Request for Proposals

I. Introduction

Carnegie Mellon University’s Manufacturing Futures Institute (MFI) is requesting research proposals that align with the MFI mission to inspire, engineer, and lead technological and workforce advances for agile, intelligent, efficient, resilient, and sustainable manufacturing.

As background, for the present 2025-2026 fiscal year, MFI has set four primary interlinked goals:

• Make tangible progress toward long-term institute sustainability that maintains MFI’s level of impact and associated growth
• Identify and make widely visible an intellectual “center-scale” research vision and scope with a five-year horizon toward a core well-defined “intellectual identity”
• Expand both internal and external stakeholder participation and championing of MFI, with particular emphasis at Mill 19, making MFI a competitive influence for awards
• Identify a strategy and timeline for MFI’s role in education and workforce development, aligning with the first three goals

Progress specifically toward the second goal above–a center-scale research vision–is desired. Moving forward, a “center-scale” driving vision and corresponding structured teaming is required as a viable path to compete for mid-scale to large-scale federally funded research opportunities. Additionally, such center-scale focus is more likely to attract a cohesive set of industry partners as a further basis to grow and sustain MFI. The ultimate societal outcome is empowering human workers, by prioritizing their well-being, creativity, and unique capabilities, to accelerate innovation in manufacturing and positively impact manufacturing efficiency. Performance of the requisite research at a system scale is made possible through this envisioned integrated center-scale program.

During the summer of 2025, MFI hosted two workshops focused on identifying and discussing integrative and thematic aspects of MFI research strategy, and subsequent investment through the next five years. As a result of these workshops, MFI seeks collective and integrative efforts to build a human-centered research program that embraces the convergence of data, artificial intelligence, digital twin, automation, and virtualization technologies.

Projects are intended to seed and initiate exciting research collaborations that address the MFI center-scale research objectives. Selected projects are expected to participate in convergent research toward these objectives. Specifically, awards through this RFP will generate a collection of project teams that also will work together toward a larger multi-year research vision, as outlined in the next section.

MFI’s aim, starting with projects through this RFP, is to identify the key technical gaps, prioritize research themes and partnerships, and invest in projects that tangibly build toward a collective long-term vision of human-centered physical-to-digital-to-physical feedback within and across the manufacturing lifecycle.

II. MFI vision of the future of manufacturing

MFI was founded on the postulate that the future of manufacturing occurs through the convergence of manufacturing technologies, digital innovation, and human intelligence. Broad-based teaming within the MFI center-scale initiative requires a distinct vision of the desired end-state arising from that convergence. A start is to declare the digital transformation of manufacturing as the integration of advanced digital technologies with physical production to create a responsive, adaptive, and connected ecosystem. At the heart of this transformation is a continuous physical-to-digital-to-physical loop, where data from the physical world is captured (via sensors and IoT), analyzed in the digital realm (using AI and simulation), and used to drive intelligent action back to the physical world through connected human workers and machines. An open-loop solution that merely generates data, without appropriate and actionable feedback to both the human worker and physical systems, leaves the most significant return on investment unrecovered. Closing of the physical-to-digital-to-physical loop via a robust digital data backbone that curates data, stores semantic relationships, and accumulates knowledge is key to realizing the full potential of the digital transformation.

This emerging vision applies to all aspects of the manufacturing lifecycle, as represented for a generic manufacturing sector in the image below, evidenced by tight feedback (and feedforward) within steps in the manufacturing flow, by feedback between steps in the lifecycle, as well as by enterprise-wide “end-to-end” feedback.

