• • •

MEP Advisory Board 

Sept. 13, 2023 

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. 
 

• • •

Welcome to Buffalo! 

• Bernadine Hawes 

• MEP Advisory Board, Chair 

• Don Bockoven 

• MEP Advisory Board, Vice Chair 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

• • •

Introductions 

The MEP Advisory Board 

Chair: Bernadine Hawes, Econsult Solutions, Inc. 

Vice Chair: Donald Bockoven, Darling Fibers 

Beth Bafford, Calvert Impact 

Louis Foreman, Enventys Partners 

Gail Friedberg Rottenstrich, Zago Manufacturing Company, Inc. 

Michael Garvey, M-7 Technologies 

Sean Ketter, Oshkosh Corporation 

Miriam Kmetzo, Welding Technology Corp. 

Chris Mathews, National Custom Hollow Metal Doors and 

Frames & Maple Leaf Awning & Canvas 

Pat Moulton, Vermont State Colleges’ Workforce Division 

Dr. Annette Parker, South Central College 

Tyrome Smith, Common Mission Project 

David Vasko, Industry Consultant 

John T. Smooth, Wood-Mizer 
 

• • •

Welcome to Buffalo! 

• Pravina Raghavan 

• MEP Director 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Day One Agenda 

MAB Meeting Details 

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 

Welcome and Introductions 

Program Update, Part One 

Meeting Break to Participate in MEPNN Forum Lunch and Plenary 

Program Update, Part Two 

Strategic Plan – Metrics Discussion 

Meeting Break 

MEPNN Workforce Panel and Discussion 

Public Comments and Meeting Wrap Up 
 

 

• • •

MEP Director’s Update 

• Mojdeh Bahar, Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services 

NIST 

• New NIST MEP Deputy Director, G. Nagesh Rao 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8

• • •

Other New NIST MEP Team Members 

• Division 483 – National Programs 

• Savann Thorn, Cyber Specialist 

• Division 485 – Outreach and External Affairs 

• Brandyi Phillips, Division Chief Outreach and External Affairs 

• Division 486 – Internal Operations 

• Joi Neal, Program Compliance and Audit Liaison 

• Sevan Simonian, Administrative Officer 
 • • •

NIST MEP Org Chart 
 

 

10

• • •

Helping SMMs Overcome Challenges 

Narrowing the Mitigating supply chain Leveraging 

workforce gap vulnerabilities technology 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Supply Chain Optimization and Intelligence Network (SCOIN) 

• Supply Chain Optimization Operational Team 

• Webinars and trainings 

• Knowledge of manufacturing ecosystem 

• OEM mapping 

• Identify critical sectors and your support 

• Map-out critical and new industries important to U.S. Government 

• Gathering, storing and sharing data 

• FTE and report progress 

• Success stories 

• What is not working stories 

• Other goals 

This is an investment from MEP into the MEP National Network to build a sustainable program or offerings in supply chain. 

This is a collaboration between NIST MEP and MEP Centers. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

New Structure for Working Groups 

Strategic plan Implementation Groups consisting of: 

• MEP Advisory Board 

• Center Leadership Team 

• MEP Center Directors 

• Key Stakeholders (including OEMs) 

Three groups focused on the strategic pillars: 

• Supply Chain 

• Workforce 

• Technology and Innovation 

Operational Groups 

• One focus group for Supply Chai 

• Communities of Practitioners 

– I4.0/Cybersecurity 

– Food Processes 

– Semiconductor 

– Toyota Kata 

– Workforce 

– Marketing 

– Performance Metrics 

– Learning Management 

– Financial Management 

n Optimization 
• • •

MEP Advisory Board 

486: Internal Operations Division 
• • •

Internal Operations Division 

Heather Mayton,

Division Chief and 

Executive Officer 

Autumn Hernandez, 

Sevan Simonian,

Administrative Officer 

Kathy Martin, IT 

Security Officer 

Justin Mocca, IT 

Specialist 

Michele 

Montgomery, Receptionist 

Joi Neal, Program

Compliance and 

Audit Liaison 

OISM Embedded 

Desktop Support 

Position 
• • •

Internal Operations: Division Overview 

Build effective 

collaboration with MEP 

staff and internal/external

stakeholders 

Budget Human Resources Program Compliance 

Audits IT Security and IT access

for MEP staff Property Administrative Operations of MEP 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16

