16

NIST THREE YEAR PROGRAMMATIC PLAN

N AT I O N A L I N S T I T U T E O F S TA N D A R D S A N D T E C H N O L O G Y 

2016

2018

2016-2018

2016–2018 | 3 

The National Institute of Standards and Technology 

(NIST) promotes U.S. innovation and industrial 

competitiveness by advancing measurement science, 

standards, and technology in a range of strategic 

areas critical to the nation’s economy. The America 

COMPETES Act (Pub. L. 110-69, 121 Stat. 572) 

outlines major roles for NIST in promoting national 

competitiveness and innovation, and also calls for NIST 

to submit a three-year programmatic plan concurrent 

with the submission of the President’s budget request 

to Congress. This document summarizes the focus 

of NIST programs for use in planning and prioritizing 

investments over this three-year period. NIST will 

continue to refine this plan as it works with the 

Administration to address national priorities. 

1 INTRODUCTION

Since 1901, NIST (known as the National Bureau of 

Standards until 1988) has developed and maintained 

key standards for the Nation, a role that the U.S. 

Constitution assigns to the Federal government, and 

has been supplying the measurements and tools to 

help U.S. industry compete. As a non-regulatory agency 

in the U.S. Department of Commerce, an experienced 

partner of industry, and the Federal research agency 

specifically focused on promoting U.S. economic 

competitiveness, NIST is well-positioned to accelerate 

and promote innovation and advanced technologies 

through its Laboratory programs and its Innovation 

and Industry Services programs. 

MISSION:

T O P R O M O T E U . S . 

I N N O VAT I O N A N D I N D U S T R I A L 

C O M P E T I T I V E N E S S B Y 

A D VA N C I N G M E A S U R E M E N T 

S C I E N C E , S TA N D A R D S , A N D 

T E C H N O L O G Y I N W AY S 

T H AT E N H A N C E E C O N O M I C 

S E C U R I T Y A N D I M P R O V E 

THE QUALITY OF LIFE.

2 NIST OVERVIEW AND PROGRAMMATIC 

OBJECTIVES
4 | NIST THREE YEAR PROGRAMMATIC PLAN

NIST plays a key role in the Department of Commerce’s 

2014–2018 Strategic Plan. Specifically, NIST leads DOC’s 

Innovation Pillar, which aims to “foster a more innovative 

U.S. economy — one that is better at inventing, improving, 

and commercializing products and technologies that lead to 

higher productivity and competitiveness”. 

NIST’s mission to promote innovation and industry 

competitiveness is best served when we support activities 

throughout the research and development pipeline, from 

the most basic science to the deployment of advanced 

technologies. NIST programs are designed to span this 

pipeline, enabling organizational excellence for institutions 

from non-profits and universities to manufacturers, 

supporting advanced manufacturing by facilitating precompetitive and applied research as well as technology 

deployment, and performing world-class metrology and 

technology research and services. 

The following goals will ensure NIST develops the technical 

capabilities and adaptability necessary to carry out its key 

role in the Nation’s innovation ecosystem:

GOALS:

S T R E N G T H E N N I S T ’ S L A B O R AT O R I E S 

A N D F A C I L I T I E S T O E N S U R E U . S . 

L E A D E R S H I P I N M E A S U R E M E N T 

SCIENCE .

The vitality of the NIST laboratories is crucial to meeting 

the complex and demanding measurement and standards 

challenges associated with new technologies. NIST will 

continue to invest in high-performing facilities, equipment, 

infrastructure, and personnel.

F O R T I F Y U . S . A D VA N C E D 

MANUFACTURING CAPABILITIES.

The Nation’s long-term competitiveness relies on its global 

leadership in advanced manufacturing capabilities. NIST will 

develop and deploy unique tools to support U.S. advanced 

manufacturing through programs including the Hollings 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the Advanced 

Manufacturing Technology Consortia Program, and the 

National Network for Manufacturing Innovation. 

M A X I M I Z E N I S T ’ S I M P A C T T H R O U G H 

E F F E C T I V E C O L L A B O R AT I O N A N D 

COORDINATION.

NIST’s research and development activities have the 

greatest impact when the knowledge and technology 

generated is transferred to industry, universities, standards 

organizations, and other government agencies. NIST will 

continue to pursue partnership opportunities to better 

deliver measurement solutions and best leadership and 

management practices to industry and other government 

agencies, provide access to unique measurement 

capabilities through its user facilities, participate in 

standards-setting organizations, convene consortia, license 

intellectual property, and attract and train high-quality 

research associates. 

