For Government
Delivering Electronics Industrial Base Access
USPAE provides the U.S. Government with direct access to electronics manufacturers that are often buried layers deep in the supply chain. Such access can help accelerate innovation and better solve problems facing our warfighters.
Rapid Access
There are many microelectronics organizations that play a significant role in providing electronics for all elements of the U.S. Government. Often, these manufacturers are buried in the supply chain and have little direct interaction with the U.S. Government. More importantly, government agencies may not even be aware that these companies are in the supply chain, despite seeking more access to traditional and non-traditional electronics manufacturers.
• USPAE gives the U.S. Government direct access to a variety of crucial electronics manufacturers.
Reduced Risks
There are thousands of companies in the electronics ecosystem. Because many are small and focused mostly on commercial markets, it can be very difficult for government organizations to anticipate technology, security, and procurement risk. As experienced in the COVID-19 crisis, shortages of electronics components can slow or stop production of needed equipment. Of even greater concern is the relative ease of malicious tampering of electronics that is often not visible to inspection.
• USPAE helps the U.S. Government understand its electronics supply chains and take cost-effective actions to reduce risks.
Improved Security
The U.S. Government faces myriad national security and homeland security threats from well-funded state and nonstate actors, who continuously seek out new avenues of disruption in our hardware and software supply chains. To help combat those issues, USPAE alliance partners are organized in the U.S. or one of its allied countries. Qualifying alliance partners certify to the IPC-1791 standard, developed with the DoD Executive Agent for PCB and Interconnect Technologies, to address physical and cyber security as well as supply chain risk management.
• USPAE provides the U.S. Government with resilient and trusted electronic supply chains.
Greater Innovation
USPAE alliance partners play a crucial role in innovation in commercial markets, helping solve many challenges and developing new products and services. When electronics manufacturers are buried in the supply chain, the U.S. Government is often unaware they exist and unable to take advantage of their innovations.
• USPAE connects the U.S. Government directly to electronics innovators, including non-traditional DoD suppliers, to help solve key challenges.
Contract Vehicles
Whether learning through joint government and industry events or leveraging contract vehicles like the Defense Electronics Consortium Other Transaction Agreement, USPAE brings the electronics industry and government closer together.