Confidential.		All	Rights	Reserved.		Catalyst	Connection	2013

Sources: Pennsylvania	Manufacturing	Scorecard,	IRC	Network	and	Pittsburgh	Regional	Alliance,	2012

Rev	July	11,	2013

Request	for	Information

Manufacturing	Technology	Acceleration	Centers	(M-TACs)

Introduction – Catalyst	Connection

Manufacturing	in	southwestern	Pennsylvania	is	growing.	The	sector	is	our	third	largest,	behind	financial	

and	business	services,	has	grown	almost	13%	in	one	year,	employs	approximately	100,000	people	and	is	

hiring,	and	has	seen	continued	productivity	increases,	greater	than	Pennsylvania	as	a	whole.		In	2011,	

we	saw	46	announced	manufacturing	expansions	in	our	region.

Catalyst	Connection	has	been	serving	the	manufacturing	sector	for	25	years.		We	were	established	in	

1988	to	assist	manufacturers	implement	technological	advances	and	react	to	the	decline	of	the	steel	

industry.		Since	1988,	there	have	been	many	challenges	faced	by	our	manufacturing	sector,	including	the	

rise	of	low	cost	labor	markets	that	resulted	in	significant	outsourcing	and	the	loss	of	manufacturing	jobs.		

While	the	job	losses	are	significant,	the	real	story	is in	the	productivity	and	technology	advances	seen	by	

this	sector.		The	companies	that	remain	are	highly	competitive,	innovative,	and	provide	high	wages.

Introduction	- Manufacturing	Technology	Acceleration	Centers	(M-TACs) RFI

The	M-TACs	will	focus	on	addressing	the	technical	and	business	challenges	encountered	by	small	and	

mid-sized	U.S.	manufacturers	as	they	attempt	to	integrate,	adopt,	transition,	and	commercialize	both	

existing	and	emerging	product	and	process	technologies	into	their	operations	to	help	them	grow	and	

compete	within	manufacturing	supply	chains	as	innovative,	value-adding	components	of	our	nation’s	

economy.

M-TACs	will	amplify	the	effectiveness	of	the	current	Hollings	Manufacturing	Extension	Partnership	

(MEP)	network,	establishing	teams	of	experts	in	specific	technology/supply	chains,	offering	multiple	

services	and	deep	expertise	through	the	national	MEP	network.

This	Request	For	Information	(RFI)	seeks	comments	relating	to	four	primary	issue	areas

(1) technology	transition	and	commercialization tools	and	services	that	should	be	provided	by	M-TACs;

(2) M-TAC	roles	relating	to	supply	chain	needs;

(3) potential	business	models	for	M-TACs;	and

(4) M-TAC	performance	and	impact	metrics.	In	addition,	NIST	seeks	comments	relating	to	other	critical	

issues	that	NIST	should	consider	in	its	strategic	planning	for	future	M-TAC	investments.

Catalyst	Connection	Comments	

1) Technology	transition	and	commercialization	tools	and	services	that	should	be	provided	by	M-TACs;

M-TACs	should	align	themselves	with	existing	service	models	such	as	that	deployed	by	Catalyst	

Connection,	which	aligns	its	service	model	with	the	Balanced	Scorecard	methodology	for	business	
Confidential.		All	Rights	Reserved.		Catalyst	Connection	2013

Sources: Pennsylvania	Manufacturing	Scorecard,	IRC	Network	and	Pittsburgh	Regional	Alliance,	2012

Rev	July	11,	2013

strategy,	planning	and	implementation.		The	balanced	scorecard	is	a	strategic	planning	and	

management	system	that	is	used	to	align	business	activities	to	the	vision	and	strategy	of	the	

organization,	improve	internal	and	external	communications,	and	monitor	organization	

performance	against	strategic	goals.		The	balanced	scorecard	is	organized	into	4	areas:		financial	

performance,	customer	metrics,	internal	business	process	and	learning	and	growth.		

