Requests for Information on the White House National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has announced the release of two Requests for Information (RFI) this week related to the recently launched National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative. This initiative, supporting innovative biotechnology-related research and development programs across the federal government with relevance to ongoing programs in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science (SC), was launched through President Biden’s Executive Order 14081. The National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative aims to advance biotechnology and biomanufacturing for innovative solutions in health, climate change, energy, food security, agriculture, and supply chain resilience. Growing the American bioeconomy can strengthen supply chains and lower prices, create more sustainable products through bio-based production, create jobs across the United States, and spur new opportunities in agricultural communities, all aligned with priorities among several SC programs.

The first RFI on the National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative seeks public input on how advances in biotechnology and biomanufacturing can help the country achieve goals that were previously out of reach and what steps can be taken to ensure we have the necessary research ecosystem, workforce, data, domestic biomanufacturing capacity, international engagement, and other components to support a strong bioeconomy. The RFI, closing on January 20, 2023, seeks public input in the following categories:

• Harnessing biotechnology and biomanufacturing R&D to further five identified societal goals including one on climate and energy.
• Collecting data for the bioeconomy.
• Building a vibrant domestic biomanufacturing ecosystem.
• Procuring biobased products.
• Developing a biotechnology and biomanufacturing workforce.
• Advancing biosafety and biosecurity.
• Measuring the bioeconomy.
• International engagement.

The second RFI focuses specifically on biotechnology regulation (“Identifying Ambiguities, Gaps, and Uncertainties in the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology” [link]) and seeks public input on how to improve the clarity and efficiency of biotechnology product regulation. This RFI is released in coordination with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Responses for this RFI close on February 3, 2023.

These timely and important RFIs will provide input supporting programs across SC and other research offices within DOE, at the DOE national laboratories, within academia, and with industry to advance innovative biotechnology research for a clean energy bioeconomy. OSTP, along with the National Economic Council and the National Security Council, looks forward to the public’s input through these RFIs. Please share this opportunity to contribute with your broader networks.