M AKING AN IM PACT ON U.S. M ANUFACTURING

NIST MEP Regional Information Forum

Chicago, IL

Diane Henderson, Federal Program Officer & Competition Manager, Center Operations, 

diane.henderson@nist.gov, NIST MEP

Gary Thompson, Regional Manager, Southwest Region, gary.thompson@nist.gov, NIST 

MEP

1
MEP Overview

Meeting Agenda

• Introductions of Participants

• Competition Background

• Regional Forums

– Private One-on-One Sessions

• MEP Program Overview

• Upcoming Federal Funding Opportunity

• Discussion / Q&A

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 2
MEP Overview

Forum Protocols

• The forums will provide general information regarding MEP and offer 

general guidance on preparing proposals. 

• NIST/MEP staff will be available during the forum to answer general 

questions.

• NIST/MEP staff will provide information about the MEP eligibility and costsharing requirements, evaluation criteria and selection factors, selection 

process, and the general characteristics of a competitive MEP proposal 

during this webinar. 

• NIST/MEP staff cannot provide feedback regarding specific project ideas.

• One-on-One sessions will provide an opportunity to ask questions related to 

the program and specifics of the federal funding opportunity.

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MAKING AN IMPACT ON U.S. MANUFACTURING

MEP State Competition
MEP Overview

Rationale for Competition

• Allocate more funding to states with greater concentrations 

of manufacturers;

• Empower MEP centers to experiment more with new 

products and services (i.e., technology acceleration, supply 

chain and workforce, etc), serving harder to serve clients 

like very small, emerging, rural companies;

• Bring MEP practice closer to other federal programs that 

refresh awardees periodically.

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MEP Overview

Competition Benefits to States

• Increased funding to bring $/SME up to national average

• Immediate readjustment of the cost share to 1:1 for the first three years of the 

award *

• A five year award reducing the annual renewal paperwork

• A reduction in the number of panel reviews from every two years to one at the third 

year

• Resetting of the funding levels to reflect the national recognition of the importance 

of manufacturing and the regional distribution of manufacturing activity**

• Reduction and simplification of reporting requirements

• Opportunity to re-align Center activities with State economic development 

strategies

*Congressional action needed to make the readjustment permanent

**Administration support for increased federal funding 

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MEP Overview

Round 1 Competition

• Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Michigan, New 

Hampshire, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, 

Texas, Virginia 

• Timeline:

– FFO released August 1, 2014

– Awards announced February 2015

– Start Date July 1, 2015

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MEP Overview

Round 1 Competition Awardees

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Awardees:

• Colorado: Manufacturer’s Edge (Boulder)

• Connecticut: CONNSTEP, Inc., (Rocky Hill)

• Indiana: Purdue University/Indiana MEP (Indianapolis)

• Michigan: Industrial Technology Institute/Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (Plymouth) 

• New Hampshire: New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Concord) 

• North Carolina: North Carolina State University/North Carolina Manufacturing Extension 

Partnership (Raleigh) 

• Oregon: Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Tigard) 

• Tennessee: University of Tennessee, Center for Industrial Services/Tennessee Manufacturing 

Extension Partnership (Nashville) 

• Texas: The University of Texas at Arlington/Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (Arlington)

• Virginia: A.L. Philpott Manufacturing Extension Partnership/GENEDGE Alliance (Martinsville)
MEP Overview

Status of Round 2 Competition

• Alaska, Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, 

Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and 

Wisconsin

• Timeline:

– FFO released March 9, 2015

– Awards announced September & November 2015

– Start Date January 1, 2016

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 9
MEP Overview

Award Recipients for Round 2

The winners of the Round 2 MEP State Competition are:

• Illinois - Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (Peoria) 

• Minnesota - Enterprise Minnesota, Inc. (Minneapolis)

• West Virginia - West Virginia University Research Corporation (Morgantown)

• Alaska - Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference (Anchorage)

