• •

MEP Advisory Board 

Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022 

FACA Board Meeting 

This is a simplified version of the presentation for website purposes.

A full version may be requested by emailing Cheryl.Gendron@nist.gov 
 

 

 

 

• •

FACA and the Advisory Board 

• The MEP Advisory Board is authorized under Section 3003(d) of the America COMPETES 

Act (Pub. L. 110–69), as amended by the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act, 

Public Law 114–329 sec. 501 (2017), and codified at 15 U.S.C. 278k(m), in accordance with 

the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, 5 U.S.C., App. 

2
 

 

• •

Welcome from Board Chair 

• Matthew Newman 

• MEP Advisory Board, Chair 

3
 

 

 

 

 • •Introductions–The MEP Advisory Board • Chair: Matthew Newman, New Era Advisors, Inc. 

• Vice Chair: Bernadine Hawes, Econsult 

• Ray Aguerrevere, Custom Metal Fabricators 

• Don Bockoven, Fiber Industries LLC 

• LaDon Byars, Colonial Diversified Polymer Products, LLC 

• Peter Connolly, Connolly Consulting 

• Mary Isbister, GenMet Corp. 

• Miriam Kmetzo, Welding Technology Corp 

• Mitch Magee, Consultant 

• Chris Mathews, National Custom Hollow Metal Doors and Frames & Maple Leaf Awning & Canvas 

• Pat Moulton, Vermont State Colleges Workforce Division 

• Annette Parker, South Central College 

• George Spottswood, Quality Filters, Inc 

• Leslie Taito, Taco Comfort Solutions 

• Jim Wright, Proof Research 

4
 • •

Welcome from the MEP Director 

• Pravina Raghavan, MEP Director 

5
 

 

 

 

 

• •

MAB Meeting Details 

• Tuesday, Sept 20, 2022 

• Welcome and introductions 

• Board and audience introductions 

• NIST Senior Leadership 

• MEP Director’s update 

• Presentation: Current Trends in Manufacturing 

• Presentation: MEP National NetworkTM 2023-2027 Strategic Plan 

6
 • •

Welcome and Introductions 

• Mojdeh Bahar, NIST, Associate Director, Innovation and Industry Services 

7
8

Thank You for H

•

osting Us!

•

• Dave Boulay, President, Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center, IMEC, Illinois MEP Center

• Ashley Moy, CEO, Cast 21, IMEC Board Member
• •

• New NIST MEP Team Members

• MEP program budget and legislative updates

• MEP Update

• Extension Services Division Impacts

• Baldrige Job Quality Toolkit

• State Competitions

• MEP National Network 2017-2022 strategic plan update

9

NIST MEP Director’s Update
10

New NIST MEP

•

 Team Members

•

• Beverly Bobb, Chief of Staff

• Brooke Linehan, Federal Program Officer

• Jyoti Malhotra, Division Chief for Extension Services

• Craig Reid, Resource Manager
• •

MEP Organization Chart

11
• •

MEP Program Budget Outlook

FY 2022 

Appropriation Status

• $158 million for MEP

• Funding not subject to cost share 

requirements (elective for Centers 

receiving state funds conditioned 

on federal cost share 

requirement)

FY 2023 

Appropriation Status Outlook

• President’s budget calls for $275 

million for MEP

• Congressional marks: House, $212 

million; Senate, $200 million

• No expectation of cost share 

exemption 

• Expecting to start FY23 under a CR

12
• •

.

.

Available funding: $ Millions

Appropriation 158.0

Carryover from FY 2021 2.0

Prior-year recoveries 3.6

Funding from other agencies* 1.6

Total available funding 165.1

Planned expenditures: 

Center renewals 134.1

Strategic competitions 1.2 

Contracts 6.9

NIST MEP labor 10.7

NIST and program overhead 12.2

Total planned expenditures 165.1

Projected FY 2022 efficiency rate = 11.18%; actual FY 2021 efficiency rate = 11.94%.

* Funding from DOD for contracts and project support

NIST MEP Projected Spend Plan Through Sept. 30, 2022

13
• •

Major Legislation

Key provisions include:

• Creates an Expansion Award Pilot Program

• Establishes a voluntary National Supply Chain Database

• Language which doesn’t require MEP Centers to enroll their clients in the GSA 

Advantage Program

• Triples MEP’s Authorized Funding Levels: FY23 $275 million, FY24 $300 million, 

FY25-27 $550 million

The President signed into law the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 on August 9, 2022

“[The Act will] strengthen American manufacturing, supply chains, and national security, and invest in research and 

development, science and technology, and the workforce of the future to keep the United States the leader in the 

industries of tomorrow, including nanotechnology, clean energy, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence.”—

White House Press Release 8/9/2022

14
• •

• 25 industries

• 254 items scouted

• $168M new business opp.

