Aimee to Take DOC Temporary Detail Assignment

Request for Information: M-TAC

FFO: Community Economic Adjustment Assistance for Reductions in Defense Industry Employment

2014 STEP Award Nominations Open

MEP System Webcast slides

What's Happening Around MEP

MEP in the NEWS

Calendar of Events

Make it in America Manufacturer of the Week!

View eblast from June 14, 2013

Starting this week, Aimee Dobreniecki will be going on a temporary detail assignment where she will working with Dr. Patrick Gallagher, Acting Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, DC. Below is a note from Aimee:

I want to share with you a change in my professional life and an interim change in my role supporting manufacturing; starting this week, I have been asked by Dr. Patrick Gallagher, Acting Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce to join him in Washington, DC on a temporary detail assignment. I will leave the NIST campus but retain my MEP Deputy Director position. I will work with Dr. Gallagher and others to support President Obama’s manufacturing agenda.

As you may be aware, the Department of Commerce has a robust and growing portfolio of programs to promote the U.S. manufacturing sector:

• The Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) announced earlier this year provides funding to communities from the Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration and other federal agencies to support workforce training, research, and infrastructure aimed at attracting new manufacturing.
• The President’s FY14 budget requests $113 million for IMCP. The President’s FY14 budget seeks $1 billion to establish a National Network of Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI). NNMI will consist of regional institutes that accelerate cutting-edge technologies and provide hands-on training for a new generation of workers.
• The International Trade Administration’s Manufacturing office, staffed by experts in various manufacturing industries, promotes federal policies and trade initiatives aimed at ensuring the international competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers.
• The NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) assisting U.S. manufacturers to improve technology commercialization, supply chain optimization, environmental sustainability, workforce development, and continuous change through process improvements.
• NIST plans to establish Manufacturing Technology Acceleration Centers within the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. These centers will focus on a specific industry, serving as national centers of expertise to foster manufacturing supply chain networks.
• Additionally, the Department of Commerce recently announced the SelectUSA 2013 Investment Summit on October 31-November 1, 2013 to connect international and domestic investors as well as firms with economic development organizations (EDOs) from across the country to promote investment here and support the creation of American jobs.

Stay tuned for more announcements regarding this list of program at www.commerce.gov/blog

As Roger Kilmer mentioned in May, the MEP system is well positioned through its current direction and committed MEP staff, both in the field and within NIST, to not only meet the needs of today’s manufacturers but also ensure future challenges are identified and opportunities are embraced.

I agree that the MEP program’s path forward for success must maintain our focus on innovation, introduce services for U.S. manufacturers that promote business growth, work together as a system to continually improve our performance, and implement our MEP Next Generation Strategies.

I will miss being a part of the daily MEP program operations but I will remain in touch with many of you through my Commerce manufacturing project activities. I look forward to your continued support in my new role.

Sincerely,
Aimee

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The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a request for information (RFI) to interested parties to comment on NIST’s planning for a Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO), anticipated in fiscal year 2014 (FY14), that will competitively fund a select number of new Manufacturing Technology Acceleration Centers (M-TACs).

The M-TACs will focus on addressing the technical and business challenges encountered by small and mid-sized U.S. manufacturers as they attempt to integrate, adopt, transition, and commercialize both existing and emerging product and process technologies into their operations to help them grow and compete within manufacturing supply chains as innovative, value-adding components of our nation’s economy.

M-TACs will amplify the effectiveness of the current Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) network, establishing teams of experts in specific technology/supply chains, offering multiple services and deep expertise through the national MEP network.

This Request For Information (RFI) seeks comments relating to four primary issue areas regarding the M-TACs that are further defined herein: (1) technology transition and commercialization tools and services that should be provided by M-TACs; (2) M-TAC roles relating to supply chain needs; (3) potential business models for M-TACs; and (4) M-TAC performance and impact metrics. In addition, NIST seeks comments relating to other critical issues that NIST should consider in its strategic planning for future M-TAC investments. To view the full RFI/FRN, please click here.

Comments are due on or before 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 22, 2013. Comments will be accepted by e-mail only. Comments must be sent to diane.henderson@nist.gov with the subject line “M-TAC RFI Comments.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) For questions regarding this Request for Information, please submit them to Diane Henderson @ diane.henderson@nist.gov.

Background: Strengthening manufacturing supply chains through the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) - The President’s 2014 Budget proposes a $25 million increase for MEP to launch a series of Manufacturing Technology Acceleration Centers (M-TACs). M-TACs will be industry-specific centers that can serve as coordination points within key supply chains to assist small manufacturers in technology transition and commercialization efforts that are critical to their success within these supply chains. MEP has published a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public comment to inform the creation of the M-TACs. Additionally, the Administration is also announcing plans to pilot two new centers in 2013 using existing resources.

