M-TAC RFI Deadline Extended

Philly Regional Meeting is Tuesday!

September MEP Update Meeting

SSTI Conference

FY 2014 MEP Budget Update

Manufacturing Day Update

Manufacturing U.S. Prosperity: A Policy Discussion

Manufacturing Day Update

What's Happening Around MEP

MEP in the NEWS

Calendar of Events

Make it in America Manufacturer of the Week!

View eblast from July 12, 2013

On June 21, 2013, NIST MEP released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking comments related to the creation of New Manufacturing Technology Acceleration Centers (M-TACs). We are very interested in the ideas and feedback from the MEP system. Your input is critical to help the MEP Program’s mission to strengthen U.S. Manufacturing competitiveness. Because of the importance of this feedback, we are extending the deadline for response until Monday, August 5th.

Details of the Request for Information are indicated below. To view the full announcement, click here.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 August 5, 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.

Back to Top

The second MEP regional meeting is taking place this Tuesday and Wednesday, July 23-24 in Philadelphia, PA. This meeting is another opportunity 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 providing services going forward. The meeting will provide MEP with the opportunity to ensure center staff are educated and aware of the latest tools, topics, and goals of the MEP system.

The Philadelphia Summer Regional Meeting will be held at the Embassy Suite Philadelphia Airport starting at 8:00 a.m. this Tuesday, July 23,2013.

Highlights of the Agenda include:

• MEP Strategic Planning Process & System Collaboratory
• Update on Multi-Agency Projects - Center Success & Challenges
• Share Center and Project Impact Analysis
• Engaging Clients in Transformational Dialogs
• Current & Future State of Medical Device Industry

To register, click here. If you have any questions, please contact Kari Reidy at kari.reidy@nist.gov or 301-975-4919.

Back to Top 

MEP will be hosting its fall update meeting in Portland, Oregon this September. The meeting will be held September 18-19 at the Red Lion Hotel on the River. MEP registration site and hotel room block will be setup shortly. The registration for this meeting will be $290/person. More information will become available in the coming weeks.

Hotel information
Red Lion On The River
909 N Hayden Island Drive
Portland, OR, 97217
503-283-4466

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

Back to Top 

NIST MEP is planning the fall MEP System Update meeting to immediately follow SSTI’s 17th Annual Conference, Dynamic Innovation Ecosystems: Bringing It All Together, scheduled for September 15-17 in Portland, Oregon. SSTI’s conference is the nation’s largest gathering of those working to encourage economic growth through science, technology and innovation, typically drawing over 250 attendees from across the nation. This year’s conference will focus not only on the key elements required for a dynamic innovation ecosystem—higher education, commercializing research, innovation capital, workforce, and manufacturing—but also on how to bring those elements together. It is a two-day event with three plenary sessions, sixteen breakout sessions and three workshops, including a manufacturing track that will be of particular interest to MEP’ers. View Conference Brochure.

MEP center attendees will receive a discounted registration fee of $550. To receive the reduced rate please register at SSTI's registration page and select the "All Others $700" Conference Registration fee, complete and submit the form. On the next screen, enter the promo code: MEP2013 (case sensitive). The reduced rate should be reflected and registrants will then have the opportunity to enter their credit card information. For more information, visit SSTI's website at www.ssticonference.org. For questions, please contact Mark Troppe at mark.troppe@nist.gov | (301) 975-5745

Back to Top 

Recently, both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have announced their FY2014 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriation Bills. The House Committee is requesting $120M for MEP in FY2014 and the Senate Committee approved a FY2014 funding level of $153M for MEP. We will keep the MEP system updated as we move through the FY2014 budget process. For more information, read the House Appropriations Committee press release and the Senate Appropriations Committee press release.

If you have an questions please contact Karen Lellock at karen.lellock@nist.gov | 301-975-4269.

Back to Top 

To help hosts promote their companies and involvement in Manufacturing Day, the MFG DAY co-producers have created a Social Media Playbook with instructions on how to download Manufacturing Day buttons and banners, and tips for using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and YouTube. We think you'll find this resource useful too: there are currently 89 organizations sponsoring/endorsing the event, including several MEP Centers along with gold sponsors Shell and the Alliance for American Manufacturing.

Please visit the MFG Day registration page to register any events your clients/partners may have planned. We're hoping to have as many of the events registered before mid-August when the national co-producers amplify the public communication/outreach campaigns with the Science Channel, Shell's Nascar sweepstakes, and more.

For more information, please contact Zara Brunner (zara.brunner@nist.gov, 301-975-2001) or Mark Schmit (mark.schmit@nist.gov, 301-975-3255).

Back to Top 

Manufacturing, its renewed vitality, and the appropriate role of public policy in supporting it have become major discussion points in Washington and in regions throughout the United States.