Supplier Scouting Industry 4.0

• 2 CRADAs 

• MEP’s proposal to MxD

MATTR/MATTR+

• > 500 informal requests

Cybersecurity

• ~50% of projects help DOD 

contractors and subs

• 140% increase over 2020

ExporTech

• $500k-$700k avg sales inc./retain

• $91k avg savings

• $600M in total program sales 

• $12k average follow-on sales

• 5 new jobs per company

Toyota Kata

• 30 MEP Centers

• 643 projects completed 

• 500 unique clients

Food Industry Svcs

• $55M in new/retained sales

• $22M in new investments

• 520 new/retained jobs 

MedMMAP

• GENEDGE, FDA, CMTC, 

GaMEP, IMEC, MASSMEP, 

MMTC, NJMEP, PRIMEX

15
• •

Job Quality Toolkit

Job Quality Toolkit was developed by the NIST Baldrige office with support from DOC.

e is tool that 

e quality of the jobs they offer. 

The Job Quality Toolkit, rooted in th Baldrige Excellence Framework, 

organizations can use to improve th

MEP support will include:

• NIST MEP website

• A NIST MEP Infographic for Centers to brand and post to their website

• Information webinars for Centers

• Development of an on-line self-assessment for companies that will align with the JQT

16
• •

Notice of Funding Opportunity One 

• Kentucky, Nebraska, Rhode Island 

and South Dakota 

• Applications received April 26

• Award recommendations sent to 

NIST Grants Management Division

• Awards announced Oct. 1 for Jan. 

1, 2023 start

FY 2022 Center State Competition

17

Notice of Funding Opportunity Two 

• Arizona and Maryland

• NOFO posted Aug. 1, 2022

• Applications will be due Oct. 30, 

2022

• Awards announced April 2023 for 

July 1, 2023 start
• •

MEP National Network 

2017-2022 Strategic Plan Update

18
• •

EMPOWER 

MANUFACTURERS

CHAMPION 

MANUFACTURING

TRANSFORM THE 

NETWORK

LEVERAGE 

PARTNERSHIPS

Objective— maximize National 

Network knowledge and 

experience to operate as an 

integrated national network; 

increase efficiency and 

effectiveness by employing a 

Learning Organization platform; 

and create a resilient and 

, 

l 

; 

y

; 

Objective— assist U.S. 

manufacturers in embracing 

productivity-enhancing 

innovative manufacturing 

technologies, navigate 

advanced technology 

solutions and recruit and 

retain a skilled and diverse 

workforce.

Objective— actively promote the 

importance of a strong 

manufacturing base as key to a 

robust U.S. economy and for the 

protection of national security 

interests; create awareness of 

innovations in manufacturing; 

create workforce development 

partnerships to build a stronger 

and diverse workforce pipeline; 

and maximize market awareness 

of the MEP National Network.

Objective— leverage national

regional, state and local 

partnerships to gain substantia

increase in market penetration

identify mission-complementar

advocates to help MEP 

become a recognized 

manufacturing resource brand

build an expanded service 

delivery model to support 

manufacturing technology 

advances.

adaptive MEP National 

Network to support a resilient 

and adaptive U.S. 

manufacturing base.

19

MEP National NetworkTM 2017-2022 Strategic Goals 
• •

18 Month Measures of Success

1. Strengthening the National Supply Chain

Increase supplier matches and clients served in critical areas

2. Serving the Manufacturing Workforce

Increase client engagement in workforce services 

3. Increasing Awareness

Amplify and measure Network brand awareness 

4. Leading in Technology Deployment

Increase client engagement in technology services and implementation 

.

20
• •

Measure One – Strengthening the Supply Chain

Goal: Increase supplier scouting requests by 10%

124

208

137

0

50

100

150

200

250

Baseline Update Through 2022Q2

(12 Months)

Goal

Goal: Increase successful supplier scouting matches by 

10%

298

466

328

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

Baseline Update Through 2022Q2

(12 Months)

