Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)

COVID- 19 Response and MEP Update

Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology

June 9, 2020

Carroll Thomas, Director

Director, NIST MEP

Ms. Bonnie Del Conte

MEP Center Director, CONNSTEP (Connecticut)

Mr. Mike O’Donnell

MEP Center Director, CIRAS (Iowa)
In the year 2020...

 Manufacturing and MEP: The way we 

were.

 Pandemic turns into supply chain 

problems.

 MEP National Network: Coordinated 

response/CARES Act.

 One NIST and the MEP National 

Network.

 The National Network in action.

 Real MEP heroes to tell their stories.

MEP National Network Response to COVID-19

Credit: shutterstock
MEP National Network

 $146M FY20 MEP appropriated budget ($6M 

increase from FY19).

 MEP Centers and their Boards ready to 

operationalize National Network approach.

 NIST MEP invested in building MEP Center 

capabilities in Cybersecurity and Advanced 

Manufacturing Technology Services.

 MEP NN focused on growing market penetration 

to help more manufacturers navigate smart 

manufacturing production processes.

Manufacturing and MEP: The Way We Were

MEP Mission To strengthen and empower U.S. manufacturers.

U.S. Manufacturing

 Nearly 99% of all manufacturers 

less than 500 employees; 75% of 

have 20 or less employees.

 12.3 million people employed in 

manufacturing jobs.

 Last 6 months of 2019 saw a .5% 

contraction in manufacturing.

 Inability of small manufacturing 

businesses to expand because of 

extreme low unemployment.
Pandemic Turns into Supply Chain Problems

Credit: CDC

 U.S. manufacturing output plummets 6.3%--largest single month 

drop in 74 years.

 Global pandemic declared as health crisis erupts into critical 

need for personal protective equipment.

 Previously invisible global supply chains are exposed.

 Large manufacturers of PPE can’t keep up with demand for 

materials; others try to pivot to ease demand.

 Gaps in lower tier levels of production uncover the need for a 

better understanding of domestic production sources. 

In early February U.S. manufacturers impacted by major global 

supply chain disruptions. By March the disruption hits home.
MEP National Network: Coordinated Response

Reminder to Governors: Local MEP 

Center ready and available to assist their 

manufacturers to:

• Find available resources, such as SBA 

Paycheck Protection Program;

• Source and connect suppliers to pivot 

production to make critically needed 

supplies;

• Help navigate the FDA material 

approval process; and

• Connect to NIST technical assistance 

and information.

National 

Supplier 

Scouting 

services

Connect to 

testing 

laboratories

Information on 

local and 

national 

supplies needed

Information 

on employee 

safety best 

practices
Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act

CARES Act

• The amount provided under this heading in this Act, $50,000,000 shall be 

for the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership to assist 

manufacturers to prevent, prepare for, and respond to 

coronavirus”...”Provided further,

• That none of the funds provided under this heading in this Act shall be 

subject to cost share requirements under 15 U.S.C. 278k(e)(2) or 15 U.S.C. 

278s(e)(7)(A): Provided further, 

• That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for an 

emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the 

Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
“Vital to MEP’s Response Contained in the CARES Act”

Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership FY20 

appropriated funding cost share requirements waived.

It is the sense of Congress that—

• (1) the centers of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership are 

front-line resources for manufacturers to improve supply chain 

resilience, workforce readiness, and technological expertise; and

• (2) such Centers are positioned to mitigate damage and accelerate 

recovery from the National public health and economic crisis caused by 

COVID–19.
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Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act

MEP Center trusted advisors across the country are provided funds to:

• Reach out directly to all new, present and past manufacturing clients to assess their needs;

• Identify companies capable of responding to critical needs in their region and at the 

national level;

• Connect manufacturers to resources needed to support transition; and 

• Provide hands-on technical assistance to companies that transition their production 

operations to meet critical needs.

Request for Application (RFA) process for non-competitive awards-Posted April 10, 2020.

Status as of June 2, 2020:

− 49 of 51 MEP Center Applications received.

− 19 awarded for a total of $ 20.61M.

First time ever MEP Program receives disaster funding to support U.S. manufacturers.
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One NIST and the MEP National Network

• Collaboration Team of reps from each of the labs participated in a webcast with MEP staff to help in crossorganizational communication about potential projects NIST can do right now to support immediate needs during the 

pandemic to discuss engaging with MEP Centers and getting their assistance to help manufacturers produce PPE.

• Standards Coordination Office provided a list of organizations certified ISO 13485, (quality management standard used 

by manufacturers of regulated medical devices) for companies looking to partner with manufacturers that already have 

a compliant quality management system for producing medical devices.

• Lab staff sharing how to get masks through the FDA certification process.

• NIST EL staff meeting with Connecticut MEP Center Director and their senior technical staff about to discuss an idea 

about open source supply chain connection / integration platform being operated by them as an immediate/near-term 

application in response critical supplies. The concept put forth by the EL personnel is oriented toward longer-term 

application during crisis recovery periods. Both sides appreciated the dialogue and MEP Center personnel agreed to 

share learnings from their work with the EL personnel.

• NIST Boulder connecting CO MEP with mask FDA testing facilities.

• Researcher in MML on a DHS working group focused on rapid production of ventilators reached out for help from MEP 

to expedite a match for a company with a fully finished ventilator design so it can be manufactured in the U.S. 

Just a few highlights of how we are learning through the crisis to work smarter together.
National Network in Action

MEP Centers 

utilized staff to 

reach out to 

manufacturers 

remotely 

when projects 

were delayed 

or cancelled to 

provide 

information on 

available 

resources.

MEP Center 

leadership 

called on by 

Governors to 

discuss how 

their state can 

best prepare 

and deal with 

COVID 19 

related issues.

MEP Centers 

across the 

country 

helping 

businesses get 

information on 

dealing with 

sick employees 

and unemployment 

insurance. 

MEP Center 

Directors 

around the 

country set up 

local executive 

roundtables to 

support the 

hard hit 

automotive 

industry.

Centers 

pointed to 

automotive, 

aerospace and 

solar cell 

production 

that have been 

stalled or shut 

down because 

of supply chain 

disruption. 

All 51 MEP 

Centers have 

seen an 

impact to 

manufacturing 

in their 

market. All are 

working with 

local leaders to 

provide 

support. 

Images: Adobe Images
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National Network in Action Continued

 SC MEP developed supply chain plan for ventilators to share with all MEP Centers to help state 

economic development organizations locate suppliers in their state.

 GENEDGE (VA MEP) hired a consultant to help all MEP Centers provide assistance to companies 

needing to go through the FDA approval process to produce medical equipment and supplies.

 All 51 MEP Centers created COVID-19 webpages to provide information to their manufacturing 

community and to match capabilities and needs to support production and access to critically 

needed supplies.

 All MEP Centers took steps to mitigate the risks associated with the coronavirus inside their 

organizations to protect their employees. 

 MEP Centers utilized NIST guidance in areas relating to cybersecurity supply chain risk 

management that can be applied when addressing the potentially wide spectrum of impacted 

manufacturing supply chains. 
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Real MEP Heroes Tell Their Stories