D E V E L O P W O R L D C L A S S O P E R AT I O N S 

A N D S U P P O R T. 

NIST’s activities are most efficient and effective when 

supported by exceptional business practices, strategic 

planning, and operational offices. NIST will improve its 

practices to enhance the business of NIST.
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2.1 THE NIST LABORATORIES 

The NIST laboratory programs work at the frontiers of 

measurement science to ensure that the U.S. system of 

measurements is firmly grounded on sound scientific 

and technical principles. Today, the NIST laboratories 

address increasingly complex measurement challenges, 

ranging from the very small (nanoscale devices) to the 

very large (vehicles and buildings), and from the physical 

(renewable energy sources) to the virtual (cybersecurity 

and cloud computing). As new technologies develop 

and evolve, NIST’s measurement research and services 

remain central to innovation, productivity, trade, and 

public safety. 

The NIST laboratory programs provide industry, 

academia, and other federal agencies with: 

• Scientific underpinnings for basic and derived 

measurement units, international standards, 

measurement and calibration services, and certified 

reference materials; 

• Impartial expertise and leadership in basic and 

applied research that enables development of test 

methods and verified data to support efficient 

commercialization and commerce;

• Expertise and support for consensus-based 

standards development, with associated test 

methods for conformity; and 

• Unique, cutting-edge user facilities that support 

innovation in emerging technology areas. 

Driving innovation through measurement 

NIST creates the infrastructure necessary to measure 

the performance and quality of products and services. 

In close cooperation with industry, academia, and 

other federal agencies, NIST continually advances 

measurement science, develops standard protocols 

and test methods, and evaluates and generates data. 

These tools, which the private sector cannot provide 

due to the high cost and unique skills needed, are the 

foundations for interoperability between products and 

systems, enabling global trade. 

Industry relies on NIST for the physical measurements and 

standards needed to enable advanced manufacturing, 

to develop and test new materials, to enable innovation, 

and to ensure compliance with regulations. In addition, 

NIST provides measurement and calibration products 

and services via its Standard Reference Materials®, 

calibration services, and Standard Reference Data 

programs. These products and services assure the 

accuracy of measurements made daily throughout the 

United States. 

Accelerating the adoption and deployment 

of advanced technology solutions 

Technology is rapidly evolving to integrate 

new capabilities across the economy, including 

manufacturing processes, transportation systems, 

critical infrastructure, and healthcare. While these 

innovations will contribute to the U.S. economy and 

quality of life, they have associated challenges in 

interoperability, security, and resiliency. The NIST 

Laboratory programs respond to these challenges by 

engaging with government and industry stakeholders 

to develop the standards, prototypes, and guidelines 

essential for technology adoption and dissemination. In 

addition, NIST provides test-beds, testing and validation 

methodologies, and support for certification to support 

technology deployment.

World class, unique, cutting-edge research 

facilities 

Industry, academia, and other government agencies 

have access to unique NIST user facilities that support 

innovation in emerging technology areas. The NIST 

Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) provides 

world-class neutron measurement capabilities to the 

U.S. research community, and the NIST Center for 

Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST) supports 

the U.S. nanotechnology enterprise from discovery to 

production by providing access to world-class nanoscale 

measurement and fabrication methods and technology. 

The customer-focused missions of both NCNR and 

CNST include the development and application of 

entirely new measurement and fabrication techniques 

while ensuring safe and reliable facility operations.
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2.2 NIST INNOVATION AND 

INDUSTRY SERVICES 

In support of the Administration’s emphasis on serving 

industry through outreach services, NIST provides two 

important externally-focused services: The Hollings 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and the 

Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (BPEP). NIST is 

also the home of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology 

Consortia (AMTech) program, and the National Network for 

Manufacturing Innovation. 

BPEP manages the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Improvement 

Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-107), in cooperation with 

senior U.S. business, education, health care, government, 

and nonprofit leaders. The associated Malcolm Baldrige 

National Quality Award recognizes high-performing, rolemodel U.S. organizations. Through the award process, 

conferences, training, social media, and other outreach, 

BPEP supports these organizations as they disseminate 

their best practices in leadership; strategy; customer focus; 

measurement, analysis, and knowledge management; 

workforce focus; and operational effectiveness. To enable the 

further competitiveness and success of U.S. organizations, 

BPEP’s focus is to promote broad participation in the use 

of the Baldrige Excellence Framework and award program 

by organizations in all sectors of the economy. The Baldrige 

Foundation, the private non-profit organization that has 

supported BPEP for over 25 years with the contributions of 

the private sector, has agreed to support operations of the 

Baldrige Program through 2016, while key program partners 

explore alternative business and funding models to sustain 

the mission of BPEP in the future.