Goal

21

SUCCESS SUCCESS
• •

Measure Two – Serving the Manufacturing Workforce

Goal: Increase clients engaged with workforce projects by 10%

1,800

1,743

1,980

1,600

1,650

1,700

1,750

1,800

1,850

1,900

1,950

2,000

Baseline Update Through 2022Q2 (12 Months) Goal

22
• •

*Progress to date based on data from April 1 - June 30, 2022

Brand Measure

Baseline for 

Current 18 

Months*

Progress To 

Date

New Goal for 

Current 18 

Months

Chanzge

#MEPNationalNetwork hashtag 

occurrences

567 538 624 -5%

Brand Mentions 194 195 213 +.5%

Manufacturing Innovation blog subscribers 40,130 49,165 44,143 +23%

Backlinks 186 258 205 +39%

Social media followers 18,419 19,285 20,261 +5%

Measure Three – Increased Awareness 

Goal: Amplifying Network brand awareness by at least 10% 

SUCCESS

23
• •

Measure Four – Leading in Technology Deployment

Goal: Increase clients engaged with technology services projects by 10%

983

1,338

1,081

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Baseline Update Through 2022Q2

(12 Months)

Goal

Goal: Increase MATTR requests/inquiries by 10%

25

19

28

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

Baseline Update Through 2022Q2

(12 Months)

Goal

24

SUCCESS
• •

25

Four(ish) Trends Impacting MEP Stakeholders

• Dan Berglund, President and CEO, SSTI
• •

Biggest challenges identified

• Income inequality, geographic/racial disparities

• Workforce

• Capital

• Collaboration/lack of leadership and vision

• Misc

• Housing cost

• Research or commercialization capacity

• Climate

26
• •

27
• •

28
• •

29
• •

Four trends impacting MEP stakeholders

§ Responding to the reshaping of manufacturing

§ Supply chain disruption from China trade dispute and pandemic

§ Public interest in electric vehicles

§ Federal action in semiconductors, electric vehicles, batteries, hydron and 

energy efficiency

§ Workforce shortage and composition

§ Higher education facing continuing challenges

§ State budgets fine– for now

30
• •

Trying to be home of new manufacturing

§ Semiconductors

§ OH– ~$2B for construction of two Intel semiconductor factories estimated at $20B

§ Batteries

§ IN– At least $186.5M for $2.5B Stellantis and Samsung battery plant

§ KS-- $892M for $4B Panasonic battery plant

§ Electric vehicles

§ GA-- $1.5B for Rivian’s $5B plant

§ OK-- $300M for Canoo, start-up electric vehicle manufacturer

§ TN– ~$500M for Ford F-series electric trucks $5.6B development; also state pledges 

a new campus for the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) for training

31
• •

Mfg not alone in workforce challenges

§ Kenan Institute: 11.3M job openings, 7% of total workforce

“Each vacancy suggests that a firm is getting by with fewer workers than it wants, with 

existing workers being stretched to fill as much of this need as possible.”

§ Quit rates July 2022 vs. Feb 2020

§ Private industry– 3.1%/2.5%

§ Durable goods manufacturing– 2.0%/1.4%

§ Non-durable goods manufacturing– 3.1%/1.6%

§ Retail– 3.7%/3.5%

§ Transportation, warehousing and utilities– 3.5%/2.5%

§ Arts, entertainment and recreation– 3.4%/3.4%

§ Accommodation and food services– 5.6%/4.4%

32
• •

Job openings July 2022 vs Feb 2020

§ Job opening rates by industry

§ Total private– 7.2%/4.5%

§ Durable goods manufacturing– 6.0%/3.3%

§ Nondurable goods manufacturing– 6.2%/2.9%

§ Transportation, warehousing and utilities– 7.5%/4.5%

§ Health care and social assistance– 8.8%/5.2%

§ Arts, entertainment and recreation– 8.1%/5.4%

§ Accommodation and food services– 8.9%/5.2%

33
• •

Higher education continuing challenges

§ Projected drop-off in enrollment

§ Decreased public support for higher education

§ Questioning the value of a four year degree

34
• •

Immediate higher ed enrollment issues, NSRC data

§ Higher education enrollment fell a further 2.7 percent in the fall of 2021 following a 2.5 

percent drop in the preceding fall

§ Continued enrollment losses in the pandemic represent a total two-year decline of 5.1 percent 

or 938,000 students since fall 2019

§ Women making up 59.5 percent of the college students (men 40.5 percent) at the end of the 

2020-21 academic year

35
• •

36
• •

37
• •

38
• •

State budgets

Route Fifty headline: “Are States in Good Shape to Handle a 

Recession?”

“The economy could be in for a bumpy period but states and 

municipalities are well-equipped to weather the turbulence.”

“State and local governments are in good shape to navigate 

whatever ... path we go down,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at 

Moody’s Analytics.

39
• •

An opposing viewpoint

• “I see this as a temporary increase in revenues that we’re likely going to see dry up in the 

next year or two,” says Kim Rueben, director of the State and Local Finance Initiative at the 

Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. “If they end up passing permanent income tax rate cuts, 

they’re digging themselves a pretty serious hole.”