Using	the	balanced	scorecard	as	a	guide,	M-TACs	should	support	the	services	provided	by	MEPs in	

the	following	areas:	business	growth,	operational	excellence	and	talent	development.		Specifically,	

in	business	growth,	services	should	be	aligned	with	finding	new	markets	and	new	customers,	and	

developing	and	launching	new	products.		Operational	excellence	services	should	be	based	on	the	

principles	of	lean	enterprise	and	six	sigma,	while	talent	development	services	should	focus	on	hiring,	

developing	and	retaining	the	best	employees.

Technology	commercialization	and transition	tools	should	be	based on	new	product	development	

best	practices	in	planning,	selecting,	designing	and	commercializing	new	technology.		These	services	

can	be	further	defined	according	to	new	product	development	process	improvement,	ideation,	

market	opportunity	assessments,	commercialization	and	project	management.		M-TACs	should	also	

consider	allocating	funding	to	provide	repayable	grant	programs	to	assist	small	manufacturers	fund	

the	cost	of	new	product	development	which	can	be	significant	compared	to	overall	revenue	streams	

and	profitability.		Public	funds	can	best	be	utilized	to	assist	companies	identify	and	assess	new	ideas,	

helping	to	minimize	the	risk	of	development	and	reduce	time	to	market	by	focusing	on	customer	

and	market	opportunities	and	utilizing	technical	resources	to	bridge	technology	gaps.

M-TACs	should	also	offer	outreach	and	networking	opportunities	with	regional	and	national	

universities	and	national	laboratories	to	offer	access	to	technical	experts	to	bridge	technology	gaps,	

and/or	to	provide	off	the	shelf,	licensable	intellectual	property	(IP).		M-TACs	staff	can	provide	risk	

management	support	through	market	feasibility,	business	case	development	and	technical	

assistance	and	commercialization	assistance.

2) M-TAC	roles	relating	to	supply	chain	needs;

M-TACs	should coordinate	with	regional	MEPs	to	conduct	outreach	to	suppliers	in	critical	supply	

chains.		Consideration	should	be	given	to	minimize	overlap	between	M-TAC	outreach	and	existing	

MEP	Center	outreach.		M-TACs	can	also	play	a	critical	role	in	providing	secondary	market	research	

on	end	market	opportunities	for	critical	supply	chains,	and	help	to	disseminate	that	research	

utilizing	existing	MEP	Centers.

3) potential	business	models	for	M-TACs;	and
Confidential.		All	Rights	Reserved.		Catalyst	Connection	2013

Sources: Pennsylvania	Manufacturing	Scorecard,	IRC	Network	and	Pittsburgh	Regional	Alliance,	2012

Rev	July	11,	2013

M-TAC	business	models	should	support existing	Center	business	models.		Web-based	marketing	

strategies	can	be	used	to	create	broad	awareness	of	M-TAC	capabilities,	along	with	the	

dissemination	of	technical	content	related	to	specific	content.		Educational	opportunities	should	be	

offered	regarding	supply	chain	technologies,	end	market	opportunities,	industry	wide	best	

practices	and	other	topics	of	interest	to	the	members	of	the	supply	chain.		Finally	outreach,	

assessment	and	planning	activities	can	be	done	in	person	to	assist	supply	chain	members	identify	

and	scope	opportunities	for	improvement,	followed	by	technical	assistance,	implementation	and	

economic	impact.		M-TACs	however,	should	coordinate	all	activities	with	regional	MEPs	to	avoid	

confusion	and	duplication	of	efforts	in	the	marketplace.

4) M-TAC	performance	and	impact	metrics.	

M-TAC	performance	metrics	can	be	aligned	with	existing	MEP	Center	performance	metrics.		

Current	performance	metrics	are	focused	around	capacity	to	deliver	services	as	measured	by	

revenues,	quantity	and	volume	of	outreach,	assessment	and	implementation	activities	as	measured	

by	clients	served,	and	finally	by	the	quality	of	the	work	as	measured	by	company	impacts	and	total	

regional	economic	impact.		M-TACs	should	be	especially	considerate	of	minimizing	duplication	of	

efforts	by	regional	MEP	Centers	and	to	not	create	confusion	in	the	marketplace.

(5) .	In	addition,	NIST	seeks	comments	relating	to	other	critical	issues	that	NIST	should	consider	in	its	

strategic	planning	for	future	M-TAC	investments.

