The MEP Update Meeting will be held in Phoenix, AZ on May 20 – 21, 2015. The MEP Advisory Board will also be held in conjunction with it on May 19th. Registration will be $208 per attendee. Please visit the event website to register or for additional logistical information. A draft agenda will be posted next week.

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

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Due to technical difficulties the State Compeition Informational webinar scheduled for April 6th was rescheduled to April 13th at 2:30 P.M. EDT. In addition another informational webinar is also scheduled for April 16th at 1 P.M. EDT. If you would like to register for one of these webinars, please provide the list of participants, organization name and date your plan to participate via email to mepffo@nist.gov.

An FAQ document for the NIST MEP State Competition (2015-NIST-MEP-01) is now available on the MEP website here. This document will be updated periodically as questions are received. Please submit your questions to mepffo@nist.gov.

Background: NIST MEP issued a Federal Funding Opportunity for nonprofit organizations to operate state MEP centers in 12 states – Alaska, Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. View Opportunity

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U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker announced the first 26 recipients of the 2014 Regional Innovation Strategies program grants last week. The Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) program, which is being run by the Department’s Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIE), is a new initiative designed to advance innovation and capacity-building activities in regions across the country through three different types of grants: i6 Challenge grants, Cluster Grants for Seed Capital Funds, and Science and Research Park Development Grants. Secretary Pritzker announced the recipients of the first two funding opportunities today. Recipients of the third grant will be announced in the coming weeks.

Included in the new Regional Innovation Strategies Program is the i6 Challenge which will support more than just Proof-of-Concept Centers. Investments will also go toward the expansion of existing centers and in later-stage Commercialization Centers, which help innovators fine tune and scale their innovations to bring new products and services to the market. Also under the RIC is the Cluster Grants for Seed Capital Funds which provide technical assistance funding to support the feasibility, planning, formation, or launch of cluster-based seed capital funds, which will help improve access to capital for entrepreneurs.

MEP Centers may benefit from connecting with these grantees to leverage their work in support of their current client companies. To find out if a grantee is in your region, click here.

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Digital Media Specialist: NIST MEP is seeking an Information Specialist for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Communication Team to contribute to the communication efforts focused on engaging existing online communities and building new ones. Applications due April 14th. View Vacancy

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NIST MEP recently had a conversation with representatives from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA, a part of the Department of Commerce). They’re wrapping up a multibillion dollar effort under the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) to establish high speed links between the Internet backbone and regional telecom offices in a variety of areas which solve what they call the “middle mile” problem. NTIA is transitioning to a new initiative called “BroadbandUSA” to support community broadband projects and to promote broadband deployment and adoption. Broadband USA offers online and in-person technical assistance to communities; hosts regional workshops; and publishes guides and tools that provide communities with proven solutions to address problems in broadband infrastructure planning, financing, construction and operations. The questions are “Are you seeing access to broadband capability as a limiting factor for your manufacturing clients?” “If so, is it enough of a community-based problem that you could convene or help convene a community-based group to address it with help from NTIA?” “If not, is it because the manufacturers don’t see the need for it or don’t understand what’s possible to do with it that might limit demand?”

Please respond to Dave Cranmer at dcranmer@nist.gov | 301.975.5753.

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The National Governors Association (NGA) released the 2015 summary of governors’ annual State of the State addresses this week. The Governors Speak, 2015 summarizes the common themes of governors’ addresses and highlights their priorities for the coming year. Twenty-eight governors mentioned manufacturing as a priority in their State of the State address, along with the importance of workforce and transportation investment, and support for education funding and continued economic growth. For more information, including a state by state index of topics discussed in each address, please visit www.nga.org.

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The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that it will commit $4 million to the second round of the Growth Accelerator Fund Competition. Initially launched in 2014, the competition makes awards of $50,000 each to help fund operating budgets for accelerators and other entrepreneurial ecosystem models in parts of the country where there are fewer conventional sources of access to capital (e.g., venture capital and angel capital investors). For this round of funding, applications are encouraged from manufacturing accelerator models. This would benefit the MEP centers partnering with their regional SBA offices to support working with start up companies. Getting involved with the application process would further this work. Applications are due June 1. Read the announcement.

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We apologize for the cancellation of the New Employee Orientation previously scheduled for April 1. Webex was unavailable that day. Part II has been rescheduled for April 13, 2015 at 2:00 pm EDT. As a contingency, should webex become unavailable, we will connect via audio only using the audio call in information below and upload the PowerPoint presentation via MEIS.

