1. LIFT- Technology Rapid Innovation
“FAST FORGE PROCESS”
Fast Forge Level A “Top Down” Projects:
Rapid innovation projects to match needs of Gold and Silver members to SME’s capabilities
Short duration
Cooperative agreement funded at 50% cost share and operating within MRL 4-7 or 100% company funded proprietary project
SME leads the project
Benefits
SME engagement
Builds the network ecosystem
Advancing manufacturing technologies by improving production, spurring investment and competitive advantage
SME Project Requirements
In-good standing as member
Must have technology and capabilities for expressed needs
Timeline for the cooperative agreement projects to be under <8 months from approval
Propriety, company funded project timeline can be tailored to fit expressed needs
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A

2. LIFT- Technology Rapid Innovation
“FAST FORGE PROCESS”
Fast Forge Level B “Bottom Up” Projects:
Rapid innovation projects to match needs of Gold and Silver members to SME’s capabilities
Short duration
Cooperative agreement funded at 50% cost share and operating within MRL 4-7 or 100% company funded proprietary project
SME leads the project Benefits
Opportunity for funding independently developed SME internal technologies
SME engagement
Builds the network ecosystem
Advancing manufacturing technologies by improving production, spurring investment and competitive advantage
SME Project Requirements
In-good standing as member
Must have technology and capabilities for expressed needs
Timeline for the cooperative agreement projects to be under <8 months from approval
Propriety, company funded project timeline can be tailored to fit expressed needs
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level B

3. LIFT- Technology Rapid Innovation
“FAST FORGE PROCESS”
Level A & B Step-By-Step Process
How an SME can participate:
Review the submitted Gold/Silver Needs
See Slide 10 for form format
Submit Proposed Solutions Using the Five-Page Template Provided (See Slides )
Proposal Timeline:
Completed Proposed Solution MUST be submitted to LIFT within two weeks from broadcast date (min (4x) times – max (12x) times annually)
Use provided template
Terms and Conditions:
See Slides 17-19
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A/B

4. LIFT- Technology Rapid Innovation
“FAST FORGE PROCESS”
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Kickoff
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A/B

5. LIFT- Technology Rapid Innovation
“FAST FORGE PROCESS”
Level A and Level B Proposal Review and Award Protocols
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A

6. LIFT- Technology Rapid Innovation
“FAST FORGE PROCESS”
Member Notification
LIFT sends out regular notifications to all members that the Fast Forge funding opportunity is open for proposals
LIFT updates website to include a Fast Forge section including timing, funding amounts and the Fast Forge process including submission forms for both Level A and Level B proposals
Notification sent 4x year for Level A Needs to Gold/Silver members.
Notification sent 4x year for Level A proposals to SME members
Notification sent monthly (12x year) for Level B proposals (quasi-open enrollment for SME proposals)
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A

7. LIFT- Technology Rapid Innovation
“FAST FORGE PROCESS”
Member Proposal Review Protocols
The LIFT Fast Forge Evaluation Committee (FFEC) reviews Level A and Level B proposals on a regular basis, e.g., every 2 weeks
FFEC evaluation criteria includes: 1. technology merit; 2. technology MRL; 3. program timing; 4. funding requirement or total project value/cost shares: 5. Gold/Silver needs (Level A); 6. Applicability of SME Level B technology relative to Gold/ Silver needs (Level B proposals); 7. additional considerations
LIFT FFEC assesses Level A and Level B proposals for relative merit, interfaces with Gold/Silver members and makes recommendations to LIFT CTO a minimum of 4x per year
LIFT CTO selects Level A and Level B proposals from filtered FFEC recommendations
LIFT CTO announces Gold/Silver (Level A) funding award at TDC / Weekly Leader meetings or at an appropriate venue of the CTO’s choice
LIFT FFEC communicates funding awards to SMEs (Level B) immediately following selection
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A

8. LIFT- Technology Rapid Innovation
“FAST FORGE PROCESS”
Post Award Review Protocols
The LIFT Fast Forge Evaluation Committee (FFEC) reviews Level A and Level B progress relative to agreed upon targets for technology, program timing and cost (per LIFT supplied one page status reporting form required on a weekly basis)
Programs not meeting targets are required to immediately supply a recovery plan within a week of notice to meet original objectives
LIFT FFEC assesses Level A and Level B recovery plans and communicates next steps to the SMEs
LIFT FFEC reserves the right to terminate projects at any time based on SME failure to meet original objectives or the introduction of commercial technologies super-ceding the need for the funded proposals
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A

9. Gold & Silver Problem Statement
LIFT- Technology Rapid Innovation
“FAST FORGE PROCESS”
Gold & Silver Problem Statement
Distributed to SMEs for Potential
Supporting Technologies
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A

10. For LIFT Member Use Only
NEEDS
Project Data
Production
R&D Development
Project# :
Assign Project Number
Date#:
Start Date
Company:
Title:
Title & Goal
Goal:
Problem / Needs
Impact
Figure 1
Figure 2
Problem/Statement
Business Case .
Deliverables .
Financials
Deliverables
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A