Applications of the full vision are virtually limitless. A short list of example applications include:

• Accelerated discovery of materials, co-design of products with manufacturability, and invention of products informed by lifecycle feedback
• Product qualification, comparing metrology with design
• Process adaptation occurring downstream or upstream within a process flow
• Causal reasoning in real-time to troubleshoot, diagnose, detect and isolate defects, and identify root causes of faults and failures for increased up-time and agile production ramp
• Agile, versatile, and error-correcting robotics for manufacturing
• Optimal control of unit, short loop, and end-to-end processes, including with humans in the loop
• Optimal orchestration of workflow scheduling, routing, and asset operation, including machines, humans, and robot workers
• Workforce training, augmentation, and safety

The next generation of advances in manufacturing require more than digitalization and the application of AI. Future manufacturing must embrace a human-centric quality by shifting from a focus purely on automation and efficiency to a model that prioritizes the well-being, creativity, and unique capabilities of human workers (often referred to as Industry 5.0). Successful digital transformation will require a manufacturing environment of collaboration between humans and machines, intuitive communication between humans and AI agents, and individualization of training and workstations. Therefore, a human-centric convergence of data, AI, digital twins, automation, and virtualization technologies is at the core of MFI’s approach to the digital transformation of manufacturing. This human-centric technology convergence must occur at each discrete process step along a product’s manufacturing flow path, and is complete when the entire manufacturing environment is seamlessly integrated having a closed physical-to-digital-to-physical communication loop.

A challenge with realizing the vision outlined above is in the alignment of manufacturing-relevant capabilities within academia and U.S. priorities. There is consensus that MFI seed efforts should focus on lab-scale and small-scale manufacturing, rather than large volume manufacturing. The continuous loop vision, when implemented within lab-scale testbeds available to academia, shows promise to enable bespoke (high-mix) manufacturing at large-scale manufacturing efficiencies. Successful proposals will address how the research outcomes, physically demonstrated on university testbeds, are relevant and may transition to production environments.

III. MFI cross-cutting digitalization areas of interest

Proposed projects should reflect broadly the convergence of manufacturing technologies, digital innovation, and human intelligence, while having a focus to provide tangible output toward the vision introduced in Section II. This section provides a starter discussion of digital innovation and human-centered digitalization concepts and aspects that are strategic cross-cutting areas of interest for MFI. These concepts are based on findings from the MFI summer workshops.

Complementary to the cross-cutting areas of interest, the underlying manufacturing technology (or science) driver for a proposed project may pull from a broad array of manufacturing-related areas. For example, past MFI projects have advanced fields of inquiry within additive manufacturing, robotics, nanofabrication, chemical manufacturing, biomanufacturing, human-machine interaction, and workforce development. Proposals are sought that address some vertical subset of enabling technologies and corresponding knowledge base that will support systems-level objectives exemplified and demonstrated through one of the MFI systems integration testbeds, described in Section IV. Therefore, choice of manufacturing technology driver will depend heavily on the proposed project’s relationship to the systems integration testbeds.

The MFI cross-cutting digitalization areas of interest for this RFP are listed below and described in detail in the RFP package, with some examples of potential research threads, building on feedback from the MFI summer 2025 workshops. Example research areas in the descriptions are not intended to make up an exhaustive list nor be interpreted as endorsement for selectability.

• AI
• Human-centered digitalization
• Data and interoperability infrastructure
• Digital twins
• Robotic automation
• Virtualization

IV. System integration testbeds

A goal of this year’s projects is tangible progress toward building system integration testbeds that act as a means to integrate and demonstrate the research. The envisioned testbeds operate at a scale that motivates inter-project collaboration and end-to-end results and insights that would not be possible through individual projects alone. Over time, the intent is that the testbeds act as a “sandbox” for emulating manufacturing-relevant unit-process and end-to-end workflows. The testbeds thus provide supported experimental use cases for exploring and progressing in MFI manufacturing research that benefit from the confluence of data, AI, digital twins, automation, and virtualization. While most testbeds will, by their nature, be centered on specific scientific capabilities, there is room for exploration of agentic and physical AI concepts, human-centered workflows, and Human-AI interaction. As a synergistic part of testbed efforts, MFI seeks proposals that justify connection of manufacturing and characterization equipment to the digital data backbone.

The MFI testbeds of interest for this RFP are listed below and described in detail in the RFP package.