• • •

MEP Program Budget Outlook 

FY 2023 

Appropriation Status 

• $175 million for MEP 

• $13 million in disaster supplemental 

• Funding not subject to cost share 

requirements (elective for Centers 

receiving state funds conditioned on 

federal cost share requirement) 

FY 2024 

Appropriation Status 

• $277.2 million for President’s budget 

• $200 million House 

• Includes cost share relief 

• $175 million Senate 

• No cost share relief 

*Numbers are subject to change 
•

NIST MEP Projected Spend Plan Through Sept. 30, 2023 

Available funding: $ Millions Planned expenditures: $ Millions 

Appropriation 175.0 

Disaster Supplemental 13.0 

Carryover from FY 2022 5.6 

Prior-year recoveries 0.4 

Total available funding 194.0 

Other Funding: $ Millions 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• •

Earmark 1.0 

11.22% efficiency rate 

*Numbers are subject to change 

Center renewals 134.6 

RCAP/MSE 1.3 

Expansion awards 20.4 

Disaster Awards 0.3 

Contracts 6.2 

NIST MEP labor 11.0 

NIST and program overhead 20.2 

Total planned 

expenditures 194.0 
 

• • •

MEP Advisory Board 

481: Network Agreements Management 

Division 
 

 

 

 

19

• • •

Network Agreements Management Division (NAMD) 

Mellissa Ayala, Acting 

Division Chief 

Adrienne Montague, Administrative 

Assistant 

Nadine DeJesus, 

Group Manager (A) 

Hope Snowden, FPO 

Gerson Santos-Leon, 

RM 

(Midwest Centers) 

Gloria Solomon, FPO 

Tony Mastalski, RM 

(Mountain Centers) 

Scott Dockum, FPO 

Tom Williams, RM 

(Northeast Centers) 

Sekou Johnson, 

Acting Group Manager

(B) 

Brooke Linehan, FPO 

Andrew Nobleman, 

RM 

(East Centers) 

Sekou Johnson, FPO 

All RM’s Covering 

(Southeast Centers) 

Julia Shriner, FPO 

Temporary RM 

(West Centers) 

Bryana Head, Competitions 
 

20

s gnments

• • •

Center Resource Management Team 

As i 
 

• • •

Center Resource Management Teams (CRMTs) 

Consists of a Federal Program Officer (FPO) and a Resource Manager (RM). 

Shared responsibility for providing financial and programmatic oversight of NIST 

funds awarded to MEP Centers. 

Provide guidance, support and operational assistance to Centers in fulfilling the 

terms of the cooperative agreement. 

Monitor Center’s programmatic and financial performance and recommend 

corrective actions where appropriate. 
 

 

 

 

 

• • •

NAMD Roles and Responsibilities 

Establishment and programmatic oversight of cooperative agreements for funding MEP Centers in support 

of the MEP mission. 

Work with MEP Centers 

Provide guidance and assistance with cooperative agreement

compliance 

Provide programmatic assistance to foster MEP Center growth 

and development 

Strengthen strategic alliances with local and regional entities 

Maintain partnership relationships to facilitate Center

improvement 

Conduct competitions for base MEP and strategic awards 

Work with NIST MEP, NIST and DOC to ensure 

program integrity and compliance 

PEEI (Award Performance and Evaluation) 

National Programs (I4.0, MATTR+, Food Safety) 

National Platforms (Network Learning, Supplier Scouting Team) 

Grants Management Division (GMD) 

DOC Federal Assistance Law Division (FALD) 
 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

New Awards 

• Supply Chain Optimization and Intelligence Network Awards

– All 51 Centers: Awarded June 1

• New Center Awards

– Arizona and Maryland: Awarded July 1

• Kick-off meetings conducted onsite in Phoenix and Columbia

• Maryland MEP now supports the MEP program for the District of Columbia
 

• • •

Recompetition of the MEP National Network 

April 1, 2025 

July 1, 2025 

Jan. 1, 2026 

Oct. 1, 2026 

April 1, 2027 

July 1, 2029 

Florida 

Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, North

Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia 

Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Washington, West 

Virginia, Wisconsin 

Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, 

Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Utah, Vermont 

Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Nevada, New

Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina, Wyoming 

Alaska 
• • •

MEP Advisory Board 

485: Outreach and External Affairs 

Division 
 

• • •

Outreach and External Affairs – Team Members 

Brandyi Phillips, 

Division Chief 

Nicole Ausherman, 

Digital Information

Specialist 

Cheryl Gendron, 

Event & Board 

Specialist 

Katie Rapp, 

Writer/Editor 

Jennifer Rosa, 

Marketing &

Communications 

Specialist 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Outreach and External Affairs: Division Overview 

