Effective Quarter 2, 2014

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Manufacturing Extension Partnership

U.S. Department of Commerce

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-0001

Version 6.3

Reporting Guidelines

Center Operations, eCAR, tCAR, GPIC, 

Other Agency, BCTEP, Job Accelerator, 

Make it in America, and M-TAC
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Table of Contents

Overview ......................................................................................................3

Let’s Get Started.............................................................................................6

Quarterly Data Submissions..............................................................................9

Key Concepts............................................................................................... ...9

Board of Directors.. ...................................................................................... .10

CAR Information ......................................................................................... .14

Clients (Center Operations,e-CAR, AMJIAC, BCTEP, MiiA and 

M-TAC)............................................................................................... .16

Projects/Events (Center Operations, e-CAR, AMJIAC, BCTEP, MiiA and 

M-TAC) .............................................................................................. 20

Contacts....................................................................................................... .31

Locations...................................................................................................... .34

Partners ....................................................................................................... .36

Progress Plan .............................................................................................. .39

State Funding Partners ................................................................................ .47

Staff Listing .................................................................................................. .49

Success Stories ........................................................................................... .52

Funding Agreements and Sub-recipients............................................................56

Survey (Center Operations, AMJIAC and BCTEP)............................................... 56

Appendix A – Contacts...................................................................................66

Appendix B – Output Reports..........................................................................67

Appendix C – Definitions................................................................................68

Appendix D – CAR Operations Survey...............................................................70

Appendix E – AMJIAC and BCTEP Surveys.......................................................73

Appendix F – Case Study Template (e-CAR and t-CAR)........................................83

Appendix G – Business Entities....................................................................... 85

Appendix H – Stationery Codes...................................................................... 86

Appendix I – Survey Results Output File Description............................................ 87

Appendix J – Survey Sample Communications................................................... 90

Appendix K – CIF and PIF Sample XML........................................................... 92
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Overview

NIST MEP has a number of legislative and contractual requirements for collecting data and information 

from Competitive Award Recipients (CARs). This information is used for the following purposes:

• Program Accountability

• Analysis and Research

• Reports to Stakeholders

• Continuous Improvement of MEP Business Practices

• Knowledge Sharing

• Identification of Distinctive MEP Business Practices

Currently MEP has eight types of funding awards:

Center Operations – This is the base MEP program to work with small and mid-sized U.S. 

manufacturers to help them create and retain jobs, increase profits, and save time and money.

e-CAR - Projects are focused on integrating two or more of MEP’s Strategic Growth Areas into client 

engagement models to effectively deliver services to U.S. manufacturers. This competition was open to 

all nonprofit organizations including universities, community colleges, state governments and state 

technology programs, as well as existing MEP CARs.

t-CAR - Projects address the new and emerging competitive needs of manufacturers in areas 

consistent with the MEP program’s five Strategic Growth Areas. This competition was open to existing 

MEP extension CARs and groups of CARs. 

GPIC - Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy – funds will be used to seed the 

commercialization and manufacture of new energy efficiency technologies and train a highly skilled new

workforce to build and install them.

Other Agency – NIST Federal financial assistance (cooperative agreements) provided with funds from 

other Federal departments and agencies or from the private sector for the purpose of strengthening 

United States manufacturing. Secretary and Director also may accept funds from other Federal 

departments and agencies and under section 272 (c)(7) of this title from the private sector for the 

purpose of strengthening United States manufacturing. Additional information can be obtained at 

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/272 15 USC Section 278K – Regional Centers for the 

Transfer of Manufacturing Technology. 

BCTEP – Building Construction Technology Extension Pilot project – addresses the increasing

energy efficiency in commercial and individual building operations

Job Accelerator (AMJIAC) - The Advanced Manufacturing Jobs Accelerator is designed to 

foster job creation, increase public and private investments, and enhance economic prosperity by 

harnessing the economic growth and job creation potential resulting from advanced 

manufacturing activities within high-growth industry clusters that have been identified by regional 

stakeholders. 
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Make it in America (MiiA) – The effort’s goal is to accelerate job creation by encouraging reshoring by U.S. firms, fostering foreign direct investment, encouraging U.S. companies to keep or 

expand their businesses in the United States, building strong supply chains and training local 

workers. EDA’s investments will help distressed regions build on existing assets to generate job 

growth by creating an environment conducive for businesses to establish and grow their 

operations in the U.S. ETA’s investments will help to develop a skilled workforce for specific 

industries. MEP’s grants will help develop greater connectivity in regional supply chains and 

assist small- and medium-sized enterprises.

M-TAC – The effort’s goal is to inform future NIST investment leading to strategies and 

approaches for MEP system-wide deployment of technology transition and commercialization 

assistance for small manufacturers within supply contexts. The emphasis is on demonstrating 

conduct of technology transition and commercialization activities with small and mid-sized U.S. 

manufacturers to foster their readiness to adopt and/or adapt advanced technologies into their 

manufacturing processes and products.

As part of their Cooperative Agreements, Competitive Award Recipients (CARs) are required to submit 

data about their project to NIST MEP on a quarterly basis. This document, the Reporting Guidelines for 

CAR Operations, eCARs, tCARs, GPIC, Other Agency, BCTEP, Job Accelerator, MiiA, and M-TAC

details the data elements and processes to submit data. The reporting requirements and procedures 

for the various funding awards are similar but different. The key concept to keep in mind is that a CAR 

MUST maintain separate reporting and accounting records for each funding agreement that they are 

the legal recipient. NIST MEP has a number of legislative and contractual requirements for collecting 

data and information from the MEP CARs

To support these needs, this document “Reporting Guidelines for CAR Operations, eCARs, tCARs, 

GPIC, Other Agency, BCTEP, Job Accelerator, MiiA and M-TAC” provides detailed instructions on how 

to successfully complete NIST MEP Quarterly Reporting requirements. Changes to this document will 

be announced via email to CAR Reporting Contacts and/or CAR Directors and Project Managers. In 

addition, this document will be maintained in the MEIS Reporting and Evaluation Communities of 

Practice (CoPs).

Since 1996, NIST MEP has sponsored a nationwide survey of clients of the CARs it funds. At this time, 

NIST MEP supports three different survey instruments. The scope and frequency for which a client is 

surveyed is based on the funding award type. All surveys ask clients to comment on the impact on their 

business as a result of the services provided by their local CAR. NIST MEP sponsors an impact survey 

of manufacturing extension CAR clients for two purposes: 1), to collect national aggregate information 

on program performance and impact for national stakeholders; and 2), to provide CAR specific impact 

information. The questions asked are similar but slightly different depending on the funding award type. 

See Section Client Impact Survey for detailed information.

In addition, you will find in the Appendices of this document other helpful information such as:

• MEP Contact Information 

• Sample Output 

• Definitions of Key Terms

• Sample Survey Email

• Sample Survey
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• Case Study Template
6

Let’s Get Started

User Registration

Per the Cooperative Agreement, NIST MEP requires that recipients report project progress through the 

MEP Enterprise Information System (MEIS) website, https://meis.nist.gov. In order to access this site, 

every user must have a User account. This account can be obtained at https://meis.nist.gov. If you 

have not yet created an account, you must do so prior to accessing the MEIS web site.

If you do not have an account, you must register to access the site. Please allow up to two business 

days to receive confirmation of your account approval. After receiving your confirmation you will be able 

to enter the site. To request an account for yourself or someone in your CAR:

From Internet Explorer go to https://meis.nist.gov

1. Click on the Register Here! Link.

2. Fill in the requested information. A comprehensive list of data fields is included in Appendix G 

Business Entities – Staff.

3. Click the Preview Button to review the information you submitted. If the information is not 

correct you will be able to edit and resubmit. 

4. After registration information is confirmed, click on the Submit button. 

Note: It should not take longer than two business days to receive your email confirmation to access 

MEIS. The delay is necessary to ensure only approved members of the system are provided access to 

the site. 

Accessing the NIST MEP Web Site and MEIS Application

The MEIS Application is the primary mechanism that recipients use for submitting Quarterly Reports to 

NIST MEP, facilitating the exchange of information between the CAR and NIST MEP. The procedure 

explained below will provide detailed instructions on how to access the MEIS Application.

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In.

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name.

5. Hover your mouse over the item labeled “CIP” on the menu bar. Menu choices will drop down. 
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6. Click on the appropriate Reporting Element (i.e. Clients, Contacts, etc.) link for the information 

you wish to view. 

7. If you wish to submit information, hover over the reporting element link (i.e. Contacts, Staff, 

etc.) and a sub-menu will appear to the right displaying all options available for that reporting 

element. For detailed instructions on how to submit the information, refer to the relevant 

section in this document.

Access Control for the MEIS Application

A strictly defined set of criteria has been developed to ensure that only those CAR employees’ subrecipients and partners who need access to each section of the Web site are granted access. An

employee (Project Manager or Reporting Contact) with the “Reporting Role” assigns other users in their 

CAR to the appropriate role. 

Role Description

Reporting Ability to assign roles for the CAR users, submit NIST MEP

quarterly reporting requirements, and add, edit, delete records 

as needed..

Manager Ability to view all CAR data and run reports.

Data Viewer Ability to view some CAR data and run some reports.

Marketing Ability to submit Success Stories.

Survey Confirmation Ability to edit client/project records that are in survey 

confirmation each quarter.

Default

(Not visible to CARs)

Default access to the site allowing all users to view general 

information about the CARs. Assigned at account creation.

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name.
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5. Hover your mouse over the item labeled “Administration/Tools” on the menu bar. Menu choices 

will drop down. 

6. From the menu, select “Manage CARs “. The list of CAR Roles will appear. 

7. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Role that you want to Add/Remove Users. You 

will be taken to the CAR Role Management edit page. On the CAR Role Management page 

you will see an Existing Users section.

8. Add Members: Using the list box of Staff Members (the list shown in the “Available” section), 

select the members to be added (use the CTRK + Click or SHIFT + Click key combination to 

select multiple list items).

9. Once staff is selected, click the top button in the middle column to add them from the lefthand side of the column to the right-hand side of the column. Now the users are selected to be 

added to the Existing Users List.

10. Remove Users: In the “User” section, select the checkbox for users you wish to remove.

11. Click the “Remove Selected” link to remove users.

12. A dialog box appears asking for you to confirm. Click “OK” in the dialog box. The Users are 

then removed.

13. Click either of the “OK” buttons to finish editing CAR Roles and return to the CAR Role 

Management Page.

Note: A user need only be assigned to one role with the highest access necessary for the user to do 

their job. The Users grid will display the current users assigned to roles at your CAR. You will only be 

able to designate or change the roles for the CAR staff members who have registered to use MEIS.
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Quarterly Data Submissions

NIST MEP will collect quarterly information and use it to generate standard sets of reports that will 

be used for CAR performance management, annual/panel reviews and reporting the program’s 

performance to Congress. This collection of information also enables NIST MEP to comply with 

the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) mandate that all Federal agencies evaluate 

their program’s outcomes. All quarterly reporting documents will be submitted according to the 

following schedule:

Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4

Period

: January 1 – March 31 April 1 – June 30 July 1 – September 30 October 1 – December 31

Deadline:

April 30 July 31 October 31 January 31

Note: A CAR staff member submitting any reporting related data must be assigned the Reporting role 

before they will be able to submit data to NIST MEP due to the various access control levels in the 

MEIS application. Procedures for submitting NIST MEP Quarterly Reports are provided in the following 

sections. A comprehensive list of data fields is included in Appendix G Business Entities. In order to 

begin reporting, a few key concepts must be understood and are described below. 

Key Concepts

NIST MEP as a program is growing, as new funds are made available, CAR reporting 

requirements may vary from funding agreement to funding agreement, the reporting requirements 

and procedures for the various funding awards are similar but different. The key concept to keep in 

mind is that a CAR MUST maintain separate reporting and accounting records for each funding 

agreement that they are the legal recipient. NIST MEP has a number of legislative and contractual 

requirements for collecting data and information from the MEP CARs. See the Reporting Elements by 

Award Type Chart below and each individual reporting element section below detailed information and 

instructions. 

Reporting Elements by Award Type

Reporting Element Center 

Operations

e-CAR t-CAR/GPIC Other 

Agency

BCTEP Job 

Accelerat

or

MiiA M-TAC

Board of Directors Shared Across All Awards

CAR Information Shared Across All Awards

Clients Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes

Contacts Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Locations Shared Across All Awards

Partners Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Progress Plan Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Projects Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes

State Funding 

Partners Yes Yes Yes Yes No No

Staff Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Sub-Recipient No Yes Yes Yes NO Yes

Success Stories Yes No –

Case 

Study

No – Case 

Study

Not 

Required

Not 

Required Not 

Required

Not 

Required

Not 

Required
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Board of Directors

Information contained in the Board of Directors section is intended to provide NIST MEP with general 

information about the Board and Board members. NIST MEP will use this information in the day-to-day 

role as a consultant to the CAR.

A CAR may have two types of Boards – a fiduciary board and/or an advisory board. A fiduciary board 

exists for all freestanding non-profit organizations. A fiduciary board will have a charter document 

and/or bylaws describing the duties and terms of the board members. Characteristics of a fiduciary 

board typically include:

§ Involvement in making policy decisions related to the CAR;

§ Responsibility for hiring and firing the Director/President/CEO;

§ Involvement in the CAR’s planning and operations; and

§ Some level of legal liability for all aspects of CAR performance.

In contrast, an advisory board is usually a less formal body, and can be affiliated with any type of 

organization. The roles and responsibilities of advisory boards may be similar to fiduciary boards, or 

they may be more focused on areas such as client needs. A comprehensive list of data fields is 

included in Appendix G Business Entities – Board of Directors.

Submitting and Reviewing Board of Directors

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name..

5. Click CIP àBoard of Directors à Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period selected.

7. Verify that the Board and Member information listed is current. If not, add, update or remove 

information as needed.

8. Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting Period

9. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted Board of 

Director information – the Status Icon will be green.
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Adding a New Board

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name..

5. Click CIP àBoard of Directors à Submit Quarterly Reports or Click CIP àBoard of Directors. 

Note: Adding/removing records can be done either from the List or Submit Quarterly 

Reporting Forms. 

6. Click Action(s) à Add New

7. Fill in the required data.

8. Click the “OK” button to create the Board. You are then taken to the Board Edit Page. From 

here you can add additional information and manage Board Members.

Updating a Board

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name..

5. Click CIP àBoard of Directors à Submit Quarterly Reports or Click CIP àBoard of Directors. 

Note: Adding/removing records can be done either from the List or Submit Quarterly 

Reporting Forms. 

6. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Board that you want to Edit. You will be taken 

to the Board Edit Page.

7. Fill in the required data.

8. Click the “OK” button to save the information. You will then be taken back to the Board List 

Page.
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Removing a Board

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..

5. Click CIP àBoard of Directors à Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period selected

7. Click the checkbox in the “Archive” column for the Board you want to remove. 

8. Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting Period

9. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted Board of Director 

information – the Status Icon will be green.

Adding a Board Member

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name..

5. Click CIP àBoard of Directors à Submit Quarterly Reports or Click CIP àBoard of Directors. 

Note: Adding/removing records can be done either from the List or Submit Quarterly 

Reporting Forms. 

6. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Board that you want to Add Members. You 

will be taken to the Board Edit Page.

7. In the “Members” Section of the Board Edit Page, select Action(s) à Add New.

8. Fill in the required data.
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9. Click the checkbox for “Create Account” if you want the Board Member to have an MEP MEIS 

Account. An automatic notification will go out to the Board Member with login and account 

information.

10. Click the “OK” button to create the Board Member. You are then taken to the Board Edit Page. 

Creating a MEIS Account for a Board Member Who is Without an Account

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name..

5. Click CIP àBoard of Directors à Submit Quarterly Reports or Click CIP àBoard of Directors. 

Note: Adding/removing records can be done either from the List or Submit Quarterly 

Reporting Forms. 

6. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Board that you want to edit. You will be taken 

to the Board Edit Page.

7. In the “Members” grid, click the Checkbox to the left of the Member account.

8. Select Click Action(s) àCreate Account. A user account is created for the Board Member. 

9. Click the “OK” button to create the User Account for the Board Member. You are returned to 

the Board List Page.

