USPAE Grants ‘Greater Access’ to Defense Electronics Manufacturers

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Chris Peters, co-founder of the U.S. Partnership for Assured Electronics and expert on manufacturing supply chains, recently announced he would be stepping back from his role. I first met Chris in the spring of 2020, when SMT007 Magazine interviewed him for the July 2020 issue.

I was pleased that Chris took the time to reflect on the USPAE, past present and future, and his optimism is infectious. Jim Will now heads the USPAE; Chris leaves the organization in good hands and his new “mission,” as he quipped, is to pursue “less work, more volunteering.”

How did USPAE get started?

Kaye Ortiz, Mike McGrath, and I were consulting for IPC (now Global Electronics Association) in 2019. One of the challenges was that the Department of Defense wanted greater access to North American electronics manufacturers. These manufacturers were buried deep in the supply chain underneath large defense contractors, so the DoD had little access to or even awareness of the companies making crucial electronics components. Our recommendation to IPC was to create a separate organization that could act as a bridge between the U.S. government and North American electronics manufacturers. Consequently, IPC established the U.S. Partnership for Assured Electronics in February 2020.

How were you selected to lead the organization?

I had considerable experience in manufacturing supply chains and had been working with the defense manufacturing community for several decades. I also had previously launched several startups, so I understood what it meant to jump-start an organization on a tight budget. While I had some electronics knowledge, most of my manufacturing experience was in steel mills and machine shops. To help better understand electronics, I read a lot, learned from the best industry gurus, and started taking apart electronics devices around the house. That was very helpful for me, but I’m not sure my wife appreciated it as much.

What was the initial vision for USPAE?

The organization’s initial focus was to help ensure the U.S. government had access to resilient and trusted electronics supply chains, but the vision was much larger. We viewed that a stronger relationship between industry and government could help make the U.S. electronics industry more globally competitive while strengthening the resilience, trust and security of U.S. supply chains.

What was it like when the organization first started?

Start-ups are typically hectic, but we had the added burden of COVID restrictions two weeks after we launched. Additionally, the DoD was about to release a major solicitation that would help the industry, so we were scrambling to get all the government registrations and certifications in place. Fortunately, the response from both industry and government was very positive, with initial industry members that included  TTM, Summit Interconnect, Calumet Electronics, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and others. That not only reaffirmed our vision, but industry and government involvement also helped shape USPAE’s direction. We had the benefit of a board of directors that included both military and industry expertise.

How did you bring together industry and government?

USPAE began with monthly online forums, bringing in leaders from the DoD to talk about their electronics needs and to learn from industry about its needs, capabilities, and concerns. While this venue worked great during the COVID restrictions, we were glad to finally host our first in-person meeting in July 2021. We had senior leaders from the DoD interacting for the first time with leaders from the electronics community, learning first-hand about industry challenges.

Large defense prime contractors were discovering new suppliers for printed circuit boards and assemblies. What made this first event particularly gratifying was when a defense prime executive said that this was one of the best conferences they had attended. As COVID restrictions eased, we would introduce USPAE members to DoD leaders and defense prime contractors at a variety of other events, such as the Defense Manufacturing Conference.

How has the government’s interest in electronics changed since then?

Six years ago, the government was just starting to learn more about the U.S. electronics industry, including its capabilities and limitations. One of our first major efforts was working with IPC to educate senior leaders in Congress and the Pentagon on industry challenges and how they impact national security. Microelectronics is now a frequent focus area for defense technology funding, as the DoD and Congress have become more aware of what is needed to not only build better solutions but also strengthen the domestic electronics industry. 

What do you identify as some particularly fulfilling accomplishments?

Standing up a new organization and getting buy-in from industry and government was particularly gratifying, especially since our success was due to all the individuals and organizations that supported USPAE from inception through today. Helping bring more than $40 million in government funding through USPAE’s contract vehicle, the Defense Electronics Consortium, to support industry and to advance electronics technologies was a great win. One of the most satisfying accomplishments is that the organization continues to thrive today.

What do you see in the future for USPAE and the electronics industry?

I believe the domestic electronics industry is about to undergo a seismic shift. Just as the government has realized the importance of critical minerals, it is beginning to understand just how critical trusted and secure electronics are to our national and economic security. New funding is being secured to strengthen domestic manufacturing of all electronics, from silicon to systems. With the current calls for greater use of commercial off-the-shelf components, the need for resilient and trusted sources is growing rapidly. USPAE and the Global Electronics Association are already out in front of that effort, briefing senior government leaders about critical risks and how the domestic electronics industry must be strengthened to mitigate those risks. As the demand for trusted electronics in our national infrastructure and defense systems increases, so does the need for greater collaboration between government and industry. That is the role we set for USPAE in the beginning, and that role is needed more each day.