11. Submit Completed Template to: Sabbas@lift.technology or
SME Proposal Template
Levels A & B
Five Slides Maximum
Slides
Submit Completed Template to: or
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A/B

12. Project Scope / Solution
1 of 5
Project Data √
Cooperative
Proprietary
Project# :
Project Number
Date#:
Start Date
Company:
Co. Name
Title:
Title & Goal
Goal:
Potential Company Contact:
Potential Industry:
Potential Company:
Project Scope / Solution
State what will be within the team’s working boundaries and what the team will not be working on.
Target Technology
Figure 1
Deliverables
Determine the specific deliverables to be produced during the project.
The final deliverable goes to the customer of the project.
These deliverables can be a product, service, process, or plan.
A deliverable can be regarded as something that must be in place before changes can be accomplished. √
JOINING & ASSEMBLY
COATINGS
NOVEL/AGILE PROCESSING
Project Scope
THERMO-MECHANICAL PROCESSING
POWDER PROCESSING
MELT PROCESSING
Deliverables
Estimated cost Total Project Value (TPV $):
Estimated Total Cost Share Value
Define the measures or other indicators that will be used to (a) judge the success of the project and (b) identify ways to improve performance at a later date.
Financials
Measures
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A/B

13. Approach / Solution Summary
2 of 5
Project Data √
Cooperative
Proprietary
Project# :
Project Number
Date#:
Start Date
Company:
Co. Name
Title
Title:
Project TimeLine
Month 1
Month 2
Month 3
Month 4
Month 5
Month 6
Design/Simulation
Simulation
Design Proto Tools
Build Proto Tools
Assembly/Try
Testing /Validation
Approach / Solution Summary
Solution
Figure 1
Figure 2
Graph
Sample
Proposal / Solution
Figure 3
Figure 4
Picture
Timeline
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A/B

14. Technical Approach / Readiness of Technology
Solution
3 of 5
Project Data √
Estimate
Fixed
Total Project Value (TPV):
$$$
MRL Level:
Title
Title:
Solution
Solution
Technical Approach / Readiness of Technology
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A/B

15. Technical Approach / Readiness of Technology
Solution
4 of 5
Project Data
Proprietary
Project# :
Project Number
Title
Title:
Solution
Solution
Technical Approach / Readiness of Technology
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A/B

16. Technical Approach / Readiness of Technology
Solution
5 of 5
Project Data
Proprietary
Project# :
Project Number
Title
Title:
Solution
Solution
Technical Approach / Readiness of Technology
Sponsor :
Resources
Pillar Leader:
Team Leader:
Team Members :
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A/B

17. LIFT- Technology Rapid Innovation
“FAST FORGE PROCESS”
LIFT Fast Forge
Terms and Conditions
Slides
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A/B

18. LIFT- Technology Rapid Innovation
“FAST FORGE PROCESS”
Summary of General Terms and Conditions
To qualify for proposal submission, the company must be an existing LIFT Small-Medium Enterprise (SME) member or an SME member of the following organizations: American Foundry Society (AFS), North American Die Casting Association (NADCA), Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF). In addition, the existing LIFT not-for-profit research organization members EWI, SwRI, Battelle can submit.
If the project is funded under the Cooperative Agreement, 50% cost share is required. Cost share can be cash or in-kind such as direct labor, equipment, materials, etc. Also, the project MRL level must be between 4-7
LIFT will fund 50% cost share up to $200K (total project value of $400K)
If the project is funded as propriety, company funded project timeline can be tailored to fit expressed needs
The organization that submits the proposal must have existing technology and capabilities for expressed needs
Timeline for the cooperative agreement projects to be less than 8 months
With regard to cooperative projects, invoices must be submitted within the project timeline
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A/B

19. LIFT- Technology Rapid Innovation
“FAST FORGE PROCESS”
Summary of General Terms and Conditions cont..
Intellectual Property Rights for Cooperative Projects
SME must adopt the Institute’s Intellectual Property terms (as reflected in its Membership Agreements) for all intellectual property emerging from the execution of the project. These terms require that all Project IP be licensed on an exclusive basis to the Institute, which in turn provides non-exclusive licenses to Gold and Silver Members. For Project IP the Institute may also provide non-exclusive licenses to certain other Project Participants.
SME must adopt the Institute’s Intellectual Property terms that would place all Project IP prosecution and enforcement rights with the Institute.
SME will disclose all Background Intellectual Property (BIP) needed for the Project and a statement whether the BIP will be available for license by Project Participant use after the Project.
Intellectual Property Rights for Proprietary Projects
If the project is funded as propriety, company funded project, any related IP is retained by the project team and LIFT has no rights to the IP.
Note: Do not include any confidential or proprietary information with your proposal.
For LIFT Member Use Only
Level A/B