NIST MEP is seeking applications from eligible applicants to enter into a cooperative agreement to operate an MEP Center in one of the following states: Texas, Tennessee, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Michigan, Virginia, Connecticut, North Carolina, Oregon, Colorado, and Indiana. The MEP Center will provide manufacturing extension services to small and mid-sized manufacturers (SMMs) and will become part of the MEP National Network™, which consists of 51 MEP Centers located in every State and Puerto Rico, and over 1,440 trusted advisors and experts at approximately 460 MEP service locations.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP) Program is a nationwide network of Centers (referred to hereinafter as the MEP National Network™).1 The MEP National Network consists of NIST MEP, the 51 MEP Centers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico,2 the MEP Advisory Board, MEP Center boards, and the Foundation for Manufacturing Excellence, as well as over 1,440 trusted advisors and experts at approximately 460 MEP service locations, providing U.S. manufacturers with access to resources they need to succeed. MEP Centers serve as trusted business advisors focused on transforming U.S. manufacturers’ ability to compete globally, supporting supply chain integration, providing access to technology for improved productivity, and supporting a strong manufacturing workforce.
MEP Centers work directly with area manufacturers in each state to provide expertise and services tailored to manufacturers’ most critical needs, ranging from process improvement and workforce development to business practices and technology transfer and implementation. Additionally, MEP Centers connect manufacturers with government and trade associations, universities and research laboratories, and a host of other public and private resources to help manufacturers realize individual business goals.
To learn more about the MEP Program, please go to http://www.nist.gov/mep.
Deadline: Jan. 9, 2025
Eligibility for the program listed in this NOFO is open to a United States-based nonprofit institution, an institution of higher education, or a State, United States territory, local, or Tribal government or a consortium thereof.
MBDA expects to expend approximately $1,600,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2021 funds for the financial assistance awards under this Announcement. MBDA anticipates making four (4) awards under this announcement. The funding amount for each award in FY 2021 will be $400,000. MBDA anticipates that up to $6,400,000 will be available in FY 2022 through FY 2026 to support continuation funding for this program. The funding amounts referenced in this NOFO are subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Publication of this NOFO does not obligate the U.S. Department of Commerce or MBDA to award any specific cooperative agreement or to obligate all or any part of available funds.