Updating a Board Member

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name..

5. Click CIP àBoard of Directors à Submit Quarterly Reports or Click CIP àBoard of Directors. 

Note: Adding/removing records can be done either from the List or Submit Quarterly 

Reporting Forms. 
14

6. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Board that you want to edit. You will be taken 

to the Board Edit Page.

7. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Board Member you want to edit. You will be 

taken to the Board Member Edit Page.

8. Fill in the required data.

9. Click the checkbox for “Create Account” if you want the Board Member to have an MEP MEIS 

Account. An automatic notification will go out to the Board Member with login and account 

information. You may want to inform the Board Member to be on the lookout for an email from 

MEIS.

10. Click the “OK” button to save the changes to the Board Member. You are then taken to the 

Board Edit Page. 

Removing a Board Member

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name..

5. Click CIP àBoard of Directors à Submit Quarterly Reports or Click CIP àBoard of Directors. 

Note: Adding/removing entities can be done either from the List or Submit Quarterly 

Reporting Forms. 

6. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Board that you want to edit. You will be taken 

to the Board Edit Page.

7. Click the Remove link in the right-most column for the Board Member you wish to remove.

8. The Board Member is removed.

9. Click “OK”, you will remain on the Board Edit Page.

10. Click “OK” again you will return to the Board List Page.

CAR Information

CAR Information is intended to provide NIST MEP with general contact information such as address, 

telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address. MEP will use this information in communications 

with stakeholders and for publishing CAR information in marketing materials and web sites. A 

comprehensive list of data fields is included in Appendix G Business Entities – CAR Information.
15

Submitting and Reviewing CAR Information

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name..

5. Click CIP àCAR Information à Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period selected.

7. Verify that the CAR Information listed is current. If not, update the record as needed.

8. Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting Period

9. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted CAR 

Information – the Status Icon will be green.

Updating CAR Information

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name.

5. Click CIP àCAR Information à Submit Quarterly Reports or Click CIP àCAR Information. 

Your CAR information appears.

6. Fill in the required data.

7. Click the “OK” button to save the information. You will then be taken back to the CAR 

Information List Page.
16

Clients(CenterOperations, e-CARs, BCTEP, AMJIAC, MiiA, and M-TAC) 

Client information can be submitted to NIST MEP in two ways, either a single or batch submission. 

Both types of submissions are detailed below. The client file has two tabs – one contains the 

information that the CAR has provided for the client and the other contains information that is pulled 

from the mydnb.com database. A ! beside any field, means that the data that you entered differs from 

D&Bs data. You can hover over the ! and right click to accept the data if you believe it to be accurate. 

Or, if you believe what you entered is the most accurate, leave as is. A ! beside a NAICS Code should 

be a notice to you that you may not have the most appropriate NAICS Code for the client and MEIS will 

not accept the client.

A comprehensive list of data fields is included in Appendix G Business Entities – Clients.

Single or Batch Submission 

The NIST MEP database must contain one record for each new client manufacturing establishment 

(CME) the CAR has worked with during the quarter. If you are working with a CME that has been 

previously submitted into the NIST MEP database, there is no need to update the client record unless 

information (address, phone number, NAICS, employee size, etc.) has changed since last reported.

If you are a consortium of CARs working with a sub recipient’s client, you will need to submit the client 

as a new client associated with your organization and assign the client a unique CAR client ID number. 

NOTE: A new NIST/MEP unique client ID will be assigned to the client. NIST/MEP will be using Dun 

and Bradstreet numbers to distinguish between firms and establishments resulting in a more accurate 

count of unique clients served within the entire MEP System.

NIST MEP uses client records for the purpose of conducting an in-house project impact survey

measuring the realized impacts (sales, investment, employment, cost of goods sold, etc) of our 

services to our clients. Client information may also be used for other purposes such as market and 

industry research and the coordination of National Account activities.

In order to be successfully submitted into the NIST MEP database, clients must have valid 

manufacturing NAICS codes or be assigned NAICS Code 541711 or 541712 identifying the client as 

having a Research and Development function. Please see the list of current manufacturing NAICS 

codes, Sectors 31-33, at http://www.census.gov/epcd/naics02/naicod02.htm#N31. 

Expansion of NAICs Codes effective April 1, 2014

• 423510 Metal Service Centers and Other Metal Merchant Wholesalers

• 488991 Packing and Crating

• 541330 Engineering Services

• 541380 Testing Laboratories

• 561910 Packaging and Labeling Services

• 811310 Commercial and Industrial Machinery & Equipment (except Automotive & Electronic) 

Repair & maintenance

In order to be accepted into MEIS, clients must have a DUNS Number that corresponds with a 

manufacturing or Research and Development NAICS Code or one of the expanded NAICS Codes. 

NIST MEP through our relationship with Dun and Bradstreet has provided centers with a one-stop-shop 
17

portal within MEIS for obtaining DUNS numbers and obtaining or adding manufacturing and Research 

and Development NAICS Codes. Please use the D&B Portal located within MEIS, 

https://meis.nist.gov/_layouts/MEIS/Admin/DandB/dunshome.aspx , for obtaining DUNS Numbers and 

NAICS Codes and researching your clients. If you do not have a username and password for MEIS, 

you can register at https://meis.nist.gov. 

We realize that you may be providing technology deployment services to clients that may not be 

specifically identified with a manufacturing NAICS code. If the client is engaged in R&D in the physical, 

engineering, and life sciences, such as agriculture, electronics, environmental, biology, botany, 

biotechnology, computers, chemistry, food, fisheries, forests, geology, health, mathematics, medicine, 

oceanography, pharmacy, physics, veterinary, and other allied subjects, the 541711 and 541712

NAICS codes for Research and Development are acceptable.

C-Level Engagement (Decision Maker)

Centers will select “Yes” or “No” in the CIF to indicate if they are working with a high-level decision 

maker at the Client on a project. Please note that random spots may be done to verify the decisionmaker engagement.

Yes: Indicates Center is working with high-level decision maker at Client

For local firm – Can include an Owner, Co-Owner, President, CEO, Founder, Co-Founder

For National firm – Can also include a Plant Manager, Vice President

Additional titles may be accepted upon review.

No: Indicates not working with high-level decision maker at Client

No high-level decision maker is working with the Center on this project.

Transformation and Coaching

Centers will select “Yes” or “No” in the CIF to indicate if a project is considered to be an ongoing 

transformative relationship. If “Yes”, fill in narrative to describe how the project supports the ongoing 

relationship.

Overall efforts to work with clients at a transformation and coaching level across the center’s project 

portfolio should be described in the Progress Plan under the field “Transformation and Coaching.”

Yes: 

Indicates project is related to the establishment of long-term, coaching relationship with client that helps 

them transform.

• If Yes, indicate how the project supports the ongoing relationship in the narrative field 

titled “ongoing transformation description.”

No: 

Indicates project is not part of a long-term, coaching relationship with client.

Batch Submission – Client Information File (CIF)

The CIF must be submitted as an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file. The same CIF template can 

be used for all Client submissions and there is no need to keep the clients separate, as it is the projects 
18

that are assigned to Funding Agreement ID not the clients. Please pay attention to which fields are 

required for each award type. 

XML is an open standard for describing data. It is an ideal solution for transferring structured data from 

server-to-client, server-to-server or application-to-application on any platform. It was designed to 

improve the functionality of the Web by providing more flexible and adaptable information identification.

XML is very simple, but the authoring of XML content can be difficult due to formatting requirements. 

To facilitate the authoring of XML files required for submissions, MEP has created an Excel 

spreadsheet template that contains a macro, which will allow for the quick and easy creation of XML 

files. The Excel template is intended to provide CARs with a tool to create the XML file if they do not 

have an information system capable of automatically generating the XML file format.

Instructions for using the template are included in the Excel file on the Help worksheet. These Excel 

templates can be downloaded from the MEIS website. In order to use the template provided Macros 

must be enabled in your Excel application. 

Submitting the Client Information File

1. Create the CIF file by exporting information from your `information system or database. The 

CIF must be submitted in XML format.

2. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

3. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

4. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

5. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..

6. Click CIP àClientsà Submit Quarterly Reports

7. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected.

8. In the Upload Section, click the “Select” button. A File Upload dialog box appears.

9. Locate and click on the CIF XML file that contains the client(s) you wish to load, click “Open” to add 

the file to the “Select” Box.

10. Click Action(s) à Submit for Validation. Any errors with the file are displayed. When a file is 

submitted for validation, the file is checked to ensure validity and consistency. Validation of client 

records is performed on a field or database level. Field level validation ensures that the data 

entered in all record fields are correct. However, this type of validation does not validate against

client records already existing in the MEIS database. This is achieved through validation at the 

database level. 
19

11. If the file fails with errors, the XML file will need to be corrected and re-uploaded using the same 

process. Repeat this process until the file passes with no errors. You will then need to submit for 

reporting.

12. Click Action(s) à Submit to System. The information in the file is submitted to the MEIS database.

13. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted Client information –

the Status Icon will be half green/half yellow indicating the submission is “Passed Pending 

MEP Review”.

Note: CIF files may be tested for validation as many times as needed by clicking Submit for 

Validation, but in order for the submission to be finalized the file MUST be submitted as final by 

clicking Submit to System. Clients must be in the NIST MEP database before projects and events 

can be submitted and associated with the client records.

Single Submission

Clients can also be submitted individually by directly composing Client records within the system. 

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name..

5. Click CIP àClientsà Submit Quarterly Reports or CIP àClients. Note: Adding records can

be done either from the List or Submit Quarterly Reporting Forms

6. Select Action(s) à Add New.

7. Fill in the required data.

8. Click the “OK” button to create the Client. You are then taken to the Clients List Page. 

Viewing and Updating Client Information

Client information can be viewed or updated at any time through the Client list. 

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 
20

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name..

5. Click CIP àClientsà Submit Quarterly Reports or CIP àClients.

6. Select the client to be viewed or updated by using the Search facility.

7. Enter your Search criteria in the box. See the examples below:

Click the “Search” button to display all CAR Client records.

Company Name – “Big* to list all clients with “big” in their Company Name.

Client ID – “917” to list all clients with “917” in their Client ID 

MEIS ID – “891” to list all clients with “891” in their MEIS ID

City – “Gaithersburg” to list all clients located within “Gaithersburg”

8. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Client that you want to edit/view. You will be 

taken to the Client Edit Page.

9. Fill in the required data.

10. Click the “OK” button to save the changes to the Client. You are then taken to the Clients List 

Page. 

Projects/Events(Center Operations and e-CARs Only)

Project/Event information can be submitted to NIST MEP in two ways, as either a single or batch 

submission. Both types of submissions are detailed below. A comprehensive list of data fields is 

included in Appendix G Business Entities – Projects and Events.

Single or Batch Submission

The NIST MEP database must contain one record for each project or event conducted with a client 

manufacturing establishment (CME). Each Project/Event will be directly associated to one of your 

Funding Agreement Ids. Projects are reported with a single Client ID and Events have multiple Client 

IDs per record. Clients must be in the system before submitting projects.

Project/Event information is collected for the purpose of conducting an in-house project impact survey 

measuring the realized impacts (sales, investment, employment, cost of goods sold, etc) of services to 

our clients. Surveys are conducted six months after the completion of the project. All projects and 

events reported to NIST MEP will be surveyed.

In order to be accepted into MEIS, Center Operations projects must be associated with clients that 

have a DUNS Number that corresponds with a manufacturing or Research and Development NAICS 

Code or one of the expanded NAICS Codes. NIST MEP through our relationship with Dun and 

Bradstreet has provided centers with a one-stop-shop portal within MEIS for obtaining DUNS numbers 

and obtaining or adding manufacturing and Research and Development NAICS Codes. Please use the 

D&B Portal located within MEIS, https://meis.nist.gov/_layouts/MEIS/Admin/DandB/dunshome.aspx , 
21

for obtaining DUNS Numbers and NAICS Codes and researching your clients. If you do not have a 

username and password for MEIS, you can register at https://meis.nist.gov. 

See Survey Schedule below.

Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4

Period January 1 –

March 31

April 1 - June 

30

July 1 – September 

30

October 1 – December 

31

Start 

Date

April 17 July 17 October 17 January 17

End 

Date

May 14 August 14 November 14 February 14

Projects/Events should only be submitted if the interaction was substantive which means the project or 

event facilitated measurable changes in a U.S. based manufacturing firm's operations that affected the 

firm's performance and had measurable impact.

Each individual project/event reported on the PIF must be assigned a unique project/event identifier. 

This unique id will identify each interaction. The project/event id is not the same as a service identifier, 

used by the CAR to uniquely identify services. 

CARs should be careful when reporting the number of hours for an event. The total number of hours for 

the event should be reported without multiplying the number of hours by the number of clients or 

attendees. 

Project Value

The Project Value is the calculated value of CAR + 3rd Party + Other. The total should be a reasonable 

approximation of the value of the project/service to the client from all parties involved in the delivery and 

funding.

CAR Value 3rd Party Value Other Value Total Project Value

The portion of the total project 

value delivered by the CAR. 

This value could include inhouse delivery, co-delivery 

with a third party and/or other 

organization or in-house 

project management for work 

provided by a 3rd party.

The portion of the total project 

value delivered by the 3rd Party. 

This value could be a subrecipient or 3rd Party contributor. 

Any 3rd party organization that is 

helping deliver services must 

also be listed/detailed in the CAR 

Partners including the types of 

services provided, organization 

type, and NGS rationale.

The portion of the total 

project value funded by 

an Other party. This value 

could be a state 

government grant 

program or government 

economic subsidy.

The calculated value of 

CAR + 3rd Party + 

Other. The total should 

be a reasonable 

approximation of the 

value of the 

project/service to the 

client from all parties 

involved in the delivery 

and funding.
22

Project Hours

The Project Hours is the calculated hours of CAR + 3rd Party + Other. The total should be a reasonable 

approximation of the hours spent on the project (project management, analysis, processing, and 

delivery) of the project/service to the client from all parties involved.

CAR Hours 3rd Party Hours Other Hours Total Project Value

The portion of the total 

project hours delivered by 

the CAR. These hours 

could include in-house 

delivery, co-delivery with a 

third party and/or other 

organization or in-house 

project management for 

work provided by a 3rd

party.

The portion of the total 

project hours delivered by the 

3rd Party. These hours could 

be a sub-recipient or 3rd Party 

contributor. Any 3rd Party 

organization that is helping 

deliver services must also be 

listed/detailed in the CAR 

Partners including the types 

of services provided, 

organization type, and NGS 

rationale.

The portion of the total 

project hours funded by 

an Other party. These 

hours could be a state 

government grant 

program or government 

economic subsidy.

The calculated hours of 

CAR + 3rd Party + 

Other. The total should 

be a reasonable 

approximation of the 

hours of the 

project/service to the 

client from all parties 

involved in the delivery 

and funding.

Example 1 – CAR delivers an ISO to a client

CAR Delivery – Chuck Spangler

CAR Hours – 35

CAR Value - $15,000

3rd Party – ABC Company

3rd Party Hours – 30

3rd Party Value - $20,000

Example 2 – CAR is provided an economic grant from the state of Oklahoma to provide service to a 

client in workforce development.

CAR Deliver – Jerry Isaacs

CAR Hours – 15

CAR Value – 0

Other – DEF Corporation

Other Hours – 10

Other Value - $10,000

Example 3 – CAR uses 3rd party Provider to deliver Family Business Advisor

CAR Delivery – Chuck Spangler

CAR Hours – 1

CAR Value - $120

3rd party – GHI LLC

3rd Party Hours – 16

3rd party Value - $5,000

Substance Codes for Projects/Events – Required field as of July 1, 2014 –

2014-2 Reporting Period. 
23

CARs have many different kinds of contact with the client manufacturing firms in their regions. 

Since no two CARs are identical or have identical service delivery mechanisms. NIST MEP has 

created definitions to standardize how CARs report their performance in serving manufacturers. 

