Pax Silica Artificial Intelligence Assistance Project

Pax Silica Artificial Intelligence Assistance Project is sponsored by U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (DOS-OES). This project aims to strengthen global AI supply chain security by creating a trusted supply chain credentialing and provenance platform.

DOS Pax Silica Artificial Intelligence Assistance Project (DFOP0019182) - Research Support Notice: this is an archived listing << Back to Limited Submissions DOS Pax Silica Artificial Intelligence Assistance Project (DFOP0019182) Funding Agency: United States Department of State (DOS) Funding Type: Industry or Business Funding Opportunity ID: DFOP0019182 Submission Limit per Institution: 1 Sponsor/Solicitation URL: Visit Sponsor Website Questions concerning the limited submissions process may be submitted to limitedsubs@psu.

edu . Pax Silica AI Assistance Project is intended to collaborate on a pilot basis with Panama, and subsequently other key partner countries and economies, to design, develop, and deploy a trusted supply-chain credentialing and provenance platform that integrates with existing customs’ and shippers’ tracking platforms in participating partner economies.

The Pax Silica AI Assistance Project platform is envisioned to offer partner economies a secure one stop shop alternative to strategic competitors’ insecure national transportation and logistics platform which may be leveraged for economic coercion and national advantage, and instead to provide verified supply corridors that can serve as an alternative to supply chains tied to strategic competitors.

Verifiable available alternatives would help countries avoid single-point dependencies, protect sensitive AI supply chain information from malign actors, and enable partners to develop and maintain trusted AI infrastructure. Phase 1 of this project will be launched as a pilot for Panama.

Phase 2 is envisioned to include other expected beneficiaries among Pax Silica signatories and countries targeted by the Department as potential partners.

These countries and economies will benefit because the framework is meant to facilitate more efficient trade in AI infrastructure, semiconductors, critical minerals and other component products and service, which advances U.S. foreign policy priorities by strengthening global AI supply chain security. Sharing this framework with partners is aligned with American technology leadership and economic security objectives.

This NOFO seeks to fund the establishment of a Silicon Highway: a digital-physical corridor that accelerates logistics and compliance operations among partner countries with cryptographic cargo verification, AI-expedited risk assessment, and pre-approved expedited processing early in the supply chain.

Objective: Deliver an AI-powered customs data submission system for Panama (Phase 1) and other partner countries’ customs agencies (Phase 2) to ingest, correlate, and score mandatory importer security filing, air cargo advance screening, automated manifest system data, etc. with optional data such as commercial invoices.

The AI system will check this data for anomalies and provide AI-enabled insights to customs, tax, and port authorities in participating economies. Training these stakeholders in independent use of the tool, and integrating the tool with existing customs’ and port authorities’ tracking systems, are part of this objective.

Objective: Provide an AI-accelerated preclearance service that adds physical inspection data such as x-ray images and high-resolution product photographs, etc., analyzed by AI models to target declared goods mismatch, density anomalies, quantity discrepancies, etc. Goods passing successfully through this preclearance system would be eligible for inclusion in a registry of known parties and trusted shippers suitable for “Fast Lane” processing by participating economies’ customs authorities.

Objective: Facilitate AI-enabled supply-chain operations for known party and trusted shippers and extend the preclearance and continuous monitoring processes previously developed earlier in the supply chain.

The anticipated capability outcome is an end-to-end product pedigree and chain of custody tracking system—an immutable, cryptographically signed event log from freight processing facility to destination port that integrates with users’ existing system for sustainability and ease of use.

Priority Countries and Economies : Australia, Costa Rica, Finland, Greece, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkiye, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Vietnam. Proposals do not need to address all objectives and sub-objectives.

Proposals that effectively address multiple objectives or fully address a single objective are more likely to receive a higher evaluation.

Line of Effort: Creating a Trusted Supply Chain Credentialing and Provenance Platform to Secure the AI Supply Chain in Panama and Likeminded Partner Economies Specific Aim 1: Strengthen the security of global AI supply chains by enabling project participants in Panama (Phase 1) and other likeminded partner economies (Phase 2) to verify the origin, custody, and compliance status of goods, components, and technologies critical to AI supply chains that are transiting allied trade corridors.

Specific Aim 2: Deliver a tool that will enable Panama (Phase 1) and other select partner economies (Phase 2) to track credentials across an entire relevant supply chain for AI infrastructure, semiconductors, and critical minerals through a digital trust layer connecting mineral extraction, semiconductor fabrication, logistics, and end-use deployment under a unified verification framework that integrates with existing customs’ and shippers’ tracking platforms in participating economies.

Specific Aim 3: Accelerate logistics and compliance operations among Panama and Pax Silica partners via cryptographic cargo verification, AI-expedited risk assessment, and pre-approved expedited “Fast Lane” processing for Pax Silica AI Assistance Project-vetted shipments by participating economies’ customs authorities. Internal Nomination Process: Some opportunities include an internal Expression of Interest (EOI) deadline.

The EOI works as an indicator of interest across campus and identifies key research areas. If the number of EOIs does not exceed the solicitation limit, the OSVPR will typically approve limited submissions for the interested candidates without requiring a full internal application. In cases where the number of EOIs exceeds the allowable limit, those who submitted EOIs will be invited to submit a full internal application for review.

Please note that the specific materials required for the internal application may vary by competition based on the sponsor criteria. Interested applicants should upload the following documents in sequence in one PDF file (File name: [Last name]_DFOP0019182) through https://psu. infoready4.

com no later than 4:00 p. m.

on the internal submission deadline: Cover Letter (1 page, pdf): Descriptive title of proposed activity PI name, departmental affiliations(s) and contact information Co-PI's names and departmental affiliation(s) Names of other key personnel Participating institution(s) Number and title of this funding opportunity Project Description (1-2 pages, pdf) identifying the project scope that addresses the key aspects and elements of the sponsor's solicitation, principal investigators, collaborators, and partner organizations.

References may be included on an additional page. Note: If this is a resubmission, please include the past review comments and add a page detailing how the reviewers' concerns and recommendations have been addressed. Font/size: Times New Roman (12 pt.)

Document margins: 1. 0” (top, bottom, left and right) Standard paper size (8 ½” x 11) Questions concerning the limited submissions process may be submitted to limitedsubs@psu. edu.

This announcement provides only opportunity highlights. Please carefully review the program guidelines and the sponsor's website for any requirements and expectations related to eligibility, PI and Co-PI limits, budget, collaboration, priority research areas, letter of intent requirements, and review criteria before submitting to this internal competition.