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CHIPS for America Guide August 30, 2023

Funding Opportunity – Commercial Fabrication Facilities 

GUIDE: Instruction Guide for Full Application Web Forms

OMB Control #0693-0094, Expiration Date 09/30/2023

Introduction:

This document provides instructions and guidance for those filling out a full application as part of the 

CHIPS Incentive Program Notice of Funding Opportunity for Commercial Fabrication Facilities. If a preapplication has been submitted by a potential applicant, the full application should not be submitted 

until feedback has been received on the pre-application. Statements of Interest must be submitted at 

least 21 days prior to submitting a pre-application or full application. Submission of a pre-application is 

recommended for applications for current-generation, mature-node, back-end production, wafer 

manufacturing or materials and manufacturing equipment facilities for which capital expenditure are 

greater than or equal to $300M to serve as an opportunity for the Department to provide meaningful 

feedback to applicants before they prepare a full application package.

Applicants should make efforts to complete the process of registering for the System for Award 

Management (SAM.gov), including obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), prior to submitting a full 

application. Applicants are strongly encouraged to begin the process of registering for SAM.gov as early

as possible. The Department is unable to issue a CHIPS Incentives Award to an entity that lacks an active 

SAM.gov registration.

This document pertains to the following Web Form Questions in the Full Application Portal:

• Acknowledgement

• Project Plan Web Form Questions

• Sources and Uses of Funds Web Form Questions

• CHIPS Incentives Request Web Form Questions

• Workforce Development Information Web Form Questions

• Attestation and Submission

Please refer to the CHIPS Incentives Program—Commercial Fabrication Facilities Notice of Funding 

Opportunity (CHIPS-CFF NOFO) section IV.I. and the FAQs and other guidance materials on the CHIPS 

website, or email apply@chips.gov with additional questions about submitting a full application 

package.

Throughout the review process, the Department may request additional information and/or revisions 

regarding your submission.
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Table of Contents:

Introduction: ................................................................................................................................................1

0. Acknowledgement ................................................................................................................................3

1. Cover Page Web Form ...........................................................................................................................3

2. Project Plan Web Form Questions...........................................................................................................3

a. FacilitiesInformation Questions............................................................................................................4

3. Sources and Uses of Funds Web Form Questions ...................................................................................6

4. CHIPS Incentives Request Web Form Questions......................................................................................7

5. Workforce Development Web Form Questions ......................................................................................9

6. Full Application Document Uploads.....................................................................................................11

7. Attestation and Submission Web Form Questions................................................................................ 12

8. Burden Statement ..............................................................................................................................13
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0. Acknowledgement

Instructions: In the web portal, you must complete the acknowledgement section of the full 

application before you can accessthe rest of the full application. By completing this section,

you acknowledge that:

“Any communication, data, or other information stored or transmitted on this system may be 

accessed and used by federal employees, consultants and contractors in accordance with Section 

IV.C. of the CHIPS Incentives Program – Commercial Fabrication Facilities Notice of Funding

Opportunity (CHIPS-CFF NOFO). By voluntarily furnishing information through this system, the 

applicant consents to such access and use.”

1. Cover Page Web Form

Instruction for completing the full application cover page are located at this link: 

https://www.nist.gov/document/chips-nofo-commercial-fabrication-facilities-cover-pageinstructions

2. Project Plan Web Form Questions

Instructions: In the web portal, update the answers to the following questionsthat were submitted

in the statement of interest or pre-application (whichever is more recent forthe applicant) to reflect

the most up-to-date details of the projects.

Note, a “project” is a set of capital expendituresfor the construction, expansion, or modernization

of a single facility. A project also includes any related workforce development or operating expense 

costs for the project facility that the applicant proposes to cover with CHIPS Incentives funds. An

application may include more than one project, covering separate facilities, if the facilities are 

within a single location and under common ownership and control.

• Description of Project(s): Provide a description of the construction, expansion, or 

modernization activities for each proposed facility at a single location; resulting products 

that will be manufactured, along with information on the scale, size, and capacity of

production, and any known timelines (maximum 3000 characters).

• Product End Market Application: Provide a description of the types of customers and

end markets that will be served by the technology being produced from each

proposed facility (maximum 500 characters).

• Site location: Provide the City, State, and Zip Code where the proposed facility or facilities

will be located. If you do not know the full 9-digit zip code, enter “0000” for the last four 

digits.