• Idaho - Boise State University (Idaho TechHelp –Boise)

• Washington - Washington Manufacturing Services DBA Impact Washington (Mukilteo)

• New Jersey - New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. (Cedar Knolls)

• Oklahoma - Oklahoma Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence, Inc. (Tulsa)

• New York - New York State Department of Economic Development (Albany)

• Wisconsin – Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing & Productivity (Madison)

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 10

**OH/UT - Did not result in an application being selected for funding
MEP Overview

Status of Round 3 Competition

• Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana, 

Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Ohio*, 

Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Utah* and Vermont

• Timeline: 

– FFO released - January 27, 2016

– Review in Progress

– Anticipated Award announcement - late Summer 2016

– Anticipated Start Date October 2016

*Ohio/Utah were initially included in Round 2, but did not result in a funding award. There are now represented in Round 3

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 11
MEP Overview

Status of Round 4 Competition

• Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, 

Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, 

South Carolina and Wyoming

• Timeline: 

– Target FFO release – July 2016

– Proposal due date – Approx. October 2016

– Anticipated Award announcement - Early 2017

– Start Date April 1, 2017

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MEP Overview

Round 4 States

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MEP Center Location and 

Assigned Geographical Service 

Area (by State)

Annual Federal Funding*

Delaware $500,000

Hawaii $500,000

Iowa $1,859,206

Kansas $1,864,950

Maine $863,522

Mississippi $1,003,782

New Mexico $1,360,802

Nevada $756,001

North Dakota $500,000

South Carolina $2,268,003

Wyoming $500,000

*Funding levels are subject to change based on MEP’s Appropriations
MEP Overview

Aggressive Outreach Effort

• 15-20 organizations publicizing MEP Competition

• Examples include SSTI, IEDC, EDA, NADO, etc.

• Regional (State) Meetings 

• Informational webinars for interested applicants

– Approximately mid-late July 2016

– Webinar recordings and presentations will be made available on the 

MEP website (under Federal Funding Opportunities).

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 14
MEP Overview

Regional Forums

• Prior to the federal funding opportunity announcement, 

NIST MEP will hold three regional forums to provide 

interested entities more information about the MEP 

program, the federal funding opportunity, and answer 

questions regarding this funding announcement.

• Following each regional forum presentation, potential 

applicants will also have a chance to schedule 20 minute 

meetings with NIST MEP representatives to ask additional 

follow-on questions.

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 15
MEP Overview

Regional Forums

• Upcoming - June 7th – Chicago, IL

• Agenda:

9:30am – 11:30am – Presentation (overview of program, federal 

funding opportunity, evaluation criteria and selection factors)

11:30am – 1:00pm – Private One-on-one meetings with NIST MEP 

representatives

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 16
M AKING AN IM PACT ON U.S. M ANUFACTURING

MEP PROGRAM OVERVIEW
MEP Overview

MISSION

To enhance the productivity and 

technological performance of U.S. 

Manufacturing.

“

“

ROLE

MEP’s state and regional centers facilitate and accelerate the transfer 

of manufacturing technology in partnership with industry, universities 

and educational institutions, state governments, and NIST and other 

federal and research laboratories and agencies.

18

MEP Overview
MEP Overview

MEP Program in Short

19

MEP System Budget

$130 Million Federal Budget 

with Cost Share 

Requirements for Centers

Global Competitiveness 

Program was created by the 

1988 Omnibus Trade And 

Competitive Act

Evolving Role

Program continues to evolve in 

order to support manufacturers 

during changing economic 

situations.

Program Started in 1988

At least one center in all 50 

states by 1996

National Network

58 Centers with over 550 Field Locations. System 

wide, Non-Federal Staff is over 1,200. Contracting 

over 2,300 partners.

Partnership Model

Federal, State, University,

and Industry
MEP Overview 20

MEP Strategic Plan (2014-2017)

Strategic Goals

ENHANCE COMPETITIVENESS

Enhance the competitiveness of U.S. 

manufacturers, with particular focus 

on small and medium-sized 

companies.