Some projects may cross multiple substance codes. In these cases, choose the substance code that 

best characterizes the nature of the overall engagement. Each of these classifications is defined in the 

table below:

Substance Code Descriptions

Code Title Definition Examples

23 Lean Product 

Suite

Projects in this category are 

those that move beyond a 

general orientation or 

introduction to lean principles, 

and focus on the actual 

implementation of tools and 

practices. These tools and 

practices help companies 

produce more with existing 

resources by eliminating and 

reducing incidental work or non 

value-added activities

Lean product development 

projects are NOT included 

here—they are included under 

the Technology 

Services/Product Development 

Suite.

Projects in this category include but are 

not limited to value stream mapping, 

Cycle-time Reductions, Inventory 

Reductions, Throughput Time Reductions, 

Order-to-Ship Lead Time Reductions, 

Operating Cost Reductions, Lean Office, 

Cycle-time Reductions, Fixed Overhead 

Cost Reductions, Variable Overhead Cost 

Reductions, improving 

capacity/Throughput, Physical Flow 

Improvements, set up production, total 

production maintenance, simulations, 

kaizen blitzes, kan-ban, cellular design, 

5S, and lean office applications.

24 Quality Product 

Suite

Projects that assist client firms 

with the implementation of 

management systems that help 

them achieve a defined 

industry-specific or general 

quality certification or standard. 

Projects in this category include but are 

not limited to ISO, QS, AS, and Six 

Sigma; other recognized industry 

standards; and prizes such as Shingo or 

Baldrige.

25 Growth 

Services 

Product Suite

Projects that provide client 

firms with the tools and 

methods to systematically 

identify and target opportunities 

to develop new products, new 

markets, new services, or new 

customers. 

The actual development of new 

products or prototypes, and the 

identification of new 

technologies are NOT included 

here—they are categorized 

under the Technology Services 

Suite.

Examples include ExporTech, supplier 

scouting, market diversification, E!WW, 

and seven thinking hats.
24

Code Title Definition Examples

26 Sustainability 

Services Suite Projects that provide clients 

with the tools and techniques 

to increase the environmentalfriendliness of their 

operations. 

Activities within this category include but 

are not limited to assistance in developing 

environmental management systems, 

improving energy efficiency, identifying 

alternative sources of energy, reducing 

waste, material selection, recycling, ISO 

14000, and the Waste to Profit Network.

27 Strategic/Business 

Management/Plann

ing Services Suite

Projects that provide clients 

with assistance in developing 

strategic planning; succession 

planning; as well as HR 

manuals; job classification; 

organizational management; 

assistance on focusing on the 

general direction, and future 

of the business. 

Projects include leadership development; 

corporate culture; enterprise 

transformation; Continuation of 

Operations Plans (COOP); disaster 

recovery planning; and sustaining 

improvement and business change 

efforts. 

28 Technology 

Services/Produc

t Development 

Suite

Projects that involve working 

with clients to identify, 

develop, and diffuse 

technology and new products 

within their company. 

Projects in this category include 

identifying technologies for client 

companies (tech scouting), working with 

federal or university resources to identify 

technologies needed by specific client 

companies, working with SBIR awardees 

to develop new products and 

technologies, developing and prototyping 

new products, lean product development, 

dealing with intellectual property (IP) 

issues, patents, and licensing.

29 Financial 

Analysis/Assistance Services 

Suite

Projects that provide clients 

with services to help them 

better understand and identify 

their costs and financial 

situation. 

Activities in this category include but are 

not limited to activity-based costing, 

helping clients manage and control costs, 

and projects that assist clients in 

identifying and accessing new financial 

resources, and writing grants. 
25

Code Title Definition Examples

30 Sales/Marketing/

Business 

Development 

Services Suite

Projects that assist clients in 

improving their EXISTING

sales, marketing, and 

business development 

opportunities. 

Website design and ecommerce activities are NOT

included here—they are 

included under IT Services. 

Activities that support NEW

products and NEW markets 

go under Technology 

Services/Product 

Development Suite.

. Activities include market research, 

industrial marketing services, competitor 

analysis, and developing marketing 

materials

31 Engineering 

Services/Plant 

Layout

Projects that involve specific 

manufacturing process 

engineering or plant layout 

issues.. 

Activities in this category help clients with 

equipment design, plant design and 

layout, tooling, implementation of OSHArelated requirements and procedures, and 

other engineering-related issues

32 Information 

Technology (IT) 

Services

Projects that involve working 

with clients to develop, 

implement, and deploy IT 

systems, or update and 

modernize existing IT 

systems. 

Projects within this category include 

development and installation of new 

information technology hardware or 

software products, accounting systems, 

CAD/CAM, customized IT solutions, MRP 

(Material Requirements Planning), ERP 

(Enterprise Resource Planning), and the 

creation and maintenance of web sites 

and e-commerce portals for clients.

33 Workforce Projects that involve working 

with clients to recruit, retain, 

and/or develop human 

resources

Projects within this category might 

include: training and education 

partnerships, regional collaborations for 

workforce development and job growth, 

gathering labor market information about 

skill demands, identifying valuable skill 

credentials, providing apprenticeships and 

internships.

Project Mode

Project Mode: Projects with clients are complex interactions that will frequently not fit neatly into the 

three categories below, however, it is important that we begin to understand the balance of centers’ 

work across these delivery modes. For each project, select the mode that best characterizes your 

interaction with the client. The following guidance may be helpful:
26

• If the project is substantial enough that there were discreet phases to the interaction, you may 

want to break these up into separate projects. For example:

o A half day assessment that was then followed up with 12 hours to implement 

improvements based on the results of the assessment might be broken up into two 

projects.

• If it does not make sense to describe the interaction above as two projects, then the ultimate 

result of the interaction – delivery of 12 hours of expert consulting – should probably be the 

mode selected, or in this case Implementation

• Differentiating between Implementation and Training may also be challenging. In general, the 

distinction is that Implementation provides improvements to a client’s business practices 

without necessarily developing any new capabilities within the client, while Training is focused 

on the development of new capabilities that the client will then utilize to improve their own 

business practices. In cases where there is a blend of these two modes, a determination of 

the predominant mode should be used for coding. 

Code Title Definition Examples

A Assessment A project that provides a 

client with an evaluation of 

their business practices, 

either in whole or in part

Examples might include: Energy Audit, 

Security Assessment, CORE Value Tool

I Implementation A project that involves 

direct work with the client 

to improve their business 

practices through a 

consultation and/or 

delivery approach. 

Examples might include: ISO Certification, 

Lean Product Development

T Training A project that is intended 

to develop new 

capabilities for a client 

through the delivery of 

training or development 

services

Examples might include: Lean 101, 

general workshops, ISO training, 

HAZMAT Training

Submitting the Project Information File (PIF)

1. Create the PIF file by exporting information from your information system or database. The 

PIF must be submitted in XML format. If you have multiple awards, you can use the same PIF 

for uploading. You MUST make sure that you associate the correct Funding Agreement 

Number in the Funding Agreement field.

2. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.
27

3. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

4. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

5. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..

6. Click CIP àProjects and Events à Submit Quarterly Reports

7. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID is selected.

8. In the Upload Section, click the “Select” button. A File Upload dialog box appears.

9. Locate and click on the PIF XML file that contains the Projects and Events you wish to load, click 

“Open” to add the file to the “Select” Box.

10. Click Action(s) à Submit for Validation. Any errors with the file are displayed. When a file is 

submitted for validation, the file is checked to ensure validity and consistency. Validation of client 

records is performed on a field or database level. Field level validation ensures that the data 

entered in all record fields are correct. However, this type of validation does not validate against 

client records already existing in the MEIS database. This is achieved through validation at the 

database level. 

11. If the file fails with errors, the XML file will need to be corrected and re-uploaded using the same 

process. Repeat this process until the file passes with no errors. You will then need to submit for 

reporting.

12. Click Action(s) à Submit to System. The information in the file is submitted to the MEIS database.

13. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted Project and Event 

information – the Status Icon will be half green/half yellow indicating the submission is “Passed 

Pending MEP Review”.

Common Errors

• Date format

• Cutting and pasting into project description – strange characters

• Project value fields only accept whole values – no decimals

• Staff name in delivery or sales fields – it must be ID number

• Incorrect email format

Note: PIF files may be tested for validation as many times as needed by clicking Submit for 

Validation, but in order for the submission to be finalized the file MUST be submitted as final by 

clicking Submit to System. Clients must be in the NIST MEP database before projects & events can 

be submitted and associated with the client records.
28

Single Submission

Projects/Events can also be submitted individually by directly composing project/event records within 

the system. 

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name.

5. Click CIP àProjects and Eventsà Submit Quarterly Reports or CIP àProjects and Events.

Note: Adding records can be done either from the List or Submit Quarterly Reporting 

Forms

6. Select Action(s) à Add New.

7. Fill in the required data.

8. Click the “OK” button to create the Project and Event. You are then taken to the Project and 

Event List Page. 

Viewing Project/Event Information

Project/event information can be viewed at any time through the Project and Event list. The easiest 

way to find projects is to drill down through clients.

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name..

5. Click CIP àProjects and Events.

6. Select the Client from the dropdown list that was provided the service (Project or Event).

7. Click the View/Edit icon for the Project or Event that you want to view. You will be taken 

to the Project and Event View Page.
29

8. View the data.

9. Click the “Back” button. You are then taken to the Projects and Events List Page. 

Project and Event fields are not editable after they have been submitted to NIST MEP. If you need to 

modify data for a field that is not editable contact the NIST MEP Reporting Contact (refer to the MEP 

Contacts section for the appropriate contact name and address).

CIF and PIF Uploading Tips

• Upload the CIF first

• Download TextPad at www.textpad.com

• Check your templates to make sure that the macros are enabled

• Be extra careful when cutting and pasting into the text fields such as Project Description

• Make sure you are using the correct Funding Agreement Number

• Use your Stationery Code, i.e. NY3, NY4, NY5 and Center ID, i.e. 176

• Take advantage of the advice on the Help Tab of the excel template for CIF and PIF

Common CIF and PIF Error Message – Object Reference Not Set to an Instance of an Object

If you receive this message, your template is not formatted properly. It should look like the template 

directly below.
30

The two templates below are not correct. Check column A for numbering and macro enabled.

Common CIF and PIF Error Message - An unusual character is detected by MEIS. This error 

message can occur from cutting and pasting data into the fields – usually the description fields where 

there is narrative. Use TextPad to find the exact line and position.

Errors

• Error: an unexpected error has occurred Invalid character 

in the given encoding. Line 217, position 51.
31

Common Error Message for Center Operations Project with a Client that Does Not Have a 

Manufacturing or R&D NAICS Code

Errors

Clorox - Lean Simulation Workshop Manex Sep. 27, 2013 (13-09-30-935)

· The Funding Agreement selected requires that the client have a Dun & 

Bradstreet with a valid manufacturing NAICS code.

Contacts

Contacts are composed of CAR officials with specific duties for which there is the opportunity to 

correspond as a group. Information about contacts is intended to provide NIST MEP with the required 

information to effectively communicate with the correct CAR staff through mailing lists and working 

groups. Changes made to contacts will be immediate and automatically transferred to the appropriate 

MEP mailing lists that correspond to those positions. A comprehensive list of data fields is included in 

Appendix G Business Entities – Contacts.

Submitting and Reviewing Contacts
32

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..

5. Click CIP àContacts à Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected.

7. Verify that the contacts listed are current. If not, add or remove contacts as needed.

8. Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting Period

9. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted Contact information –

the Status Icon will be green.

Adding/Removing Contacts

Adding Members to Contact Type

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..

5. Click CIP àContactsà Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected.

7. Click the arrow to the left of the Contact Type. Any Contacts assigned to that Contact Type 

are displayed in the table.

8. Click the View/Edit icon for the Contact Type. You will be taken to the Contact Type edit 

page. On the Contact Type page, you’ll see an Existing Members section.

9. Using the list box of Staff Members add staff to the Contact Type (you can use the CTRL + 

Click or SHIFT + Click key combinations to select multiple list items).
33

10. Once Staff are selected, click the top button in the middle column ( ) to add them from 

the left-hand side of the column to the right-hand side of the column. These users are 

selected to be added to the Existing Members List.

11. Click the “Add” button to add the users to the Existing Members list.

Removing Members to Contact Type

1. In the “Existing Members” section, select the checkbox for the users to be removed.

2. Click the “Remove Selected” link, to remove the Members. 

3. A dialog box appears asking for you to confirm. Click “OK” in the dialog box to remove 

the selected members.

4. Click either of the “OK” buttons to finish editing the Contact Type and return to the 

Contact Submission Page. 

Contact Types

Field Name Instructions Example

CAR Officials

Center Director

(Center Operations)

Choose the CAR Director’s name from the 

list. Only those CAR staff members who are 

registered users of MEIS will be available in 

list.

Bonnie DelConte

Project Manager

(e-CAR, t-CAR, 

GPIC, Other 

Agency, AMJIAC, 

BCTEP, MiiA, & MTAC)

Choose the CAR Lead’s name from list. 

Only those CAR staff members who are 

registered users of MEIS will be available in 

list.

Dana Stone

Financial/Operations 

Manager

(Center Operations, 

e-CAR, t-CAR, 

GPIC, Other 

Agency, AMJIAC, 

BCTEP, MiiA, & MC)

Choose the Financial/Operations Manager’s 

name from list. Only those CAR staff 

members who are registered users of MEIS

will be available in list.

Scott Sipe
34

Field Name Instructions Example

Reporting Contact

(Center Operations, 

e-CAR, t-CAR, 

GPIC, Other 

Agency, AMJIAC, 

BCTEP, MiiA & MTAC)

Choose the name of person responsible for 

Reporting from list. This person will serve as 

the CAR contact for NIST MEP for reporting. 

Only those CAR staff members who are 

registered users of MEIS will be available in 

list.

Barb Forni

Survey Contact

(Center Operations, 

e-CAR, GPIC, Other 

Agency, AMJIAC, 

BCTEP, MiiA & MTAC)

Choose the name of person responsible for 

the Survey from list. This person will serve as 

the CAR contact for the survey house and 

NIST MEP for survey-related questions and 

issues. Only those CAR staff members who 

are registered users of MEIS will be 

available in list.

Rebekah McCarter

Marketing Manager 

(Center Operations)

Choose the name of person responsible for 

CAR Marketing from list. Only those CAR

staff members who are registered users of 

MEIS will be available in list.

Deborah Nash

CAR Review Person(s) at the CAR who receive the 

automatic notifications related to the Annual 

and Panel Reviews.

Jennifer Huffmon

Director Notification Choose the name of person(s) to receive the 

notifications that Center Director receives

David Satterfield

Locations

Locations are physical addresses where CAR, sub-recipient, or partner staff are based or deliver 

services. The Locations are intended to provide NIST MEP with general contact information such as 

address and phone information. Some locations can be partner’s service delivery locations. MEP will 

use this information to communicate our national coverage area with our various stakeholders. It is the 

CAR’s responsibility to ensure all of its locations are included in the locations listing. A comprehensive 

list of data fields is included in Appendix G Business Entities – Locations.

Submitting and Reviewing Locations

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..
35

5. Click CIP àLocationsà Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period selected.

7. Verify that the Locations listed are current. If not, add or remove Locations as needed.

8. Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting Period

9. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted Location information 

– the Status Icon will be green.

Adding a New Location

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..

5. Click CIP àLocations à Submit Quarterly Reports or Click CIP àLocations. Note: 

Adding/removing records can be done either from the List or Submit Quarterly Reporting 

Forms. 

6. Click Action(s) à Add New

7. Fill in the required data.

8. Click the “OK” button to create the Location. You are then taken to the Location Edit Page. 

Updating a Location

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..

5. Click CIP àLocations à Submit Quarterly Reports or Click CIP àLocations. Note: 

Adding/removing records can be done either from the List or Submit Quarterly Reporting 

Forms. 
36

6. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Location that you want to Edit. You will be taken to 

the Location Edit Page.

7. Fill in the required data.

8. Click the “OK” button to save the information. You will then be taken back to the Location List 

Page.

Removing a Location

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..

5. Click CIP àLocationsà Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period selected

7. Click the checkbox in the “Archive” column for the Location you want to remove. 

8. Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting Period

9. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted Location information 

– the Status Icon will be green.