NIST’s MEP provides technical and business assistance to 

smaller manufacturers through grant-supported partnerships 

between Federal and state governments and non-profit 

organizations in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Field agents 

and programs in 60 centers nationwide help manufacturers 

understand, adopt, and apply new technologies and 

business practices, resulting in increased productivity, better 

performance, cost savings, waste reduction, and creation and 

retention of manufacturing jobs. MEP also acts as a strategic 

advisor to promote business growth and innovation and 

to connect manufacturers to public and private resources 

essential for expanding into new markets, developing 

efficient processes, and training an advanced workforce. To 

enable future profitable manufacturing growth, NIST’s MEP 

program has developed a “Technology Acceleration” program 

to ensure that federally funded technologies, particularly 

those developed by NIST, are accessible to America’s small 

manufacturers. 

NIST plays a coordinating role for the National Network 

for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI), serving the existing 

Institutes for Manufacturing Innovation (IMI) and future 

IMIs. The Federal investment in the NNMI serves to create 

an effective manufacturing research infrastructure for U.S. 

industry and academia to solve industry-relevant problems. 

The NNMI will work to maximize the integrated impact of 

the IMIs on US manufacturing competitiveness. In an IMI, 

industry, academia, and government partners leverage 

existing resources, collaborate, and co-invest to nurture 

manufacturing innovation and accelerate commercialization.

With the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 

2010, the Under Secretary for Standards and Technology—

the NIST Director—was provided Federal governmentwide responsibilities for technology transfer, which 

include coordinating Federal agency activities for the 

commercialization of technology developed at Federal 

laboratories. NIST leads interagency workgroups that 

promote the transfer of technology developed from Federal 

laboratories, as well as federally funded research performed 

by partners at universities, businesses, and non-government 

organizations. NIST is also the host agency for the Federal 

Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer and plays a 

lead role in evaluating the performance of government efforts 

to develop technology through external partnerships and 

transfer technology to support U.S. economic development. 
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To most effectively accomplish its mission, NIST must 

be capable, relevant, and effective. This means that NIST 

must be forward-looking in order to build and maintain 

world-leading scientific capacity in the technology areas 

that will shape future industries, while at the same time 

having the agility to build programs that apply NIST’s 

technical capabilities to the Nation’s most immediate 

needs. In addition, NIST must continue to strengthen and 

improve the internal processes necessary to accomplish 

its mission with the greatest efficiency and effectiveness 

possible. 

NIST continually collects information on major national 

issues, shifting trends in science and technology, and 

the performance of key operational processes through 

a variety of mechanisms including meetings, workshops, 

industry visits, and objective peer review of its programs. 

This input is viewed in the context of the NIST mission to 

make decisions on where NIST needs to develop specific 

capabilities, how to best marshal existing resources to 

address current issues, and how to continually optimize 

the organization for improved performance.

NIST has identified four long-term trends against which to 

optimize its capacity: precision measurements, systems, 

data, and partnerships and collaborations. These trends 

reflect broader societal and technological changes that 

may require fundamental changes in perspective or focus 

for maximum effectiveness of NIST’s programs over the 

long-term. Generally, these trends are outcomes of a 

more connected society — one where our economy is 

based on multifaceted systems-of-systems that present 

challenges of interoperability, awareness, prediction, 

and information-sharing. This future requires NIST to 

continue to develop relevant measurement solutions 

and to provide trusted data, to convene stakeholders 

and be a trusted technical expert, and to support highly 

productive partnerships that address shared challenges.

NIST STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

3 THE NIST STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
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The growing integration of information technology with our physical, economic, and social worlds is one of the 

greatest sources of innovation in the 21st century. Interconnected networks of computers have become essential 

for every aspect of our lives including air traffic control, factory operation, and electric power distribution. However, 

these networks also present an opportunity for malicious attacks with effects from irritating to catastrophic. Not 

a day goes by without a new story of consumer and financial data stolen, government networks attacked, or 

people’s personal data being stolen and used against them in acts of intimidation or humiliation. 

