The U.S. Department of War (DOW) announced today that on May 13 it made a $4 million investment in a national initiative to strengthen America's manufacturing and defense industrial base (DIB). Through a partnership with EXPLR Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) Inc. (EXPLR), the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy (OASW(IBP)) will fund the Washington, D.C. National STEM Festival event series and a 32-month media campaign under its Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program. The primary goal of the investment is to inspire the next generation of skilled professionals necessary for national security.
"This initiative is a direct response to the need for a robust and skilled workforce to maintain the nation's defense capabilities and industrial resilience," said Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy, the Honorable Michael Cadenazzi. "Our investment in EXPLR aims to shift perceptions about careers in manufacturing and reduce resistance to pursuing paths within the DIB, while highlighting current positions available."
The STEM Festival series will feature annual, multi-day expos in Washington, D.C., where selected students from across the nation will present solutions, prototypes, and research directly to the people building the future workforce. Activities are tailored for attendees of all ages and include hands-on STEM experiences and programming, along with speakers and mentors from a variety of backgrounds for participants to engage with. These events will be supplemented by the media campaign to keep interest high and reach those outside of the nation's capital. By connecting students with mentors, industry experts, and real-world opportunities, the DOW and EXPLR aim to build a skilled and dedicated talent pool.
Since the IBAS program's inception in 2014, the DOW's Office of Industrial Base Policy has invested over $4.6 billion across 217 projects aimed at bolstering the DIB. The IBAS program is part of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy's effort to analyze the industrial base, identify critical gaps, and make targeted investments to build new capabilities and secure capacity, all while partnering directly with industry. For more information on the Office of Industrial Base Policy, please visit: https://www.businessdefense.gov/ibr/.
About the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy (OASW(IBP))
The OASW(IBP) works with domestic and international partners to forge and sustain a robust, secure, and resilient industrial base enabling the warfighter, now and in the future. The OASW(IBP)'s Warfighting Investments, Resourcing, and Execution office, which manages the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment program and Defense Production Act purchases, provides DOW with key capabilities to achieve the strategic aims of the 2026 National Defense Strategy and presidential executive orders. Each call for a strong, resilient, responsive, and healthy national industrial base that can respond at-will to national security requirements.