CHAMPION MANUFACTURING

Serve as a voice to and a voice for 

manufacturing and manufacturers 

in engaging policy makers, 

stakeholders, and clients.

SUPPORT PARTNERSHIPS

Support national, state, and regional 

manufacturing eco-systems and 

partnerships.

DEVELOP CAPABILITIES

Develop MEP’s capabilities as a 

learning organization and high 

performance system.
MEP Overview

Partnering to Drive a National Program

21

The MEP network focuses on solving 

manufacturers’ biggest challenges and 

identifying opportunities for growth. 

Nearly 300,000 Manufacturers

Over 2,300 Partners

Over 1,200 Center Staff

588 Field

Locations

National

Network

Customers

Small and Medium Size 

Manufacturers

MEP Program

Integration, Knowledge 

Sharing, and Evaluation
MEP Overview

National Network

22
MEP Overview 23

MEP Centers Organizational Structure

501 C3 (34) University (17) State Entity (7)

Mississippi

North Dakota

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania (7)

Puerto Rico

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Utah

Washington

Wisconsin

Alaska

California (2)

Colorado

Connecticut

Florida

Illinois

Kansas

Massachusetts

Maryland

Maine

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

North Carolina

Nebraska

Nevada

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Vermont

West Virginia

Wyoming

Delaware MEP

Georgia

Iowa

Idaho

Indiana

Kentucky

Louisiana

Montana

New York 

Ohio MEP

Virginia 

Alabama

Arkansas

Arizona

Hawaii
MEP Overview

Center Structure Diversity

24

Partnerships

• Single location

• Principal organization with independent partner organizations

• Central office with regional offices

• Headquarters operation with multiple field offices

Utilizes existing local resources to 

provide manufacturing extension 

services relies heavily on 

partnerships

Public & Private 

Sector

Staff are employees of the 

Center and its partners –

not the Federal 

Government

Geography

Urban and Rural Areas. 

Centers are never more than 2 

hours away of a manufacturer.

Organization Type

• Nonprofit

• University

• State Government

Organizational Structure Nonprofit University State	Gov't

34

17

7
MEP Overview 25

Environment of an MEP Center

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020

• Running an MEP Center 

can be complicated!

• Overall Goal is to 

support U.S. 

MANUFACTURERS
MEP Overview www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301)975-5020 26

How Centers work with Manufacturers

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020

Initial Contact

Group sessions, 

referral

Assessment

Informal walkthrough, detailed 

company analysis

Identify

Find potential issues, 

define proposed 

project and approach 

for solving it

Negotiate

Consult with company 

and sign project 

contract with fee paid 

to center

Project 

Execution

Center staff, partner 

organization, and/or 

third party consultants

Project impact data collected by contractor 

for NIST approximately 6 months after 

project completion

Follow-Up

After completion, project 

follow-up by center to 

assure customer 

satisfaction and explore 

further project 

opportunities
MEP Overview

What MEP Does

27

Work with small and medium size manufacturers to help 

them create and retain jobs, increase profits and save 

time and money

Focus on meeting manufacturer’s short term needs, but 

in context of overall company strategy.

Reach over 29,000 manufacturing firms and complete 

over 12,000 projects per year.

Provides companies with a consistent set of services 

including:

Technology

Acceleration

Supply Chain 

Development

Workforce

Development

Innovation and 

Growth

Lean Process 

Export Reshoring

Sustainability
MEP Overview

Client Challenges

28

70%

53%

47% 45%

20%

14% 14%

10%

7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Cost 

Reduction

Growth Product 

Development

Employee 

Recruitment

Sustainability Technology 

Needs

Manage 

Partners

Financing Exporting
MEP Overview

MEP Program Initiatives & Services

MEP’s Program Initiatives & Services

are aimed to help manufacturers identify opportunities that will accelerate and strengthen their 

growth and competitiveness in the global marketplace

29

Growth and Innovation Sustainability Supply Chain

Technology Acceleration Workforce Make it in America

Export

Continuous Improvement
MEP Overview www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 30

Partnerships

Centers serve as an invaluable partner to the 

manufacturing community by:

Educating

local and regional partners on 

small and medium sized 

manufacturer needs and 

drivers of behavior. 

