National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 1

CHIPS for America How to Complete a CHIPS 

Incentives Program Pre-Application

April 11, 2023
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 2

Today’s CHIPS Program Office Speakers

Todd Fisher

Chief Investment Officer

Sara O’Rourke

Investments Office

Chief of Staff and Head of Operations

Komie Jain

Director of the Environmental 

Division

Dan Kim

Chief Economist and Director of 

Strategic Planning and Industry 

Analysis 

Rachel Lipson

Senior Policy Advisor
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 3

AGENDA & OBJECTIVES FOR TODAY

Agenda

• Reminder of CHIPS for America Vision – 5 mins

• Reminder of Application Process – 5 mins

• Deep Dives into Pre-Application Sections and 

Relevant Priorities – 45 mins

• Next Steps and Additional Resources – 5 mins

By the end, attendees should 

understand

• Why should applicants submit a 

pre-application

• What is required for a preapplication

• What we're looking for in a preapplication

• How to submit a pre-application
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 4

CHIPS for America Vision

Economic 

Security

Future 

Innovation

National 

Security

The CHIPS Act will 

strengthen supply chain 

security and increase 

economic resilience in critical 

sectors.

The CHIPS Act will spur 

innovation, increase 

competitiveness, and 

ensure long-term U.S. 

leadership in the sector

The CHIPS Act will ensure 

that the U.S. can 

manufacture advanced 

technologies, including 

secure chips for the U.S. 

military.
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Vision for Success

 The U.S. will have at least two new large-scale 

clusters of leading-edge logic fabs

 U.S.-based engineers will develop the process 

technologies underlying the next gen of logic 

chips

Leading-Edge Logic

 U.S.-based fabs will produce high-volume 

memory chips on economically competitive 

terms

 R&D for next-generation memory technologies 

critical to supercomputing and other advanced 

computing applications will be conducted in the 

U.S.

Memory

 The U.S. will be home to multiple high-volume 

advanced packaging facilities

 The U.S. will be a global leader in commercialscale advanced packaging technology

Advanced Packaging

 The U.S. will have strategically increased its 

production capacity for current-gen and mature 

chips

 Chipmakers will also be able to respond more 

nimbly to supply and demand shocks

Current-Generation and Mature

By the 

end of the 

decade... 
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 6

Funding Opportunities

Late Spring 2023

2nd Notice of Funding 

Opportunity

For material suppliers and 

equipment manufacturers

Fall 2023

3rd Notice of Funding 

Opportunity

To support the construction of 

semiconductor R&D 

facilities 

1st Notice of Funding 

Opportunity

For commercial leadingedge, current, mature node 

fabrication and back-end 

facilities

February 28, 2023

Focus of today’s webinar

Pre-Application submission is only available for applicants eligible for NOFO 1
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 7

Leading-Edge Logic & 

Memory

For logic, this currently includes facilities that produce semiconductors at high 

volumes using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools. For memory, this 

currently includes facilities capable of producing 3D NAND flash chips with 200 

layers and above, and/or dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) chips with 

a half-pitch of 13 nm and below.

Current-Generation Produce semiconductors that are up to 28 nm process technologies, and 

include logic, analog, radio frequency, and mixed-signal devices

Mature- Node

Fabricate generations of

- Logic and analog chips that are not based on FinFET, post-FinFET transistor 

architectures, or any other sub-28 nm transistor architectures

- Discrete semiconductor devices such as diodes and transistors

- Optoelectronics and optical semiconductors

- Sensors

Back-End Production Assembly, testing, or packaging of semiconductors that have completed the 

front-end fabrication process including advanced packaging

Eligible Commercial Fabrication Facilities
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Application Process

Statement of interest (open to all)

Pre-application (optional)

Full application

Due diligence

Award preparation

Feedback

Submissions accepted as of...

Leading-edge Current-gen, maturenode, and back-end

February 28, 2023 February 28, 2023

March 31, 2023 May 1, 2023

March 31, 2023 June 26, 2023

Focus for today
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 9

National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 9

WHY SUBMIT A PRE-APPLICATION?

Objective

Create an opportunity for dialogue between CPO 

and the potential applicant and enable the 

applicant to receive feedback on its submission –

to ensure applications meet program priorities 

Outcome

At the conclusion of a preapplication review, CPO will 

provide a written assessment of

Strengths and weaknesses of 

the pre-application

Recommendations for next 

steps

Optional but 

Highly 

Recommended

Current-Generation Facility

Mature-Node Facility

Back-End Production Facility

Optional Leading-Edge Facility

Who should submit?
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 10

National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 10

PRE-APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Web Form PDF Upload Excel Upload

Cover Page 

Project Plan  

Financial Information   

Environmental Questionnaire 

Workforce Development  

Attestation & Submission 

A

B

C

D

E

F
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National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 11

How will the CHIPS Program Office protect 

confidential business information 

throughout the application process?

