NCMS Capabilities

Program and Project Management is a core capability of NCMS, which began managing programs on day one in 1986. For 30 years, it has employed program and project managers with functional expertise and skill with managing collaborative efforts have resulted in national recognition as a significant resource for excellence in collaborative project management.

A neutral third party, NCMS protects Intellectual Property, manages outreach and communication, ensures project timelines and task deliverables are met, and drives toward successful completion of project goals. With more 300 successful R&D projects completed and a standardized, definitive approach to project and program management, NCMS is a world leader in team organization and project oversight.

• Collaborative R&D projects
• Team management
• Consortium and partnership building
• IP protection
• Commercialization support
• Business to business networking and team-building
• Technology demonstration opportunities

NCMS has formed and managed more than 356 multi-participant research and development collaborations, valued at more than $618 million. This delivers direct benefit to our member companies while boosting the overall capability of the North American industrial base.

Because the primary mission of NCMS is to advance the competitiveness of North American manufacturing, our experts assist members in solving manufacturing problems, on the factory floor, at the enterprise level, and throughout the supply chain.

NCMS has managed projects for manufacturing materials, composites, manufacturing processes, computer integrated manufacturing, process control and automation, TQM, lean manufacturing techniques, electronics manufacturing, environmental compliance issues, and much more.  In addition, NCMS can provide guidance on government contracting, accounting and proposal writing.

NCMS has significant experience guiding the development and management of new consortia for manufacturing, technology growth, and innovation steering. Using our proven, award-winning collaboration model as a base, we establish new consortia quickly and effectively. Based on best practices of our existing consortia, we provide additional services and options to ensure that the new consortia’s growth follows the vision of its founders.

Our long-term ties with industry providers and government partners, plus a massive alliance network of technology innovators of all types, makes NCMS the ideal solution for startup consortia eager to guide the future of technological innovation.

Consortium Administrative Organizations organize collaborative activities on behalf of public initiatives. By organizing shared resources for accounting, legal and compliance functions, CAOs allow multiple consortium members to focus their attention on R&D and advancement of new technologies.

As an experienced CAO, NCMS serves as a neutral third party, handling the challenging operational components of collaborative relationships. We protect intellectual property, facilitate communication, manage programs and handle contract accounting. NCMS provides required infrastructure for the sustained growth of our member companies. This allows members to focus on technology and solutions.

Other Transactional Agreement (OTA)

The OTA is an expedited mechanism when compared with FAR contracting. It is designed to be flexible, responsive and extremely collaborative.

• The OTA gives industry and academia a better understanding of future military requirements
• Enhances the ability for focused planning and prioritized funding
• Emphasis is on significant NDC participation provides opportunities for more innovation as Government partners with non-traditional innovators
• In the same way, it encourages outreach to a diverse group in the membership and harnesses unique solutions

Cooperative Agreement (CA)

NCMS’ experience with Cooperative Agreements (CA) dates back to 1998 when CTMA was initially funded. A flexible funding vehicle designed to advance a specific public purpose, CAs function as a hybrid between a federal contract and a federal grant. Federal agencies use CAs as the legal instrument for funding projects when the principal purpose of the relationship is to carry out a public purpose and collaboration is required between the federal agency and the funding recipient.

Under a CA, both parties provide and share personnel, services, facilities, equipment, and other resources in conducting R&D.  CAs can be executed in a short period of time and are easily renewed or modified as appropriate.