Connecting the Gap

between technology developers / 

R&D organizations and 

manufacturers: finding firms that are 

interested in a particular technology, 

as well as informing tech developers 

of manufacturer’s technology needs

Providing Outreach

to manufacturers by 

connecting them to other 

programs and services offered 

by partner organizations. 

Supporting

workforce development 

programs.
MEP Overview

NIST MEP Survey Process, Instrument, & Uses

• Surveys are conducted quarterly. Approximately 7,500 to 8,000 

surveys done annually. Response rates typically hover around 

75-80 percent. 

• Clients are surveyed only once a year. A census of all clients 

with completed projects. 

• Survey is client-based rather than project based.

• Client-based survey done since 2000. (@ 104,000 surveys 

attempted)

• Survey is done using a third party. Fors Marsh conducts the 

survey. Surveys are done typically on-line. 

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 31
MEP Overview

NIST MEP Survey Process, Instrument, & Uses

• Surveys are done typically six months after the first project is 

completed and questions are time bound. In some cases, clients 

can be surveyed over multiple years even if only one project is 

completed. 

• Survey consists of 12 questions focusing on: • Bottom-line client outcomes such as sales, capital investment, cost savings, and employment

• Questions about challenges, reasons for using the MEP, use of other external resources, and customer satisfaction (Net 

Promoter)

• Survey results used for GPRA, budget and program decisions, 

and also to develop a series of metrics to determine relative 

center performance and targets for improvement.

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 32
MEP Overview

$2.7

Billion

NEW CLIENT 

INVESTMENTS

$1.1

Billion

COST SAVINGS

$4.2 

Billion

$2.5 

Billion

NEW SALES

46,069 17,883

JOBS RETAINED JOBS CREATED RETAINED SALES

Client Impacts

33

30,056

Manufacturers

served in FY20141

29,101

Manufacturers 

served in FY15 = 1,000 manufacturers

49,011 19,466 $3.2

Billion

$1.2

Billion

$5.7

Billion

$2.3

Billion
M AKING AN IM PACT ON U.S. M ANUFACTURING

MEP State Competition – Round 4 

Federal Funding Opportunity
MEP Overview

Funding Opportunity Overview (1)

Funding Opportunity Title: Award Competitions for Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers in the 

States of Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina and 

Wyoming

Funding Opportunity Description: 

• NIST invites applications from eligible organizations in connection with NIST’s funding up to eleven (11) separate MEP 

cooperative agreements for the operation of an MEP Center in the designated States’ service areas identified above. 

NIST anticipates awarding one (1) cooperative agreement for each of the identified States.

• Objective of the MEP Center Program is to provide manufacturing extension services to primarily small and medium-sized 

manufacturers within the whole State designated in the applications.

Funding Instrument: Cooperative Agreement

– The nature of NIST’s “substantial involvement” will generally be collaboration between MEP and the recipient 

organization(s).

– NIST involvement under base MEP awards may include the types of substantial involvement activities described in 

Final Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidance Implementing the Federal Grant and Cooperative 

Agreement Act, 43 Fed. Reg. 36860-65 (Aug. 18, 1978). 

– In addition, NIST involvement in this cooperative agreement may include the activities described in MEP General 

Term and Condition, Section 1.