On July 25, 2013, the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings will host a panel to assess the status of the current manufacturing rebound and the case for federal policy support. Anchoring the morning session will be a major policy address by Gene Sperling, director of the National Economic Council and assistant to the president for economic policy, setting out the Obama administration’s perspective on U.S. manufacturing and manufacturing’s role in the president’s economic agenda. The speech will highlight the potential for a U.S. manufacturing renaissance, assess current and historical manufacturing sector performance, emphasize the role that manufacturing plays as part of the broader U.S. economy, and outline the administration's policy agenda. After the speech, an expert panel moderated by Brookings Senior Fellow Mark Muro will respond to Sperling’s key points and consider what’s next for U.S. manufacturing.

To learn more, attend the event, or to register for the live webcast, please click here.

Back to Top 

Purdue University MEP Center Vacancy Announcement: Administrative Project Manager
Purdue University Technical Assistance Program, MEP Center of Indiana, is seeking an Administrative Project Manager to support the MEP Center. This position will be directing and coordinating all facets of administrative projects including Purdue policy, Office management, quality control in administrative processes, budgets, event management, Website updates, office vendor and subcontractor selection and purchases and support of all senior staff by reducing their administrative burdens and continually improving the cost and efficiency of all (six) Indiana offices. For more information, click here .

• IMC Client Success: Videon Central receives international recognition presenting at the International QRM conference in Madison, WI. IMC's client Videon Central, shares their MEP success story, to over 200 Manufacturing Executives from around the world at the 2013 International Quick Response Manufacturing Conference in Madison, WI. To learn more about Videon Central and the QRM conference, click here. To read their success story, click here.

• Bob Kill, president and CEO of Enterprise Minnesota, presented a report to manufacturers at the MinnWest Technology campus on the results of the fifth annual State of Manufacturing survey. Minnesota's manufacturers are tempering their outlook this year, expressing confidence in the future but less optimism about the economy and their own ability to increase their revenue. Read Article

• Low energy prices giving North Dakota manufacturers competitive edge. Randy Schwartz, chief executive officer of Dakota Manufacturing Extension Partnership, was featured in an article written by The Bismark Tribune on how the cost of low energy is benefiting manufacturers in North Dakota. Read Article

• Local newspaper carries front page article about NIST MEP's Featured Manufacturer of the Week! The Monnett Times, a daily Missouri newspaper, recently highlighted WintTech, a client of Missouri Enterprise, for being NIST MEP's Manufacturer of the Week! Read Article

• HVTDC Partners with Clinton Global Initiative On June 14,2013 at the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative in Chicago, an agreement was announced on a collaborative effort that has the potential to strengthen the U.S. supply chain and build the manufacturing base. Because of this, the National Supply Chain Network Initiative (NSNI) now moves from the developmental to implementation stage.
  The NSNI is being lead and facilitated by GLOBALFOUNDRIES and brings together representatives from The University of Michigan, Battelle and others in a collaborative partnership with the Auto Harvest Foundation, CONNECT, the CONNECTORY, the Hudson Valley Technology Development Center (HVTDC) and the Center for Economic Growth (CEG) to create a regional pilot in the Hudson Valley of NY ("Tech Valley") that is intended to better connect the supply chain to markets as well as information needed to facilitate innovation through the development of an online network and the use of existing physical assets/organizations as facilitative entities. Read Announcement

• Read the Latest from the

Back to Top

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

July 22- 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
• August 19 - 23;
• September 23 - 27;
• Remaining classes: 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

UPDATE!! July 24, 2013 at 1:00 P.M. EDT
Webinar: Opportunities in Energy Storage including Batteries for Transportation
 On Wednesday, July 24th the Clean Energy Manufacturing Center will host a complimentary webinar that explores manufacturing opportunities in another clean energy industry. The topic for the webinar is "Batteries For Electrical Energy Storage In Transportation.” Join them as they discuss many aspects of the energy storage/battery market, including the current manufacturing opportunities and what it takes for a manufacturer to become a qualified supplier to the industry.

Our speaker lineup for this webinar includes:

• Kelly Jezierski, Manager of Energy Storage for NextEnergy, Detroit, MI: Kelly will discuss NextEnergy’s efforts to map the EV battery supply chain and identify growth opportunities for businesses interested in the market. Kelly and her team are currently working with the battery OEM’s to determine their supply chain needs and what they are looking for in potential suppliers.
• Joe Lagrasso, Manager, Global Battery Systems Engineering at General MotorS: Joe will give GM’s perspective on the EV market and how their growth plans will impact the need for additional suppliers within the industry.