• Expected Total Project Capital Expenditures (Min, Max)

o Provide an estimated range of total project capital expenditures(provide

minimum and maximum with the narrowest range possible) for all facilities in the 

application. Total project capital expenditures refer to expenses incurred in the 
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construction or improvement of physical assets, such as the costs of land, 

building and construction, equipment and installation, physical improvements, 

and working capital during the construction phase. Applicants should provide the

estimated range on a best-effort basis that will be needed for all projects in the 

application. Figures provided are expected to be preliminary high-level estimates 

and should be refined with greater detail in future application steps.

o Applicants may optionally provide commentary on the expected total capital 

expendituresfor all proposed projectsrange, which could include a description of

the key cost drivers, an explanation if the range provided is large, or other 

supporting details (maximum 500 characters).

• Estimated peak monthly unit production capacity: Provide an estimated number of units

per month produced when the facility reaches peak production. Specify what the units 

being produced are (e.g., wafers per month, components per month).

o If the facility will not have any production capacity, leave the box blank and select

“Not Applicable.”

a. FacilitiesInformation Questions

Instructions: In the web portal, complete all questions related to the facility or facilities that will 

be included in this application. A “facility” used in the context of this application refersto a

leading-edge, current-generation, mature-node commercial fabrication facility, or back-end 

production facility that will be constructed, expanded, or modernized as a result of this project.

• According to the NOFO, an application may include one or more facilities that are / will 

be on the same site. For each facility for this application, click ‘Add New Facility’

o Additional questions are required to be answered individually for each facility:

o Provide a name for the Facility: Provide a name for the facility that corresponds to

the way the facility will be referenced in application materials.

o Projecttype:that best describesthe activitiesthat will be completed at the

facility (i.e., construction, expansion, or modernization)

o Facility Type: Choose from the provided optionsto indicate the type of this facility.

Only one type may be selected:

 Leading-Edge Facilities that utilize the most advanced front-end

fabrication processes for logic, 3D NAND Flash, and Dynamic RandomAccess Memory (DRAM) semiconductors.

 Current-Generation Facilitiesthat produce semiconductorsthat are not

leading edge, up to 28 nm process technologies, and include logic, analog, 

and mixed- signal devices.
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 Mature-Node Facilities that fabricate generations of: (a) logic and analog

chips that are not based on FinFET, post-FinFET transistor architectures, or

any other sub-28 nm transistor architectures; (b) discrete semiconductor

devices such as diodes and transistors; (c) optoelectronics and optical 

semiconductors; and (d) sensors.

 Wafer Manufacturing Facilities for the high-volume production of

semiconductor wafers, including wafers made from silicon, silicon carbide, 

and gallium nitride. These facilities are the sites of ingot production and wafer 

slicing, lapping, polishing, cleaning and inspection.

 Semiconductor Materials and Manufacturing Equipment Facilities (if 

project capital expenditures are greater than or equal to $300 million included in

this NOFO, otherwise included in future NOFO) according to the descriptions 

below

o Semiconductor Materials Facilities for the manufacture or 

production, including growth or extraction, of materials used to 

manufacture semiconductors, which are the chemicals, gases, raw 

and intermediate materials, and other consumables used in

semiconductor manufacturing.

o Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Facilities for the physical 

production of specialized equipment integral to the manufacturing of 

semiconductors and subsystems that enable or are incorporated into

the manufacturing equipment.

 Back-end Production Facilitiesfor the assembly, testing, or

packaging of semiconductors that have completed the front-end 

fabrication process.

 Other: if “other” isselected for Facility Type, provide a description for the

facility in the space provided

o Technology Type: Choose from the provided options to indicate the type of this

facility. Only one type may be selected. Refer to the NOFO section I.B.1 for more

descriptions of the eligible technology types for each facility.

o Estimated peak monthly unit production capacity: Provide an estimated number 

of units produced per month when the facility reaches peak production. Specify

what the units being produced are (e.g., wafers per month, components per 

month).

o Note the expected construction start date for this facility: Enter the month and

year for the beginning of this facility’s construction activities as they pertain to 

new construction, expansion, or modernization. If construction has already 

begun, enter the date construction began.

o Note the expected production start date for thisfacility: Enter the month and year

for when construction, expansion, or modernization activities will be completed 
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and the facility will begin or resume production, after completion of this project.

 If the facility will not have any production capacity, leave the box blank

and select “Not Applicable.”

o Provide a description for the facility, with defining characteristics of the units 

produced in the facility (e.g., 13nm DRAM wafers, 40nm Logic wafers, etc). You 

may also use this space to describe the back-end production activities, if

applicable to this facility.