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 35
MEP Overview

Funding Opportunity Overview (2)

Funding Available:

Below are the twelve (11) States identified for funding as part of this FFO:

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 36

*Funding levels are subject to change based on MEP’s Appropriations

MEP Center Location and 

Assigned Geographical Service 

Area (by State)

Annual Federal Funding*

Delaware $500,000

Hawaii $500,000

Iowa $1,859,206

Kansas $1,864,950

Maine $863,522

Mississippi $1,003,782

New Mexico $1,360,802

Nevada $756,001

North Dakota $500,000

South Carolina $2,268,003

Wyoming $500,000
MEP Overview

Funding Opportunity Overview (3)

Multi-Year Funding Policy. 

• When an application for a multi-year award is approved, funding will usually be provided for only the first year of the project. 

• Recipients will be required to submit detailed budgets and budget narratives prior to the award of any continued funding. 

• Continued funding for the remaining years of the project will be awarded by NIST on a non-competitive basis, and may be adjusted higher 

or lower from year-to-year of the award, contingent upon satisfactory performance, continued relevance to the mission and priorities of the 

program, and the availability of funds. 

• Continuation of an award to extend the period of performance and/or to increase or decrease funding is at the sole discretion of NIST. 

Potential for Additional 5 Years. 

• Initial awards issued pursuant to this FFO are expected to be for up to five (5) years with the possibility for NIST to renew the award, on a 

non-competitive basis, for an additional 5 years at the end of the initial award period. 

• The review processes in 15 C.F.R. § 290.8 will be used as part of the overall assessment of the recipient, consistent with the potential longterm nature and purpose of the program. 

• In considering renewal for a second five-year, multi-year award term, NIST will evaluate the results of the annual reviews and the results of 

the 3rd Year peer-based Panel Review findings and recommendations as set forth in 15 C.F.R. § 290.8, as well as the Center’s progress in 

addressing findings and recommendations made during the various reviews. 

• The full process is expected to include programmatic, policy, financial, administrative, and responsibility assessments, and the availability of 

funds, consistent with Department of Commerce and NIST policies and procedures in effect at that time.

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 37
MEP Overview

Funding Opportunity Overview (4)

• Cost Share or Matching Requirements:

Non-Federal cost sharing of at least 50 percent of the total project costs is required for each of the first through the third year of the 

award, with an increasing minimum non-federal cost share contribution beginning in year 4 of the award as follows: 

38

Year of Center Operation Maximum NIST Share Minimum Non-Federal Share

1-3 1/2 1/2

4 2/5 3/5

5 and beyond 1/3 2/3

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020

For example, if your annual federal $ is $1,000,000 – you will need to match the federal with 

$1,000,000 of non-federal cost share (YRS 1-3 @ 1:1 Cost Share Ratio)
MEP Overview

Funding Opportunity Overview (5)

• Non-Federal cost sharing is that portion of the project costs not borne by the Federal Government. The 

applicant’s share of the MEP Center expenses may include cash, services, and third party in-kind 

contributions, as described at 2 C.F.R. § 200.306, as applicable, and in the MEP program regulations at 15 

CFR § 290.4(c). No more than 50% of the applicant’s total non-Federal cost share for any year of the 

award may be from third party in-kind contributions of part-time personnel, equipment, software, 

rental value of centrally located space, and related contributions, per 15 CFR § 290.4(c)(5). The 

source and detailed rationale of the cost share, including cash, full- and part-time personnel, and in-kind 

donations, must be documented in the budget tables and budget narratives submitted with the application 

and will be considered as part of the review under the evaluation criterion found in Section V.1.c.ii. of this 

FFO. 

• Recipients must meet the minimum non-federal cost share requirements for each year of the award 

as identified in the chart above. For purposes of the MEP Program, “program income” (as defined in 2 

C.F.R. § 200.80, as applicable) generated by an MEP Center may be used by a recipient towards the 

required non-federal cost share under an MEP award. 