Partners

The Partner submission provides the CAR a readily available mechanism for reporting on its formal and 

informal relationships with other organizations. 

A Partner is defined as an organization that contributes or aligns resources (human and/or monetary) 

through a long-term formal or informal agreement. There are various ways a partner may help the CAR 

such as: provide cash or in-kind contributions to meet cost share, deliver services to clients, provide 

office space and equipment, and/or provide staff time to perform MEP type activities for the CAR. 

There are three types of Partners:

1. Sub-recipient – most easily recognized. A sub-recipient is explicitly identified in a 

CARs Cooperative Agreement.

2. Third-party Contributors. There is a formal agreement and the Partner performs

one or more of the services listed :

a. Helps deliver services to SMEs
37

b. Helps sell CAR services

c. Helps market services

d. Helps develop products and services

e. Helps train personnel

f. Makes referrals

g. Provides market/trend information and analysis

h. Provides administrative or accounting support

i. Provides office space

j. Bills clients for work performed with the CAR

k. Provides financial resources to the CAR (e.g., Cost Share)

l. Provides financial resources to clients (e.g., underwrites project cost)

m. Helps with advocacy/stakeholder visibility

n. Strategic planning

3. Other Partners – there is not a formal agreement, however the CAR wants to list the 

Partner as a resource.

The list of CAR sub-recipients will be maintained by NIST MEP. If you mark the organization as a 

service delivery location and/or check one or more of the boxes for the type of help (office space, 

provides accounting support, bills clients) provided by the organization, the system will automatically 

designate the Partner as a Third-party Contributor. All other will be designated as Partners.

The importance of knowing a CARs Partners is to show the extent of a CARs reach beyond its own 

resources. This information is used to show that MEP CARs are working with partner organizations to 

deliver the best possible services and products to its clients through formal and informal agreements. A 

comprehensive list of data fields is included in Appendix G Business Entities – Partners.

Submitting and Reviewing Partners

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..

5. Click CIP àPartners à Submit Quarterly Reports
38

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected.

7. Verify that the Partners listed are current. If not, add or remove Partners as needed.

8. Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting Period

9. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted Partner information 

– the Status Icon will be green.

Adding Partners

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..

5. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected.

6. Click CIP àPartners à Submit Quarterly Reports or Click CIP àPartners. Note: 

Adding/removing records can be done either from the List or Submit Quarterly Reporting 

Forms. 

7. Click Action(s) à Add New

8. Fill in the required data.

9. Click the “OK” button to create the Partner. You are then taken to the Partner Edit Page. 

Updating a Partner

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name.

5. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected.
39

6. Click CIP àPartnersà Submit Quarterly Reports or Click CIP àPartners. Note: 

Adding/removing records can be done either from the List or Submit Quarterly Reporting 

Forms. 

7. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Partner that you want to Edit. You will be taken to 

the Partner Edit Page.

8. Fill in the required data.

9. Click the “OK” button to save the information. You will then be taken back to the Partner List Page.

Removing a Partner

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name.

5. Click CIP àPartnersà Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected.

7. Click the checkbox in the “Archive” column for the Partner you want to remove. 

8. Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting Period

9. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted Partner information 

– the Status Icon will be green.

Progress Plan

The Progress Plan includes the following sections:

• Progress Narrative

• Progress Data

• Operating Plan

• Deliverables (e-CAR/t-CAR ONLY)

• SF425 Federal Financial Report
40

Progress Narrative

The Progress Narrative is a text-based submission that provides NIST MEP with qualitative information 

on the following:

Center Operations

• Progress to Current Operating Plan/CAR Diagnostics

o Quarterly Overview

o Innovation Practice

o Next Generation Strategy Overview/Growth Services

§ NGS – Continuous Improvement

§ NGS – Supplier Development

§ NGS – Sustainability

§ NGS – Technology Acceleration

§ NGS - Workforce 

o Market Understanding

o Business Model

o Partnerships

o Financial Viability

o Transformation and Coaching

o Federal, State and Other Initiatives

e-CAR/t-CAR/GPIC

Activities this quarter

Activities next quarter

Major project milestones accomplished

Risks to project plan

Percent of funds expended

Progress towards annual project completion

CAR staff and technical assistance providers trained

CARs that have shown an interest in adopting the tool, service, or product
41

Target Markets – e-Car Only

Partnerships 

Progress towards regional and national scalability

The A3 will be available for viewing. The CAR will be expected to respond to certain elements based on 

what was written in the A3. Risks to achieving goals will be addressed in this section as well as percent 

of funds expended and progress towards annual completion.

Other Agency

• Activities this quarter

• Activities next quarter

• Major project milestones accomplished

• Risks to project plan

• Percent of funds expended

• Progress towards annual project completion (cumulative)

• Building Construction Technology Extension Pilot (BCTEP)

• Project Progress

Curriculum Development Collaboration Activities

Progress Towards Deployment

Activities this quarter

Activities next quarter

Major project milestones accomplished

Risk to project plan

Percent of funds expended

Progress towards annual project completion (cumulative)

Job Accelerator (AMJIAC)

Project Progress

Market Intelligence

• Planned Activities

• Activities Completed

• Activity Results

• Next Quarter Plan
42

Outreach

• Planned Activities

• Activities Completed

• Activity Results

• Next Quarter Plan

Technical Assistance

• Planned Activities

• Activities Completed

• Activity Results

• Next Quarter Plan

Tracking and Measurement

• Planned Activities

• Activities Completed

• Activity Results

• Next Quarter Plan

Risk to Project Plan

Percent of Funds Expended

Progress towards annual project completion (cumulative)

Making it in America (MiiA)

Quarterly Overview

M-TAC

Progress Data

The Progress Data part of the Progress Plan collects quantifiable data for the award Including Total 

Expenses both cash and in-kind and fees collected for service. In addition, there will be two cumulative 

lists of CAR staff and technical assistance providers that have been trained (organization, and staff 

name) and a list of CARs (name only) that have shown an interest in adopting the tool, service or 

product. 

The data is used by NIST MEP to generate standard reports used by NIST MEP and CARs to do the 

following:

• Report on program output

• Make management decisions
43

• Monitor CAR performance

• Track CAR activity against operating plan goals and objectives

Center Operations

• Fees from Projects and Events

• Expenses – Total Cash/Total In-Kind

• FTES (Technical, Sales, Management, Other)

• CMEs served over the past 12 months

e-CAR/t-CAR/GPIC

• Fees from Projects and Events

• Expenses – Total Cash/Total In-Kind

Other Agency

Total expenses per quarter

BCTEP

• Total expenses per quarter

Job Accelerator (AMJIAC)

• Fees from Projects/Events

• Total expenses per quarter

Make it in America (MiiA)

Does not apply

M-TAC

Operating Plan

The CARs Operating Plan must be reviewed and updated quarterly if changes are needed. The 

Operating Plan provides NIST MEP and NIST Grant’s Office with information about the operations of 

the CAR. Only one plan may be in effect for a given period of time.

The Operating Plan is required by the terms and conditions of the CAR’s cooperative agreement. 

Operating plans will be updated and submitted to NIST MEP annually. The Operating Plan will be 

reviewed quarterly and updated if needed. Quarterly verification that the Operating Plan is being 

followed, officials identified in Operating Plan and there is not a significant deviation from the proposed 

budget is required.

SF425 Federal Financial Report
44

The SF425 must be reviewed and updated quarterly if changes are needed. The SF425 provides NIST 

MEP and NIST Grant’s Office with information about the operations of the CAR. Only one report may 

be in effect for a given period of time.

Deliverables (e-CAR/t-CAR Only)

The Deliverables section should be used as storage for all project related documents. Documents 

which provide additional information about projects should be uploaded in this section. Some examples 

include:

• Budget

• Gantt chart, PERT chart

• Graphics

• A3

• Case Study – One in-depth story on client engagement or product tool deployment - one 

required per year. Please see the Case Study template provided in Appendix F Case 

Study Template.

o Your expectations from the project

o Your implementation efforts

o Near term results

o Future hopes

A comprehensive list of data fields is included in Appendix G Business Entities – Progress Plan

Submitting a Progress Plan

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name.

5. Click CIP àProgress Planà Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected. 

7. Click the “Start Submission” button. A new Progress Plan screen is shown.

8. Fill in the required data.
45

9. If you are not ready to submit the Progress Plan as final, however, you do want to save your work, 

Click Action(s) à Save Draft.

10. If you are ready to submit the Progress Plan as final, Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting 

Period

11. NOTE: There are 3 boxes that need to be checked indicating that you have reviewed and if 

necessary, initiated the process to change your budget information as submitted to NIST Grants 

Office. The Progress Plan will not be saved to MEIS unless all 3 boxes are checked.

a. Box at the top of the Narrative

b. Box by the SF425

c. Box by the Operating Plan

12. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted Progress Plan the 

Status Icon will be half green/half yellow indicating the submission is “Passed Pending MEP 

Review”.

13. An automatic notification is sent to the NIST Grants Specialist with the Progress Plan report 

attached at the time NIST MEP accepts the final report. 

NOTES:

NIST MEP encourages CARs to create the narrative portions of the Progress Plan report using 

a word processing program and then cut and paste the information into the online form. It is 

generally not a good idea to compose long narratives on the Web, since a network problem 

could cause you to lose information before you have saved your work.

If corrections are needed after the Progress Plan has been submitted to NIST MEP, contact the 

NIST MEP Reporting Administrator

Viewing and Updating Progress Plans (Save Draft)

Progress Plans can be modified until the report is submitted to NIST MEP as final.

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name.

5. Click CIP àProgress Planà Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected. 
46

7. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Progress Plan that you want to View or Edit. You 

will be taken to the Progress Plan Edit Page.

8. Fill in the required data and confirm that the attached Operating Plan and SF425 are current.

9. If you are not ready to submit the Progress Plan as final, however, you do want to save your work, 

Click Action(s) à Save Draft.

10. If you are ready to submit the Progress Plan as final, Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting Period

11. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted Progress Plan the 

Status Icon will be half green/half yellow indicating the submission is “Passed Pending MEP 

Review”.

12. Your FPO and RMST are automatically notified that the Progress Plan has been submitted. The 

FPO reviews and accepts the submission and the SF425.

13. An automatic notification is sent to the NIST Grants Specialist with the Progress Plan report 

attached at the time NIST MEP accepts the final report. 

14. CARs can print their reports by clicking on the “Print Progress Plan Report” link.

Viewing Progress Plans (Finalized)

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name.

5. Click CIP àProgress Plan

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected. 

7. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Progress Plan that you want to View. You will 

be taken to the Progress Plan View Page.

8. Click the “Back” button. You are then taken to the Progress Plan List Page. 
47

State Funding Partners

The State Funding Partners entries are intended to provide the CAR a readily available mechanism for 

reporting on its relationships with State and Local Government Officials. State Funding Partners are the 

primary funding decision officials for the program within the state or local government for the CAR. All 

State Funding Partners must relate back to a Partner organization that is reported in the Partners

reporting element.

A comprehensive list of data fields is included in Appendix G Business Entities – State Funding 

Partners.

Submitting and Reviewing State Funding Partners

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..

5. Click CIP àState Funding Partners à Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected.

7. Verify that the State Funding Partners listed are current. If not, add or remove State Funding 

Partners as needed.

8. Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting Period

9. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted State Funding 

Partner information – the Status Icon will be green.

Adding State Funding Partners

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..

5. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected.
48

6. Click CIP àState Funding Partners à Submit Quarterly Reports or Click CIP àState Funding

Partners. Note: Adding/removing records can be done either from the List or Submit 

Quarterly Reporting Forms. 

7. Click Action(s) à Add New

8. Fill in the required data.

9. Click the “OK” button to create the Partner. You are then taken to the State Partner Edit Page. 

Updating a State Funding Partner

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name.

5. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected.

6. Click CIP àState Funding Partnersà Submit Quarterly Reports or Click CIP àState Funding 

Partners. Note: Adding/removing records can be done either from the List or Submit 

Quarterly Reporting Forms. 

7. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate State Funding Partner that you want to Edit. You 

will be taken to the Partner Edit Page.

8. Fill in the required data.

9. Click the “OK” button to save the information. You will then be taken back to the State Funding 

Partner List Page.

Removing a State Funding Partner

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..
49

5. Click CIP àState Funding Partnersà Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected.

7. Click the checkbox in the “Archive” column for the State Funding Partner you want to remove. 

8. Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting Period

9. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted State Funding 

Partner information – the Status Icon will be green.

Staff

The Staff submission is intended to provide the CAR a mechanism for reporting on its active workforce. 

Anyone devoted to the CAR, either as an employee or sub-recipient providing part of a partner’s cash 

or in-kind contributions, as delineated in the CARs current operating plan, is considered part of the 

CARs staff and should be reported. CAR Staff members are automatically included in the staff listing 

when they register for access to the MEP MEIS. It is the CARs responsibility to ensure all of its 

members are included in the staff listing and associated with any Funding Agreements they are 

working on in any capacity (delivering services, project management, and administrative overhead). 

Please encourage staff members to register at https://meis.nist.gov.

The staff listing is a compilation of registered CAR staff users. NIST MEP requires that the staff listing is 

updated quarterly. Each CAR staff member is responsible for maintaining his or her own record. 

Personnel assigned the Reporting Role will be able to edit some data fields in their CAR staff’s

records.

Sub-recipients on funding agreements have to designate their staff as eligible to work on a prime’s 

funding agreement. If you are the prime, and the sub-recipient in question is listed in MEIS as a subrecipient to the funding agreement in question, (See Sub-recipients following this section) then you will 

need to contact the sub-recipient to have the staff member allocated to your Funding Agreement before 

the staff member will be listed in the Staff listing.

Submitting and Reviewing CAR Staff

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..

5. Click CIP àStaff à Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period selected.
50

7. Verify that the Staff list is current and complete and that all staff are assigned to the appropriate 

funding agreements. If a staff member is not listed, you will need to request that they register for an 

account at https://meis.nist.gov .

8. To the right on the Staff grid, columns of checkboxes are visible for each Funding Agreement, click 

the checkbox for each Funding Agreement a staff member is working. Click the Help Icon to list 

detailed information about the Funding Agreement.

9. Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting Period

10. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted Staff information –

the Status Icon will be half green/half yellow indicating the submission is “Passed Pending 

MEP Review” .

Adding Staff – Prime Recipient

1. Staff can only be added by having the staff member register for a MEIS account at 

https://meis.nist.gov.

2. Click on the Register Here! Link.

3. Fill in the requested information. A comprehensive list of data fields is included in Appendix G

Business Entities – User Registration/Staff.

4. Click the Preview Button to review the information you submitted. If the information is not correct 

you will be able to edit and resubmit. 

5. After registration information is confirmed, click on the Submit button. 

Note: It should not take longer than two business days to receive your email confirmation to access 

the SFC. The delay is necessary to ensure only approved members of the system are provided access 

to the site. 

Adding Staff – Sub-recipient

Sub-recipients on funding agreements have to designate their staff as eligible to work on a prime’s 

funding agreement. If you are the prime and the sub-recipient in question is NOT listed in MEIS as a 

sub-recipient to the funding agreement in question (See Sub-recipients following this section), then you 

will need to contact the sub-recipient to have their staff member allocated to your Funding Agreement 

before the staff member will be listed in the Staff listing. (See Submitting and Reviewing CAR Staff 

above).

Removing Staff

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 
51

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name..

5. Click CIP àStaff à Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period selected.

7. Click the checkbox in the “Archive” column for the Staff member(s) you want to remove. 

8. Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting Period

9. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted Staff information –

the Status Icon will be green.

CARs may request that a staff member’s account be removed from the list at any time (not 

just during quarterly reporting). The request to Archive requires an action by NIST MEP, 

please allow 1-2 business days for account removal.

Updating CAR Staff (Reporting Role)

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name.

5. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period and Funding Agreement ID selected.

6. Click CIP àStaff à Submit Quarterly Reports or Click CIP àStaff. Note: 

Adding/updating/removing records can be done either from the List or Submit Quarterly 

Reporting Forms. 

7. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Staff member that you want to Edit. You will be 

taken to the Staff Edit Page.