NIST is a recognized world leader in cybersecurity, with a track record of accelerating the development and 

deployment of cybersecurity solutions and standards that are reliable, usable, interoperable, and secure, as well 

as the measurements and standards infrastructure for emerging cybersecurity applications. NIST is committed to 

growing its technical capabilities to ensure excellence and independence. NIST continually explores opportunities 

for new collaboration mechanisms to strengthen and support the cybersecurity of U.S. businesses, government, 

and individuals, with a special focus on the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure. 

Cryptographic standards, guidelines, reference materials, and conformance programs for protecting sensitive 

information in transit or storage are a key component of NIST’s effort to supply standards, guidelines, tests, 

and metrics to protect non-national security federal information systems. These standards must be robust and 

have the confidence of the cryptographic community to be widely adopted and effective at securing information 

systems worldwide. To ensure these standards provide high-quality, cost-effective security mechanisms, 

NIST works closely with a broad stakeholder community to select, define, and promulgate these standards and 

guidelines. NIST continually works to strengthen its internal capabilities and its partnerships to 

ensure the best standards and guidelines possible.

The Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, produced by NIST in collaboration with 

stakeholders, will help organizations charged with providing the nation’s financial, energy, health care and other 

critical systems better protect their information and physical assets from cyber attack. The framework provides a 

structure that organizations, suppliers, and customers can use to create, guide, assess, communicate, or improve 

comprehensive cybersecurity programs.

The National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) provides businesses with real-world cybersecurity 

solutions—based on commercially available technologies. The center brings together experts from industry, 

government and academia to demonstrate integrated cybersecurity that is cost-effective, repeatable, and 

scalable. Hosted by NIST, the center fosters collaboration with industry to identify and solve today’s most pressing 

cybersecurity challenges.

The National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) is a White House initiative to work 

collaboratively with the private sector, advocacy groups, public sector agencies, and other organizations to 

improve the privacy, security, and convenience of online transactions. The vision of NSTIC is for individuals and 

organizations to use secure, efficient, easy-to-use, and interoperable identity solutions to access online services 

in a manner that promotes confidence, privacy, choice, and innovation.

The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) seeks to establish an operational, sustainable, and 

continually improving cybersecurity education and awareness programs for the nation. 

SPOTLIGHT ON: CYBERSECURITY
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3.1 PRECISION 

MEASUREMENTS

Recent advances in computing, communications, and 

manufacturing technologies have enabled the rapid 

expansion of sensor use. Sensors measuring physical, 

chemical, biological, and material properties are 

being used in everything from military equipment to 

smartphones. Still, the performance of these sensors 

is inadequate for many applications—for example, 

reliability, and accuracy are required qualities for 

manufacturing, defense, and health-care. Such highperformance, mobile sensors would also unlock untold 

consumer applications, from quantified health to 

smart-systems for the home. 

NIST has the unique mission to address these 

challenges—bringing precision measurement to the 

ubiquitous sensing revolution. While continuing to 

do leading-edge metrology research to ensure US 

leadership in measurement science, NIST will begin 

to not just ask what’s the best measurement that 

can be made in a laboratory, but what’s the best 

measurement that can be made anywhere. 

NIST will use its strong ties to industry, state and 

local governments, and other federal agencies to 

determine the most important sensor qualities 

for a given application—for example, size, energy 

efficiency, robustness, or cost—ensuring maximum 

utility and optimizing technology transfer. Our proven 

expertise in nanotechnology, miniaturization, quantum 

devices, and precision measurement will enable rapid 

development in this area.

A D VA N C E D S E N S I N G F O R 

M A N U F A C T U R I N G 

NIST will expand efforts to develop measurement 

science and standards that will accelerate the design, 

development, and manufacturability of advanced 

electronic and photonic devices—those that require new 

concepts, architectures, materials, and manufacturing 

methods. NIST will address a rapidly emerging trend in 

manufacturing: the need for advanced sensing using 

non-invasive sensing and real-time process analysis 

to reduce the rejection rate associated with the 

manufacture of high-value added products that involves 

multiple complex steps. Industry needs breakthrough 

technologies and new device architectures to realize 

necessary future sensor performance. NIST will provide 

measurement science and standards to support the 

development of distributed and ubiquitous devices 

that can be integrated everywhere by consumers and 

manufacturers, to meet diverse needs.
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B I O M A N U F A C T U R I N G 

The industrial potential of biomanufacturing is to use living 

organisms to produce a commodity, such as fuel, chemicals, 

pharmaceuticals, or medical therapies. Creating efficient, 

reliable biomanufacturing processes requires the development 

of tools to explore, manipulate, and ultimately explain the 

intricate complexities of biological cells. NIST will address the 

technical challenges faced by the biomanufacturing industry 

by developing a suite of quantitative methods for accurate 

measurement of biological systems, creating the necessary 

tools to methodically design and test engineered organisms. 