40
• •

Contact Information

For more information, contact:

Dan Berglund

614.901.1690

berglund@ssti.org

To sign up for SSTI Weekly Digest go to:

https://ssti.org

41
• •

Presentation: MEP National Network 

Strategic Plan 2023 – 2027 

Overview of Completed Draft 

4242
• •

Overview Summary and Context

November 2021

• Started developing 2022-2027 National Network strategic plan 

The purpose

• To create a unified network that is empowered and able to execute 

strategic priorities

The plan 

• Accessible and easily communicated so stakeholders can engage 

with it, be held accountable for it and adapt it in real time to 

emerging trends, shifting environments, and network needs.

43
• •

The Distinctives of Creating a Network Strategic Plan

A network strategic plan requires:

44

Distributed 

power and 

consensus

Influence, 

persuasion 

and good will

Voluntary 

relationships

Focusing on 

common 

interests
• •

Facilitate buy-in 

meeting with critical 

stakeholders from the 

across the network

Recommendations

Create Strategic 

Planning 

Committee (SPC) 

as a governing 

body

American 

Manufacturing 

Ecosystem

Subcommittee 

National Network & 

Its Stakeholders

Subcommittee 

State and 

Legislative 

Environments

Subcommittee 

Recommendations

Recommendations

SPC Establishes 

priorities based on 

subcommittee 

recommendations

Director of 

Organization 

Approves Plan

Mine Available data and 

prior work from sources 

within the Network.

Gather additional data 

from identified sources.

Preparation Situational Analysis Research Formulation and Dissemination

The Network Strategic Planning Process

Gather data using the following methods:

Create subcommittees of content experts 

from across the network to scope the work 

and make recommendations to the SPC

45
• •

Strategic Plan Structure

• Introduction by the Director

• National Network enduring values

• Critical challenges facing American manufacturing

• Framing the destination

• Strategies for the three primary goals

• Strategies for Network partners

46
• •

Defining the Destination

• The MEPNN has the dual capacity to excel at serving SMMs 

in individual states and to function as a powerful cohesive, 

collaborative network capable of impacting complex regional 

and national issues.

• The MEPNN is established as a recognized national resource 

and expert authority in American manufacturing. (It has a 

story and is telling it well.)

• The MEPNN is a valued partner with other federal agencies, 

state authorities, associations, and other groups working in 

manufacturing.

• The MEPNN has the knowledge and capacity to support 

SMMs and manufacturing in anticipating and being prepared 

for future trends.

• The MEPNN enables consistent and cost-effective technology 

adoption. 

• The MEPNN annually increases its market penetration. 

• The MEPNN annually increases the economic impacts it 

creates for U.S. manufacturers. 

• The MEPNN enables SMMs access to a skilled workforce. 

• The MEPNN helps SMMs become nimbler in pivoting into new 

markets. 

• The MEPNN is engaged in the relevant new directions that the 

country is going in relation to manufacturing. (Helping the MEP 

program remain relevant in a swiftly changing industry)

To build out its Strategic Plan, the MEPNN crafted a description of where it wanted to be in five years. It identified what must 

be true of the National Network for it to make the impacts it desires. Below is a description of where the MEPNN aspires to 

be by 2027. 

47
• •

• Narrow the Workforce Gap

• Mitigate Supply Chain Vulnerabilities

• Leverage Technology 

National Network Primary Strategies 

The MEP National Network Strategic Plan has three primary goals: 

48
• •

Goal 1: Narrow the Workforce Gap

• Enable SMMs to navigate the current workforce shortage while improving productivity and profitability 

through:

• Upskilling

• Use of technology and productivity enhancements

• Partnerships (e.g., connect educational entities to manufacturing needs and jobs/careers)

• Improving work conditions, job quality, career paths, etc.

• Assessing underserved populations and integrating them into the manufacturing industry

• Making the case for integration of underserved populations with SMMs

• Build a pipeline of future employees for the manufacturing sector through:

• Rebranding and marketing the public image of manufacturing nationally and in the states

• Broadening partnerships and connections with educational and other entities working in 

this space 49
• •

Goal 2: Mitigate Supply Chain Vulnerabilities

• Increase supply chain visibility

• End-to-end awareness (supplier’s supplier and customer’s customer)

• Mapping Supply Chains (key industries; in individual states)

• Working with OEMs to map out how SMMs fit into their supply chains

• Assess supply chain risk

• Able to identify vulnerabilities

• Able to rapidly detect risk as they emerge

• Strengthen supplier development

• Increase supplier scouting capacity

50
• •

Goal 3: Leverage Technology

• Increasing tech adoption

• ID early adopters and leverage them to move the early majority

• Defining tech capabilities and business cases for adoption for customers to increase impact (IT 

and OT)

• Educating Center staff on the different kinds of technology to increase impact with customers

• Ensuring wholistic, comprehensive application and use of technology (not just in 

production but in business operations, etc.)