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On June 17, the Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA.gov) at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) published its FFO focused on communities responding to reductions in defense procurement. View the June 17, 2013 Federal Register Notice for complete details.

MEP Centers interested in mitigating the impact of defense spending changes on communities, workers, and suppliers in the defense industry supply chain should consider this opportunity. This FFO is applicable to MEP Centers, state governments, state or local workforce investment boards or economic development agencies that interact with manufacturing companies experiencing declining sales due to their DoD or DoD supply chain customers’ concerns about the future, slowing production because of contract losses, or have begun reducing their workforce. MEP’s opportunity specifically mentioned in the FFO is to assess company needs and provide technical assistance helping to stabilize the affected company.

The DoD, with these awards, will support regions in organizing, planning and carrying out economic adjustment programs that seek to stimulate and guide economic development adjustment efforts in a community or region. Adequately identifying and addressing the myriad possibilities will take a coordinated effort among MEP Centers, OEA grantees, State, regional, and local economic development organizations; the Small Business Administration’s Small Business Development Centers as well as local SBA District offices; and U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration grantees, including Workforce Investment Boards and/or One Stop Centers.

If you have any questions, please contact Mark Schmit at mark.schmit@nist.gov or (301) 975-3255 or Mark Troppe at mark.troppe@nist.gov or (301) 975-5745.

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The Manufacturing Institute is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the second annual STEP Awards.

The STEP Awards will identify and highlight women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in manufacturing. The STEP Awards recognize women at all levels of manufacturing, from the factory floor to the C-suite. This past February, the inaugural STEP Awards were hosted in Washington, DC to honor 122 women from over 90 companies for their achievements.

The STEP Awards are part of the larger STEP Ahead initiative to examine and promote the role of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Production through recognition, research, and best practices for attracting, advancing, and retaining strong female talent.

To nominate a peer or colleague for this national honor, go to www.themanufacturinginstitute.org/2014-STEP

If you have any questions, please contact Melanie Stover (mstover@nam.org)

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Thank you to all those who joined in last week's MEP Webcast. To download the slides from the webinar, please click here.

We look forward to seeing some of you in Denver next week!

For questions about the webinar, please contact Karen Lellock (karen.lellock@nist.gov | 301-975-4269)

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University of Wisconsin-Stout Fab Lab Offers How to Make Almost Anything Program
Innovators, inventors, entrepreneurs or individuals seeking to move ideas into production using modern digital equipment will benefit from the How to Make Almost Anything program this summer in the University of Wisconsin-Stout Fab Lab.

The five-week program will be held from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays for five weeks beginning July 10.

The course is an introduction to personal digital fabrication. Students will use laser cutters, 3-D printers, vinyl cutters, ShopBot CNC routers, desktop milling machines and other digital and analog tools in order to fabricate and test their design projects. The program is designed to allow students to explore their interests in a variety of fields, including graphic design, art, business, computer-assisted design (CAD), physical and natural science, mathematics, engineering and others. The program may be taken for credit.

For more information and to register, visit UW-Stout's website at www.uwstout.edu/profed/how2make.cfm. For questions, contact Joni Geroux, Outreach Program Manager at gerouxj@uwstout.edu | (715) 232-5270.

Ohio MEP Vacancy Announcement: MEP Center Director
The State of Ohio is seeking a highly qualified individual to become the Center Director for Ohio's Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program. The individual selected will establish sub-grantee relationships with qualified organizations recruited to provide value-added manufacturing assistance services through a regionally-based system that achieves a statewide network of coverage having the potential to reach Ohio’s more than 35,000 small & medium-sized manufacturers.

For more information, or to apply for this position, please visit the vacancy announcement at agency.governmentjobs.com and search for vacancy number: 20011292.

• Center Director, Jesse Bechtold, of Mid-Atlantic Manufacturing Technology Center (MAMTC) was featured on the front page of the Independence Reporter, a daily newspaper based in Kansas. Business leaders and entrepreneurs gathered at the Independence Community College for the Southeast Kansas Innovation Conference, an effort to avoid the myths and meet the challenges that speaker Jesse Bechtold discussed in his opening presentation. Download Article

• Science Channel Joins Manufacturing Day Alongside Industrial Strength Marketing and Producers as Official Media Partner.  Science Channel has joined Manufacturing Day 2013 as official media partner, and the network’s popular series HOW IT’s MADE has been named official program partner. Science Channel’s involvement will provide resources to participants in the national initiative—a grassroots effort by manufacturers to improve public perception of manufacturing in America by coordinating awareness-raising activities across the country on October 4, 2013. Read Article