Such tools are badly needed but challenging to develop 

since biological cells are inherently complex and interact 

with the environment in unexpected ways. NIST will use its 

convening power and its expertise in precision measurement 

to coordinate the strategic development and implementation 

of accurate and quantitative measurements of engineered 

biological systems. 

EMERGING NANOTECHNOLOGIES

NIST’s CNST provides a uniquely designed nanotechnology 

user facility that serves the NIST laboratories, government 

agencies, academia, and industry. The CNST user facility 

consists of the NanoFab, providing all users with rapid access 

to state of the art commercial nanofabrication and nanoscale 

measurement equipment, and the NanoLab, affording 

the opportunity for users to collaborate on developing 

fabrication and measurement solutions not yet available on a 

commercial basis through collaboration with a talented staff 

of CNST scientists. Its research program, equipment base, 

and services offered to the users are continually refined and 

adjusted to reflect user needs and provide excellent coverage 

of the broad spectrum of nanotechnology research. 

Q U A N T U M - B A S E D S E N S O R S A N D 

M E A S U R E M E N T S 

Quantum information science is an emerging research 

field with the potential to revolutionize computation, 

communication, precision measurement, and fundamental 

quantum science. This field seeks to harness the fundamental 

laws of physics to dramatically improve information 

acquisition, transmission, and processing. NIST will expand 

efforts to advance quantum information science to improve 

information security and assurance, improve standards, and 

develop more-sensitive sensors for a variety of applications. 
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3.2 SYSTEMS

The complexity of engineered systems is rapidly 

growing beyond what the world has seen before. 

These systems cannot be fully understood with 

conventional analytical and modeling techniques. 

Furthermore, these systems are being applied in new 

application areas, forging new partnerships between 

providers. For example, the proliferation of cyberphysical systems (CPS), where remote decision making 

and control is enabled by analytical techniques and 

embedded measurements, is not just expanding the 

types and complexity of systems operating worldwide, 

but it’s bringing together new such new technologies 

and groups that communication and standards are 

more necessary than ever. These CPS could have an 

outsized impact on our economy – by one estimate, 

the deployment of next-generation CPS across the 

transportation, energy, and health sectors alone has 

the potential to boost U.S. productivity growth by as 

much as 1.5% and increase per capita GDP by 25%–

40% percent by 2030.1

 

At the same time, improved measurement, modeling, 

and data analytic techniques are enabling better 

understanding of existing systems and processes—

whether physical, chemical, engineering, or biological—

at the system level. Fundamental research into the 

measurement science of these systems—science 

elucidating how to understand, predict, and even 

control such systems—is needed. 

To meet the needs of the future economy, one that is 

increasingly dependent on system-level phenomena, 

NIST must both invest in fundamental research to 

understand the behaviors of systems, and in its 

convening role to ensure all system stakeholders can 

benefit from these new technologies. 

A D VA N C E D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S 

New and improved spectrum sharing technologies are 

promising technologies that can address spectrum 

scarcity due to strict, exclusive, and static allocation of 

frequency bands. Spectrum sharing technologies could 

benefit many applications, such as device-to-device 

communications in mobile cellular networks and sensor 

networks. Spectrum sharing can also play an important 

role in prioritizing traffic in the unlicensed spectrum. 

However, spectrum sharing involves multiple users with 

diverse technologies interacting with the system, which 

could produce unwanted interference or performance 

degradation for primary users. To promote industry 

adoption of spectrum sharing technologies, NIST will 

build a multi-purpose test facility that can replicate a 

variety of complex electromagnetic environments to 

accurately determine the interference, coexistence, 

and electromagnetic compatibility of these wireless 

devices and systems, as well as develop spectrum 

sensing and spectrum coordination technologies, thus 

providing industry a way to identify potential issues 

with the next generation of wireless systems before 

they are commercialized and deployed.

