US DOE collaborates with CyManII, issues RFP for $4.7 million manufacturing cybersecurity innovation

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has collaborated with the Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CyManII) and issued Thursday a new request for proposal (RFP) for up to US$4.7 million. The move aims to enhance the cybersecurity landscape within American manufacturing. The RFP is soliciting projects within three critical industry use cases (IUCs), including industrial control systems (ICS), secure industrial digitalization, and industrial additive manufacturing. 

The DOE outlined that federal funding for this RFP will require a 20 percent recipient cost share, resulting in a total potential investment of $5.9 million. Proposals for this RFP must be submitted by Sept. 29, 2023. The agency invites interested stakeholders to register for an informational webinar on Sept. 6.

The RFP will also support energy-efficient cyber secure manufacturing, aligning with the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) and EERE’s mission to drive U.S. manufacturing and support the collective push for a competitive, clean, and decarbonized economy. The EERE (Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy) is an office of the U.S. DOE invests in early-stage research and development, demonstration, and deployment of technologies that show viable pathways for achieving EERE’s five programmatic priorities. 

When it comes to the ICS IUC, the DOE outlined that the project will explore industry-relevant security controls for the production and supply chain of ICS. The move will help ensure digital integrity, supply chain traceability, and resilience to cyber events. 

Moving to the secure industrial digitalization IUC, the projects will help small and medium-sized manufacturers secure their digital transformation by identifying and developing effective digitalization practices without introducing new cyber risks. Lastly, for the industrial additive manufacturing IUC, projects will demonstrate how additive manufacturers can secure product integrity and supply chain traceability, reducing costs by securely tracking their product’s digital history.

The DOE added that for each IUC, the RFP seeks proposals that advance capabilities across five technical areas, including industrial environments, industrial solutions, industrial integration, research, and general capabilities including workforce development. 

The RFP outlined that for each IUC, it seeks proposals that advance capabilities across the following five technical areas – industrial environments, where applicants offer expertise in specific manufacturing or design settings, emphasizing sectors vital for clean energy production; industrial solutions, where applicants focus on creating cybersecurity tools and methods aligned with CyManII’s technological vision; and industrial integration where applicants specialize in implementing CyManII solutions, aiming to balance business goals, decarbonization, and energy efficiency. 

It also includes research for applicants with proven expertise in CyManII-associated research domains spanning from cybersecurity to cloud-based computing. Lastly, the RFP seeks general capabilities for applicants with proven expertise in CyManII-associated research domains ranging from cybersecurity to cloud-based computing.

“Ensuring a prosperous manufacturing future requires constant evolution in security, especially as we take leaps in innovation,” Christopher Saldaña, director of DOE’s Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO), said in a media statement. “Through CyManII, we are ensuring that our commitment to safety and cybersecurity is in tandem with our push for advanced manufacturing, reinforcing both the strength and resilience of U.S. manufacturing.” 

The DOE has also stated that the notification of selection will be done on Oct. 31, with the anticipated award date set for Nov. 17.

Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the availability of $374.9 million in grant funding for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP). The additional funding provides state and local governments with financial resources to face increasingly sophisticated cyber threats to their critical infrastructure and public safety, demonstrating the administration and Congress’s commitment to help improve the cybersecurity of communities across the nation.

Anna Ribeiro

Industrial Cyber News Editor. Anna Ribeiro is a freelance journalist with over 14 years of experience in the areas of security, data storage, virtualization and IoT.