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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsNatcast’s reported plan to lay off most of its staff became a complete shutdown. The nonprofit had been selected to operate the CHIPS Act’s National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC); after the Commerce Department canceled its award in August 2025, Natcast laid off all employees and ceased operations in September 2025, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Commerce said NIST would take over operational responsibility.
Why was Natcast laying off most of its staff?
IEEE Spectrum reported that Natcast had notified a majority of its employees that they would be laid off that week, while a small core team would remain for several weeks to wind down the organization. The accessible report does not state its exact publication date.
The reported layoffs followed a change in federal policy. On August 25, 2025, the Department of Commerce announced that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) would assume operational responsibility for the NSTC immediately. Commerce said it had determined, after consulting the Department of Justice, that Natcast had been established unlawfully and that its agreement was invalid. That is Commerce’s stated legal rationale, not a court ruling established by the cited sources. Commerce’s announcement
What happened after the layoff notice?
The notice described a planned majority reduction and short wind-down. GAO’s later account records the completed outcome: Commerce canceled the award in August 2025, Natcast laid off all employees, and the nonprofit ceased operations in September 2025. The EUV Accelerator subaward and preliminary workforce subawards were also canceled. GAO’s 2026 report
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What Natcast was supposed to do
Natcast was a nonprofit chosen to operate the NSTC, a semiconductor research and development initiative created under the CHIPS and Science Act. It was not a chip manufacturer. NIST’s January 16, 2025 announcement described a 10-year award of up to $6.3 billion for activities including R&D, workforce development, an investment fund, the Design Enablement Gateway, silicon aggregation services, technical centers, and operation of CHIPS for America R&D facilities. The stated aims included reducing the time and cost of prototyping and supporting a semiconductor workforce ecosystem. NIST’s award announcement
GAO says Natcast developed an NSTC strategic plan and registered 200 member companies and academic institutions. Under the planned membership model, participants could access facilities and equipment, apply for funding, join collaborative research, and take part in workforce programs. Registration and planning did not mean every facility or program was already operating.
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What work and funding were interrupted?
GAO documented canceled subawards and costs associated with closing out the terminated award. These figures describe different things: planned or preliminary program funding that was canceled, versus closeout costs already paid.
| Amount | What it covered | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| $825 million | Natcast’s 2025 subaward to nonprofit NY Creates to operate the EUV Accelerator for advanced extreme ultraviolet lithography R&D | Canceled, according to GAO. |
| $11.5 million | Natcast’s 2025 preliminary Workforce Partner Alliance subawards to seven nonprofit institutions for semiconductor education and training | Canceled after the award termination, according to GAO. |
| $64.1 million | GAO’s 2026 figure for administrative closeout costs already paid to third parties, including expenses such as project leases | Paid as part of closeout, according to GAO. |
GAO says Commerce reclaimed most of the funding that had been disbursed. It also found that the change in Commerce’s approach resulted in the loss of at least two years of planning time. Those findings concern the transition and closeout; they do not establish that every proposed facility or program had been fully implemented before cancellation.
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The figures differ by source and date, and the cited materials do not reconcile them. NIST’s January 16, 2025 award announcement described an award of up to $6.3 billion over 10 years. Commerce’s August 25, 2025 release described the agreement as granting Natcast up to $7.4 billion. Treat the figures as each agency’s description rather than combining them into one total. Commerce’s release
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is the federal government doing with the NSTC now?
GAO says Commerce released a new NSTC charter in April 2026 and amended the R&D broad agency announcement to allow awards structured as investments in companies. The charter describes Commerce operating the NSTC itself rather than selecting another outside operator. NIST’s current overview describes the NSTC as a public-private consortium being established through the Commerce charter, with research, prototyping, investment, worker support, and member collaboration functions. NIST’s NSTC overview
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GAO found that the charter did not explain how Commerce would fully meet statutory requirements. As of May 2026, GAO said Commerce had not yet engaged with the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, or National Science Foundation on specified NSTC matters, and that details for workforce and other statutory requirements were lacking. GAO recommended a sufficiently detailed plan and timeline. This is GAO’s assessment of the plan at the time of its review; it does not establish that the current NSTC will never carry out those activities. GAO’s 2026 review
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