Part II of the webinar series will provide a more in-depth look on the mission and strategy of the MEP program. Part II of the webinar series will provide a more in-depth look on the mission and strategy of the MEP program. Part II MEP Overview Topics will include: MEP Evolution, Strategy, Challenges, Advisory Board, Services & Initiatives, Leadership Programs, Competitions and NNMI.

Webinar Details: Once Webex is back up we will provide you with the Webinar Details.

For questions or assistance, please contact Phill Wadsworth at phillip.wadsworth@nist.gov or Wiza Lequin at wiza.lequin@nist.gov.

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MEP Centers are beginning to reach out to manufacturing entrepreneurs and the resource organizations that support them. There are many opportunities to help manufacturers get on the right track with manufacturability, sourcing, and operational supports from MEP. During this webinar, we will hear from two Centers, Manex and AMS, about how they have partnered with local organizations using two unique models:

• SFMade provides MANEX in-reach to urban SF-based, very-small manufacturing entrepreneurs and provides technical assistance in the areas of business strategy, funding, real estate, and then makes referrals to MANEX when scale-up needs arise.
• Innovation Hub provides AMS a workshop setting for regional makers and offers workforce development training, prototyping support services, and then (will) make referrals to AMS when scale-up needs arise.

The Center will discuss how they developed and envisioned the partnership; and discuss their models including direct supports and project referrals, services for scaling makers, cost sharing, workforce development, and other interesting topics.

Webinar Details: Link | Password: Maker41515@Maker | Call in Number: 1-866-218-2764 | Conference Code: 540 370 2466

For more details contact: Clara Asmail (clara.asmail@nist.gov).

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NEW! April 16, 2015
CRM Working Group

There is a CRM Working Group meeting scheduled for Thursday 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm on April 16th covering: Partners and SRA’s – how the CRM system helps build a unified platform. James Ruble will discuss the yearlong program that Ohio MEP has undertaken to migrate to a single CRM platform across all of their affiliates.

Webinar Details: Link | Password: CRMworking#04161 | Call in Number: 1-855-2720056 | Conference Code: 514 767 3247

For more information contact: Phillip Wadsworth or Dileep Thatte.

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Learn how to approach ISO 9001:2008 registration from the professional lead auditor’s point of view and focus on key audit skills that enhance auditing capability. This intensive workshop covers key aspects of leading an audit team for your firm, another firm, or vendors/supplier. To register, click here.

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One of the most powerful ways to learn about the Improvement Kata / Coaching Kata (IK/CK) methodology is through a 3- day experience working with real processes in an actual work environment. The Skill Camp provides students the opportunity to practice all 5 of the core routines of IK/CK while working with actual processes in a live workplace. For more information, click here.

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The Arkansas Manufacturing Innovation Summit is a two-day event hosted by Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions, which is a program of Arkansas Science & Technology Authority (ASTA). The summit is designed to bring the state’s manufacturers and economic players together to discuss, share, and learn about cutting edge manufacturing innovations and technologies that can help grow revenue and jobs, increase productivity, improve quality, and add to the bottom line. For event details click here.

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The Family Business Advisor Core Training Program will be delivered by Lisë Stewart of the Galliard Family Business Advisor Institute. This Certification program prepares advisors to work with owners on strategies for the future of their business! Participants receive program materials and access to online assessment and delivery tools. Cost for the two-day training is $1695. Certification is available at no extra cost.

Questions or for further information contact lstewart@galliardgroup.com or go to Galliard Core Training to learn more and register.

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This conference brings two important topics - HR & TWI - in one event and location. TWI and HR is the foundation to developing a lean culture, and to problem-solving, continuous improvement and standard work. For more information click here.

Location: Jacksonville, FL at the Sawgrass Golf & Resort Spa

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NIST MEP along with Utah MEP, and the Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration will be hosting an upcoming Buy America Transit Supply Chain Forum in Salt Lake City, on June 24, 2015.

This Forum will bring large transit OEMs and smaller, qualified and interested U.S. manufacturers together in an effort to facilitate reaching a higher percentage of domestic suppliers in transit products and systems. The Forum will offer a venue for smaller manufacturers to learn what products are needed and find out more about investments they need to consider when entering the transit industry.

The event will be held in conjunction with the American Transportation Association’s (APTA) Rail Conference at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, UT. More information including registration will be provided shortly

For more information about Buy America Transit Supply Chain, please visit the Next Generation Transportation Supply Chain page or contact Samm Bowman (samm@nist.gov | 301-975-5978).

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