Workforce Development funding in Cornerstone Consortium CS-24-1801 Strengthening America’s Manufacturing and Defense Industrial Base (SAMDIB)
The purpose of CS-24-1801 is to establish a Department of Defense (DoD) sponsored strategic and long-standing, multi-year (5 year maximum) mechanism to solicit white papers addressing critical sectors, including workforce development. Pursuant to Title 10, Section 4817 of the U.S.C., an Industrial Base Fund exists to fund efforts in four different areas: Monitoring and assessment of the Industrial Base; Addressing critical issues in the Industrial Base related to urgent operational needs; Supporting efforts to expand the Industrial Base; Addressing supply chain vulnerabilities.
Only those members who have an executed Cornerstone Consortium Management Agreement, an active registration in System for Award Management (SAM), and a favorable status in Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information Systems are eligible to submit proposals.
Regarding workforce development proposals, they must address chronic and persistent shortages of skilled industrial workers needed to produce and sustain today’s weapons systems. To improve workforce availability, proposals should include expanding training capacity, improving training and hiring recruitment pipelines, expanding outreach to underserved, women, and minority communities. Current efforts are focused on regions supporting ship and submarine production and sustainment with growth in other defense regions and weapons systems and platforms. Efforts also increasingly focus on strengthening broader industrial ecosystems that help to improve workforce sustainability and resilience.