• Materials Innovation Cloud Lab @ Mill 19
• Robotics Workcell Cluster @ Mill 19
• Other Relevant At-Scale Testbeds
• Digital Data Backbone (DDB)

V. Expected funding amount, period of performance, and eligibility

MFI is seeking research project proposals that are one-year in duration and has plans to fund 8-10 projects with a combined program budget of up to $1.2M. The funding amounts represent the total amount available to projects (without administrative or F&A burden). MFI reserves the right to select fewer projects and commit less than the projected funding level, depending on the number of proposals meeting objectives and availability of funds.

This solicitation is open to all CMU faculty members as Principal Investigator on a team. For informational purposes, explore a listing of faculty members currently affiliated with MFI. However, any faculty member at CMU is eligible to lead a proposal and any faculty members, staff, and students at CMU are eligible to be on a team.

View example research projects previously funded by MFI.

VI. Application process and timeline

Investigators must prepare proposals using the format and templates provided. Submissions as Principal Investigator (PI) are limited to one per person (not precluding participation on other proposals).           

Proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. A two-stage review process is planned with initial feedback provided by March 20, 2026. Awards are expected to be announced by Monday, April 6, 2026. Proposals must be submitted via InfoReady.

Expected timeline:

• January 28, 2026: RFP release
• February 6, 2026: Information session at 9:00 a.m., Scott Hall 6142
• March 3, 2026: Proposals due by 5:00 p.m.
• March 20, 2026: Notification of selection to Phase 2
• March 30, 2026: Submission deadline for additional details and responses to comments, as applicable
• April 6, 2026: Notification of awards

An information session will be held on Friday, February 6, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. in Scott Hall 6142. A Zoom link is provided in InfoReady for those unable to join in person. The background and details for the RFP will be reviewed, and MFI leadership will be available to answer questions. The session will also enable interested investigators to explore teaming opportunities. Following the session, the recording will be made available in InfoReady.

MFI will respond to questions about this request for proposals opportunity during the open submission period. We cannot answer “is my project a good idea?” However, we will provide guidance on project concepts being in scope of the MFI center-scale vision and their potential for alignment to cross-cutting areas. Please send questions to CMU-MFI@andrew.cmu.edu. We will post frequently asked questions and responses, if applicable.

Proposal format:

• The technical section must use the template provided and comprise of a one-page cover sheet and a technical narrative that is four pages maximum, including all tables and figures.
  • Use 1-inch margins on all sides.
  • Font is 11-point Times Roman type or equivalent, no less than single spaced.
  • Fonts on tables and figures are no smaller than 10-point Times Roman type or equivalent. Figure captions should not be used to skirt text format constraints.
• Budget must use the template provided and does not count toward the technical page count.
• Support letters [optional, not part of technical section page count]: Include support letters if there are external partners and/or CMU researchers that are collaborating or otherwise benefit from the project but are not named as co-investigators. Each support letter is limited to one page.

The MFI 2026 RFP Information Package is available for download via InfoReady along with the two required templates.

The Technical Proposal Template includes a Cover Sheet (one page) and Technical Narrative (four pages maximum) that addresses the following:

1. Project Aims, Rationale, and Objectives
2. Innovative Claims
3. Technical Approach
4. MFI Center-Scale Contribution
5. System Integration Testbed Strategy
6. Teaming and Expertise
7. Milestones, Metrics, and Deliverables
8. Support Letters (optional, not part of technical narrative page count)

The Budget Template is not part of the technical section page count. It requires a project budget and justification appropriate for the proposed scope of work and is to be uploaded separately. The period of performance should be one year and start on May 1, 2026 and end on April 30, 2027. Describe any committed cost share from partners (e.g., industry) if applicable (not required). Note that the budget may not include any tenure-track faculty salary, conference fees or travel, or publication fees. Non tenure-track faculty or investigator salary must be limited to one month combined for all applicable investigators.

VII. Proposal evaluation

Proposals will be evaluated by ad-hoc reviewers, primarily CMU faculty members. Final approval of grant awardees will be made by MFI leadership.