• External Events 

– MEP Advisory Board meetings 

– Conferences 

– Trade shows 

• News and Information 

– MEP news roundup 

– Network News 

– MEP Manufacturing Innovation Blog 

• Reports and Resources 

– Annual reports 

– Report submissions to the DOC Secretary & NIST 

Director 

– NIST MEP Style Guide 

• MEPNN Brand Support 

– Branding 

– National awareness campaign 

• Marketing Collateral 

– Infographics and other marketing resources 

– Video 

– Photography 

– White papers, one sheets 

• Digital Channels 

– Social media 

– NIST MEP public website and MEP Connect 

migration to the cloud (in progress) 

• Communication 

– MEP Advisory Board assistance 

– Coordinate with NIST Public Affairs Office & NIST 

Congressional & Legislative Affairs Office 

– Marketing Community of Practitioners and 

Marketing Steering Committee 

– Amplify MEPNN achievements, new opportunities 

and expertise 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Marketing and Communication 

Marketing Steering Committee 

Provides support, guidance and 

oversight to the Marketing 

Community of Practitioners. 

Fosters communication and 

activities that are critical to the 

Network. 

Marketing Community of 

Practitioners 

Fosters information exchange 

between MEP Centers. Provides 

strategic and tactical guidance, 

and oversight to advance Network 

communication priorities. 
 

• • •

Workforce 

Assistance by State 
 

 

• • •

Outreach and External Affairs: Legislative Topics 

Supply Chain Optimization and Retirements and finding Innovation, automation, 

Intelligence Network skilled workers cybersecurity 

Semiconductors 
 

• • •

MEP Advisory Board 

482: Performance Evaluation and 

Economic Impacts Division 
 

• • •

Performance Evaluation and Economic Impacts 

Mark Schmit, 

Division Chief 

Nico Thomas, 

Center Business 

Intelligence 

Steve Campbell, 

Group Manager, 

Perf Metrics and 

Eval 

Megean Blum, 

Success Story

Admin 

Kim Coffman, 

MEIS Project

Manager 

6 IT Contractors 

Missy Davis, 

Reporting and

Survey Admin 

Diane 

Henderson, 

Panel Review 

Manager 

Holly Jackson, 

D&B Admin 

TBD, 

Data Analytics 

TBD, 

State Relations 

Megan Spangler, 

Administrative Assistant 
 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Strategic Priorities 

1. Evaluate, via various means, the performance of MEPNN as well as the 

individual Centers 

2. Map and define manufacturing ecosystems and identify supply chain gaps 

3. Expand MEP’s research agenda 

4. Integrate MEP into broader state-based economic development 

5. Be visible among NIST MEP and the MEP National Network, including the CLT 

and MAB, and external stakeholders and partners 
 

 

• • •

Data: 

Measure What 

Matters 

Our division is the key link in MEP defining, 

measuring and articulating our collective 

successes and opportunities to do better. 

The focus on performance has guided MEP 

since its inception and demonstrates that it 

has made a positive impact on the program 

and Centers. 

The information gathered shows the program 

makes a meaningful difference for its 

clients and creates broader economic 

benefits beyond positive client outcomes. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Data Collected by MEP 

MEP Center Quarterly 

Reporting 

• Center locations 

• Center staff 

– Count and names 

• Center partners 

– Names and locations 

• Center clients 

– Name and location 

– Size (employees) 

– Industry 

• Center projects 

– Title and description 

– Type and delivery mode 

– Intensity (hours) 

– Total value (dollars) 

– Internal vs. 3rd party service delivery 

Client Impact Survey 

• New and retained sales 

• Jobs created and retained 

• New client investment 

• Cost savings 

• Client challenges 

• Client satisfaction (NPS) 

• Client suggestions (narrative) 

• Survey response rate 

• Percent of manufacturers improving 

competitiveness 

Other Data Sets 

• MEP Center success stories 

– Client based 

• Progress plans/technical reports 

– Semi-annual reporting 

– Narrative progress reporting 

• Operating outcomes 

– Client engagement with very small, 

rural and start-up manufacturers 
 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Challenges 

–

• NIST MEP only captures a portion of MEP Center client engagements

MEP only tells a portion of our story

– MEP Centers do not get “credit” for some of the work being done

•

to captur

Not all engagements are surveyable – this creates a NIST MEP made barrier 

ing certain types of engagements 

– Overcoming this is essential as we communicate achievements in workforce, supply

chain, and technology

•

integrating all insights to offer diverse solutions 

While we have substantial knowledge, there's room for improvement in 
 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Evolving Toward 

What are factors related to differences in Center performance? 

