Army plans to award $22M in prototype projects to bolster industrial base

The Army's Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy Innovation Capability and Modernization (ICAM), plans to award $22 million in prototype projects related to strengthening the defense industrial base in fiscal year 2025.

According to a government notice posted today, the projects will include:

• $9 million for advanced packaging
• $2.5 million for advanced electrification demonstration
• $1.5 million for defense supply chain and workforce readiness
• $4.5 million for rare earth element demonstration
• $4.5 million for scaling commercial grade packs and frames

Awards will be made through Cornerstone Initiative Requests, which were set up to “create a broad-based, flexible and enduring public-private consortium” focused around strengthening the American industrial base, according to the notice.

The notice does not constitute a CIR or an obligation, it states.