3. Sources and Uses of Funds Web Form Questions

Instructions: Applicants should first download and complete the CHIPS Full Application Sources and 

Uses Excel Template for this project:

For Applications for Front-End and Back-End Commercial Fabrication Facilities: use the

template at the following link: https://www.nist.gov/document/chips-nofo-commercialfabrication-facilities-full- application-offline-template-sources-and and access corresponding 

instructions to complete the template at the following link: 

https://www.nist.gov/document/chips-nofo-commercial-fabrication- facilities-sources-and-usesfunds-instructions

For Applications for Semiconductor Materials, and Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment, 

and Wafer Manufacturing Facilities: use the template at the following link: 

https://www.nist.gov/document/full-application-sources-and-uses-funds-templatesemiconductor- materials-semiconductor and access corresponding instructions to complete the 

template at the following link: https://www.nist.gov/document/full-applicant-sources-and-usesfunds-instructions- semiconductor-materials-semiconductor

Using the completed template, applicants should enter the corresponding figures in the Sources

and Uses of Fundssection of the Full Application Portal. Please ensure the values entered for 

sources and uses match the numbers submitted in the uploaded document as well as the CHIPS

Incentives request form. Applicants will also be required to submit the completed CHIPS Sources

and Uses of Funds Excel template by uploading in the Full Application Document Uploads section in

the Full Application Portal.

For each box in the form, enter in the exact same value from the correspondingly named cell in the 

S&U – Summation across projects sheet in the uploaded Excel template.

• Please enter the total Project Uses Schedule (from the completed excel template)

into the fields on Sources and Uses of Funds Form Page 1

• Please enter the total Project Sources Schedule (from the completed excel template)

into the fields on Sources and Uses of Funds Form Page 2 and Page 3

• For State and Local Government Incentives,sum together the expected grants, loans,

tax credits, and other incentives from those sources and enter as a single value in 

the form.
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4. CHIPS Incentives Request Web Form Questions

Instructions: In the full application web portal, provide a summary of the funding request and 

available credit ratings in the CHIPS Incentives Request Web Form. Please refer to the Notice of 

Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Section IV.H.3 – Financial Information: CHIPS Incentives Request for an 

overview of the requirements for this portion of the application.

**Please note that the Department of Commerce will make final determinations on the form and 

amount of any CHIPS Incentives award. This information is being provided to help the Department

understand the Applicant's estimate of required financial assistance.

A) CHIPS Incentives Request Summary – In the web portal, indicate whether you are requesting 

for Direct Funding, CHIPS Loan, and/or a CHIPS Loan Guarantee. For any of those that you select 

“Yes” for, you will see an additional corresponding page to provide a summary of the amount of 

funding requested. Please ensure information provided in this form matches the corresponding 

CHIPS Direct Funding, CHIPS Loans, and Guaranteed portion of Third-party Loans Guaranteed by 

CHIPS Program sections in the “S&U – Summation across projectssheet” sheet in the Sources and

Uses of Funds Excel template and web form.

Guidelinesfor CHIPS Loans and Loan Guarantees - Please see NOFO Section I.B.8 for further details:

• Interest Rate: The interest rate on a CHIPS Loan will generally be based on the cost of

fundsto the Department of the Treasury for obligations of comparable maturity plus a 

portion of the spread to the market rate for commercial loans or debt of similar risk, 

tenor, and terms.

• Tenor: Loans will generally be extended for a term that coversthe construction period plus

up to 15 years. The maximum tenor is 25 years.

• Structure: Loans will be available on both a corporate and project finance basis, depending

on the legal structure and nature of the project.

• Amortization: Corporate finance loans will generally be bullet loans repayable at

maturity. Project finance loans will generally be non-amortizing during the construction 

period of a project and then amortizing until maturity.

• Prepayment: CHIPS Loans may be prepaid at the election of the borrower,subject

to prepayment periods, waiting periods, and other terms to be agreed upon.

The specific terms of a CHIPS Loan Guarantee will be subject to negotiation with the

applicant and the third-party lender(s). While the extent of the loan guarantee will vary 

based on the financing requirements and risk characteristics of a transaction, loan 

guarantees are not expected to cover more than 80% of any third-party debt obligation. 

CHIPS Loan Guarantees will be subject to comparable underwriting and diligence standards 

as CHIPS Loans.