Expand the use of case studies and other approaches to examine focus area programs. 

Research on underserved segments of the manufacturing marketplace. 

Analyzing and aggregating data differently using newer more capable technologies. 

More research into the broader economic and business environment faced by manufacturers. 

Broaden the bench of researchers focusing on manufacturing (particularly SMMs) and MEP. 
• • •

MEP Advisory Board 

483: National Programs 

Division 
• • •

483 National Programs Division 

Organizational Chart 

Savann Thorn, 

Cyber Specialist 

General Engineer

(recruiting) 

Dimitrios Meritis, 

Industrial 

Specialist 

Jyoti Malhotra, 

Division Chief 

Jose Colucci, 

Industrial 

Specialist 

Brian Lagas,

Industrial 

Specialist 

Kim Pinckney, 

Industrial 

Specialist 

Michael Taylor, 

Senior Engineer 

Marlon Walker, 

Physical Scientist 

Doug Devereaux, 

Industrial 

Specialist 

Carol Shibley, 

Admin Assistant 
 

 

 

• • •

National Programs Impacts: Leveraging Technology & Empowering Manufacturers 

Food Industry Services Industry 4.0 MATTR/MATTR+ 

Cybersecurity ExporTech Toyota Kata 

Partnerships and OEM Engagements Targeted Industry Sectors Collaborations 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Food Industry Services 

Food community of practitioners’ impacts 

• In CY 2023 YTD, MEP Centers completed 508 projects with 417 different 

clients in the food manufacturing industry 

• Food manufacturing clients are also reporting strong economic impacts so far 

in calendar year 2023 as a result of working with MEP Centers 

These impacts include: 

• $198,133,457 new and retained sales 

• 2,307 jobs created and retained 

• $146,922,610 total client investments 

• $476,444,285 total cost savings 

Food community of practitioners’ training sessions: 

• There were 5 new training workshops offered to the FISCP in 2023 
 

 

 

 

• • •

National Programs Impacts 

Partnerships/ 

Collaborations 

• Two new MOUs in the works 

• MEP-DOT, MEP-APATC 

• One MOU Executed 

• MEP-MxD 

• Expanding MEP-MFG USA 

partnerships/collaborations and 

MEP-Baldrige collaborations 

Targeted OEM 

Industry Sectors Engagements 

• Semiconductor: Intel, NXP, Applied 

Materials & Skywater • Semiconductor 

• Medical Devices: Stryker, Medtronic, • Clean energy Baxter, Edwards Life Sciences 

• Aerospace sector • Clean Energy: GE Vernova, GE 

• Medical devices Aerospace, SAFT America, 

TotalEnergies 

• Biomanufacturing • Sustainability: TotalEnergies, SAFT 

• Defense America 

• I4.0/Cyber: Rockwell 

• Aerospace: Airbus, GE Aerospace 
 

 

 

• • •

National Programs Impacts 

Industry 4.0 

• OLDCC funding opportunity 

• I4.0 subgroups formed 

• MAT Team expanding from 20 to 

24 Centers 

• Five AMTS projects completed 

Cybersecurity 

• Integrating NIST SMEs to cyber 

community of practitioners 

• Launching a contract to expand 

cyber services across the 

MEPNN 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

MATTR/MATTR+ 

MATTR 

• One CRADA (analytical testing) and one RCA (additive) renewal with NIST labs 

• Manufacturer’s Edge (soil contaminant removal) 

• GENEDGE (generic drugs used in the U.S.) 