8. Fill in the required data.

9. Click the “OK” button to save the information. You will then be taken back to the Staff List Page.

Updating CAR Staff (User)

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.
52

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name.

5. Click Self Service àMy Profile to update your contact information.

6. Click Self Service àUpdate Username/Password to change your username and/or password.

7. Fill in the required data.

8. Click the “OK” button to save the information. You will then be taken back to the Staff List Page.

Success Stories (CenterOperations Only)

Success Stories describe assistance projects undertaken by CAR in a variety of industries and 

geographic locations across the country. These stories reflect the variety and depth of these projects, 

as well as the actual impacts companies are realizing as a result. New stories are added on an 

ongoing basis. CARs should choose stories that best describe the value and quality of their services to 

clients. The stories will include background information on the entire scope of each assistance project 

including the company information, industry type, the specific challenges faced by the client, the impact 

of the assistance provided by the CARs and client testimonial, if available.

Research and experience tell us that Success Stories are one of the most effective ways to 

communicate the value of MEP services. Success Stories are used to share experiences, and to 

communicate the value of MEP’s services to stakeholders and potential clients, and are often used as 

part of presentations for the budgeting process to demonstrate the effectiveness of the system and how 

it operates. In addition, NIST and MEP create promotional materials using Success Stories that best 

describe the value and quality of their services to potential clients. 

CARS are responsible for the quality of all Success Stories. The basic process for submitting Success 

Stories will be as follows:

1. Each time the CAR submits a Success Story; a NIST MEP staff person will review the 

material. A story may be accepted or rejected. A story is accepted if it meets all of the 

requirements and if it is well written. A story will be rejected if it is missing required information, 

or if it is not well written. .

2. If the story is rejected, the CAR staff person that submitted the story, the Marketing Contact 

and the CAR Director will be notified by e-mail within 15 days of submission and given the 

reason(s) for rejection. The CAR will then edit the story online from the CAR Information Page 

and submit it again. If the story is accepted, the CAR staff person assigned the CAR Reporting 

Role will be notified of the acceptance by e-mail within 15 days of submission

3. There will be two separate versions of a Success Story. One will be submitted to the CAR

Information Page, which will serve as a record that the CAR met its reporting requirements. 
53

The second copy will become the working copy that will be edited by NIST MEP for Success 

Story publication. After a story has been edited, the two copies will not match. CARs will not be 

allowed to directly edit a story from the CAR Information Page after it has been accepted.

4. NIST MEP will review and edit the story if necessary. The story will be showcased after 

acceptance and made available in MEIS (https://meis.nist.gov) and on the MEP Public Site 

(http://nist.gov/mep).

Each CAR is required to submit one (1) Success Story per quarter and a CAR may submit more than 

one story per quarter if desired. Before submitting a Success Story for public use, the CAR must obtain 

the client’s written approval to release the information contained in the story. Client approval will give 

the CAR permission to release information about the client company to the public. Therefore, all stories 

submitted will be used without requiring a follow-up approval by the CAR. 

Success Stories will be based on projects or events that were completed with small manufacturing 

establishments. The project cannot be over 3 years old. The primary NAICS codes of the SMEs must 

be between 311 and 339. Stories with clients in NAICS Code 541711 and 541712 will also be 

accepted. In addition, the following NAICS Codes are accepted as of April 1, 2014:

• 423510 Metal Service Centers and Other Metal Merchant Wholesalers

• 488991 Packing and Crating

• 541330 Engineering Services

• 541380 Testing Laboratories

• 561910 Packaging and Labeling Services

• 811310 Commercial and Industrial Machinery & Equipment (except Automotive & Electronic) 

Repair & maintenance

A comprehensive list of data fields is included in Appendix G Business Entities.

Success Stories

Submitting a Success Story

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name.

5. Click CIP àSuccess Storiesà Submit Quarterly Reports

6. Ensure that you have the proper Reporting Period selected. 
54

7. Click Action(s) à Add New

8. Fill in the required data.

9. If you are not ready to submit the Success Story as final, however, you do want to save your 

work, Click Action(s) à Save Draft.

10. If you are ready to submit the Success Story as final, Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting 

Period

11. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted a Success 

Story the Status Icon will be half green/half yellow indicating the submission is “Passed 

Pending MEP Review”.

12. An automatic notification is sent to the NIST MEP Success Story Administrator indicating a 

Success Story is ready for review.

13. The Success Story Administrator either Accepts or Rejects the Success Story and email is 

sent to the person who submitted the story, the Marketing Contact, and the CAR Director 

informing of the status.

14. If the Success Story was rejected, you will be able to edit the Success Story as needed and 

resubmit for reporting.

NOTES:

NIST MEP encourages CARs to create the narrative portions of the Success Story report using 

a word processing program and then cut and paste the information into the online form. It is 

generally not a good idea to compose long narratives on the Web, since a network problem 

could cause you to lose information before you have saved your work.

If corrections are needed after the Success Story has been submitted to NIST MEP, contact the 

NIST MEP Success Story Administrator

Viewing and Updating a Success Story (Save Draft)

Success Stories can be modified until the report is submitted to NIST MEP as final.

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name.

5. Click CIP àSuccess Storiesà Submit Quarterly Reports
55

6. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Progress Plan that you want to View. You will be 

taken to the Success Story Edit Page.

7. Fill in the required data.

8. If you are not ready to submit the Success Story as final, however, you do want to save your 

work, Click Action(s) à Save Draft.

9. If you are ready to submit the Success Story as final, Click Action(s) à Submit for Reporting 

Period

10. You are redirected to the CAR Dashboard. If you have successfully submitted a Success Story

the Status Icon will be half green/half yellow indicating the submission is “Passed Pending 

MEP Review”.

11. An automatic notification is sent to the NIST MEP Success Story Administrator indicating a 

Success Story is ready for review.

12. The Success Story Administrator either Accepts or Rejects the Success Story and email is sent to 

the person who submitted the story, the Marketing Contact, and the CAR Director informing of the 

status.

13. If the Success Story was rejected, you will be able to edit the Success Story as needed and 

resubmit for reporting.

Viewing Success Stories

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name.

5. Click CIP àSuccess Stories

6. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Success Story that you want to View. You will 

be taken to the Success Story View Page.

7. Click the “Back” button. You are then taken to the Success Story List Page. 
56

Funding Agreements and Sub-recipients

Funding Agreement information is maintained by NIST MEP and is viewable by CAR staff. Though 

information in this section is not a required reporting element, NIST MEP does ask that you periodically 

review this information for accuracy. This section details the following information:

• Funding Agreements

• Sub-recipients

• Periods of Performance (a current period of performance is required for a CAR to submit NIST 

Quarterly Reports)

o Start/End Dates

o Federal Funding Level

o Operating Plans

o Project Metrics

• Yearly Financials (used in numerous calculations)

o Federal Dollars by Quarter

o Unexpended Federal Dollars

o Cost Share (Actual and Estimated)

• NIST and NIST MEP Contacts

It is important that this information is accurate and complete as much of this information is used in 

performance reports and NIST MEP Quarterly Reporting.

Survey (CAR Operations, AMJIAC and BCTEP)

The Survey House

The survey contractor, Fors Marsh, was awarded the contract to conduct the survey in a competitive 

bidding process. They are highly experienced in conducting surveys of business establishments and 

bring modern survey related technology to this survey.

Overview of the Survey Methodology

CAR Operations

The survey is client based and asks respondents to consider the entire set of services a CAR has 

provided through projects and to comment on how their business performance has been affected in the 

past 12 months as a result of these projects. This survey approach was designed to be easy for the 
57

client and also to be aligned with NIST MEP’s strategic emphasis on long-term relationships designed 

to truly transform client firms.

Surveys are conducted with each client once a year. Repeat clients will be surveyed at the same time 

every year until a year has passed in which no further services are received, or if the client has been 

designated as having long-term impact projects.

The survey contractor uses one of two methods of surveying clients – web-based survey and the client 

calling in or the center scheduling a time for the contractor to call the client. Surveys are conducted in 

English by default regardless of the method used. The survey focuses on the many different types of 

impacts and changes that firms make to improve their businesses and competitiveness. It also has a 

series of questions designed to measure the intermediate changes in the client firm as well as those 

affecting the firm’s overall performance.

A copy of the survey is located in Appendix D – CAR Operations Survey.

AMJIAC and BCTEP Surveys

A project-based survey is conducted six-months after a project is completed. The survey asks 

respondents to consider how the project and/or service have impacted the client. The client should 

comment on how their business performance has been affected in the past 12 months as a result of the 

project. The survey is conducted by phone with the client either calling the third-party survey vendor or 

the center scheduling a time for the third-party survey vendor to call the client. The surveys are located 

in Appendix E.

Making the Survey Work for Your CAR

CARs have a great deal of control over whether the survey process works well or not. Taking 

responsibility for ensuring that each step the CAR’s roles and responsibilities in the survey are carried 

out is important to ensuring a successful survey process. CARs can affect the success of the survey

process in the following ways:

• Identify the best respondent;

• Take advantage of the data confirmation process by ensuring data is current and accurate;

• Brief CAR staff; and

• Educate the client on the survey and survey concepts.

Each of these strategies is discussed in detail below.

Use the CIF & PIF Wisely

Careful and accurate reporting of clients, projects, and events is the survey’s foundation and its 

importance to the success of the survey cannot be overstated. 

Ensuring that client identifiers are assigned and reported correctly is crucial. If more than one client is 

assigned the same ID, only one of the clients will be surveyed. If more than one ID is assigned to a 

client, the client will be surveyed more than one time per year and possibly more than one time per 

quarter. Client identifiers should not change, but if changes are unavoidable, NIST MEP should be 

contacted in advance of any changes so that problems with the survey are taken care of before they 
58

arise. Once a client is assigned an identifier they should keep that identified forever. Some rules to 

keep in mind:

• If a client goes out of business, the ID should be retired and not be reused;

• If a client changes its name, the ID must not change;

• If the company has multiple locations, assign different IDs to each location. The name can be 

the same, or to avoid confusion append the location to the name if possible. Like "XYZ 

Company - Smithville";

• If a company splits into two or more subsidiaries, make sure a new ID is assigned to the new 

subsidiaries when they split. The parent can keep the old ID;

• If a client is bought out by another client, the ID of client that was bought should be retired.

Identify the Best Respondent

Experience shows that identifying the most appropriate respondent makes a crucial difference in the 

success of the survey. In many cases the most appropriate respondent may not be the individual at the 

client firm who worked most closely with the CAR to implement the project. Rather, the most 

appropriate respondent may be someone at a higher level in the client firm who is in a better position to 

assess the project’s impact on the firm’s overall performance. Frequently, the best respondent is the 

CEO or company President. This is almost always the case in smaller firms, as the president may be 

the only individual with a true understanding of the firm’s financial performance. Staff level engineers or 

shop floor supervisors frequently do not have enough understanding of the firm’s financial picture to be 

able to respond effectively to the survey.

CAR field staff may need to ask their primary contact at the client firm to arrange a meeting with a more 

senior official so that issues regarding project impacts and how a project fits into the client’s overall 

business strategy can be discussed. Such a meeting is useful in ensuring that the project is aligned 

with the client’s overall strategy and can also serve as a way of identifying future projects with the client. 

It also provides an opportunity to ask the more senior official to participate in the survey.

Most clients appreciate the fact that MEP CARs are asked to demonstrate the impact they have on 

client firms. It is entirely appropriate for field staff to ask their primary contact at the client firm to provide 

guidance in identifying the best potential survey respondent. The primary contact can also help make 

sure the identified respondent is fully aware of the work done by the CAR, its possible impacts, and the 

upcoming survey.

Take Advantage of the Data Confirmation Process

CIF & PIF records are submitted well before the survey occurs. The data confirmation process is an 

opportunity to update information needed to conduct the survey and ensure that the materials sent to 

the client appear as professional as possible. The survey uses both current and historic project 

information. Thus, it is important that the complete project list that will be seen by each client be 

reviewed carefully. Project descriptions submitted on a CIF & PIF in the past may never have been 

intended to be viewed by the client. Most CARs will want to involve their field staff in the review process 

since it is the field staff that are most aware of changes in the client firm, and will be knowledgeable 

about what project titles will serve as effective reminders for the client.
59

Brief CAR Staff

If all appropriate CAR staff are aware of the survey and their role in it, they can be allies and teammates 

in ensuring that the survey works well. CARs that shield field staff from having to deal with the survey 

usually find that they do themselves a disservice. CARs that fully brief their field staff on survey issues 

have historically had much better experiences with the survey. Once briefed, field staff can do a much 

better job in gaining client agreement to participate in the survey. They also provide helpful data for the 

CIF & PIF.

CAR Directors, Field Staff, Legislative Liaisons, Marketing Managers, and other CAR staff should be 

familiar with the survey and the survey process. The table below lists briefing points for CAR Directors 

and other senior managers, Field Staff, and Marketing Managers and Legislative Liaisons.

Briefing Points for CAR Directors and Other Senior Managers

Overview of the survey process.

Familiarization with the type of data to be returned on the survey summary report and sCOREcard metrics.

General familiarity with the survey schedule.

Understanding that letters with pre-survey notification packages will be sent to clients on CAR stationery with 

signature of CAR official.

Understanding that email pre-survey notifications will be sent from a designated email address from the survey 

vendor

Familiarization with importance of survey data in the CAR review process.

Understanding of the data confirmation process and the need to involve field staff in this process, with a strong 

understanding of firmness of the deadline.

Understanding of the need for field staff to make clients aware of survey during service delivery. Understanding 

that no matter what efforts are made, not all clients will be reached. Field staff can become very disappointed if 

their best clients miss being surveyed. Expectations need to be managed in this regard.

Briefing Points for Field Staff

Overview of the survey process.

Familiarization with the survey questions.

Discussion of the survey timing.

Discussion of how to identify the best respondent, how and when to make them aware of the survey and gain 

the respondent's agreement to participate.

Understanding that the clients will receive a letter or an email announcing the survey in advance.

Solid understanding of the data confirmation process and the important opportunity it provides to update client 

contact information, along with a very strong understanding of the firmness of the deadline.

Understanding that no matter what efforts are made, not all clients will be reached. Field staff can become very 
60

Briefing Points for CAR Directors and Other Senior Managers

disappointed if their best clients miss being surveyed. Expectations need to be managed in this regard.

Understanding that the information provided on the CIF & PIF will be used exactly as reported on the CIF & PIF 

and that careful proofreading and attention to detail are necessary to present the most professional image to 

clients.

Briefing Points for Marketing Managers and Legislative Liaisons

Overview of the survey process.

Familiarization with the type of data to be returned on the survey summary report and sCOREcard.

General familiarity with the survey schedule and availability of data.

“Prepare” the Client for Survey

There are several ways that a CAR can interact with the client that can help make the survey 

successful, but it is important never to cross the line towards putting words in the client’s mouth or 

compromising the integrity of the survey process. Any actions that could in any way be interpreted as 

pressuring a client to provide inaccurate or exaggerated responses to the survey are unacceptable and 

unethical, and if made public, would have disastrous consequences for the program. Clients frequently 

become quite attached to the field staff who provide service to them and conceivably might themselves 

voluntarily seek to “help out their buddy at the CAR” by providing an exaggerated, glowing report of the 

staff person’s work. 

CARs can best serve themselves and the entire national system by stressing to their clients that the 

survey seeks honest feedback and that what is desired more than anything else is truthful information 

about the real effects of the CAR’s work. The table below lists the do’s and don’ts to follow when 

preparing clients for survey.

Do Do Not

Let the client know up-front that she or he will be asked to 

participate in the survey. Clients are taxpayers too and are 

often glad to know that the CAR takes its mission seriously 

and attempts to measure whether services are successful. 

CARs can make sure that the client knows the survey will 

take less than 15 minutes and should consider trying to 

“close” the sale up-front by asking the client to agree to 

participate.

Pressure a client to report quantified impacts if the client is 

uncomfortable making such estimates.

Ask the client to let their receptionist or secretary know to 

expect the call.

Call the client immediately prior to the survey and have a 

long conversation regarding how the client will respond to the 

survey questions.

Mention the survey again at the close of the project and 

again requesting that the client be willing to spend a few 

minutes providing honest feedback when the survey 

interviewer calls.