CHIPS Direct Funding: Indicate whether direct funding will be requested. If requested, enter the 

expected amount to be requested in dollars.
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CHIPS Loan: Indicate whether a CHIPS loan will be requested. If the application includes a request 

for a loan:

• Provide the dollar amount requested

• Provide the requested tenor of the loan (not to exceed 25 years)

• Indicate whether the financing structure of the loan will be “Corporate

Finance” or “Project Finance.”

o Corporate Finance implies debt is incurred at the parent of

development company level, with debt secured at the development 

company-level.

o Project Finance impliesthat debt is secured at the project companylevel to finance the project

• Optionally, provide other requested terms for the requested CHIPS loan (e.g., details

on amortization schedule, deferred interest option, pre-payment, seniority, 

collateralization, fixed vs floating interest rate type).

• To the extent that requested terms differ from the baseline terms in Section I.B.8 of

the NOFO, the CHIPS Incentives Request summary uploaded by the applicant should

include a justification.

CHIPS Loan Guarantee: Indicate whether a CHIPS loan guarantee will be requested. If the 

application includes a request for a loan guarantee:

• Add a loan guarantee request by selecting the “Add Loan Guarantee” button. Enter

the following information:

o Provide the total size of the loan in dollars

o If known, provide the third-party lender (include all lendersif the

loan is syndicated)

o Provide the amount of the loan requested to be guaranteed in dollars

(not to exceed 80% of the total size of the loan)

o Provide the requested tenor of the loan guarantee (not to exceed 25 years)

• Verify that the calculated loan guarantee summary fields correctly reflect the

loan guarantee information entered

• Optionally, provide other known or requested terms for the loan requested to

be guaranteed (e.g., details on amortization schedule, deferred interest

option, pre- payment, seniority, collateralization, fixed vs floating interest rate 

type).

• To the extent that requested terms differ from the baseline termsin Section I.B.8

of the NOFO, the CHIPS Incentives Request summary uploaded by the applicant

should include a justification.
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B) Credit Rating Summary – Provide the most recent credit ratings applicable to the borrowing

entity and its corporate parent / sponsor, if available. If credits ratings are not available, please 

enter N/A for the name of the agency, N/A for the rating, and select any date.

• Borrowing entity for Project: Enter details such as entity name, SAM.gov unique

enterprise identifier (if available), mailing address, and organization website. Some fields

may be auto populated from other sections and the applicant should verify the 

information is correct.

• Corporate Parent / Sponsoring Entity: If applicable, provide detailsfor the corporate

parent or sponsoring entity that houses the entity that will borrow from the CHIPS 

program.

• Credit Rating of Borrowing Entity: If the borrowing entity has received a long-term 

corporate credit rating from a credit rating agency, indicate the name of the agency, the 

rating, and the date the rating wasreleased. Provide the most recent rating for any agency

which hasrated the entity’s corporate creditworthiness.

• Credit Rating of Corporate Parent / Sponsoring Entity: If the corporate parent / sponsoring 

entity hasreceived a long-term corporate credit rating from a credit rating agency, indicate

the name of the agency, the rating, and the date the rating was released. Provide the most 

recent rating for any agency which has rated the entity’s corporate creditworthiness.

5. Workforce Development Web Form Questions

Instructions: In the web portal complete all required questions related to workforce development.

• Provide an estimate of the number of jobsthat will be created in the United States during

the construction phase of the project(s). Do not include any jobs that will be performed 

outside of the United States.

o Direct jobs on the construction site(s): Enter an estimate for the number of jobs 

that will be directly involved in the construction activities for the construction,

expansion, or modernization of a facility. Examples include laborers and foremen 

for construction activities.

o Indirect jobs: Enter an estimate for the number of jobs that will be indirectly

involved in the construction activitiesfor the construction, expansion, or

modernization of a facility. Examples include contracted equipment suppliers and 

technicians, architects and engineers consulted.

o Provide an explanation of your job creation estimates above. Provide any

assumptions, sources, or other explanations for the estimates included for direct or 

indirect jobs created.

• Provide an estimate of the number of jobsthat will be created during the production

phase of the project(s). Do not include any jobs that will be performed outside of the 

United States.

o Direct jobsin production: Enter an estimate for the number of jobsthat will be
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directly involved in the operation of the facility or facilities. This includes all 

employees of the entity that will be onsite for activities relating to manufacturing, 

overhead, research & development, and administration.

o Indirect jobs: Enter an estimate for the number of jobs that will be created in the 

broader ecosystem as a result of operating the facility or facilities. Examples include 

incremental needsfor materialssuppliers(e.g.,silicon, chemicals, consumables),

utilities suppliers, contractors for equipment needs (e.g., cleaning and repair), 

product transport, etc.

o Provide an explanation of your job creation estimates above. Provide any

assumptions, sources, or other explanations for the estimates included for direct or 

indirect jobs created.
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6. Full Application Document Uploads

