DoD Manufacturing Technology Program


United States manufacturing and innovation are essential to American economic and national security.  Maintaining U.S. influence and access markets in a stable global environment contributes to our prosperity and standard of living.  It is the responsibility of the Department of Defense (DoD) to innovate and equip our forces with the best tools possible.  The DoD Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) enterprise uses advanced manufacturing to execute the National Defense Strategy – securing a more lethal force, strengthening alliances and new partnerships, and reforming the Department for greater performance and affordability.

Overview

DoD ManTech Program was originally created in 1956 under Section 2521 of Title 10, United States Code (USC) to further national security objectives through the development and application of advanced manufacturing technologies and processes.
 
The mission of the program is to reduce the acquisition and supportability costs of defense weapon systems and reduce manufacturing and repair cycle times across the life cycles of such systems.
 
DoD ManTech is composed of the Military Service and DoD Agency (or "Component") investment programs operated out of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), Missile Defense Agency (MDA), and Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). 
 
The OSD ManTech Office is responsible for administering the DoD ManTech Program by providing central guidance and direction to the Component ManTech Programs.  Along with providing oversight to DoD ManTech, the OSD ManTech Office also manages two investment portfolios: the Manufacturing Science & Technology Program (OSD MSTP) and DoD Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (DoD MIIs).

The vision of the program is a responsive world-class manufacturing capability to affordably and rapidly meet Warfighter needs throughout the defense system life cycle.
 
Although DoD ManTech has a singular mission and shared strategic vision, all of the projects and initiatives are selected and executed through the Military Services and DoD Agencies.  Each Component has its own ManTech program, with organization-specific processes, mandates, and procedures for executing their projects:
 
  • Army ManTech Program is executed through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology (ASA(ALT)) with support from the science and technology (S&T) community, Program Executive Offices, and Army Organic Industrial Base;
  • Navy ManTech Program is managed under the Office of Naval Research and is executed through the Navy ManTech Centers of Excellence;
  • Air Force ManTech Program is managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Materials & Manufacturing Directorate and partners with industry, other government agencies, and academia;
  • DLA Research and Development (R&D) is managed under Defense Logistics Agency J6 Chief Information Operations and has a multi-faceted approach to promote R&D business solutions to industry, academia, and small business by awarding multi-year competitive awards, posting Broad Agency Announcements (BAA), leveraging Other Transaction Authority (OTAs) and teaming with the ManTech Service Components and whole of government partners for cost share and savings;
  • MDA’s Industrial Manufacturing and Technology Program is executed through the MDA Systems Engineering Office with significant joint projects with MDA Advanced Technology Office.  MDA utilizes Broad Area Announcements, Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR), academic research, and established partnerships with Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Air Force Space, and Department of Energy (DOE) for maximum return on investments; and
  • OSD MSTP utilizes annual proposal calls based on predetermined, joint-application investment areas.  Because OSD MSTP is executed through OSD ManTech Office within the Office of Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), the program also seeks to leverage and collaborate with the DoD MIIs whenever possible.
The directors and senior managers of these programs coordinate through the auspices of the Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Panel (JDMTP).  The JDMTP is chartered to identify and integrate requirements, conduct joint program planning, and develop joint strategies.  DoD oversight of the ManTech Programs is provided by the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

Strategy

The DoD ManTech Program’s vision and mission are very broad, but its budget is limited.  A disciplined, integrated, and prioritized strategy is therefore necessary to develop policies and apply those resources to best meet the ManTech mission. ManTech applies the following four tenets in establishing priorities:
 
  1. Address the highest priority defense manufacturing needs in the window of opportunity to make a difference
  2. Transition manufacturing R&D processes into production applications
  3. Attack pervasive manufacturing issues and exploit new opportunities across industry sectors
  4. Address manufacturing technology requirements beyond the normal risk of industry
DoD ManTech has developed a strategy that balances its traditional emphasis on processing and fabrication technology solutions with active support for broader defense manufacturing needs.  The DoD ManTech Program Strategic Plan documents that strategy.

The 2012 DoD Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program Strategic Plan was prepared jointly by the office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy (DASD (MIBP)) and the JDMTP.  It complies with Section 2521(f) of Title 10, USC.  The 2012 Strategic Plan builds on the complementary framework and momentum established by the initial 2009 plan and leverages new, manufacturing-focused organizational synergies created by functional realignments in OSD called for in the Fiscal Year 2011 National Defense Authorization Act.

Updates to the Strategic Plan are currently under development and will be released in 2022. 

DoD ManTech Organizational Chart

DoD ManTech Organizational Chart