Fill-out a copy of the survey and leave it with the client.
61

Take a quantitative, cost/benefit approach to selling the 

services. Helping clients understand the quantifiable benefit 

and costs of a project is not only an important selling tool: it 

can be an important way to role model good business 

decision making. Field staff can help the client think about 

quick, back-of-the-envelope methods of tracking project 

benefits and can touch base with the client periodically 

during the course of service delivery to see if projected 

benefits are on track.

Send the client a copy of a projected benefits form filled out 

during service delivery immediately prior to the survey, 

unless specifically requested by the client.

Contacting the client during the data confirmation process to 

make sure that the contact person is still there and that the 

phone number and address have not changed. This contact 

should be relatively brief but can include a friendly inquiry 

regarding whether the project impacts are still on track and 

whether the clients has any other needs the CAR might meet 

with a future project.

Leave a copy of a projected benefit form with a client at the 

close of the project unless the client is specifically asked to 

re-think those figures prior to responding to the survey and 

only to report benefits that have actually occurred.

Timing of the Survey

CAR Operations

The survey is administered four times a year (quarterly). No client will be surveyed more than once in 

any twelve-month period. Clients receiving only a single project from a CAR will be assigned for survey 

during the quarter falling 2 quarters after the close of their single project. Repeat clients will be assigned 

for survey during the quarter falling six months after the close of their first project. Repeat clients will be 

surveyed every year during that same quarter until a year passes in which they have no new projects 

close. Clients with projects designated as long-term impact projects will continue to be surveyed in their 

given quarter for the number of years specified by the CAR during reporting. 

BCTEP and AMJIAC

The survey is administered four times a year (quarterly). Clients receiving a project from a BCTEP or 

AMJIAC will be assigned for survey during the quarter falling 2 quarters after the close of their project. If 

the client is taking part in multiple projects, the client will be individually surveyed for each project 

completed. Projects will not be combined.

Six-Month Survey Schedule for BCTEP and AMJIAC Only

Example Clients with Projects Closing During: Will be Surveyed During:

1 Quarter 1 2014 (January 1, 2014 – March 31, 2014) Quarter 3 2014

2 Quarter 2 2014 (April 1, 2014 – June 30, 2014) Quarter 4 2014

3 Quarter 3 2014 (July 1, 2014 – September 30, 2014) Quarter 1 2015

4 Quarter 4 2014 (October 1, 2014 – December 31, 2014 Quarter 2 2015

NOTES:

CARs should stress the importance of the survey notification package. This package contains 

important information clients need to respond to the survey such as Web survey url, interview login 

name and password and deadline for completing the survey.

Remind the client that paper or email copies of the survey should not be mailed to you or the survey 

contractor.
62

Overview of the Survey Process 

There are five steps in the survey process:

1) Submission of Client Information File (CIF) and Project Information File (PIF) records to 

NIST MEP;

2) Survey Confirmation process;

3) Survey letters and emails are generated;

4) Survey occurs; and

5) Data is returned to NIST, very large/small impacts are verified and data is made available 

to CARs.

Submission of Client and Project/Event Information Files (CIF and PIF)

Each CAR submits client information and project/event information (CIF & PIF) records quarterly. 

The Data Confirmation Process

Each quarter, NIST MEP will use the client and project information to select clients for survey. 

The client unique identifier will be used to identify the clients that will be surveyed as well as the 

associated Projects and Events that will appear on the project list. Clients and project/events are 

selected using the criteria below:

After the clients and projects/events are selected, CARs will then be able to confirm and correct 

the data before the survey begins. This confirmation process is discussed in the next section. 

One month prior to the survey occurring, CARS will review and confirm the information that will be 

shared with their clients and used in conducting the survey. CARs can use this opportunity to edit the 

following fields:

• Client information such as: name, address, and phone number.

• Client primary and secondary contact information such as: salutation, first name, last name, 

position, phone, and email.

Envisioning how each field of data will be used and how the fields fit together in the survey process is 

not easy. Some fields such as the project title, the client contact name and address are mail merged 

verbatim onto the written project list and letter that will be seen by the clients. Typographical errors, 

misspellings, inappropriate use of capitalization or informal, imprecise project titles would present an 

unprofessional image to the client.

CARs should take advantage of the data confirmation process to ensure every piece of information that 

will be seen by the client presents a professional image.

In many cases, CARs may want to involve field staff in reviewing the information and appropriate 

arrangements should be made to ensure that field staff understand the process and are able to 

complete it in the time allotted. Data confirmation should entail a quick phone call or email back to the 

client to confirm that the contact person is still there, prepare the contact for the survey, and to touch 

base regarding whether the client may have any other needs for CAR services.
63

The basic confirmation process will be as follows:

1. CARs will be given one month immediately prior to the survey to review their information 

and make changes.

2. CAR staff assigned the reporting role will receive an email message announcing that the 

information is ready for review on the MEIS Website, https://meis.nist.gov.

3. The appropriate CAR staff person(s) will log into MEIS and review the information as listed 

above.

The schedule for the confirmation process is shown in the table below.

Step

Survey 

Quarter 1

(January 1 

– March 31)

Survey 

Quarter 

2

(April 1 

– June 

30)

Survey 

Quarter 3

(July 1 –

September 

30)

Survey 

Quarter 4

(October 1 

–

December 

31)

1. Confirmation period begins on: March 1 June 1 September 1 December 1

2. Confirmation period closes on: March 31 June 30 September 

30

December 

31

3. Letters are mailed to clients on: April 13 July 13 October 13 January 13

4.Emails are sent to clients on: April 17 July 17 October 17 January 17

4. Survey begins on: April 17 July 17 October 17 January 17

5. Survey closes on: May 14 August 

14

November 

14

February 14

6. Survey data is available from 

MEP on:

July 1 October 

1

January 1 April 1

The following procedures will provide the CAR with step-by-step instructions for reconfirming client and 

project/event data before CAR clients are surveyed. CARs will be given one month to complete this 

validation process before records are sent to the survey contractor for survey. After the confirmation 

period closes, there will be no allowance for the CAR to make further changes.

Viewing and Updating Client Survey Confirmation s

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

THE CONFIRMATION DEADLINE IS FIRM

Because of the nature of the survey production process, data that are not confirmed by the deadline cannot be 

changed later. All client records with a valid NAICS Codes (see approved list in Clients and Success Story 

sections) will be moved to the next stage of the survey process immediately after the deadline regardless of 

whether the CAR has completed the confirmation process.
64

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish to 

view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the appropriate 

CAR name.

5. Click CIP àSurveyà Survey Confirmation

6. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Client Survey Confirmation record that you want to 

View. You will be taken to the Client Survey Confirmation Edit Page.

7. Fill in the required data.

8. Click the “OK” button to save the information. You will then be taken back to the Client Survey 

Confirmation List Page

Survey Notification Package Emailed

Clients will receive an email prior to the survey with a pre-notification package announcing that the 

survey will occur. Emails will arrive to the contact from a designated email address, 

info@mepsurvey.com. CAR staff should make the client contact aware of this email address in order to 

avoid the notification email getting caught in a SPAM filter.

The emailed survey letter will be a simple email with a link to the survey and the necessary login 

information. 

CARs can also log in to the survey contractor portal and generate reminder emails to clients.

Survey Occurs

The surveys will occur over the web over the designated period. 

The client is able to log onto the survey website and respond to the survey anytime day or night. Clients 

need to have the survey id (password) and Web address, which are given in the notification email.

Clients may stop the Web interview at any time and resume at a later date. When the interview has 

been completed the record is locked and cannot be re-entered. If a client experiences problems with 

the Web interview, they must contact NIST MEP for help. 

Use the third-party survey vendor portal, www.mepclientsurvey.com, to send emails and check 

response rates.

Survey Large/Small Impact Verification

CAR Operations

NIST MEP will examine the survey responses to identify survey results requiring verification, also 

known as outliers. All survey responses with a total quantified dollar impact amount of $5 million or 

more, and/or total job impact of 250 or more, and those with a total quantified dollar impact of $100 or 

less will require verification. CARs with survey responses that require follow-up will be notified by NIST 
65

MEP staff with an online list of the outliers, along with the deadline for submitting verifications. Please 

note that the deadline is strict and any impacts that require verification that have not been verified by 

the deadline will be deleted (zeroed out). When submitting verifications, you must include the following:

1. Client name, and MEIS ID

2. Name of CAR staff person who verified the impact

3. How the impact was verified (call/email to client, compared results to CAR’s project 

close-out survey for the client, etc.)

4. If the total dollar impact is $25 million or greater, provide a brief paragraph or two 

explaining how the results were achieved

Validating and Submitting Client Survey Outliers

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name.

5. Click CIP àSurveyà Survey Outliers

6. Click the View/Edit icon for the appropriate Client Survey Outlier record that you want to 

View. You will be taken to the Client Survey Outlier Edit Page.

7. Fill in the required data.

8. Click the “OK” button to save the information. You will then be taken back to the Client Survey 

Outlier List Page

Survey Results Made Available to CARs

Once required verifications are complete, CAR’s survey results data files will be available for download 

from their CAR Browser. 

In addition to making the raw data files available to CARs, NIST MEP will load the data files into a 

database for permanent storage. Output reports derived from this database will be available to CARs 

under the security of their CAR Browser on the MEIS Web Site. To run the report:

1. From your browser go to https://meis.nist.gov.

2. The MEP login screen will be shown. Read the security warning on the page and check the 

checkbox indicating that you have read and understand the warning and agree with the NIST 

MEIS Acceptable Use Policy.
66

3. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. 

4. Your default CAR should be displayed at the top. If the CAR displayed is not the CAR you wish 

to view, click on the “Magnifying Glass” icon to list available CARS and select the 

appropriate CAR name.

5. Click Reports àCAR Reports

6. Click the Survey Results (Quarter) Report and input your selection criteria.

7. Click View Report 

8. Click Export Icon àExcel to save the data in Excel format. Please note that other export file 

formats are available that may be more useful depending on your data needs.

Appendix A -- Contacts

Contact information will provide CAR staff members with the appropriate contact person at NIST MEP 

in the event that questions arise. The following table lists the person to contact for each subject area. 

Topic Contact Information

General Site Help or feedback for MEIS Send an email message to mepinfo@nist.gov

Or call the Help Desk at 301 975-4778

Quarterly Reporting

Client Impact Survey

Dede McMahon

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology

Manufacturing Extension Partnership

100 Bureau Drive, Stop 4800

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-4800

Phone: (301) 975-8328

Fax: (301) 963-6656

email: deirdre.mcmahon@nist.gov

eCAR Case Studies Brian Lagas

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology

Manufacturing Extension Partnership

100 Bureau Drive, Stop 4800

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-4800

Phone: (301) 975-5043

Fax: (301) 963-6656

email: brian.lagas@nist.gov

Success Stories Zara Brunner

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology

Manufacturing Extension Partnership
67

Topic Contact Information

100 Bureau Drive, Stop 4800

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-4800

Phone: (301) 975-2001

Fax: (301) 963-6656

email: zara.brunner@nist.gov

CAR Review and Analysis:

• Cooperative Agreement Renewals

• Annual Reviews

• Operating Plans

Bill Kinser

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology

Manufacturing Extension Partnership

100 Bureau Drive, Stop 4800

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-4800

Phone: (301) 975-3983

Fax: (301) 963-6656 

email: william.kinser@nist.gov

Or

Regional Manager for Strategic Development 

(RMST)/Federal Program Officer (FPO)

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology

Manufacturing Extension Partnership

100 Bureau Drive, Stop 4800

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-4800

Refer to your Funding Agreement Contacts in 

MEIS for your RMST’s or FPO’s name.

Cooperative Agreement Administration:

• Forms for Cooperative Agreements

• Status of Requests for 

Reimbursement

NIST Grants Specialist

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology

Grants Office

100 Bureau Drive, Stop 3573

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-3573

Refer to your Funding Agreement Contacts in 

MEIS for your Grants Officer or Grants 

Specialist name.

Appendix B -- Output Reports

One important feature of the CAR Browser is the ability for CARs to view and print Output Reports 

created by NIST MEP based on the data submitted by the CARs and from the Client Survey. NIST 
68

MEP will use these reports in preparation for reviews and other discussions with the CAR. CARs may 

find these reports useful when preparing for a review or as a way to monitor CAR operations. 

Reports are available through a Report Browser. The Report Browser will include links to every report

available through the system.

Appendix C -- Definitions

MEP Terminology

Business Liaison Specialist (BLS) - NIST/MEP staff assigned to support your CAR in managing the 

various aspects of the Federal relationship with your organization. The BLS is responsible for 

administrative aspects such as cooperative agreement renewals and helping the FPO.

CAR – Competitive Award Recipient is an organization managed or tasked by the recipient of a NIST 

MEP cooperative agreement or a memorandum of understanding to fulfill the terms of that agreement 

by performing substantive interactions with client manufacturing establishments with the goal of 

generating positive impact on that establishment. CARs are further defined by the recipient or the state 

border, whichever area is the smallest.

Case Study - is an in-depth story on a client engagement or product/tool deployment. One Case Study 

is required yearly These studies are maintained and published by NIST MEP.

Client Served - A client may be considered served by the CAR if the interaction between the CAR and 

the client results in access to services that improve their global competitiveness by providing 

information, decision support and/or implementation assistance in adopting new, more advanced 

manufacturing technologies, techniques and business best practices.

Client Manufacturing Establishment (CME) - a single manufacturing establishment, plant, or facility 

that receives substantive aide from and is a client of the CAR.

Event - a substantive interaction or set of substantive interactions undertaken with a group of CMEs 

that pertain to the same type and substance. 

Federal Program Officer (FPO) - NIST/MEP staff assigned to support your CAR in managing the 

various aspects of the Federal relationship with your organization. The FPO is responsible for business 

and technical areas such as performance monitoring and CAR reviews.

Grants Specialist - NIST/MEP staff assigned to support your CAR in managing the various aspects of 

the Federal relationship with your organization. The Grants Specialist is responsible for all official 

approvals regarding your cooperative agreement.

Initiatives – One of the 9 MEP Initiatives that are reported in the PIF – Supplier Scouting, E3, 

ExporTech, Innovation Engineering Management System (IEMS), Reshoring/Insourcing, Small 

Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Layoff Aversion, Technology Scouting/Technology Driven 

Marketing Intelligence (TDMI, and Lean Product Development.

MEP System - is the network of organizations with the common mission of increasing the global 

competitiveness of U.S. small- and medium-sized manufacturers. This definition includes the MEP 

CARs, their partners, and their recipient and NIST MEP.
69

New Client – a manufacturing establishment that received substantive aide from the CAR for the first 

time ever or has had a gap in assistance of more than 3 years.

NIST MEP - a program of the U.S. Department of Commerce created under statutory authority to 

increase the global competitiveness of U.S. small- and medium-sized manufacturers. This organization 

provides strategic direction, technical resources, and management oversight of the MEP system.

Non-substantive Interaction - an interaction in which the primary objective of CAR services is to build 

CAR-client relationships or market CAR services.

Partner - an organization that contributes or aligns resources (human and/or monetary) and 

participates in the management of a portion of the efforts to achieve common CAR objectives.

Project - a substantive interaction or set of substantive interactions of the same type and substance 

undertaken with a single CME.

Recipient - an organization that plays more than a purely financial role in the CARs operations, 

“houses” a CAR, and has a signed cooperative agreement with NIST.

Regional Manager for Strategic Transformation (RMST) - NIST/MEP staff assigned to support your 

CAR in managing the various aspects of the Federal relationship with your organization. The FPO is 

responsible for business and technical areas such as performance monitoring and CAR reviews.

Repeat Client - a manufacturing establishment that received assistance from the CAR in the past 3 

years.

Small Manufacturing Establishment (SME) - a single manufacturing plant or facility with 500 or fewer 

employees. It may or may not be part of a larger firm that operates other establishments.

Stakeholder - an organization with interests in and influence on CAR and/or partner decisions, and 

whose wellbeing is affected by the CARs degree of success in achieving NIST MEP objectives.

State Funding Partner - a state government organization that provides funds to a CAR.