CYBER PHYSICAL SYSTEMS (CPS)

Facing rapid population growth, inefficient and aging 

infrastructures, and the needs of an increasingly digital 

society, communities across the nation look to harness 

the power of emerging CPS technologies to improve 

livability, workability, resilience, and sustainability. 

Among the largest barriers to meeting these goals 

are limitations in the interoperability and scalability of 

many of today’s smart city solutions. These barriers 

mean that today’s smart city systems are often custom 

implementations that are costly and inefficient; create 

stranded systems that cannot readily be upgraded or 

extended; and stifle innovation and growth. NIST will 

develop measurement science and technical standards 

required for the design and performance measurement 

1 http://files.gereports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/ge-industrial-internet-vision-paper.pdf
12 | NIST THREE YEAR PROGRAMMATIC PLAN

of scalable, extensible, and interoperable smart city solutions 

that empower U.S. communities and ensure American 

companies can be competitive in the rapidly growing global 

smart city market.

D I S A S T E R R E S I L I E N C E 

Preventing hazards (e.g., earthquakes, hurricanes, and 

community-scale fires) from becoming debilitating disasters 

depends upon the disaster resilience of our buildings and 

infrastructure. Disaster resilience can be enhanced by 

developing a robust capability to predict the effects of hazards 

on the performance of complex structural systems. Realizing 

this will require data to characterize the hazard, validated 

physics-based models to predict performance, metrics for 

measuring performance, and mitigation strategies based on 

performance evaluation. NIST will develop the measurement 

science required to achieve disaster resilient buildings and 

infrastructure in a timely manner.

3.3 DATA 

With the rapid increase—40% year over year—of global 

data over the past decade, new research opportunities and 

business models have been built on the generation, analysis, 

and use of new and old data sources. By 2015, according to 

Gartner, data-driven innovation is projected to help create 

4.4 million IT jobs globally, of which 1.9 million will be in the 

U.S. 

While the promise of data-driven innovation is obvious, 

studies have shown2 that most data in this information age 

resides in silos, is often not interoperable, and is not easily 

accessible or machine/human readable, all of which impedes 

access to the underlying knowledge. NIST will develop the 

measurement science needed to foster continued innovation 

and deployment of data-driven technology and will provide 

leadership in characterization of the critically important 

factors related to data quality and the automation used to 

generate and analyze this data. 

Researchers are able to collect ever increasing volumes of 

data—whether because the measurements are higher fidelity, 

more frequent, or broader—presenting both an opportunity 

and a challenge. NIST is investing in organizations, talent, 

and infrastructures to ensure that this data is properly 

analyzed, curated, stored, and shared, maximizing the utility 

of every measurement. These actions also support recent 

policy directives from the administration3

 require Federal 

Departments and Agencies to take steps to make scientific 

data and publications more readily available and accessible 

by the public.

Above all, NIST’s role in data must remain as a standardbearer for quality, characterization, and integrity. NIST’s 

Standard Reference Data (SRD) collection is a national asset 

for research and industry, containing physical, material, 

chemical, and biological data covering a broad range of 

substances and properties. This data is among the best 

2

 The Open Data Economy: Unlocking Economic Value by Opening Government and Public Data, Capgemini Consulting

3OMB Memo M-10-06 Open Government Directive; OMB Memo M-13-13 Open Data Policy — Managing Information as an 

Asset; and, the February 22, 2013 Memo Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research
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2016–2018 | 1 3 

characterized, high-quality data available. NIST will 

continue to find ways to make this SRD more usable 

and accessible, and to expand the suite of SRD to meet 

stakeholders’ needs.

C R Y P T O G R A P H Y A N D P R I VA C Y 

The proliferation of data generation, storage, and 

use associated with the digital economy is making 

it increasingly important to protect that data with 

effective cryptography and privacy standards. NIST’s 

core technical capabilities cannot stagnate if NIST is 

to keep pace in what has become a rapidly escalating 

arms race to protect our individual, corporate, and 

public sector data, information, and systems from 

attacks from individual actors, criminal organizations, 

and nation-states. NIST must immediately build out its 

technical talent in cryptography to effectively address 

the rapidly emerging threats in this field with new and 

needed cryptographic standards and technologies. 

Simultaneously, with more citizens using web-based 

tools for everyday activities ranging from holiday 

shopping to online bill payment to using social media 

tools to stay connected with friends and family there 

is a pressing need for robust tools that provide users 

assurance about the privacy of their information and 

their online transactions and allowing systems to 

provide essential privacy capabilities.

