 25, 2018. The announcement does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the provided source text, which typically means applicants would need to consult the full FOA package or ONR guidance for budget scale expectations, submission stages, and detailed review criteria.Apply for N00014 18 S F005
- The Office of Naval Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the Office of Naval Research (ONR), on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), for the Manufacturing Engineering Education Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2018-01-12.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-05-25. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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FAQs: FY 2018 FOA N00014-18-S-F005 (ONR/OSD Manufacturing Engineering Education Program - MEEP)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is the FY 2018 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) N00014-18-S-F005, a discretionary grant opportunity issued by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) to carry out the Manufacturing Engineering Education Program (MEEP), established by the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (10 U.S.C. 2196).
What is the main purpose of MEEP under this FOA?
The FOA is focused on strengthening the U.S. manufacturing engineering talent pipeline so the Department of Defense (DoD) can rely on a workforce capable of building advanced military systems and components and maintaining U.S. technological superiority.
What type of projects does the FOA emphasize?
The emphasis is on consolidated, integrated manufacturing engineering education programs that either establish new education capacity or significantly enhance existing programs. The FOA de-emphasizes narrow, single-course efforts in favor of broader, integrated approaches.
What manufacturing technology areas can proposals focus on?
The FOA encourages applicants to anchor education and training efforts in one or more distinct manufacturing technology areas important to defense and industry. Examples listed include:
- Manufacturing of lightweight structures, systems, and materials
- Robotics for manufacturing
- Manufacturing that exploits nanotechnology
- Manufacturing of components and systems for power generation, storage, or distribution
- Manufacturing of multi-functional electronics and/or optical devices
Can a proposal focus on other manufacturing technologies not listed?
Yes. The FOA allows room for other manufacturing technologies that are important to a region or a specific industrial sector, as long as the training remains industry-relevant and clearly tied to manufacturing engineering needs.
What does the FOA mean by multidisciplinary manufacturing engineering education?
The FOA seeks programs that prepare students for modern design-to-production environments where multiple engineering disciplines must work together and where manufacturing decisions are increasingly informed by computational tools for modeling and simulation.
What kinds of student capabilities is ONR looking for programs to develop?
Based on the FOA description, programs should show how students will develop skills to:
- Collaborate across disciplines during design, development, and manufacturing
- Use computational tools for modeling and simulation in manufacturing decision-making
- Understand how manufacturers and suppliers of different sizes (from start-ups to major integrators) work together to deliver complex defense-relevant systems
What specific priorities are highlighted in the FOA?
The FOA highlights several priorities, including:
- Instruction covering the full manufacturing engineering enterprise (not just isolated technical skills)
- Real work experience for students (internships, summer placements, co-ops, and/or work-study)
- Meaningful faculty and student engagement with industry that supports manufacturing engineering education (sustained partnerships and collaborative projects)
- Geographical diversity to strengthen manufacturing education capacity across different parts of the country
Are internships and co-ops encouraged?
Yes. The FOA expresses a clear preference for hands-on exposure through internships, summer placements, and cooperative education/work-study models.
What does the FOA consider meaningful engagement with industry?
The FOA points toward collaborative projects and sustained partnerships that directly support manufacturing engineering education, rather than one-off interactions.
What kinds of activities are allowed under this FOA?
The FOA includes a broad menu of allowable education and workforce-development activities, such as:
- Classroom and laboratory instruction
- Thesis or capstone projects (individual or team-based)
- Internships and co-ops
- Engagement with industrial facilities, consortia, or similar organizations (in the U.S. and, where appropriate, foreign countries for certain interactions)
- Faculty development
- Recruiting highly qualified manufacturing educators
- Seminars, workshops, and targeted skills training
- Student-industry interaction mechanisms (visiting scholars, personnel exchanges, participation by industry executives)
- Developing new manufacturing curricula or modernizing existing courses and programs
- Broader workforce training programs
- Joint programs with defense laboratories and depots
- Expanded education and outreach for members of the armed forces, their dependents, veterans, and DoD employees
Does the FOA support curriculum development?
Yes. The FOA supports developing new manufacturing curricula and modernizing existing courses and programs.
Can proposals include faculty development and recruiting educators?
Yes. Faculty development and recruiting highly qualified manufacturing educators are explicitly included among allowable activities.
Does the FOA allow engagement with organizations outside the United States?
The FOA mentions engagement with industrial facilities, consortia, or similar organizations in the U.S., and notes that, where appropriate, foreign countries may be involved for certain interactions. The FOA also states that foreign entities are not considered as applicants.
What kinds of outcomes does the FOA expect from funded programs?
The FOA expects applicants to show measurable improvement in understanding manufacturing engineering challenges and potential solutions, and that this improved understanding translates into higher-quality, more effective instruction. The expected deliverable is not only trained students, but also demonstrable programmatic improvement such as better curriculum, stronger learning experiences, stronger industry alignment, and clearer pathways into manufacturing roles relevant to defense needs.
Who is eligible to apply as a prime recipient?
Eligible applicants include responsible sources from U.S. industry, U.S. nonprofit institutions, U.S. institutions of higher education, and consortia of these entities or industry.
Are foreign entities eligible to apply?
No. The FOA states that foreign entities are not considered.
Are Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) eligible as prime recipients?
No. FFRDCs (including Department of Energy national laboratories) cannot receive awards as prime recipients under this FOA, though they may participate through teaming arrangements with eligible prime applicants if their sponsoring agreements allow it.
Can Navy laboratories, warfare centers, or other federal laboratories apply as primes?
No. Navy laboratories, military universities, warfare centers, and other DoD or civilian federal laboratories are not eligible to submit white papers or applications as prime applicants. They may collaborate with eligible applicants.
Is there a point of contact for federal laboratories that want to collaborate?
Yes. The FOA provides a point of contact, Dr. William Mullins, for federal organizations to discuss potential projects and coordinate appropriately.
Are University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs) eligible?
UARCs are generally eligible to submit white papers unless their specific DoD UARC contract restricts participation.
What is the first step in the submission process?
The FOA indicates that submissions begin with white papers.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 12.300.
How is the opportunity categorized?
It is categorized as Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
What is the funding instrument for this FOA?
The FOA uses the grant funding instrument.
When was this FOA created and what is the closing date listed?
The FOA was created on January 12, 2018, and the original closing date listed is May 25, 2018.
Is there an award ceiling or a stated expected number of awards?
Not in the provided information. The source text notes that the announcement does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided excerpt, and that applicants would typically need to consult the full FOA package or ONR guidance for budget scale expectations, submission stages, and detailed review criteria.
Does this FOA prioritize certain regions or geographic areas?
The FOA highlights geographical diversity as a theme, indicating interest in strengthening manufacturing education capacity across different parts of the country rather than concentrating awards in only one region.
Does the FOA require programs to be tied to defense needs?
Yes. The FOA frames the purpose around DoD workforce needs for advanced military systems and components, and it calls for training that is clearly tied to manufacturing engineering needs relevant to defense and industry.
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