Department of Commerce seeks AI technology packages for export promotion

On April 1, 2026, the Department of Commerce (Department) issued a Call for Proposals for the American AI Exports Program, in furtherance of President Donald Trump’s 2025 AI Action Plan. The Call for Proposals invites industry-led consortia to submit full-stack artificial intelligence (AI) technology packages to the government for potential export promotion to international partners.

Given the Trump Administration’s prioritization of United States AI leadership and promotion of US exports, the Call for Proposals presents a new opportunity for companies in the AI stack.

Below, we outline the requirements for submitting a proposal, the selection process, and potential benefits.

Proposal requirements

• Each consortium must identify a single anchor member.


• Foreign entities may be members of the consortium, subject to certain limitations.


• Proposals must be integrated offerings that provide products or services for foreign markets and include each of the following:


• AI-optimized hardware


• Data pipelines and labeling systems


• AI models and systems


• Security and cybersecurity measures for AI models and systems


• AI applications for sector-specific or functional use cases


• Proposals must include:


• A consortium overview


• A package description


• Target markets


• A business and operational model


• Any requested federal support


• A statement describing how the proposal advances US national interests,


• Country-of-concern disclosures

Selection process

• The submission window for proposals is from April 1, 2026 through June 30, 2026; the Department will consider proposals on a rolling basis.


• The Department will complete an initial completeness review within 14 days of receipt of a proposal.


• Once a proposal is deemed complete, the Department intends to issue a designation decision within 60 days, during which time the proposal will undergo interagency evaluation in consultation with the Departments of State, War, and Energy, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, as appropriate.

Benefits

Approved consortia will receive the following benefits:

• Priority government-to-government advocacy and engagement


• Promotion through official US government activities and events


• Priority consideration for transaction-specific export control engagement


• Facilitated access to federal financing tools and interagency coordination

Conclusion

The Trump Administration noted that it views this initiative as a top economic and national security priority. With limited maneuverability related to fiscal policy, the Administration has largely relied on export promotion to support US companies. As such, the Call for Proposals may present a key opportunity for companies that participate.

In addition to this “Pre-Set Consortium,” the Department plans to release a Call for Proposals for an “On-Demand Consortium” at a later date, which will be designed to respond to a specific, identified export opportunity and would require only the technology-stack layers needed for that particular deal.

For more information, please contact the authors.