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MEP Overview

Funding Opportunity Overview (6) 

Possible Revenue/Cost Share Sources:

– State Funding

– Client Revenues (Program Income also know as Project Service 

Fees (as defined in 2 C.F.R. § 200.80, as applicable)

– In-Kind (full/part-time personnel, equipment, space) (Refer to 2 

C.F.R. § 200.306 and 15 CFR § 290.4(c))

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MEP Overview

Funding Opportunity Overview (7)

• Eligible Applicants. 

– Each applicant for and recipient of an MEP award must be a U.S.-based nonprofit institution or organization. For 

the purpose of this FFO, nonprofit institutions include public or private nonprofit organizations, nonprofit or State 

colleges and universities, public or nonprofit community and technical colleges, and State, local or Tribal 

governments. Existing MEP awardees and new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria set forth in this section 

may apply. 

– An eligible organization may work individually or may include proposed subawards to eligible organizations or 

proposed contracts with any other organization as part of the applicant’s proposal, effectively forming a team. 

– NIST generally will not fund applications that propose an organizational or operational structure that, in whole or 

in part, delegates or transfers to another person, institution, or organization the applicant’s responsibility for core 

MEP Center management and oversight functions. See also Section IV.6. of the FFO for funding restrictions 

under the MEP Program.

– For profit entities are not eligible.

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 41
MEP Overview

Evaluation Review Criteria:

The applications will be evaluated based on the evaluation criteria described below.

a. Executive Summary and Project Narrative (40 – Sub-criteria I through iv will be weighted equally)

i. Center Strategy (10pts)

ii. Market Understanding (10pts)

1. Market Segmentation (5 pts)

2. Needs Identification and Product/Service Offerings (5 pts)

iii. Business Model (10 pts)

1. Outreach and Service Delivery to the Market (5 pts)

2. Partnership Leverage and Linkages (5 pts)

iv. Performance Measurement and Management (10 pts)

b. Qualifications of the Applicant; Key Personnel, Organizational Structure & Management; and Oversight Board and Governance 

(30 – Sub-criteria i and ii will be weighted equally)

i. Key Personnel, Organizational Structure and Management (15 pts)

ii. Oversight Board and Governance (15 pts)

c. Budget and Financial Plan (30 – Sub-criteria will be weighted equally)

i. Budget (15 pts)

ii. Quality of the Financial Plan for Meeting the Award’s Non-Federal Cost Share Requirements over 5 years. (15 pts)

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MEP Overview

Review and Selection Process

Proposals Received

Preliminary Quality 

Review 

(Approx. 2 days)

Evaluation Panel: Full 

Technical Review

(Approx. 2-3 weeks)

Evaluation Panel 

Deliberations

(Approx. 2 weeks)

Teleconferences/Video 

Conferences/Site 

Visits

(Approx. 3-4 weeks)

Ranking Against All 

Evaluation Criteria

(Approx. 1 week)

Final Selection

(Approx. 3 weeks)

Negotiations

(Approx. 2 months)

Cooperative 

Agreement

(Approx. 60 Days)

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 43
MEP Overview

Administrative Requirements of Application (1)

• Complete applications/proposals must, at a minimum, include the following forms and documents and 

meet the following requirements identified in the FFO which are:

• Required Forms*:

• SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance

• SF-424A Budget Information Non-Constructions

• SF-424B Assurances Non-construction

• CD-511 Certification Regarding Lobbying

• SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable)

• Technical Proposal (please be sure to read Section of the FFO)

*Forms are available as part of the Grants.gov application kit

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MEP Overview

Administrative Requirements of Application (2)

Proposal Requirements: 

• Technical Proposal. The five (5) year Technical Proposal is a word-processed document not exceeding 40 pages responsive to the program 

description and the evaluation criteria. The following is a suggested format that applicants may use for the technical proposal. 

– Table of Contents (Does not count towards page limit)

– Executive Summary - The executive summary should briefly (usually no longer than two pages) describe the proposed project, consistent with 

the evaluation sub-criteria outlined in the FFO. Applicants should name the State in which they are seeking to establish an MEP Center in 

the first sentence of the Executive Summary. 

