Start with the full TCO, not a labor delta. Include freight variance, duty, expedite tax, warranty, compliance overhead, inventory carrying, and management time. Then price the option value of speed—captured revenue and reduced markdowns when lead times shrink.

Sequence capital with incentives. Pre-approve credits before POs fly; align grant milestones with construction draws and hiring cohorts. Accelerated depreciation and domestic-content bonuses can swing IRR by points if timed to cash outflows.

Own the bottlenecks, rent the rest. Invest in the cells that define yield and changeover; consider equipment-as-a-service where utilization risk is high. Hybrids reduce stranded-asset risk while protecting your crown jewels.

Liberate working capital methodically. As lead-time distributions collapse, recalc reorder points and shrink safety stock. Track cash-to-cash monthly; redeploy released cash to automation, training, and buffers closest to the line.

Quantify risk reduction. Model scenarios: port closures vs. interstate detours, export controls vs. single-jurisdiction compliance. Put dollar ranges on volatility you’re avoiding; the board understands risk when it’s priced.

Instrument the ramp. Gate go-live on FPY/OEE thresholds; fund contingencies for early scrap, training time, and dual-running costs. Treat parallel production as insurance, not waste.

Lock vendor finance and utility rebates early. Toolmakers, AMR vendors, and utilities can co-fund capacity. Structure payments to your ramp curve, not theirs, so cash strain matches capability growth.

Close with governance. Audit trails for grants, domestic content, and job counts must be airtight. A clean binder today is a clean audit tomorrow—and repeatable wins next year.