CHIPS R&D Office Programs

CHIPS R&D Office — LOI/Competitive Awards

Funds semiconductor manufacturing, packaging, and metrology development in the United States through competitive initiatives.

The CHIPS Research and Development Office, administered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under the U.S. Department of Commerce, manages $11 billion in competitive R&D funding authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. This R&D envelope is separate from the $39 billion in facility and equipment incentives run by the CHIPS Program Office, bringing total CHIPS and Science Act investment to $50 billion. The R&D office funds four major programs: the CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute, the National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP), the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC, operated by Natcast), and a Metrology Program including the METIS platform.

As of May 2026, the office has active letters of intent (LOIs) open for two tracks: quantum computing acceleration and critical minerals processing. The application portal for CHIPS R&D programs is applications.chips.gov — distinct from Grants.gov used by NIST's broader BAA program. Eligible applicants include U.S. universities, nonprofits, and for-profit companies; individuals are not eligible. Applications follow a mandatory LOI-gated process: submitting a letter of intent is the required first step before a full application can be submitted.

The CHIPS R&D program paused portions of its activity for review under the Trump administration in 2025 before resuming LOIs in May 2026. Applicants targeting semiconductor manufacturing, advanced packaging, metrology, quantum acceleration, or critical minerals processing should monitor applications.chips.gov for new LOI windows and full solicitation releases. Winning proposals must demonstrate how the proposed work advances domestic semiconductor R&D capability and aligns with one of the four active program areas.