• Missouri Enterprise (1. chemical handling; 2. and calibration lab) 

• PRiMEX (corrosion issues with welds) 

MATTR+ 

• Florida-based company (power generating device scale-up) 

• Maryland-based company (device encasements and scale-up) 

• Massachusetts-based company (polymer additive manufacturing) 

• Scale-up/contract manufacturing inquiries from MD, MA, FL,VA companies 

• AI in manufacturing inquiry from WI 

• Manufacturing inquiry from SC involving fiber production 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

National Programs Impacts 

ExporTech Toyota Kata FY2023Q1 

Average Results • MEP Centers completed 18 export-related projects with 

18 different clients 

• $1,475,741 new/retained sales 

• Manufacturing clients served with export-related services • $507,395 total cost savings

are also reporting strong economic impacts so far in • $409,495 total new client investments calendar year 2023 as a result of working with MEP 

Centers. These impacts include: • 12 jobs created or retained 

• $27,781,400 new and retained sales 

• 78 jobs created and retained 

• $7,361,120 total client investments 

• $2,315,000 total cost savings 
• • •

MEP Advisory Board 

484: National Platforms 

Division 
 

 

 

 

• • •

National Platforms Division 

Jyoti Malhotra, 

Acting Division Chief 

Supply Chain Manager, 

Recruiting 

Robert Barnes, 

Supply Chain Staff 

Supply Chain Specialist 

Recruiting 

Samm Webb, 

Industrial Specialist 

Supply Chain 

Workforce SME, 

Recruiting 

Ben Vickery, 

Group Manager, 

Supervisory Industrial 

Specialist 

Adelwiza Lequin, 

Network Knowledge

Management Specialist 

Megan Spangler, 

Administrative Assistant 
 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Mitigating Supply Chain Vulnerabilities Supplier Scouting 

Feb.-July 2023 

58 opportunities scouted Approx. $9 million 86 unique companies 

27 from three federal agencies potential annual business identified by MEPNN in 

24 from MEP Centers opportunities response to opportunities 

7 from private industry 

Supply Chain Optimization Focus Group (operational) kick-off on Aug. 1, 2023 

Automated Supplier Scouting Process 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

New Workforce-Focused Partnerships 

• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): Clark Atlanta, Morgan State University, North 

Carolina Agricultural Technical State University, Prairie View A&M University, Xavier University of Louisiana 

• Technical and Community Colleges: Columbus State Community College, Highland College, Ivy Tech, 

Pasadena City College, Portland Community College, Rio Salado College 

• Four-Year Colleges and Universities: Arizona State University, Penn State University, SUNY Polytechnic 

Institute, University of California - Santa Barbara, University of New Mexico 

• Tribal Colleges and Universities: Dine College, Fond du lac Tribal and Community College, Navajo Technical 

University, Oglala Lakota College, Salish Kootenai College 

• Other minority-serving institutions: Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, Polytechnic University of 

Puerto Rico, University of Puerto Rico – Humacao, University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and Texas Rio 

Grande Valley (UTRGV), University of Turabo 
 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Learning and Knowledge Management System 

• Conducting a project in 2023 that will help capture and share knowledge and information with the entire 

Network more seamlessly and effectively 

• The Network Learning and Knowledge Sharing System Roadmap project will develop a clear roadmap 

and implementation methodologies to guide the development of the future MEP knowledge systems 

• The effort will include: 

• Planning and facilitating a current state assessment 

• Developing a report that details the current state of knowledge management 

• Gathering insights to help identify specific capabilities of interest 

• Development of a visually engaging, accessible, and easy-to-understand roadmap 

• Development of detailed, technical requirements needed 
 

 

• • •

Other Offerings to MEPNN 

Tab Wilkins Emerging Center Director Executive Center Board 

Leaders Program Program Development 
• • •

Discussion 

2023-2027 MEPNN Strategic Plan 

Metrics 
 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Engaging Industries Critical to US Supply Chain 

• The Administration’s 100-day supply chain report 

identifies 4 critical industries: 

– Semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging 

– Large capacity batteries 

– Critical minerals and materials 

– Pharmaceuticals 

• Goal: Increase engagement with critical industries 

to mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities 

– Centers worked with 476 clients in critical industries in 2022 

– 12-month goal of a 3% increase would result in 492 clients 

engaged 

• Note: SCOIN will enable MEP to learn about 

additional critical industries at regional level 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Assessing and Mitigating Business Risk Through 

Resiliency Planning 

• MEP Centers help make 

manufacturers more resilient 

• Goal: Mitigate supply chain 

vulnerabilities by increasing 

MEPNN’s business risk assessment 

and mitigation projects 

– MEP Centers completed 749 business 

resiliency projects in CY22 

– 12-month goal of 3% increase in 

projects would set target of 775 projects 
 

 