While all proposals will be treated as confidential with respect to protecting investigator ideas, we reserve the right to be proactive with facilitating development. For example, depending on the ideas we receive, we may approach investigators to explore possible alternative or additional collaborations when it might add valuable new perspectives to a project. We may ask investigators to revise proposals prior to funding, based on reviewer feedback. We may request to bundle two or more projects as part of a larger coherent thematic thrust, for example to coordinate multiple directed projects in one of the two thematic areas.

The review scoring criteria is multi-faceted. It is likely that proposals will score highly on some criteria and lower on other criteria due to the limited scope and funding of the proposals. Review scoring is based on the extent to which the project meets the following criteria:

• Relevance of project aims and objectives (15%): Quality and relevance of the stated aims, objectives, and scope to the future of manufacturing. Relevance of the efforts on MFI cross-cutting digitalization area(s) in advancing the chosen manufacturing applications. Appropriateness of the scope of work relative to a one-year timeframe.
• Level of innovation (15%): Level of innovation in the research compared with prior related, applicable work and existing capabilities in the literature or online (e.g., software). The extent to which the research outcomes of the proposed work address industry-relevant use cases and/or may transition to industry-relevant manufacturing practice.
• Clear and viable technical approach (15%): Comprehensiveness of the technical approach that explains a clear and viable workflow to achieve the stated objectives.
• Degree in contributing to MFI strategic vision and programming for Center of Excellence in the digitalization of manufacturing (15%): The extent and degree to which the project contributes in specific ways to the center-scale vision outlined in the RFP, particularly in the context of addressing challenges and/or application of one or more of the MFI cross-cutting digitalization areas. The extent that the project outcome acts as a building block toward defining and executing on a longer programmatic vision and inspires further follow-on research activity.
• Coherent plan for technology integration with system integration testbed(s) (15%): The extent that the project seeds future innovation through technology integration into MFI systems-level testbeds. Aspects include the degree to which the contribution related to system integration testbed development is extensible, modular, and/or flexible to be useful when used in concert with prospective related system integration activities. Additional consideration includes assessment on expanding the capability of the system integration testbed(s) to address industry relevant use cases.
• Milestones, measurable metrics, and deliverables (10%): Clear milestones appropriate to accomplish the objectives and defined in terms of metrics with identifiable completion measures or other relevant characteristics. The extent that deliverables and expected outputs are tangible, correspond to project objectives, demonstrate concept viability, and contribute to system integration.
• Appropriate interdisciplinary expertise to accomplish objectives (10%): The expertise of the team has the fit and quality to lead to project success.
• Budget (5%): Budget reasonableness (e.g., the proposed work, outputs and deliverables can be accomplished within the budget; budgeted line items are appropriate given the scope).

VIII. Awarded project requirements

If accepting an award, PI award recipients will be required to:

• Submit quarterly reports in Word document format outlining the progress of the project and its financial status.
• Include a project overview PowerPoint slide at the time of award and with each quarterly report. This slide highlights the project aspects and major results. Include additional PowerPoint slides that provide detail of technical highlights and milestones achieved.
• Engage in system integration activities as specified in the proposal.
• Provide deliverables as specified in the proposal.
• Attend and participate, and occasionally present on request, in MFI research program meetings to be scheduled on a regular basis (e.g., monthly); ensure at least one team member is able to attend.
• Provide additional summary and presentation information periodically upon request for reporting to the Richard King Mellon Foundation.
• Present project progress to the MFI community on a rotating basis at MFI monthly meetings, working into schedule and availability (no more than once per semester).
• PIs may be called upon to present their work on an as-needed basis throughout the year. For example, we plan to hold the MFI Technical Exchange annually in November where MFI thematic areas, project results, and demonstrations will be highlighted. PIs may also be called upon to present or demonstrate their project(s) at MFI events involving industry executives and government leaders.

Intellectual property (IP) developed under the projects remains under the default, standard terms of the university, unless otherwise waived by the university.