• U.S. Department of Commerce: NIST MEP helps U.S. manufacturers create jobs and expand their businesses National Small Business Week, which is taking place June 17-21, recognizes the contributions of America's entrepreneurs to job creation and economic growth. One way that the Commerce Department works to support small and medium-sized enterprises is through the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a public-private partnership designed to encourage innovation in American manufacturing. Read Article

• Read the Latest from the

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 Send us your News Clips! Email us at mepeblast@nist.gov

June 26, 2013 at 1PM EDT
Webinar: Exploring Growth Opportunities in the Natural Gas Industry
The rapid growth of the U.S. natural gas industry and recent advancements in technology are also generating opportunities for the manufacturing sector. Join us Wednesday, June 26th as we explore the various ways that manufacturers can take advantage of these growth opportunities in our booming energy economy. Discussions include a natural gas industry overview as well as two manufacturers sharing their views on how they have been able to take advantage of opportunities in this sector as a way to grow and diversify their business.

Webinar Link
Cost: Complimentary
Password: CleanEnergy123$
Call in Number: 1-855-272-0056
 Conference Code: 951 821 0226
Contact: Linda Nielsen  

July 9- December 13, 2013
MEP Innovation Services / Training – 2013
The Black Belt training schedule for 2013 is listed below. If you would like to register, please email Kari Reidy with the name of the individual(s) you are registering and their proposed dates. Because NIST MEP is making a significant investment in the cost of this training we do expect that those registering are committed to this program and agree to complete their Black Belt certification within the 1 year time requirement.

Please read the updated policies, procedures and FAQs that are posted on MEIS. This document explains the changes and updated policies to the Black Belt certification program and will continue to be updated with the latest FAQs.

• July 22 - 26
• Remaining scheduled classes: August 19 - 23; September 23 - 27; October 21 - 25; November 11 - 15; and December 9 - 13

If you have any questions about the policies, about Black Belt certification, or to schedule training, please contact Kari Reidy at Kari.reidy@nist.gov| (301) 975-4919

July 16- October 8, 2013
Go Global Webinar Series
In celebration of World Trade Month in May, U.S. Department of Commerce will launch a webinar series illustrating how U.S. businesses can expand into the global marketplace and reach the 95 percent of consumers outside the United States.The “Go Global” Webinar Series draws from trade expertise across the Administration to equip companies with the tools they need to start exporting or increase sales to new markets.

The following webinars will be held at 1:00PM EDT on the dates specified below:

• July 16, 2013: Finding buyers and making contacts
• July 30 & August 13, 2013: Trade Financing
• August 27, 2013: Documentation and shipping
• September 10 & 24, 2013: Understanding export regulations
• October 8, 2013: Avoiding and resolving problems

If you or your clients are interested in participating in any of the following complimentary webinars, please register at the U.S. Census Educational Resources Website. For questions, please contact Kari Reidy (Kari.Reidy@nist.gov | 301-975-4919)

July 17, 2013 at 2:00 PM EDT
DLA Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS) Webcast
Learn how to use the DLA Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS). Get acquainted with new features, tips and trick on accessing government solicitations. Becoming knowledgeable with DIBBS will allow your company access to:

• More business opportunities
• Easier process to submit quotes
• View and download important drawings
• Information on how to compete for long term contract opportunities

Webinar Link
Meeting Password: Welc0me1234!
Dial in number: 1-855-2720056
Meeting code: 332 219 0708
Contact: Samm Bowman | (301)975-5978

July 23-24, 2013
MEP Summer Regional Meeting
The second MEP regional meeting is scheduled for July 23-24 in Philadelphia, PA. The regional meeting is for center leadership and other relevant staff to discuss the status of the MEP system, changes in manufacturing, and how best to position the MEP in provide services going forward. These meetings provide MEP with the opportunity to ensure center staff are educated and aware of the latest tools, topics, and goals of the MEP system.

Some of the topics that will be covered at these meetings include:
1. Overview of the NIST MEP Strategic Plan
2. Update on the MEP System Collaboratory
3. Center and Project Impact Analysis
4. Market Industry Analysis & Outlook
5. Panel Discussion: Engaging a CEO in Transformational Dialog

In order to register for these meetings, please click on the link below. The event page will have additional information including meeting logistics, registration, draft agenda, etc. The registration fee will be $250/person

July 23-24, 2013 – Philadelphia, PA (register here)

If you have any questions, please contact Kari Reidy at Kari.reidy@nist.gov| (301) 975-4919

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