Instructions for completing the Full Application Document Upload section are included within each 

question in the portal. Please also refer to CHIPS-CFF NOFO Section IV.I. for helpful information to 

complete these requirements. The following uploads will be requested of applicants:

Section Document Upload Recommended File Type

Covered Incentive Covered Incentive PDF

Project Plan Description of Project(s) PDF

Applicant Profile Descriptive Information about

the Applicant

PDF

Company Financials PDF or Excel

Equity Capital Structure PDF or Excel

Outstanding Debt PDF of Excel

Alignment with Economic 

Resilience and National Security

Objectives

Alignment with Economic 

Resilience and National Security

Objectives

PDF

Commercial Strategy Commercial Strategy PDF

Financial Information Detailed Description of Financial

Plan

PDF

Project Sources and Uses of

Funds

Completed Excel Template

Project Cash Flow, Income 

Statement, and Balance Sheet 

Projections, and Relevant

Metrics for each Project

Excel or similar file type

Scenario Analysis PDF and/or Excel

CHIPS Incentives Request 

Narrative

PDF

CHIPS Loan or Loan Guarantee

Request

PDF

Project Technical Feasibility Project Technical Feasibility

Description

PDF

Environmental Questionnaire PDF

Organization Information Ownership, Legal Entity, and

Organizational Structure

PDF

Managerial Capability PDF

Consortium Applicants PDF

Past Project History PDF

Intellectual Property Security PDF

Litigation and/or Conflicts PDF
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Advisors and Key Partners PDF

Workforce Development Plan Workforce Development Plan PDF

Broader Impacts Broader Impacts PDF

Standard Forms SF-328, Certificate Pertaining to

Foreign Interests

PDF

CD-511, Certificate Regarding

Lobbying

PDF

SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying

Activities

PDF

Other Forms [Optional] PDF

7. Attestation and Submission Web Form Questions

In the web portal, you must complete the attestation and certifications before you can submit the

full application. By completing this section and submitting the application you acknowledge the

following statements.

The CHIPS Program Office (CPO) recognizes the importance of protecting confidential business 

information and will follow all applicable lawsto protect such information, including, for example,

the CHIPS Act, the Trade Secrets Act, and the Freedom of Information Act. Please refer to Section

IV.C. of the CHIPS Incentives Program – Commercial Fabrication Facilities Notice of Funding 

Opportunity (CHIPS-CFF NOFO) for a further discussion of these laws.

Submission Certifications:

☐ The individual submitting the Full Application certifies on behalf of the applicant entity that 

the applicant information and data submitted and the representations made in the Full

Application are true, complete and accurate, to the best of the applicant’s knowledge and

belief after due inquiry.

☐ The individual submitting the Full Application certifies on behalf of the applicant that the 

applicant understandsthat CPO and the Department of Commerce will rely on the accuracy and

completeness of the application information and data submitted and the representations made in 

the Full Application and that any false, fictitious or fraudulent statement or representation made 

in the Full Application may be the basis for rejection of the Full Application or subject the applicant 

to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties. (18 U.S. Code, Section 1001.)

☐ The individual submitting the Full Application certifies on behalf of the applicant that the 

applicant understandsthat any applicant information and data contained in the Full Application

may be accessed and used by federal employees, consultants and contractors in accordance with 

CHIPS-CFF NOFO, Section IV.C. (Confidential Information).

☐ The individualsubmitting the Full Application certifiesthat they possessthe full legal power

and authority to submit the Full Application and make the preceding certifications on behalf 

of the applicant.
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Public Communications:

☐ The individual submitting the Full Application agrees that neither the applicant entity nor any

of its affiliates may disclose to third parties the status of the Full Application or the contents of 

any communications from CPO or the Department of Commerce without CPO’s prior written 

consent.

☐ The individualsubmitting the Full Application certifiesthat they possessthe full legal power

and authority to bind the applicant.

8. Burden Statement

A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be 

subject to a penalty for failure to comply with an information collection subject to the requirements of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 unless the information collection has a currently valid OMB Control Number. The 

approved OMB Control Number for this information collection is 0693-0094. Without this approval, we could not 

conduct this information collection. Public reporting for this information collection is estimated to be 

approximately 125 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data 

sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the information collection. All

responses to this information collection are mandatory to be eligible for CHIPS Act Funding. Send comments 

regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection, including suggestions for 

reducing this burden to the National Institute of Standards and Technology at Cierra Bean, Business Operations 

Specialist, askchips@chips.gov.