Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partn

VCAT Meeting PresentationOctober 2016, Boulder, COCarroll Thomas, Director MEP
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MISSION

To enhance the productivity and technological performance of U.S. Manufacturing. “

“

ROLEMEP’s state and regional centers facilitate and accelerate the transof manufacturing technology in partnership with industry, universitiand educational institutions, state governments, and NIST and othfederal and research laboratories and agencies.
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MEP Program in ShortMEP System Budget$130 Million Federal Budget with Cost ShareRequirements for Centers

Global Competitiveness Program was created by the 1988 Omnibus Trade And Competitive Act

Evolving RoProgram conorder to supduring chansituations.

Program Started in 1988At least one center in all 50 states by 1996

National Network51+ Centers with over 550 Field Locations. System wide, Non-Federal Staff is over 1,200. Contracting over 2,300 partners.

Partnership Federal, Staand Industry
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Program Evolution

Build a

System

Focus on 

Management

Foster

Innovation

Increase 

Economic

Impact

Optimize Performance and Accountability

Deliver Higher Value Added Services

Developing Leaders to Focus on Strategic Management

Technology Based Economic Development

Deliver High 

Value

Develop and Deploy Technology

1988-1999 2000 2006 2009 2016 

N
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Network Competition• Completion of re-competition• Reallocation of funds to the Centers with tempo

cost share relief

– Center funding formula– All Centers raised to a minimum level– Cost share re-set at 1:1 for the 1st 3 years of new awards

3/4 Rounds complete 4th Round under way
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Round 1 Competition of 10 

states: complete! 

Round 2 Competition in 12 

states: complete! 

Round 3 Competition in 12 

states/PR: complete!

Round 4 Competition in 11 

states: in process

Status of Competition Rounds as of October 20

CO, CT, IN, MI, NC, NH, OR, TN, TX, VAStart date July 1, 2015 AK, ID, IL, MN, NJ, NY, (OH*), OK, (UT*), WA, WV, WStart date January 1, 2016

AL, AR, CA, GA, LA, MA, MO, MT, OH, PA, PR, UT, VStart date October 1, 2016 

DE, HI, IA, KS, ME, MS, NM, NV, ND, SC, WYFFO released June 30, 2016; Proposal deadline SeptPlanned start date early 2017
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New Partnerships, New Initiatives From Round 3 Awards in Key Strategic Areas

Increased

focus on very 

small and rural 

manufacturers 

(67%)

New resources 

in many 

centers aimed 

at workforce 

development –

connecting 

with additional 

partners 

(70%)

Increased 

focus on a 

growth 

framework in 

working with 

companies 

(70%)

N

techn

accele

NN

partn

activ

(6

33 Centers in 32 States and Puerto Rico
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California Manufacturing 

Technology Consulting 

Illinois Manufacturing 

Excellence Center 

New York State Department 

of Economic Development 

North Carolina State 

University 

The University of Tennessee 

(Center for Industrial Services)

MEP/Mfg USA Embedding Pilot

Demonstrating ways to leverage MEP assistance to small U.S. manufacturers in technolog

MFG USA

Partnering with NextFlex, the Flexible Hybrid ElectrManufacturing Innovation InstitutePartnering with the Digital Manufacturing and DesigInnovation Institute (DMDII)Partnering with the American Institute for ManufactIntegrated Photonics (AIM Photonics)Partnering with Power AmericaPartnering with the Institute for Advanced ComposManufacturing Innovation (IACMI)
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123 Finally, it gives significant opportunities for professional growth cu

unavailable by creating clear Divisions, Groups and Teams.It will also puts MEP in line with the overall NIST organizational sMEP’s realignment is designed to improve efficiency and effective

customers we serve by better supporting the program’s mission aobjectives of Enhancing Competitiveness, Championing ManufacSupporting Partnerships, and Developing Capabilities. 

Recent Organizational Realignment
Building the MEP National Network Br

Developing a unified message and vision among the diverse set o

01. WhatBuilding a cohesive National Network brandidentity and value proposition 

02. WhyThere is a lot of noise about manufacturing, and MEP gets lost in it. A unified National Network brand is critical for longterm survival.

03. PromWe will cbuild it tchoose tdirection encompdiversity Network
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Major Challenges Ahead

In our control• Expanding role in 

manufacturing ecos

• Branding – messag

about the network fomanufacturers and 

• Improving system 

performance metric

Not in our control• Manufacturing 4.0• Legislation on cost share• Funding to provide 

consistent resizing of the Centers
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Thank You

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