 

 

• • •

Expanding Workforce Partnerships to Narrow 

Workforce Gap 

There are currently 690 workforce supporting partnerships in MEIS 

Goal 

Grow the number of partnerships 

that are workforce-focused 

12-month goal of 3% would 

result in 21 new partnerships 
 

 

 

 

• • •

Training Manufacturers to Leverage Advanced Manufacturing Technology 

• Identified Center reported projects that were 

related to the following advanced manufacturing 

practices: 

– Augmented reality/virtual reality 

– Cloud 

– Artificial intelligence 

– Simulation 

– Robots/cobots 

• Once advanced manufacturing tech projects 

identified, then focused search to only include 

training engagements 

• Goal: Increase the number of training projects 

focused on advanced manufacturing technology 

– Increasing projects by 10 (based on CY22 data) would 

represent a 15% increase 
 

 

 

 

• • •

Awareness and Education on Advanced Manufacturing Technologies 

to Small Manufacturers (<100 employees) 

• Identified Center reported projects that were related 

to the following advanced manufacturing practices: 

– Augmented reality/virtual reality 

– Cloud 

– Artificial intelligence 

– Simulation 

– Robots/cobots 

• MEP Centers completed 172 advanced 

manufacturing technology projects with small 

manufacturers in CY22 

• Goal: Increase adoption of technology by smaller 

manufacturers by engaging and exposing more 

technology to these companies (more projects) 

– 12-month goal of 10% increase would result in 

190 projects completed 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Increasing Cybersecurity Awareness and Adoption Among Manufacturers 

• Cybersecurity is critical to the 

implementation of technology and 

resiliency of supply chains 

• MEP Centers had 709 cybersecurity 

related projects in CY22 

• Goal: Enable manufacturers to safely 

adopt technology through stronger 

cybersecurity practices 

– 12-month goal of a 5% increase would result 

in target of 745 projects completed 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

Metrics 

Summary 

Mitigating Supply Chain Vulnerabilities 

• Goal: Increase engagement with critical domestic manufacturing industries to mitigate supply chain 

vulnerabilities. 

o 12-month target of 492 clients engaged in critical industries represents a 3% increase from the previous year. 

• Goal: Mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities by increasing MEPNN’s business risk assessment and mitigation 

projects. 

o 12-month target of 775 resilience projects completed represents a 3% increase from the previous year. 

Narrowing the Workforce Gap 

• Goal: Grow the number and depth of partnerships that are workforce-supporting. 

o 12-month target of 711 workforce-supporting partnerships represents a 3% increase from the previous year. 

• Goal: Increase the number of advanced manufacturing training projects delivered across the MEPNN. 

o 12-month target of 75 advanced manufacturing training projects represents a 15% increase from the previous year. 

Adopting and Leveraging Technology 

• Goal: Increase advanced manufacturing technology awareness and education engagements (projects) targeted 

to smaller manufacturers (less than 100 employees) in order to better prepare manufacturers to adopt new 

technologies. 

o 12-month target of 190 projects completed represents a 10% increase from the previous year. 

• Goal: Increase cybersecurity awareness and adoption projects to make manufacturers more resilient and 

prepared to adopt new technologies. 

o 12-month target of 745 projects completed represents a 5% increase from the previous year. 
• • •

MEPNN Workforce Panel and Discussion 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • •

MEPNN 

Workforce 

Panel 

• Pravina Raghavan, MEP Director 

• MEP Center Directors 

• Jeff Spain, Ohio MEP Subrecipient 

• Peter Connolly, New Jersey MEP 

• Dusty Cruise, Missouri Enterprise, Missouri MEP 

• Kathie Mahoney, Massachusetts MEP 

• Jessica Herbert, New York MEP 
 

 

 

• • •

MEP Advisory Board Meetings - 2024 

Planning continues – details coming soon 

MEP Advisory Board 

2024 Dates 

• Tuesday, March 5 and Wednesday, March 6, 2024 

– Gaithersburg, MD and Washington, DC 

• Date TBD, June 2024 

– Virtual 

• Date TBD, September 2024 

– Location TBD 

*Dates are subject to change 
 

 

• • •

Stay Connected 

VISIT OUR BLOG! 

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

Get the latest MEP National Network news at: 

www.nist.gov/mep 

Contact Us: 

mfg@nist.gov 

301-975-5020