AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — As highlighted by the Department of Defense (DoD) ACMI Federal, an affiliate of the American Center for Manufacturing and Innovation (ACMI), today announces that it has been awarded a $75 million contract through a competitive process.
The project, approved by the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Resilience (IBR) through its Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) Directorate, will establish a state-of-the-art munitions campus and harmonize collaboration between DoD and private companies specializing in munitions, hypersonic systems, and critical chemicals.
Using a public-private partnership framework, the initiative will bolster the United States’ manufacturing capabilities in areas vital for national defense. This pilot constitutes a core component of MCEIP’s five-year roadmap designed to secure supply chain resiliency and fortify the defense industrial base.
“ACMI Federal is privileged to lead this critical endeavor,” said John Burer, Founder of ACMI. “By leveraging market forces, this innovative project will expedite development and production of domestically manufactured munitions, and thereby strengthen America’s defense industrial base and our national security.”
The Munitions Campus will support companies by providing a range of key resources necessary for munitions development and production, such as non-destructive inspection, explosives storage and transportation, prototype testing, and munitions manufacturing tools.
“This ground-breaking model accelerates innovation by bringing together companies with complementary capabilities and by providing shared resources to drive cost-efficiency,” said Pam Clark, ACMI Federal’s Ecosystem Manager for the project and the former Division Chief for Army Research Lab overseeing regional ecosystems. “The munitions campus will reduce the capital investment required for individual companies to play in this space and enable smaller companies and innovators to grow and scale up more efficiently.”
Acting as a catalyst between government and the private sector, ACMI Federal identifies critical supply chain needs for the Department of Defense and additional agencies, including state, county, and municipality support. The organization brings together private capital and government investment to fulfill needs, fostering industrial hubs through targeted financial and logistical support to facilitate rapid growth. Creating specialized shared-infrastructure industrial campuses around market needs, such as munitions and energetics, is a proven strategy for growing domestic capabilities in an industry.
Robert Wardle has been appointed Chief Architect for the Munitions Campus. Wardle, a former defense industry executive, has led the design and construction of multiple energetic materials plants during his 30-year career. “This campus will be a nexus and accelerant for innovation, lowering barriers for technology transition, and bringing together traditional prime contractors and emerging companies in the munitions industry to advance our national defense capabilities,” said Wardle.
The ACMI-led project will be executed by multiple stakeholders, including Energetics Technology Center, Purdue Energetics Research Center, Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center (OMIC R&D), CREAN Inc., Athena Manufacturing LP, Champion Aeromotive and several other organizations as prototyping contract performers.
Development of the campus, managed by ACMI Properties, is slated to commence later this year. For tenancy inquiries, visit ACMI Properties’ official website.
About ACMI
The American Center for Manufacturing Innovation (ACMI) is committed to revitalizing the United States’ industrial base through strategic investments in emerging businesses in critical sectors. ACMI’s three-division approach, through its affiliates ACMI Federal, ACMI Capital, and ACMI Properties, aims to consolidate funding, resources and expertise to close gaps in the US industrial base, enhance supply chain resiliency, and accelerate innovation.
For more information contact:
Dan Palumbo
[email protected]
301.875.2356
SOURCE ACMI Federal