Substance Code - refers to one of the substance codes that describe the topic area that is the main 

target of services.

Substantive Interaction - an interaction in which the primary objective of CAR services is to facilitate 

changes in a U.S.-based manufacturing firm’s operations, which affect the firm’s performance. 
70

Appendix D – CAR Operations Survey 

Our organization is committed to evaluating success based on the effect we have on our clients. 

Please help us provide you with more effective services in the future by sharing your feedback with us.

Your participation is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time. 

To better assist you and other clients in the future, we need your feedback to evaluate the 

effectiveness and impact of the services we provided to your company. Your participation is 

voluntary and your responses are held entirely in confidence. 

This survey is underwritten by the Manufacturing Extension Partnership at the National Institute of 

Standards and Technology (NIST), which provides funding for local manufacturing extension 

programs throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Your comments provide us with 

important information to judge the quality and usefulness of our services. 

This questionnaire contains a collection of information requirements subject to the Paperwork 

Reduction Act (PRA). Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person is required to 

respond to, nor shall any person be subject to penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of 

information subject to the requirements of the PRA, unless that collection of information displays 

a currently valid OMB Control Number. The estimated response time for this questionnaire is 15 

minutes. 

OMB Control No. 0693-0021

Expires 12/31/2014

As you respond, please keep these projects in mind. Ongoing or recently closed projects may not be 

listed. Please keep those in mind as well.

Project Our Project Manager(s) Other Service Provider (if any) Dates

1. What were the two most important factors for your firm choosing to work with the Center X?

❏ Center/staff Expertise

❏ Cost/price of services

❏ Fair and unbiased advice/services

❏ Reputation for results

❏ Knowledge of your industry

❏ Specific services not available from other providers

❏ Lack of other providers nearby
71

❏ Other (specify) _______________________

❏ Don’t know

❏ Refused to answer

2. In addition to Center X, has your company used any other external resources/providers to 

address business performance issues over the past 12 months? 

1 Yes 2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

3. As you look forward over the next 3 years, what do you see as your company’s three most 

important strategic challenges? 

❏ Product innovation/development

❏ Identifying growth opportunities

❏ Ongoing continuous improvement/cost reduction strategies

❏ Employee recruitment and retention

❏ Financing

❏ Exporting/Global engagement

❏ Sustainability in products and processes

❏ Managing partners and suppliers

❏ Technology needs

❏ Other (specify)__________________________

❏ Don’t know

❏ Refused to answer

4 Did the services you received directly lead to an increase in sales at your establishment over the 

past 12 months?

1 Yes How much? $_____________________

No 8 Don’t know

4. Did the services you received directly help your establishment (check all that apply)?

❏ Get new customers

❏ Enter new markets

❏ Create new products

❏ Create new services
72

6 What percentage of the [FILL: NewSales_AMT] in new sales you indicated in question 4 is 

attributable to new customers, new markets, new products, or new services? ______%

7 Over the past 12 months, did the services you received directly lead you to retain sales that would 

have otherwise been lost?

1 Yes How much? $_____________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

8 What percentage of the Retained Sales Amount in retained sales you indicated in question 7 

is attributable to new customers, new markets, new products, or new services? ______%

9 Did the services you received directly lead you to create any jobs over the past 12 months?

1 Yes How many? _____________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

10 Did the services you received lead you to retain any jobs over the past 12 months?

1 Yes How many? _____________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

11 Did the services you received directly result in cost savings in labor, materials, energy, overhead, 

or other areas over what would otherwise have been spent in the past 12 months?

1 Yes How much? $____________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

12 As a result of the services you received, has your establishment increased its investment over the 

past 12 months in:

a. New products or processes?

i. YesHow Much? $_______________________

ii. No 8 Don’t know

b. Plant or equipment?

i. YesHow Much? $_______________________

ii. No 8 Don’t know

c. Information systems or software?

i. YesHow much? $_______________________

ii. No 8 Don’t know

d. Workforce practices or employee skills?

i. YesHow much? $________________________

ii. No 8 Don’t know
73

e. Other areas of business?

i. YesHow much? $________________________

ii. No 8 Don’t know

13 As a result of the services you received, did your establishment avoid any unnecessary 

investments or save on any investments in the past 12 months?

1. Yes How much was saved/avoided? $__________________________

2. No 8 Don’t know

14 Based on the benefits that resulted from the services provided, how likely would you be to 

recommend this MEP Center to other companies, assuming they are not direct competitors?

0 (Not at all Likely) ➧¬¬¬¬¬➨ 5 ➧¬¬¬¬¬➨ (Very Likely) 10

15 Do you have any suggestions or comments for the Center?

16 For analytical purposes, we would like to verify who completed this survey.

 What is your job title?

 What is your name? 

Appendix E –AMJIAC and BCTEP Surveys

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program

Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge (AMJIAC) Survey

The Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge (AMJIAC) is a partnership 

among five federal agencies: the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development 

Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Department of Energy, 

the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, the U.S. Small Business 

Administration, and the National Science Foundation.

The services you received from one of these agencies are part of the ten AMJIAC nationwide projects 

that will help to grow regional clusters, industries and businesses.

To better assist you and other clients in the future, we need your feedback to evaluate the effectiveness 

and impact of the services we provided to your company. Your participation is voluntary.

This survey is underwritten by the Manufacturing Extension Partnership at the National Institute of 

Standards and Technology (NIST), which provides funding for local manufacturing extension programs 

throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Your comments provide use with important information 

to judge the quality and usefulness of the services you received.

This collection of information contains Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) requirements approved by the 

Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person 

is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a 

collection of information subject to the requirements of the PRA unless that collection of information 

displays a currently valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated 
74

to be 15 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data 

sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed and completing and reviewing the collection of 

information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this collection of 

information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the National Institute of Standards and 

Technology, Attn: Dede McMahon, deirdre.mcmahon@nist.gov or 301-975-8328. 

The OMB Control No. 0693-0068

Expiration Date: 10/31/2016

1. What do you see as your company’s three most important challenges over the next 

three years?

• Keeping up with technology changes in my industry

• Recruitment and retention of a skilled and diverse workforce.

• Financing

• Supply chain management

• Effectively engaging IT systems to support my business

• Growing exports

• Strategic partnership management

• Other (specify) _____________________

2. Did the services you received directly lead to an increase in sales at your establishment 

over the past 12 months?

1 Yes How much? $_____________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

3. Did the services you received directly help your establishment (check all that apply)?

• Acquire new customers

• Enter new markets

• Create new products

• Create new services

4. What percentage of the New Sales amount that you indicated in Question 2 is 

attributable to new customers, new markets, new products, or new services? ______%

5. Over the past 12 months, did the services you received directly lead you to retain sales 

that would have otherwise been lost?

1 YesHow much? $_____________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

6. Did the services you received directly lead you to create any FTE jobs over the past 12 

months?

1 Yes How many? $_____________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

7. How many of the FTE Jobs created were:

Entry Level ______________

Mid Level ______________

Upper Level ______________

8. Did the services you received lead you to retain any FTE jobs over the past 12 months?
75

1 Yes How many? _____________

 2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

9. How many of the FTE Jobs retained were:

Entry Level ______________

Mid Level ______________

Upper Level ______________

10. Did the services you received directly result in cost savings in the following areas over 

what would otherwise have been spent in the past 12 months?

Energy – Energy Cost Savings include any implemented improvements in your facility or 

technology that results in a percent (%) reduction in energy intensity (or energy usage) that 

correlates to a cost savings ($/year)

1 Yes How much? $____________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

Materials

1 Yes How much? $____________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

Labor, overhead or other areas

1 Yes How much? $____________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

11. As a result of the services you received, has your establishment increased its investment 

over the past 12 months in:

1 New products, materials or processes?

1 Yes How Much? $_______________________

If Yes, how much (if any) was for energy efficient or advanced 

manufacturing products, materials or processes? 

$___________________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

2 Plant or equipment?

1 Yes How Much? $_______________________

If Yes, how much (if any) was for energy efficient or advanced 

manufacturing equipment or improvements? 

$___________________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

3 Information systems or software?

1 Yes How much? $_______________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

4 Workforce practices or employee skills?
76

1 Yes How much? $________________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

5 Other areas of business? (specify)__________________

1 Yes How much? $________________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

12. As a result of the services you received, is your establishment planning on making any 

additional investments in the areas listed in question 11 in the next 12 to 24 months?

1 Yes

Which Area – dropdown with:

1 New products, materials or processes - $____________

2 Plant or equipment - $___________

3 Information systems or software - $________________

4 Workforce practices or employee skills - $___________

5 Other areas of business (specify) - $_________________

2 No 8 Don’t Know 9 Refused to Answer

13. As a result of the services you received, did your establishment avoid any unnecessary 

investments or save on any investments in the past 12 months?

1 Yes How much was saved/avoided? $________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

14. As a result of the services you received, is your company currently deploying new 

technologies that require additional skills training?

1 Yes

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

15. If yes to Question 14, how many of your employees received additional skills training as a 

result of the new technologies.

# _________________________

16. Has your company increased wages for those employees that acquired new skills?

1 Yes

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

17. As a result of the services you received, did your establishment participate in any of the 

activities listed below?

Project Collaboration

1 Yes How many were with:

1. Small Businesses (under 500 employees)

2. Large businesses (over 500 employees)

3. Universities or research institutions

4. Other organizations ________________
77

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

Joint Development

1 Yes How many were with:

1. Small Businesses

2. Large businesses

3. Universities or research institutions

4. Other organizations ________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

Sourcing Agreements

1Yes How many were with:

1. Small Businesses

2. Large businesses

3. Universities or research institutions

4. Other organizations ________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

Licensing

1Yes How many were with:

1. Small Businesses

2. Large businesses

3. Universities or research institutions

4. Other organizations ________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

Joint Ventures

1Yes How many were with:

1. Small Businesses

2. Large businesses

3. Universities or research institutions

4. Other organizations ________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

Others (specify)____________

1Yes How many were with:

1. Small Businesses

2. Large businesses

3. Universities or research institutions

4. Other organizations ________________
78

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

18. As a result of the services provided, did your firm accomplish any of the following: (Check all that 

apply)

• Start-up operations

• Write a revised or new business plan

• Write a revised marketing strategy/marketing plan

• Obtain new financing

• Export products and/or services

• File one or several patent(s)

• Receive award of one or several patent(s)

• Develop technology internally

• Deploy new technology, developed internally

• License technology from an external source

• Deploy licensed technology

• Produce a functional prototype 

• Develop and implement a production plan

• Produce new products

• Participate in industry supply chain

• Collaborate with other businesses and/or organizations in your region of 

operation

• Collaborate with other businesses and/or organizations outside your region of 

operation

• Other (please specify below)

19. Based on the benefits that resulted from the services provided, how likely would you 

be to recommend this organization to other companies, assuming they are not direct 

competitors?

0 (Not at all Likely) ß--------à 5 ß------à (Very Likely) 10

20. Do you have any suggestions or comments about the quality of services received?

21. For analytical purposes, we would like to verify who completed this survey.

What is your name?

What is your job title?
79

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program

Building Construction Technology Extension Pilot (BCTEP) Client Impact Survey

Our organization is committed to evaluating success based on the effect we have on our clients. 

Please help us provide you with more effective services in the future by sharing your feedback with us.

Your participation is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.

To better assist you and other clients in the future, we need your feedback to evaluate the effectiveness 

and impact of the services we provided to your company. Your participation is voluntary.

This survey is underwritten by the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) at the National Institute 

of Standards and Technology (NIST), which provides funding for local manufacturing extension 

programs throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Your comments provide us with important 

information to judge the quality and usefulness of our services.

This collection of information contains Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) requirements approved by the 

Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person 

is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a 

collection of information subject to the requirements of the PRA unless that collection of information 

displays a currently valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to 

be 15 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data 

sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed and completing and reviewing the collection of 

information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this collection of 

information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the National Institute of Standards and 

Technology, Attn: Dede McMahon, deirdre.mcmahon@nist.gov or 301-975-8328.

OMB Control No. 0693-0069

Expiration Date: 11-30-2016

2. What were the two most important factors for your firm choosing to work on the 

Building Retuning project?

• Center/staff Expertise

• Cost/price of services

• Fair and unbiased advice/services

• Reputation for results

• Knowledge of your industry

• Specific services not available from other providers

• Lack of other providers nearby

• Other (specify) _______________________

• Don’t know

• Refused to answer

3. Has your company used any other external resources/providers to address your 

building energy usage over the past 12 months? 

1 Yes 2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

4. As a result of the assistance you received for this project, is your establishment 

more profitable?

a. Yes 
80

b. No

c. Don’t Know

d. Refuse to answer

5. Did the services you received directly lead you to create any jobs over the past 12 

months?

1. 1 YesHow many? _____________

2. 2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

6. Did the services you received lead you to retain any jobs over the past 12 months?

1. 1 Yes How many? _____________

2. 2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

7. Did the services you received directly result in cost savings in labor, materials, energy, 

overhead, or other areas over what would otherwise have been spent in the past 12 

months?

1 Yes How much? $____________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

8. As a result of the services you received, has your establishment increased its 

investment over the past 12 months in:

a. Energy related new plant or equipment / upgrades?

1 Yes How Much? $_______________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

b. Energy related information systems or software?

1 Yes How much? $_______________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

c. Energy related workforce development / training?

1 Yes How much? $________________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

d. Other areas of business?

1 Yes How much? $________________________

2 No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

9. As a result of the services you received, did your establishment avoid any unnecessary 

investments or save on any investments in the past 12 months?

3. Yes How much was saved/ avoided? $__________________________

4. No 8 Don’t know 9 Refused to answer

10. (Manufacturing Question) As a result of the assistance you received for this 

project, has your establishment (check all that apply)

• Increased workforce efficiency

• Reduced environmental impacts, such as reduced energy usage or reduced 

pollution)?

• Improved work environment?
81

11. (Commercial & Education Question) ) As a result of the assistance you received for 

this project, has your establishment (check all that apply)

• Increased productivity (output per hour)?

• Reduced environmental impacts, such as reduced energy usage or reduced 

pollution)?

• Increased capacity?

• Improved work environment?

12. If your establishment did not act on some or all of the recommendations, why not?

__________________________________________________________________

13. As a result of the assistance you received for this project, has your establishment 

been able to (check all that apply):

• Complete a basic current employee knowledge and skills assessment?

• Identified skill and/or knowledge gaps that need to be addressed?

• Become more informed about occupation-specific work credentials or 

certifications necessary to validate employee competence?

• More easily develop existing workforce?

14. As a result of the assistance you received for this project, has your establishment 

filled open job vacancies?

a. Yes How many vacancies were filled? _____________________

b. No

c. Don’t Know

d. Refuse to answer

15. As a result of the assistance you received for this project, did your establishment 

realize specific environmental or energy related savings? 

o Yes How Much? ____________ 

o No

o Don’t Know

o Refuse to answer

16. As a result of the assistance you received for this project, did your establishment 

realize any of the following over the past 12 months? Check all that apply:

o Reduced electricity usage? 

o MM BTUs Saved______

o Reduced electricity demand?

o kWh Reduction ______

o Reduced natural gas consumption?

o MCF or BTU___________

o Reduced diesel or gasoline fuel consumption

o Gal.___________

o Reduced steam consumption (piped in only)?

o Lbs/hour______________ 

o Air emissions reduction?

o Lbs. reduced?_____________

o Reduced water consumption?

o Gallons reduced______

o Don’t Know

o Refuse to answer
82

17. Did this establishment participate in or use any of the following additional energy 

management assistance over the past 12 months (post retuning training)? Check all

that apply

o Energy Audit or Assessment

o Technical Assistance, including consultations, demonstrations, engineering design, or 

analysis

o Technical Information, including software and reference materials

o Training, including workshops, seminars, and presentations 

o Financial Assistance, including loans, tax credits, rebates, and subsidies

o None:________

o Other Specify________

18. For analytical purposes, we would like to verify who completed this survey.

 What is your name?

 What is job title? 
83

Appendix F – Case Study Template (e-CAR and t-CAR)

Case Study Template

Your Expectations from this project

• Background: Put the project in perspective. Briefly and very generally, explain the 

environment and challenges in terms of

• Project Goals: Clearly and in detail explain the expected long-term and short-term 

goals/outcomes of the project in terms of

• Time Line: Describe the project time line from inception to future plans.