• We are instituting robust protocols, technology solutions, and 

organizational practices to keep all data safe, secure, confidential, and 

limited in distribution. Application data will be housed in a secure 

environment, upholding NIST’s FIPS 199 high impact requirements for 

cybersecurity and data protection.

• In general, applicant information will be accessible only to federal 

employees, consultants, and contractors who have a need to know, 

including application reviewers and key investment decision-makers, 

to carry out the government’s responsibilities in connection with the 

CHIPS Incentives Program, or as otherwise required by law. 

Frequently Asked Questions
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 12

National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 12

Does CPO plan to review pre-applications and 

full applications in order of receipt? 

Initial eligibility review will be performed in order of receipt, subsequent 

deeper reviews will be prioritized based on program priorities laid out in 

NOFO.

Frequently Asked Questions
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 13

National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 13

What constitutes a "covered incentive" from a 

state and local government?

• The CHIPS Act specifies that an applicant must have been offered a 

covered incentive from a state or local jurisdiction where the project is 

located for the purposes of attracting the construction, expansion, or 

modernization of the facility. 

• Each applicant must provide a letter from a state or local government 

entity to demonstrate they have been offered a qualifying covered 

incentive.

• A “covered incentive” may take many forms, including a tax incentive, a 

workforce-related incentive, any concession with respect to real property, 

funding for research and development with respect to semiconductors, 

or any other incentive determined appropriate by the CHIPS Program 

Office.

Frequently Asked Questions
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 14

National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 14

COVER PAGE

Name of Application Descriptive name for application / project(s)

Applicant Organization 

Information

Contact information for the applicant organization or 

consortium, SAM.gov account registration, UEI # (optional)

Applicant point of contact Contact information of applicant’s point of contact

Partnership information Information on potential partnerships with other entities

Pre-populated fields based on the SOI submission must be updated and verified for accuracy

A

Web form

Document upload

UEI is required 

for award

This should be an Authorized Representative who 

can make commitments on behalf of the applicant
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National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 15

B PROJECT PLAN

Project(s) Plan Narrative Summary description of the project(s) that is responsive to the 

program description and the Evaluation Criteria

Project(s) Information Description of Project(s), Product End Market Application, Site 

location, Facility Type(s), Expected Total Capital Expenditures 

and estimated peak monthly unit production capacity for all 

proposed projects

Facilities Information Number of facilities that will be within the scope of the 

application including name, brief description, technology type 

and expected construction and production start dates

Pre-populated fields based on the SOI submission must be updated and verified for accuracy

Web form

Document upload
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 16

Program Priorities

Economic 

and national 

security 

objectives

Commercial 

viability

Financial 

strength

Technical 

feasibility 

and 

readiness

Workforce 

development Broader

impacts
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Economic Security

SEEKING PROJECTS THAT

• Increase U.S. semiconductor production and align with U.S. strategic needs

• Create a more resilient semiconductor supply chain

• Build foundry or other capacity to serve many different customers

• Attract supplier, workforce, and other investments 

• Contribute to a self-sustaining ecosystem and catalyze future upgrades

Leading-edge

• Use the most advanced tech 

and produce products that 

are most critical to 

enhancing U.S. 

competitiveness

• Commit to ongoing 

investment in U.S.

Current-generation and 

mature-node

• Support production of chips 

vital to automobiles, 

aerospace and defense, and 

other critical infrastructure

• Use processes that convert 

to make other types of chips 

in times of disruption

Back-end production

• Advanced packaging
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 18

National Security

SEEKING PROJECTS THAT

Produce semiconductors that are relied upon by the Department of Defense, other government systems, or 

by critical infrastructure 

Support U.S. government national security needs, such as by providing U.S. government access to facility 

output, or adapting commercial production for low-volume and high-mix national security components

Mitigate operational and cybersecurity risks

Strengthen supply chain resilience by analyzing and managing risks to their own supply chains

Ensure that foreign entities of concern will not pose undue risks 

Produce mature-node semiconductors that are then supplied to critical manufacturing industries
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 19

National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 19

Commercial Viability

Demand for the 

product

Size / diversity of 

customer base

Existing and planned 

supply

Expected volume 

and pricing 

dynamics

Ability to counter 

potential 

technological 

obsolescence of the 

facility 

Stability and 

predictability of key 

supplies
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 20

National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 20

Financial Strength

Financial 

strength of the 

applicant / 

parent

Financial 

strength of the 

project

Commitment of 

private/thirdparty investment

Reasonableness 

/ suitability of 

CHIPS funding 

request
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National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 21

C FINANCIAL INFORMATION (1/2)

Financial Information 

Narrative

Summary narrative of financial information for the applicant and 

the project(s)

Facility Ownership 

Structure

Formal legal entity and organizational structure for the project

Sources and 

Uses of 

Funds

Template Information on project costs and capital sources via a 

descriptive narrative and via the spreadsheet template

For discussion in this Thursday’s webinar Web form

Company Financials Audited consolidated financial statements at fiscal year-end and 

any key performance metrics

Web form

Document upload

Submission of supporting documents or more detailed 

information on facility ownership structure is optional

Continue on the next page...

