Defense Production Act Title III Expansion of Domestic Production Capability and Capacity; Call 005 Rare Earth Element (REE) Separation and Processing Project | FA8650 19 S 5010 CALL 005

Opportunity Information: Apply for FA8650 19 S 5010 CALL 005

The Defense Production Act Title III "Expansion of Domestic Production Capability and Capacity" Call 005 focuses on strengthening US-based rare earth element (REE) separation and processing capabilities. Issued by the US Department of Defense through the Air Force Research Laboratory, this opportunity is framed as a Hybrid Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) under Funding Opportunity Number FA8650-19-S-5010, Call 005. The intent is to accelerate the development or expansion of domestic industrial capacity for REE separation and processing, an area widely viewed as strategically important for defense supply chains and advanced technology manufacturing because REEs are critical inputs for components such as high-performance magnets, electronics, sensors, and other defense-relevant systems. In practical terms, the government is signaling interest in projects that can move the United States toward more resilient, less foreign-dependent upstream and midstream supply chains for these materials.

The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates that the government expects substantial involvement during project execution rather than a hands-off grant. This can include technical coordination, progress reviews, milestone-based decision points, and close alignment with program goals. The activity category is listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development, reflecting that funded efforts may include applied R&D, process development, scale-up, pilot operations, and/or steps toward commercial readiness. While the posting does not state a specific award ceiling (it is listed as 0, meaning not provided in the summary record), it does state that estimated total program funding and specific cost-share requirements are detailed in the Call itself rather than the brief synopsis.

A central feature of this opportunity is cost sharing structured around a 50/50 split: a 50 percent government share matched by a 50 percent recipient cost share. That means applicants should be prepared to bring significant non-federal resources to the table, which can include cash and, depending on the Call terms, potentially certain allowable in-kind contributions. This kind of arrangement is common in DPA Title III efforts because the government goal is not just research output but durable industrial capacity that industry will sustain beyond the period of federal support. The notice indicates an expectation of two awards, implying a competitive process where the agency may fund a small number of relatively substantial projects rather than many small ones.

Eligibility is described as "unrestricted," meaning the opportunity is broadly open to many entity types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications contained in the full Call text. In practice, unrestricted eligibility commonly includes private companies (including manufacturers and processors), universities, non-profits, and consortia, provided they can meet the technical, financial, and compliance requirements, including the matching cost share. Because this is a defense-related program supporting supply chain resilience, applicants should generally anticipate requirements related to domestic performance, reporting, and other terms typical of DoD cooperative agreements, with specific compliance obligations spelled out in the full solicitation package.

Key administrative details in the summary include the posting date of February 11, 2020 and an original closing date of March 2, 2020, indicating a relatively short submission window typical of targeted industrial base calls. The CFDA numbers listed (12.777 and 12.800) associate the opportunity with Department of Defense assistance programs, reinforcing that this is a defense industrial base and technology-focused funding action rather than a general economic development grant.

Overall, Call 005 is best read as a targeted DPA Title III investment to stand up or expand US-based capability for REE separation and processing through cost-shared cooperative agreements. The government is looking for projects that can credibly deliver measurable increases in domestic capacity and capability, with recipients sharing half the cost and working closely with the Air Force Research Laboratory during execution. For specifics such as total available funding, what constitutes acceptable cost share, required technical deliverables, evaluation criteria, and any domestic sourcing or performance constraints, the controlling document would be the full Call 005 text referenced in the synopsis.

• The Department of Defense, Air Force -- Research Lab in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Defense Production Act Title III Expansion of Domestic Production Capability and Capacity; Call 005 Rare Earth Element (REE) Separation and Processing Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.777, 12.800.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 11, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 02, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for FA8650 19 S 5010 CALL 005

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