Your Implementation Efforts

• Business Model: Explain in detail how the project is being deployed and run. Things to be 

discussed

• Technology Used: Explain the technology (for connectivity (last mile and backend), power 

and devices) used. In detail describe the alternatives considered and give reasons for the 

technology preference. In short, provide pros and cons for each alternative considered.

• Also, give information on vendors used.

• Regulatory Environment: In detail explain the regulatory environment of region. Discuss the 

catalysts and hindrances. Also, explain how the regulatory environment was dealt with

Near Term Results

• Current real-time users- who is using the services? Is it the community that was expected to 

respond? Is the response as expected etc?

• Applications/ Services Provided: Talk about all the services and applications provided. 

Explain the success and failures for providing them.

• Awareness: How aware is the community of the services provided? Is it responding? Is it not 

responding? What are the reasons... how is the service provider raising awareness about 

itself.

• Sustainability: Explain in detail whether the project can be sustained from this date on. 

Discuss.
84

• Also, talk about the involvement of the various parties. Discuss whether partnerships and 

environment has changed and how it affects the sustainability.

• Scalable: Discuss how the project can grow. Talk about increasing user base, replicating it in 

other regions etc.

Your Future Hopes

• Lessons Learned: What would you do differently if you could begin again? What 

recommendation would you make to others?

• Future Plans: What is the status of the project? What are the plans from this day onwards? 
85

Appendix G – Business Entities

See CARBusinessEntities.xlsx file attached to Community posting.
86

Appendix H – Stationery Codes

Stationery Codes

MEIS 

Center ID

Stationery 

Code

Center Name/Stationery Name

161 XB1 Michigan/MMTC - Southeast

161 XB2 Michigan/The Right Place Program

161 XB3 Michigan/MMTC – Northeast

161 XB4 Michigan/MMTC – Northwest

161 XB5 Michigan/Manufacturers’ Innovation Council

161 XB6 Northern Initiatives

176 NY2 New York/Hudson Valley Technology Development Center

176 NY3 New York/Alliance for Manufacturing and Technology

176 NY4 New York/Industrial & Technology Assistance Corporation

176 NY5 New York/Western New York Technology Development 

Center

176 NY6 New York/High Technology of Rochester

176 NY7 New York/Center for Economic Growth

176 NY8 New York/Central New York Technology Development 

Organization

176 NY9 New York/Council for Economic Trade, Technology, 

Education, and Communication

176 NYA New York/Long Island Forum for Technology

176 NYB New York/Mohawk Valley Applied Technology Corporation

219 OH1 Ohio/MAGNET

219 OH2 Ohio/EISC-CIFT

219 OH3 Ohio/TechSolve

219 OH4 Ohio/EWI

219 OH5 Ohio/BioOhio

219 OH6 Ohio/EMTEC

219 OH7 Ohio/PolymerOhio

219 OH8 Ohio/MTSBDC – Manufacturing & Technology Small Business 

Development Centers at Columbus State CC, Kent State, 

OSU-Piketon, Toledo, TechSolve, MAGNET

219 OH9 Ohio/Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth
87

Appendix I – Survey Results Output File Description

Field Name Survey 

Question

Colum

n in 

Excel

Data 

Type

Valid Responses

CAR Name - A Text Name of Competitive Award Recipient

Period - B Text Period Survey was Conducted

Client Survey ID - C Text NIST MEP system id for this survey.

Outcome - D Text Successfully Completed Surveys:

401 = completed online Web survey

Non-Completed Surveys:

049= Will complete via Web

Survey Conducted - E Date MM/DD/YYYY

CAR Client ID - F Text CAR assigned code that uniquely identifies the client.

Client ID - G Text NIST MEP system id for this client.

Stationery Code - H Text A valid stationery code (see Appendix H Stationery Codes)

Stationery Description - I Text Name of the CAR Office with a separate stationery code

Client Name - J Text Name of client

Project Description - ID(s) - K Text CAR assigned code that uniquely identifies the projects or event

Project Description -

Title(s)

- L Text CAR assigned project title(s)

Respondent Name 13b M Text Name of person completing the survey

Respondent Title 13a N Text Title of person completing the survey

Factors_Staff Expertise 1 O Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Factors_Cost of Service 1 P Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Factors_Refused to Answer 1 Q Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Factors_Do Not Know 1 R Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Factors_Fair Advice 1 S Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Factors_Reputation Of 

Results

1 T Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Factors_Knowledge 1 U Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Factors_Specific Services 1 V Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Factors_Lack of Providers 1 W Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 
88

Field Name Survey 

Question

Colum

n in 

Excel

Data 

Type

Valid Responses

Factors_Other Factors 1 Narrative X Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Ext_Providers 2 Y Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Challenges_Product Dev 3 Z Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Challenges_Growth 

Opportunity

3 AA Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Challenges_Refused To 

Answer

3 AB

Challenges_Do Not Know 3 AC

Challenges_Cost Reduction 3 AD Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Challenges_Employee

Recruitment

3 AE Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Challenges_Financing 3 AF Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Challenges_Exporting 3 AG Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Challenges_Sustainability 3 AH Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Challenges_Manage

Partners

3 AI Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Challenges_Tech Needs 3 AJ Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Challenges_Other 3 Narrative AK Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Inc Sales 4 AL Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Inc Sales Amt 4 Quantified AM Number Quantified Dollar Amount, Null

Emp Creation 5 AN Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Emp Creation Amt 5 Quantified AO Number Quantified Amount, Null

Rtn Sales 6 AP Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Rtn Sales Amt 6 Quantiified AQ Number Quantified Dollar Amount, Null

Emp Retention 7 AR Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Emp Retention Amt 7 Quantified AS Number Quantified Amount, Null

Cost Savings 8 AT Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Cost Savings Amt 8 Quantified AU Number Quantified Dollar Amount, Null

Plant Equipment 9A AV Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Plant Equipment Amt 9A Quantified AW Number Quantified Dollar Amount, Null

Info Sys 9B AX Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Info Sys Amt 9B Quantified AY Number Quantified Dollar Amount, Null
89

Field Name Survey 

Question

Colum

n in 

Excel

Data 

Type

Valid Responses

Workforce Practices 9C AZ Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Workforce Practices Amt 9C Quantified BA Number Quantified Dollar Amount, Null

Other Areas 9D BB Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Other Areas Amt 9D Quantified BC Number Quantified Dollar Amount, Null

Sve Investments 10 BD Text 1 = Yes, 2 = No, 8 = Don't Know 

Sve Investment Amt 10 Quantified BE Number Quantified Dollar Amount, Null

Recommend other 

companies

11 BF Number 0 – 10

Suggestions or comments 12 BG Text -
90

Appendix J – Survey Sample Communications

Center	Operations	Sample	Hard	Copy	Letter	

DATE

Dear «PrimaryTitle» «PrimaryFirstName» «PrimaryLastName»,

Thank you once again for giving «CARName» the opportunity to lend our business skills and technical 

assistance to help you achieve your company’s goals. So that we may continuously improve our ability 

to serve you and other clients in the future, we are asking that you help us gauge the success of the 

services we have provided to your company in the past.

You will be able to evaluate the quality and usefulness of our services and the impact our assistance 

has had on your business. By taking our brief survey, you will be able to evaluate the quality and 

usefulness of our services and the impact our assistance has had on your business. The survey is 

conducted on behalf of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, our national affiliate and funding 

partner. 

The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete. To make it easier to prepare, we have provided 

the survey questions at the bottom of this letter for your reference as well as a list of projects we have 

completed with you. Your participation is voluntary and your responses will be held in confidence.

Please complete the survey as soon as possible. It can be accessed on July 17, 2014 via the web. The 

survey is available 24 hours a day until August 14, 2014.

Please use one of the following options:

• Survey is emailed to client from info@mepclientsurvey.com . Click on the embedded 

url and complete survey.

• If you prefer, you may call 855-652-9011 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. EST to 

complete the survey by telephone. This is a toll-free number.

You may report technical difficulties with the survey to our helpdesk at 855-652-9011.

Your feedback is valuable to us, and your participation is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

«DirectorName», «CARName»

Collection of your feedback is underwritten by the Manufacturing Extension Partnership at the National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (NIST), which provides funding for local manufacturing extension programs throughout the United States and Puerto 

Rico. Information is used to improve the delivery of high impact extension services to manufacturers. Completing the survey should 

take about fifteen minutes of your time. Your participation is voluntary and your responses are held entirely in confidence. No 

agency may conduct, and no person is required to respond to, an information collection that does not display a valid OMB control 

number. The OMB control number for this information collection is 0693-0021, exp. 12/31/2014.
91

Center	Operations	Sample	Letter	– Web	Only

Dear FIRSTNAME LASTNAME,

Thank you once again for giving (CAR name) the opportunity to lend our business skills and 

technical assistance to help you achieve your company’s goals. So that we may improve our ability 

to serve you and other clients in the future, we ask that you gauge the success of the services we 

provided to your company.

By taking our brief survey, you will be able to evaluate the quality and usefulness of our services 

and the impact our assistance has had on your business. The survey is conducted on behalf of the 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership, our national affiliate and funding partner. 

The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete. To make it easier to prepare, we have 

provided the survey questions at the bottom of this email for your reference as well as a list of 

projects we have completed with you. Your participation is voluntary and your responses will be

held in confidence.

Please complete the survey as soon as possible. It can be accessed immediately via the web. The 

survey is available 24 hours a day until May14, 2014.

Please use one of the following options:

• Please click through or type the following URL into your web browser: <LINK 

APPEARS HERE>

• If you prefer, you may call 855-652-9011 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. EST to 

complete the survey by telephone. This is a toll-free number.

You may report technical difficulties with the survey to our helpdesk at 855-652-9011.

Your feedback is valuable to us, and your participation is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Director Name

CAR Name

Collection of your feedback is underwritten by the Manufacturing Extension Partnership at the National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (NIST), which provides funding for local manufacturing extension programs throughout the United States and Puerto 

Rico. Information is used to improve the delivery of high impact extension services to manufacturers. Completing the survey should 

take about fifteen minutes of your time. Your participation is voluntary and your responses are held entirely in confidence. No agency 

may conduct, and no person is required to respond to, an information collection that does not display a valid OMB control number. 

The OMB control number for this information collection is 0693-0021, exp. 12/31/14. 
92

Appendix K – CIF and PIF Sample XML 

The purpose of these sample files is only to show XML tags and not required data based on funding 

agreement type.

Client Information File (CIF)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<CLIENT_SUBMISSION>

 <DATE_PREPARED>5/12/2014</DATE_PREPARED>

 <TIME_PREPARED>4:35 PM</TIME_PREPARED>

 <CLIENT>

 <ID>DBJDJBGD</ID> 

 <NAME>Company Training Client 0</NAME> 

 <ADDRESS_1>500 Beacon Parkway West</ADDRESS_1> 

 <ADDRESS_2 /> 

 <CITY>Birmingham</CITY> 

 <STATE>AL</STATE> 

 <COUNTY>Winston</COUNTY> 

 <ZIP>35209</ZIP> 

 <NAICS_CODE>212210</NAICS_CODE> 

 <NUMBER_OF_EMPLOYEES>20</NUMBER_OF_EMPLOYEES> 

 <SIZE_COMMENT /> 

 <DUN_AND_BRADSTREET_NUMBER>144073243</DUN_AND_BRADSTREET_NUMBER> 

 <STATIONERY_CODE /> 

 <CONTACT_SALUTATION>Mr.</CONTACT_SALUTATION> 

 <CONTACT_LAST_NAME>Rick</CONTACT_LAST_NAME> 

 <CONTACT_FIRST_NAME>Laster</CONTACT_FIRST_NAME> 

 <CONTACT_POSITION>Owner</CONTACT_POSITION> 
93

 <PRIMARY_CONTACT_PHONE>246-313-4980</PRIMARY_CONTACT_PHONE> 

 <PRIMARY_CONTACT_PHONE_EXTENSION /> 

 <PRIMARY_CONTACT_FAX>236-599-0081</PRIMARY_CONTACT_FAX> 

 

<PRIMARY_CONTACT_EMAIL>First165@CompanyTrainingClient0.com</PRIMARY_CONTACT_E

MAIL> 

 <SECONDARY_CONTACT_SALUTATION>Mrs.</SECONDARY_CONTACT_SALUTATION> 

 <SECONDARY_CONTACT>Joan Smith</SECONDARY_CONTACT> 

 <SECONDARY_CONTACT_POSITION>CTO</SECONDARY_CONTACT_POSITION> 

 <SECONDARY_CONTACT_PHONE>934-270-3534</SECONDARY_CONTACT_PHONE> 

 <SECONDARY_CONTACT_PHONE_EXTENSION /> 

 <SECONDARY_CONTACT_FAX>868-399-7910</SECONDARY_CONTACT_FAX> 

 

<SECONDARY_CONTACT_EMAIL>smith@165CompanyTrainingClient0.com</SECONDARY_CON

TACT_EMAIL> 

 <CENTER_ID>165</CENTER_ID> 

<C_LEVEL_ENGAGEMENT>Y</C_LEVEL_ENGAGEMENT>

 <TRANSFORMATION>N</TRANSFORMATION>

 <TRANSFORMATION_DESCRIPTION></TRANSFORMATION_DESCRIPTION>

 </CLIENT>

</CLIENT_SUBMISSION>

 
94

Project Information File (PIF)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<PROJECT_EVENT_SUBMISSION>

 <DATE_PREPARED>5/12/2014</DATE_PREPARED>

 <TIME_PREPARED>4:35 PM</TIME_PREPARED>

 <PROJECT_EVENT>

 <ID>IDGBABGB</ID> 

 <CLIENT_IDS>

 <CLIENT_ID>DBJDJBGD</CLIENT_ID> 

 </CLIENT_IDS>

 <TITLE>165 Company Training Project 0</TITLE> 

 <PROJECT_DESCRIPTION>Description Description Description Description Description Description 

Description Description Description</PROJECT_DESCRIPTION> 

 <START_DATE>10/12/2014</START_DATE> 

 <END_DATE>3/12/2015</END_DATE> 

 <DELIVERY_MODE>E</DELIVERY_MODE> 

 <SUBSTANCE>31</SUBSTANCE>

<PROJECT_MODE_TYPE>T</PROJECT_MODE_TYPE>

 <PRIMARY_STRATEGIC_AREA>Technology Acceleration</PRIMARY_STRATEGIC_AREA> 

 <BASELINE_SALES>907980</BASELINE_SALES> 

 <BASELINE_COGS>58</BASELINE_COGS> 

 <BASELINE_EMPLOYMENT>195</BASELINE_EMPLOYMENT> 

 <CAR_SALES_STAFF>2345</CAR_SALES_STAFF>

 <CAR_PROJECT_VALUE>50000</CAR_PROJECT_VALUE> 

 <CAR_DELIVERY_STAFF>681</CAR_DELIVERY_STAFF> 

 <CAR_HOURS>320</CAR_HOURS> 

 <THIRDPARTY_ORGANIZATION>Consultants Inc</THIRDPARTY_ORGANIZATION>
95

 <THIRDPARTY_CONTACT>Joe Consult</THIRDPARTY_CONTACT> 

 <THIRDPARTY_PROJECT_VALUE>2000</THIRDPARTY_PROJECT_VALUE>

 <THIRDPARTY_HOURS>16</THIRDPARTY_HOURS> 

 <OTHER_ORGANIZATION>Oklahoma EDA</OTHER_ORGANIZATION>

 <OTHER_CONTACT>Mary Sisk</OTHER_CONTACT>

 <OTHER_PROJECT_VALUE>5000</OTHER_PROJECT_VALUE>

 <OTHER_HOURS>1</OTHER_HOURS> 

 <NATIONAL_ACCOUNT>DE01</NATIONAL_ACCOUNT> 

 <FUNDING_AGREEMENT_NUMBER>70NANB10H316</FUNDING_AGREEMENT_NUMBER> 

 <EIS_YEARS>1</EIS_YEARS> 

 </PROJECT_EVENT>

</PROJECT_EVENT_SUBMISSION>