Deep Dive included
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National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 22

C FINANCIAL INFORMATION (2/2)

Summary Financials Summary of the expected revenues, costs, and cash flows for the 

project, including key income statement, cash flow statement, and 

balance sheet information via a narrative and spreadsheet format

For discussion in this Thursday’s webinar

CHIPS 

Program 

Incentives 

Request

Web form Summary of the type and amount of funding request and available 

credit ratings from borrowing entity and its corporate parent / sponsor

Narrative • Narrative description for how the financial information submitted 

for the project(s) support program priorities

• Description of how the incentives requested were sized based on 

applicable analyses

Web form

Document upload

Deep Dive on the next page

Summary Financials includes both a 

summary narrative in Word and an Excel
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 23

C FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Sources and Uses of Funds

Template

Summary Financials

Financial Model Tool

The Financial Information sections above will be covered in detail in Thursday’s webinar

Financial Model Tool is provided as 

an aid; usage of this specific tool is 

not a requirement for the preapplication submission
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National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 24

D ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE

Environmental 

Questionnaire

Provide the requested information on the Environmental

Questionnaire using the template available on the CHIPS 

Incentives Program application portal

Web form

Document upload

If an applicant chooses to submit a preapplication, the Environmental 

Questionnaire is a required portion of the 

submission; however, it can be preliminary 

and partially complete at this stage
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National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 25

How should applicants prepare for environmental review under 

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)?

Will the CHIPS Program Office support applicants in the 

environmental review process?

Frequently Asked Questions

The first step for potential applicants is to submit an environmental questionnaire as part 

of a pre- or full application. The environmental questionnaire will assist the CHIPS 

Program Office’s Environmental Division in assessing the likely level of NEPA review that 

will be required for the proposed project and allows the team to work with the applicant to 

ensure that all required environmental information is available as early as possible, which 

can help expedite the NEPA review process for potentially successful applications.

Yes. The CHIPS Program Office’s Environmental Division will work with applicants and 

their third-party contractors in an iterative process to help ensure smooth and expeditious 

completion of the NEPA review process.
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National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 26

E WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION

Workforce Development 

Narrative

Summary with information on the three topics below regarding 

workforce development

• Approach to recruit, train, and retain a diverse and skilled 

set of workers 

• The status and goals of discussions with relevant policy 

stakeholders

• Details on any conversations or planning done in concert 

with partners

Additional questions Explanation and estimate of the number of jobs that will be 

created during the construction and production phases of the 

project(s)

Web form

Document upload

Includes jobs that are both directly and indirectly involved in the 

construction activities for the construction, expansion, or

modernization of a facility
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Workforce Development Vision

Delivering on our national and economic security objectives 

demands major investments in the semiconductor workforce 

that will support good-paying jobs across the industry. 

America’s diversity is a comparative advantage; we must make 

significant investments to create opportunities for Americans 

from historically underserved communities.

Effective workforce solutions enable key stakeholders to work 

together.
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Strong Partnerships Critical to Project Success

Effective workforce investments 

rely on successful strategic 

partnerships, and partnerships will 

be critical to achieve CHIPS 

program goals. 

Partners can help applicants:

Attract new sources 

of talent

Increase awareness 

of opportunities

Retain and grow the 

workforce

Provide wraparound 

supports

Applicants must secure commitments from strategic partners and are expected to engage 

with these partners on an ongoing basis.
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National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 29

HOW TO SUBMIT

Earliest submission for 

leading edge applicants 

March 31, 2023

Earliest submission for 

current-generation, maturenode or back-end production 

facilities

May 1, 2023

May be submitted a minimum 

of 21 days following the 

submission of a Statement of 

Interest (SOI)

Submit the pre-application 

through

applications.chips.gov

After Pre-Application Submission

The CHIPS Program Office will

 Send a confirmation email once the preapplication is submitted

 Review submission and may reach out 

for additional information or clarification 

 Provide a written assessment with 

suggested next steps 
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National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 30

Next Steps

• Submit a Pre-Application - resources listed in 

the next page

• Visit CHIPS.gov for additional resources

• Join our mailing list

• Contact us: apply@chips.gov – applicationrelated inquiries

• Upcoming webinars:

• Overview of the Financial Information Required 

for Pre-App and Full App – Thur., April 13, 

2023

• Environmental Review – TBD Date

• Partnerships – TBD Date

Additional Resources Available

General

• Pre-Application Instructions

Sources & Uses of Funds

• Pre-Application Sources and Uses 

Template

Summary Financials

• Pre-Application Example Financial 

Model White Paper

• Pre-Application Example Financial 

Model

Environmental Questionnaire

• Pre-Application Environmental 

Questionnaire
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Thank you