Webinar Link
Meeting Password: CleanEnergy123$
Dial in number: 1-855-272-0056
Meeting code: 951 821 0226
For more information contact Linda Nielsen at 612.466.4506 or liindan@bgafoundation.org

July 25, 2013 at 2:00 P.M. EDT
Additive Manufacturing: Aerospace Applications
Todd Rockstroh of GE Aviation (GEA) will overview the various modes of additive manufacturing at GEA and highlight three GEA applications in development. One of the three applications is a complex fuel nozzle built in powder bed systems via Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM). The fuel nozzle is bill of material for the GE Leap engine and will reach production levels of over 40,000 per year by 2017. He will highlight the challenges of DMLM: rules of thumb for finding applications, material properties, certification, and process/quality control during processing.

Webinar Link
Meeting Password: AMwebinar7-25-13
Dial in number: 1-855-272-0056
Meeting code: 253 241 1643
Contact: Ben Vickery | (301)975-2954

July 29, 2013 at 2:00 P.M. EDT
Toyota Kata Webinar: What Does Success Look Like?
For over 15 years, NIST MEP has promoted Lean to assist U.S. manufacturers. Early on, it was much about the tools and, over time, the realization came that this “point solution” approach alone was not enough. To sustain Continuous Improvement gains, and have real cultural change, the “people” side of the equation needs to be included in equal measure and will require an Enterprise Transformation focused on Leadership, Culture and Tools. In this regard, the Toyota Kata components of Improvement and Coaching are a means for helping assure overall success by providing employees and executives with the means to develop the habits necessary to move progressively forward.

• Begin to understand that Toyota Kata is about changing habits and that proper habits are the key to PDCAs (or Fail Fast, Fail Cheap)
• Hear how Toyota Kata is being utilized to affect successful and sustained continuous improvement and transform cultures
• Learn about upcoming Toyota Kata events featuring MEP Center staff

Webinar Link
Meeting Password: Katajuly2013!@
Dial in number: 1-855-272-0056
Meeting code: 837 899 6276
Contact: Brian Lagas | (301)975-5043

July 30- 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 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 31, 2013 from 1:00 - 2:30 P.M. EDT
Patent Webinar Series: The 411 on Do It Yourself Patenting
Given the high costs around intellectual property procurement this webinar is focused on providing some basic tools of the trade when pursuing DIY intellectual property protection. Hear from experienced individuals who have endeavored in the art of “Pro Se” and learn when to seek the guidance and help of legal expertise. Presenting the webinar are Brian Gildea, Executive Director of IP & Licensing BU Technology Department, and Elizabeth Doughtery, Director of Inventor Education for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Click here to register. If you have any questions, please contact: Clara Asmail | (301)975-2339

NEW!! August 21, 2013 at 2:00 P.M. EDT
Business Continuity Suite Webinar
Join us on Wednesday, August 21, 2013, at 2:00pm (EST) for a 90 minute webinar to learn how MEP Centers are utilizing the Business Continuity Planning (BCP) Suite of tools developed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to successfully coach clients in developing business continuity strategies. Participants will learn about:

• The importance of Business Continuity Planning
• How MEP Centers can utilize BCP tools
• MEP Practitioner’s perspective on using the tools for client engagements as well as internally to develop, implement, and maintain MEP Center plans

Click here to register. If you have any questions, please contact: Samm Bowman | (301)975-5978.

NEW!! August 22 & 23, 2013
Alabama E3 Sustainability Conference
Join the Alabama Technology Network on August 23 & 24, for the Alabama E3 Sustainability Conference for August 23 & 24 in Montgomery, AL. The conference will incorporate sustainability in manufacturing training sessions, informational workshops, and other activities to assist attendees in their efforts to reduce wastes in order to increase productivity and profitability for their businesses. In addition to the workshops, the conference will also include exhibitors, a tour of the Coca-Cola plant in Montgomery, and an awards ceremony to recognize companies for outstanding achievement in the three categories of economy, energy, and environment.

For more information and to register, visit the event's website at www.alabamaE3.org/conference.

For questions, please contact Dana Stone at dstone@atn.org

September 18, 2013 @ 2:00PM EDT
Energy Management Resources for Manufacturers From ENERGY STAR Webinar
Most of us recognize ENERGY STAR as the symbol of energy efficiency. But, did you know ENERGY STAR has tools and resources that you can use to help manufacturers manage energy? Join us for a webinar on September 18, 2013 at 2:00 pm Eastern to learn about these free tools, how manufacturers are making use of them, and how you can take advantage of them to help other manufacturers cost-effectively improve the energy efficiency of their operations.

Date and Time: September 18, 2013 @ 2:00PM EDT
Webinar Link
Password: EnergyStar1$
Dial in number: 1 (855) 272-0056
Conference Code: 253 241 1643

For questions about Energy Star, please contact Betsy Dutrow (Dutrow.Elizabeth@epa.gov | 202-343-9061. For questions about this upcoming Webinar, please contact Ben Vickery (ben.vickery@nist.gov | 301-975-2954).

Back to Top