• Creation of roadmaps for customers and aligning them to customer’s strategic goals

• Strengthening cybersecurity capabilities

• Communicating the importance of mitigating cybersecurity risks

• Partner with federal labs to accelerate the use of new technologies

• Codevelop tech capabilities and business cases for adoption to bring new insights to industry

51
• •

Intersections Across Network Strategic Goals

52

The strategic goals do not exist in silos. 

They intersect with each other.

Narrowing the workforce gap through 

engagement future technologies

Increasing technology adoption across served 

customers

Strengthen workforce 

knowledge of supply 

chain dependencies to 

help predict supply 

chain risks

Increasing technology 

adoption across 

served customers

Narrowing the 

workforce gap through 

engagement future 

technologies
• •

Strategies for NIST MEP

• Recast and adapt its operations, policies, processes, practices, and structures

• Expand partnerships and strategic

• Develop its knowledge and learning capabilities and leverage its convening

• Build the MEP brand, messaging, and marketing reach

To execute and continue to build on the four pillars, the NIST MEP will:

53
• •

Presentation and Discussion: 

MEP Expansion Awards

5454
• •

CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 and the MEP Advisory Board: 

Sec. 10251, Sec. 25B.

“GLOBAL MARKETPLACE PROJECTS.—In making an award under this section, the Director, in 

consultation with the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board and the Secretary, may 

take into consideration whether an application has significant potential for enhancing the 

competitiveness of small and medium-sized United States manufacturers in the global marketplace.”

Applications for awards under this section shall be submitted in such manner, at such 

time, and containing such information as the Director shall require in consultation with 

the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board.”

55
• •

CHIPS Act of 2022

Establishes a pilot program of expansion awards to provide services for:

• Workforce development (which may include training advanced manufacturing personnel), 

• Resiliency of domestic supply chains, and 

• Expanded support for adopting advanced technology upgrades at small and medium manufacturers. 

• Global marketplace projects – projects that have potential for enhancing the competitiveness of U.S. 

SMMs in the global marketplace.

• Allow NIST to accept funding from other Federal departments and agencies for competitive MEP

grants

• Require MEP to increase outreach to underserved communities

• Ensure the MEP Centers are specifically focused on supporting American manufacturing

Award amounts at the discretion of the Director

56
• •

Reporting

By Oct. 1, 2025, the Director will submit to Congress a report:

• Summary description of what activities were funded and the measurable outcomes

• A description of which types of activities could remain as part of a permanent expansion 

awards program

• A description of which types of activities could be integrated into, and supported under the 

program base award

• A description of which types of activities could be integrated into and supported under the 

Competitive Awards Program

• A recommendation, supported by a clear explanation as to whether the pilot program should 

be continued.

57
• •

Presentation and Discussion: 

Large OEM Partnerships

58
• •

Question to the Board

• How can MEP National Network partner with large OEM to develop future supply chains? 

• How do we tell the MEP story to create new partnerships with OEMs and highlight our value?

59
• •

Discussion: MEP Advisory Board Working Groups

60
• •

Question to the Board

• What working groups do we need to support the new strategic plan?

• Which one do you want to serve on?

61
• •

Current Advisory Board Working Groups

Working Group Board Leadership Focus

Supply Chain Development Don Bockoven, Lead

LaDon Byars, Co-Lead

MEP National Network program 

support and development of 

manufacturing supply chains

Executive Committee Mary Isbister, Lead

George Spottswood, Co-Lead

Support Board governance and 

connection with local Center boards

Strategic Plan, 2023-2027 Bernadine Hawes, Co-Lead

Jim Wright, Co-Lead

Support development of the MEP 

National Network 2023-2027 Strategic 

Plan

62
• •

Next MEP Advisory Board Meeting 

Planning continues – details coming soon

Proposed to be held prior to Hill Day in Gaithersburg, Maryland on or close 

to the NIST Campus.

MEP Advisory Board

• Wednesday, March 8, 2023

63
• •

64

Thank You

For the Full Presentation, Please contact Cheryl Gendron at 

Cheryl.Gendron@nist.gov

VISIT OUR BLOG 

https://www.nist.gov/blogs/manufacturing-innovation-blog

Get the latest NISTMEP news at:

www.nist.gov/mep