RFP Number: TEC 25-04
Release Date: October 24, 2025
Response Deadline: November 12, 2025
Contact Person: Tasha Miller, Director of Technology Programs
Email: [email protected]
Background:
The ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute is a Department of Defense (DoD) Manufacturing Innovative Institute (MII). The ARM Institute, a national, public-private partnership among leaders in industry, academia, and nonprofits, was established to develop, demonstrate, and accelerate the early adoption of novel robotic solutions by developing technology and workforce training projects leveraging our membership to advance robotics technology and education.
AI is rapidly advancing for manufacturing robotics, with one of the most promising developments being AI that enables robots to execute complex tasks with greater autonomy and adaptability. This stands to solve the high-mix, low-volume challenges faced by Small and Medium Manufacturers. Fewer than 10% of U.S. manufacturers have implemented robotics, likely due to the need for highly adaptable work cells which will be driven by AI solutions. Innovations in this field usually stall before reaching the factory floor due to fragmented infrastructure, incompatible interfaces, and limited pathways to scale.
The ARM Institute seeks to address this gap with its AI Data Foundry program. Through the AI Data Foundry, the ARM Institute is working to develop a standardized framework and a Hardware in the Loop test capability aimed at accelerating the path from R&D to commercial deployment for AI enabled robotic technologies. The framework will include interoperable interfaces across robot hardware and controllers, establish data curation best practices, and host a federated library of manufacturing process data sets, models, and early-stage AI enabled robotic skill algorithms. By creating these shared standards, the ARM Institute will allow researchers to focus on algorithm innovation and simultaneously accelerate the ability of OEMs, integrators, and manufacturers to readily integrate AI technologies with current commercial offerings.
Project Goals:
- Develop a standardized, framework with a low code user interface that enables deployment of curated data sets, AI machine learning models, and AI enabled robotic skills within the ARM Institute’s de-risking grinding cell.
- Develop a distribution strategy of the developed framework and user interface that brings in strategic stakeholders in the Government, ARM Consortium, and US Manufacturing base such that the development roadmap for the standardized framework and low code user interface adds value to the ARM Consortium and US manufacturers.
- Deliver a prototype that allows for end-to-end processing, from data collection to data curation to machine learning model deployment and training to delivered AI-enabled robotic skill deployment for a manufacturing metal grinding use case.
Download the Full RFP Here
ABOUT THE ARM INSTITUTE
The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute is a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense under Agreement Number W911NF-17-3-0004 and is part of the Manufacturing USA® network. The ARM Institute leverages a unique and robust consortium of 450+ members and partners across industry, academia, and government to make robotics, autonomy, and artificial intelligence more accessible to U.S. manufacturers large and small, train and empower the manufacturing workforce, strengthen our economy and global competitiveness, and elevate national security and resilience. Based in Pittsburgh, PA since 2017, the ARM Institute leads the way to a future where people & robots work together to respond to our nation’s greatest challenges and to produce the world’s most desired products. For more information, visit www.arminstitute.org and follow the ARM Institute on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).