M-TACs	should	be	carefully	established	to	coordinate	and	compliment	the	efforts	of	existing	MEP	

Centers	that	have	invested	and	developed	long	standing,	effective	relationships	with	their	

manufacturing	clients.		M-TACs	can	play	a	valuable	role	in	providing	behind	the	scenes	end	market	

research,	technical	assistance	in	new	technologies,	access	to	technical	experts	to	bridge	technology	

gaps,	access	to	university	based	intellectual	property	as	a	source	of	new	product	ideas,	access	to	

Original	Equipment	Manufacturers	(OEMs)	that	spearhead	industry	supply	chains	and	other	

thought	leadership	related	to	specific	supply	chains.		M-TACs	should	work	with	existing	MEP	

Centers	to	build	and	enhance	relationships	with	clients,	assess	needs	and	deliver	services.	

M-TACs	offer	a	significant	opportunity	to	enhance	US-based	supply	chains,	but	also	create	a	threat	

to	existing	MEP	Center	relationships,	activities	and	regional	economic	impact	that	has	been	built	

over	approximately	25	years	of	service	to	US- based	small	manufacturers.

There	continue	to	be	many	opportunities	for	manufacturing	to	continue	to	grow,	compete	in	a	

global	economy	and	create	jobs.			M-TACs	can	be	an	additional	resource	to	existing	MEPs	to	assist	
Confidential.		All	Rights	Reserved.		Catalyst	Connection	2013

Sources: Pennsylvania	Manufacturing	Scorecard,	IRC	Network	and	Pittsburgh	Regional	Alliance,	2012

Rev	July	11,	2013

manufacturing	companies	look	to	the	future	to	take	advantage of	the	following	new	and	emerging	

trends:

o Companies	are	focusing	on	innovation,	implementing	best	business	practices	and	looking	to	

our	state’s	researchers	and	universities	to	bridge	technology	gaps;	universities	are	not	just	

for	start-ups	anymore.		

o The	energy	sector	is	representing	significant	opportunities	for	manufacturers.		Companies	

are	participating	in	critical	supply	chains	and	taking	advantage	of	low	cost	energy	to	remain	

competitive,	again	innovation	is	key	to	taking	advantage	of	this	business	opportunity.

o Reshoring	is	a	national	trend	and	is	based	on	the total	cost	of	outsourcing,	including	risks	

associated	with	rising	labor	costs	and	transportation	costs,	and	recognizing	that	our	own	US	

and	PA	based	suppliers	can	be	a	better	alternative.		Our	manufacturers	are	well	positioned	

to	take	advantage	of	this	national	trend.

o To	increase	competitiveness,	small	manufacturers	are	leveraging	significant	advances	in	

computing,	including	the	cloud,	social	media	and	other	new	tools	that	make	small	

companies look	like	very	big	companies.		Industrial	buyers	are	like	consumers,	they	want	

exactly	what	they	want,	when	they	want	it.		

o Finally,	a	known	challenge	facing	all	of	our	manufacturers	is	the	lack	of	a	skilled	and	

qualified	workforce.		Manufacturers	are	engaging	with	their	local	schools	and	students	to	

provide	career	awareness	and	workplace	learning	opportunities,	to support	the	

development	of	a	highly	skilled	workforce	capable	of	operating	and	maintaining	

sophisticated	computer	equipment	such	as	that	involved	in	additive	manufacturing.

Manufacturing	has	a	bright	future	in	southwestern	Pennsylvania.		We	have	great	companies	that	are	

willing	to	invest	in	their	people,	invest	in	technology,	engage	and	support	their	community.		And	when	

manufactures	grow,	the	ripple	effect	can	be	felt	through	our	entire	economy,	where	supply	chain	

members,	service	providers	and	retail	and	hospitality	all	prosper.		And	most	importantly,	our	

communities	prosper	making	Pennsylvania	truly	the	best	place	to	live	and	work	in	the	world!		Catalyst	

Connection	is	pleased	to	be	a	member	of	the	Manufacturing	Extension	Partnership	and	support	ongoing	

and	new	state	and	federal	efforts	to	support	small	manufacturers.

Respectfully	Submitted:

Petra	Mitchell

President	and	CEO

Catalyst	Connection