M AT E R I A L S G E N O M E I N I T I AT I V E 

NIST has a key role in the Materials Genome Initiative 

(MGI), an interagency effort to capitalize on recent 

breakthroughs in materials modeling, theory, and 

data mining to significantly accelerate discovery and 

deployment of advanced materials while decreasing 

their cost. To support this effort, NIST is developing an 

advanced materials innovation infrastructure, including 

data assessment and validation, data standards, and 

modeling and simulation tools. As the leadership of the 

public-private partnership Materials Project (one of the 

inspirations for the MGI) noted recently, “data is only 

useful if it is accessible, characterized (e.g. through its 

metadata), contains uncertainty quantification, and if 

an ontology exists to connect diverse data items.” By 

leveraging resources and partnerships, NIST will assist 

U.S. manufacturers in achieving materials-by-design 

for high-tech products in a range of industrial sectors. 

New measurement science and standards developed 

based on this infrastructure will enable industrial 

researchers to effectively discover data and models, 

assess their quality, and use them to maximum effect. 

L A B T O M A R K E T 

In support of the Administration’s Cross Agency 

Priority Goals, NIST will execute a set of pilot programs 

to designed to empower effective collaborations, open 

R&D assets, and develop entrepreneurial skills. A 

particular NIST focus will be to make R&D assets more 

accessible to the private sector. Filling a significant gap 

in existing efforts to increase the transfer of technology 

developed through federally-funded research and 

development, NIST will lead the development of digital 

platforms to enhance cross-agency collaborations 

on technology transfer and development. Building 

on efforts to streamline access to assets from the 

federally funded R&D enterprise, these digital 

platforms will increase visibility of and connectivity 

between those assets. They will promote collaboration 

between agencies on specific national priority 

technology areas, enabling stakeholders to identify 

available, complementary technology components, 

thus accelerating development of new technological 

systems. These platforms will also enable large-scale 

dissemination of information while providing advanced 

capabilities to collect and organize information in ways 

that better address national priorities and business 

needs.
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3.4 COLLABORATION AND 

PARTNERSHIP

To meet its mission in the face of growing national priorities, 

a widening stakeholder base, and a constrained budget 

environment, NIST is increasingly partnering with academic, 

industrial, and governmental institutions. More than ever 

before, national priorities require the united efforts of 

diverse participants. NIST’s convening power and technical 

independence can help bring those participants together to 

meet those needs.

This trend builds on NIST’s historical success with partnerships 

and stakeholder engagement. NIST’s user facilities, the NIST 

Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) and the Center for 

Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST) allow industry, 

academia, and government researchers to use state-of-the-art 

technical equipment to accelerate innovation. NIST has longstanding research partnerships with universities in JILA, the 

Hollings Marine Laboratory, the Joint Quantum Institute, and 

the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, all of 

which have produced unparalleled technical breakthroughs. 

The Baldrige Performance Excellence Program partners with 

the Baldrige Foundation and the Alliance for Performance 

Excellence, a network of more than 30 independent 

Baldrige-based programs, to provide services and improve 

organizational performance and competitiveness in nearly 

every state and territory. The NIST Hollings Manufacturing 

Extension Partnership (MEP) program partners with Centers 

in every state across the country to help small and mid-sized 

U.S. manufacturers create and retain jobs, increase profits, 

and save time and money. 

More recently, NIST has worked with diverse stakeholders to 

develop standards frameworks that promote interoperability 

and measurement science. Examples of these frameworks 

include the Smart Grid Framework and Roadmap and 

the Framework for Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity. 

These frameworks, which have been well-received by their 

stakeholders, provide the foundation for interoperability and 

performance in these national priority areas.

NIST has also developed a Center of Excellence program, 

which provides an interdisciplinary environment where 

researchers from NIST, academia, and industry collaborate 

on emerging areas of basic and applied research and 

innovations in measurement science. This program expands 

NIST’s capabilities in areas of critical national need. In FY14, 

NIST partnered with a consortium led by Northwestern 

University to establish the Center for Hierarchical Materials 

Design (CHiMaD), which focuses on advanced materials. NIST 

also expanded the Center of Excellence program with two 

additional Centers, one focused on Disaster Resilience and 

another on Forensic Science. NIST will expand this program 

in additional areas of need as they arise.
2016-2018

2016–2018 | 1 5 

P U B L I C S A F E T Y 

C O M M U N I C AT I O N S 

The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act 

of 2012 (the “Act”) established the First Responder 

Network Authority (“FirstNet”) as an independent 

authority within the National Telecommunications and 

Information Administration to ensure the building, 

deployment, and operation of the first nationwide 

public safety broadband network (“NPSBN”). 