Please note, if an applicant’s proposal is selected for funding, NIST may use all or a portion of the Executive Summary as part of a 

press release issued by NIST, or for other public information and outreach purposes. Applicants are advised not to incorporate 

information that concerns business trade secrets or other confidential commercial or financial information as part of the Executive 

Summary. See also 15 C.F.R. § 4.9(c) concerning the designation of business information by the applicant. (Does not count towards 

page limit).

– Project Narrative

– Qualifications of the Applicant; Key Personnel, Organizational Structure and Program Management; and Oversight Board and 

Governance

– Budget Tables and Budget Narratives

• A suggested format is provided on the MEP website - refer to Round 3 MEP State Competitions – http://nist.gov/mep/ffo-statecompetitions-03.cfm

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 45
MEP Overview

Administrative Requirements of Application (3)

• Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

– If indirect costs are included in the proposed budget, provide a copy of the approved negotiated agreement if this 

rate was negotiated with a cognizant Federal audit agency. 

– If the rate was not established by a cognizant Federal audit agency, provide a statement to this effect. If the 

successful applicant includes indirect costs in the budget and has not established an indirect cost rate with a 

cognizant Federal audit agency, the applicant will be required to obtain such a rate in accordance with the DoC

Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions.

• Resumes

– One-page resumes of no more than five key personnel may be included; these do not count toward 

the page limit. 

– Any information beyond one page for each resume and any additional resumes submitted will not 

be considered. 

www.nist.gov/mep mfg@nist.gov (301) 975-5020 46
MEP Overview

Letters of Commitment or Support

• For non-profit applicants with a fiduciary board of directors, a resolution from such board authorizing 

submission of the MEP Center application to NIST and supporting the activities described therein is required.

• Applicant Non-Federal Cost Sharing (Cash and In-kind): A letter of commitment is required from an authorized 

representative of the applicant, stating the total amount of cost share to be contributed by the applicant towards the 

proposed MEP Center project separate and apart from the submission of the proposal. 

– This stand-alone letter must cover all five (5) years of the proposed MEP Center project and include a per year 

break-out of the applicant’s contribution of non-federal cost share, as well as a per year break-out of cash cost 

share (including anticipated program income) and in-kind (non-cash) contributions.

• Please make sure to review Section titled Letters of Commitment or Support

Administrative Requirements of Application (4)

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MEP Overview

Administrative Requirements of Application (5)

• Application Format (Section IV 2(b)):

– Page Limit. The Technical Proposals are limited to forty (40) pages. Information on 

pages beyond the page limit will not be considered. 

– Page limit includes: Cover page, Technical Proposal (with the exception of the 

Executive Summary), figures, graphs, tables, images, pictures, and all other pages of 

an application, with the exception of the page limit exclusions listed below.

– Page limit excludes: Table of Contents, Executive Summary, SF-424, Application for 

Federal Assistance; both copies of the SF-424A, Budget Information – NonConstruction Programs form; SF-424B, Assurances – Non-Construction Programs; SFLLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities; CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying; Table 

of Contents, budget tables and budget narratives; Letters of Commitment and/or 

Support; Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, and Resumes.

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MEP Overview

Administrative Requirements of Application (6)

VERY IMPORTANT!

• Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM). 

– Pursuant to 2 C.F.R. part 25, applicants and recipients (as the case may be) are required to: 

• (i) be registered in SAM before submitting its application; 

• (ii) provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application; and 

• (iii) continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has 

an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency, 

unless otherwise excepted from these requirements pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 25.110. 

– When developing your submission timeline, keep in mind that (1) a free annual registration process in 

the electronic System for Award Management (SAM) (see Section IV.3) may take between three and five 

business days or as long as more than two weeks, and (2) applicants using Grants.gov will receive a 

series of receipts over a period of up to two business days before learning via a validation or rejection 

whether a Federal agency’s electronic system has received its application. 

