America Makes, the national accelerator for additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing headquartered in Youngstown, Ohio, and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), opened a $1.7 million funding call to expand the pool of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)–qualified AM suppliers. Backed by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD ManTech), the Joint Additive Qualification for Sustainment – Supplier Qualification (JAQS-SQ) – Group 1 program will issue up to five awards, each capped at $340,000 in federal funding. Proposals are due by 5 p.m. ET on October 2, 2025, with award notifications expected on November 10.
This first group targets laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) production, introducing a single set of process control document (PCD) requirements across participating suppliers. America Makes notes that the current system—qualifying each part or machine individually—slows onboarding and constrains the Defense Industrial Base. A uniform DoD-wide qualification process is intended to accelerate readiness, reduce duplication, and allow pre-approved suppliers to produce multiple parts without requalification.
Training and Audit Framework
“Additive manufacturing is at a turning point. The time for talking is over – we need to drive standardization and qualification now to unlock real growth, especially for the Department of Defense,” said Ben DiMarco, Technology Transition Director at America Makes. Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (WSU-NIAR), funded separately, will deliver the curriculum and audit services. NIAR’s track record includes certifying the first flight-critical AM part under the Pacer Edge program, leading composite audit alignment with the NCAMP consortium, and operating as an America Makes Satellite Center.
The program is designed for production and engineering managers rather than operators. Participants will attend NIAR-developed coursework, pass a knowledge test, and receive certification. They must then implement the PCD guidance into their quality management systems and production workflows. Between months six and nine, NIAR will conduct an audit that includes a performance qualification demonstration. Suppliers must alert the Program Manager and Advisory Committee upon completion, and resolve any findings. Passing the audit grants DoD-wide qualified status, which is shared with the Defense Advisory Board, program offices, and procurement teams.
Eligibility, Scope, and Deliverables
Projects must start at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4–7 and Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRL) 4–7. Eligible lead proposers must be America Makes members in good standing by September 18, 2025, and meet the $15,000 membership requirement via one of three methods: full cash payment, accumulated cost share, or a combination. A cost share of at least 25% from non-federal sources is mandatory—$0.25 for every $1 in federal funding. All work must be performed within the United States, and participation by foreign nationals from restricted countries is prohibited.
The maximum period of performance is 15 months—12 months for technical execution plus 3 months for final reporting—though shorter schedules are allowed. A kickoff meeting must be held within one month of award. Proposals will be evaluated with the following weightings: technology dissemination and impact on the Defense Industrial Base (50%), technical approach (20%), program management (20%), and data management (10%).
Deliverables include quarterly technical reports, monthly financial and man-hour reports, a maintained lessons learned log updated quarterly, and participation in at least one relevant America Makes working group. Teams must present results at two events: one DoD-focused and one industry conference such as RAPID+TCT or AMUG. The first presentation is due no later than nine months after project start, and the second at least two months before project completion. Technical artifacts—CAD models, build files, calibration data, process specifications, inspection and test results—must be uploaded progressively to the America Makes CORE platform with full metadata tagging, not held for end-of-project delivery.
Data Management and Persistence
The RFP mandates a detailed data management plan and a separate data persistence plan covering storage after project completion. Data must be traceable, reproducible, and stored in raw, processed, filtered, and analyzed forms. Provenance is required for all material sources, manufacturing configurations, and inspection protocols. Documentation must meet quality assurance and quality control standards equivalent to industry quality management systems. Backup methods, file naming conventions, and designated responsibilities for storage and uploads must be defined.
Elisa Peters, Senior Program Manager for Advanced Manufacturing Integration at OSD ManTech, said, “Through this program, we’re poised to dramatically boost additive manufacturing readiness and production capacity, aiming for a tenfold increase by 2027.” By enforcing progressive data delivery to America Makes CORE and setting strict documentation standards, the program seeks to make outputs reusable across the membership while building a trusted supplier base for defense applications.
Submission Timeline
The project call was posted August 5, 2025. A kickoff webinar will take place during the America Makes Members Meeting & Exchange on August 6. Questions about scope or approach are due by August 13, with responses posted on August 20. Membership agreements for new members must be finalized by September 17. All proposals must be submitted electronically through the America Makes website by the October 2 deadline. Late submissions will not be considered.
Awardees in this first group will be the initial suppliers to qualify under a unified DoD LPBF standard. Future JAQS-SQ calls are expected to include wire arc directed energy deposition (WA-DED) alongside LPBF, supporting a broader, accredited AM supply base for defense manufacturing. Full project requirements and submission details are available here.
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Featured image shows DoD ManTech logo. Image via America Makes.
