In response to concerns from U.S. manufacturers dependent on the semiconductor industry and in support of President Biden’s ongoing commitment to address semiconductor supply chain challenges, the Department of Commerce established the Microelectronics Early Alert System, which will be administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration.
The early alert system will help the interagency Supply Chain Disruption Task Force to coordinate U.S. government resources to help resolve supply chain bottlenecks occurring due to the global chip shortage. The early alert system will generate information the Task Force can consider in proactively minimizing real-time semiconductor supply chain disruptions linked to COVID-related public health developments in key trading partners, while ensuring the protection of business confidential information.
“It is crucial to strengthen our supply chains, and to do so we need to hear directly from impacted businesses when they are experiencing a COVID-related semiconductor supply chain disruption,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “We encourage companies anywhere along the semiconductor supply chain to use this tool and request they provide as much detail as possible so we can help minimize disruptions.”
Commerce is calling on companies and manufacturers to voluntarily share information regarding any new or ongoing COVID-related shutdown or disruption to microelectronics and semiconductor manufacturing facilities and their related supply chains around the world. The information gathered will be used to assess potential disruptions, enhance engagement with foreign governments as appropriate, and work to safely reopen these critical microelectronics and semiconductor facilities.
Interested businesses are asked to submit information via email to covid_microelectronics_alert@trade.gov. The Department will review submissions on a rolling basis and will follow up with parties as needed. The Department is also committed to protecting confidential information provided by businesses and encourages submitters to mark any business confidential information as such. The Department will protect confidential information from disclosure to the full extent permitted by law.
Tagged with economy, semiconductor