America Makes announces $1.7M Project Call for AM Defense Supplier Qualification

America Makes, Youngstown, Ohio, and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) have announced a new open project call funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD ManTech) worth a total of $1.7M. 

The project call, Joint Additive Qualification for Sustainment – Supplier Qualification (JAQS-SQ) – Group 1, aims to accelerate the integration of non-traditional suppliers and scale Defense Industrial Base capabilities by training and supporting additive manufacturers to meet required process control documents (PCDs) for qualified additive manufacturing (AM) production. Up to five awards are anticipated.

The lack of robust AM training and audit programs that adhere to established standards, coupled with a restrictive part-by-part qualification process that limits capacity and efficiency, continues to undermine government confidence. This project presents a significant opportunity to enhance the AM supply chain by improving alignment with government acquisition requirements. By developing comprehensive training and audit programs, the JAQS-SQ efforts will ensure AM contract manufacturers implement essential process controls, fostering efficient and qualified production for government needs.

Project call timeline:

• Launch: August 5, 2025
• Membership Eligibility Deadline: September 18, 2025
• Submission Deadline by 5 p.m. ET: October 2, 2025
• Anticipated Awards Announcement: November 10, 2025

Proposers of the project call are advised to reference the RFP for full details and guidelines HERE.