– Please note that the person listed as the authorized representative in SAM must be the one 

who submits application into grants.gov!

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MEP Overview

Reporting Requirements

• Financial Reports. The Recipient shall submit an SF-425, Federal Financial Report on a 

semi-annual basis after the sixth and twelfth month of each operating year

• Performance (Technical) Reports. The Recipient shall submit a Technical Report (format 

provided by MEP Program) on a semi-annual basis after the sixth and twelfth month of 

each operating

• Post Client Project Follow-Up. The recipient will be required to provide client and 

project data on a quarterly basis.

• For further information regarding the NIST MEP Reporting Process, you may download a 

copy of the NIST MEP Reporting Guidelines at http://nist.gov/mep/ffo-state-competitions03.cfm (From Round 3 FFO)

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MEP Overview

MEP Resources

51

Additional Resources are available at http://nist.gov/mep/ffo-regional-forum-state-competitions-04.cfm

NIST MEP System Strategic Plan;

Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Operating Plan Guidelines (February 2016);

Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership General Terms and Conditions (February 2016); 

MEP Reporting Guidelines;

2014 Annual Report;

Sample Budget Table (for all 5 years) and Budget Chart and Narrative (for Year 1); and

NIST MEP Reporting Guidelines

Reports on the MEP Program

Round 3 FFO - http://nist.gov/mep/ffo-state-competitions-03.cfm

Cost Share or Matching Guidance, 2 CFR §200.306, http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/textidx?SID=5dd377fa7a734f59848056ba74788a7b&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1306&rgn=div8

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MEP Overview

Tips from Prior Applicants

• Form an internal team, breaking down the application into sections that you can assign to a 

champion (e.g., finance, market, products and services). Meet frequently to start building the 

story.

• Invest in a good writer to edit and help with the flow of the application. It is extremely helpful since 

you will have a lot of information that needs to fit into the 40 pages.

• The application would be hard to achieve without a strategic plan for your organization in its 

present state. Make sure your strategic plan is up to date and has clear goals and metrics.

• Make sure you have done a good analysis of the market needs especially the needs of the small, 

rural, emerging manufacturers.

• Share your strategic goals - should align with state, federal, others' goals. If you don't have a 

strategic plan, develop one for the next 5 years.

• Get input from the stakeholders.

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MEP Overview

Key Take-Aways

• Make sure to read entire FFO (multiple times)

• Avoid conflict of interest for key personnel

• Ensuring you are meeting the minimum cost share requirement for each of the 5 years.

• Board Governance:

– Applicants must present a board structure or a plan for establishing a board that meets the requirements in 

Section I.3 of the FFO

• SAM.gov registration has been established and organization has received confirmation of validated 

account (Recommend completing well in advance of submitting application in grants.gov)

• Negotiations take place between NIST and the applicant organization not the subrecipients.

• Tell your story.

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MEP Overview

Agency Contacts

54

Subject Area Point of Contact

Administrative, budget, cost-sharing, 

eligibility questions and other programmatic 

questions.

Diane Henderson

Manufacturing Extension Partnership

NIST

Phone: 301-975-5105

Fax: 301-963-6556

E-mail: mepffo@nist.gov

Technical Assistance with Grants.gov 

Submissions

Christopher Hunton

Administrative Support & Document Control 

Office

NIST

Phone: 301-975-5718

Fax: 301-975-8884

E-mail: grants@nist.gov

Grant Rules and Regulations Mike Teske

Grants Management Division

NIST

Phone: 301-975-6358

Fax: 301-975-6368

E-mail: michael.teske@nist.gov

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MEP Overview

Have additional questions.....

55

Please submit all questions in writing to NIST MEP, mepffo@nist.gov

Questions and Answers from Regional Forums will be posted on the NIST MEP 

Regional Forum website, http://nist.gov/mep/ffo-regional-forum-statecompetitions-04.cfm

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MEP Overview

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