- The National Institute of Standards and Technology unveiled plans to build 14 new facilities under the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program
- NIST released a notice of funding opportunity targeting small and medium-sized manufacturers in 13 states and Puerto Rico
- The MEP program aims to help qualified manufacturers adopt advanced manufacturing technologies
The National Institute of Standards and Technology announced Tuesday that it has issued a notice of funding opportunity to establish 14 new Manufacturing Extension Partnership centers aimed at helping small and medium-sized manufacturers adopt advanced production technologies and strengthen U.S. industrial competitiveness.
The new funding opportunity will help “expand the impact of the MEP program,” said Arvind Raman, under secretary of commerce for standards and technology and NIST director. Small and medium-sized manufacturers account for 98 percent of the nation’s manufacturing base, and the MEP program works to connect these companies with private industry, government agencies, academic institutions and other stakeholders to demonstrate and deploy advanced manufacturing technologies.
What Are the Details of the Funding Opportunity?
The centers established through this funding will focus on scaling advanced technologies to boost production capacity, strengthen supply chain integration and build a skilled manufacturing workforce. Organizations selected under the competition will be required to secure non-federal cost-share funding equal to at least 50 percent of the award and will operate their centers under a cooperative agreement with NIST. The new centers will become part of the broader MEP National Network, which currently includes nearly 1,400 manufacturing advisers from more than 450 service locations nationwide, with federal-level oversight provided by the MEP program.
NIST MEP will host an informational webinar on July 28 and accept applications until Aug. 21.
Which Locations Has NIST Chosen for the New MEP Centers?
The competition covers a new MEP center in 13 states and one U.S. territory, Puerto Rico. Among the 14 locations, California will receive the largest maximum award at $15.6 million, followed by Pennsylvania and Ohio at $6.1 million each. Georgia will receive $3.2 million, trailed by Massachusetts at $2.9 million, Missouri at $2.6 million and Alabama at $2.1 million. Over $1 million in funding will be allocated individually to Louisiana, Utah and Arkansas. Other chosen states are Montana, Vermont and Alaska.