This Act also charged NIST to, in consultation with 

other Federal entities, conduct research and assist 

with the development of standards, technologies, 

and applications to advance wireless public safety 

communications. Moreover, NIST is to coordinate with 

FirstNet and others in its activities under this program. 

NIST has a robust plan to engage the full spectrum 

of stakeholders in this research and development 

(R&D) program — from the first responder users and 

the Public Safety Advisory Committee established 

under the Act to Federal government agencies, from 

academic researchers to the information technology 

and communications industry leaders. This will include 

stakeholder-driven summits to establish and refine 

R&D roadmaps, a competitive industry collaboration 

program, and continued partnerships with FirstNet 

and other Federal agencies.

H O L L I N G S M A N U F A C T U R I N G 

E X T E N S I O N P A R T N E R S H I P 

A robust advanced manufacturing base is essential 

for a sustainable regional innovation ecosystem. NIST, 

through its national network of 60 MEP Centers, 

will play a central role in transferring manufacturing 

technology to small and mid-sized firms, working 

in close collaboration with regional partners NIST 

has initiated a systematic, multi-year, full and open 

re-competition of the national system of MEP Centers 

that will optimize program effectiveness, enhance 

administrative efficiency, and provide greater financial 

accountability. The re-competition will enable Centers 

to more fully support regional initiatives, participate 

in responses to Federal multi-agency solicitations, 

serve very small, rural, and start-up firms, and develop 

innovative approaches to national priorities such as 

workforce development and exports. 

NATIONAL NETWORK FOR

MANUFACTURING INNOVATION

In December 2014, Congress passed and President 

Obama signed the Revitalize American Manufacturing 

and Innovation (RAMI) Act of 2014, calling for the 

establishment of a National Network for Manufacturing 

Innovation (NNMI). Based on broad public input,4 NNMI 

represents a powerful new model of public-private 

partnerships in technology development and transfer. 

Institutes established by NIST will be in topics identified 

and led by industry, enabling the development of an 

interrelated innovation ecosystem that builds both 

competitiveness and human capital readiness. The 

Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office 

(AMNPO) at NIST will work with other federal partners 

and existing institutes to establish network governance 

processes and frameworks for performance evaluation, 

risk management, communication and operations, and 

engagement with the manufacturing supply chain. 

In support of this effort, the AMNPO will leverage 

the MEP network to ensure that small manufacturers 

inform institute research priorities and deploy resulting 

innovations. NIST will also run an open competition 

for additional institutes on topics most important to 

industry. As new institutes are created, NIST play a 

critical role coordinating issues, opportunities, and 

resources to ensure an efficient and effective network.

4 January 2013, “National Network for Manufacturing Innovation: A Preliminary Design,” prepared by the Executive 

Office of the President, the National Science and Technology Council, and the Advanced Manufacturing National 

Program Office, January 2013, http://www.manufacturing.gov/docs/nnmi_prelim_design.pdf.
16 | NIST THREE YEAR PROGRAMMATIC PLAN

W O R L D C L A S S N E U T R O N 

R E S E A R C H F A C I L I T Y 

Developing the products of tomorrow require providing 

industry access to sophisticated measurement tools. Neutrons 

provide information about material structure and dynamics 

that simply cannot be obtained using methods available in 

researchers’ own laboratories. That’s why worldwide demand 

for neutron measurement capabilities far exceeds supply. 

It is essential to U.S. industry and the long-term economic 

growth of the U.S. that the NCNR—with its unique focus on 

industrial competitiveness—is optimally equipped to provide 

state-of-the-art measurement tools to the U.S. scientific 

and engineering community. Rising reactor fuel costs and 

required maintenance threatens efficient, optimal operation 

of the NCNR.

M A N U F A C T U R I N G 

E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P 

Easier access to technologies like 3D printers, design software, 

and desktop machine tools has democratized manufacturing 

and spurred grass-roots entrepreneurship — developing a 

“maker” economy. NIST will foster and accelerate the maker 

trend by providing infrastructure and education needed to 

promote knowledge transfer, facilitate experimentation, and 

connect makers to the manufacturing eco-system.

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