Announcement of Regional Forums Upcoming Federal Funding Opportunity

Below is the language and announcement about the competition on the NIST MEP website (http://www.nist.gov/mep/)

To insure open and fair competition on a national basis, they have asked us to circulate this announcement in public forums throughout Montana in advance of the Regional Forum in San Francisco on October 16th.

Thank you.

SEAN BECKER

Montana Department of Commerce

P: (406) 841-2707

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) intends to publish an announcement in January 2016 of funding availability for MEP Centers in the following twelve states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Ohio*, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and Vermont.

Prior to the announcement of this federal funding opportunity, NIST MEP is conducting three regional forums to provide interested entities more information about the MEP program, the state competition, and answer any questions regarding this funding announcement.

Each applicant for and recipient of an MEP award must be a U.S.-based nonprofit institution or organization.  For the purpose of this competition, nonprofit institutions include public and private nonprofit organizations, nonprofit or State colleges and universities, public or nonprofit community and technical colleges, and State, local or Tribal governments.

About the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership
The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is a state-federal network of 60 centers and 1,200 manufacturing experts that helps small and medium-sized manufacturers improve their production processes, upgrade their technological capabilities, and bring new products to market. Across the country, MEP helps small and medium-sized manufacturers compete, increasing employment and investment across the country and generating a high return on public investment.

  For more information on MEP, please visit http://www.nist.gov/mep 
Upcoming Federal Funding Opportunity The MEP program is undergoing a multi-year effort to optimize the impact of the Federal investment on U.S. manufacturing and to allocate additional funds to areas with higher concentrations of manufacturers.To achieve this, NIST MEP will conduct a full and open competition to select operators for MEP centers.Non-profit organizations working with manufacturers will have the opportunity to compete for cooperative agreements to operate MEP centers and expand the range of growth, innovation, lean production, supply chain innovation, technology acceleration and workforce development offered to small manufacturers.Particular emphasis will be given to offering these services to very small firms, rural firms, and start-up firms.

To date, two rounds of the competition have already been completed and two additional rounds will be conducted in 2016.NIST MEP anticipates awarding one (1) cooperative agreement for each of the identified states.

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 any 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.

Dates and locations of upcoming forums

September 17, 2015: Boston, MA
Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr. Federal Building, 10 Causeway Street Boston, MA 02222

October 16, 2015: San Francisco, CA
San Francisco Federal Building, 90 7th Street (corner of 7th Street and Mission Street) San Francisco, CA 94103

November 17, 2015: Atlanta, GA
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Atlanta Downtown, 160 Spring Street NW Atlanta, GA 30303

Tentative Agenda

9:30 A.M. – 11:30 A.M. Presentation (overview of program, federal funding opportunity, evaluation criteria, and selection factors)

11:30 A.M. – 3:30 P.M. One-on-One meeting with NIST MEP Representatives

If you are interested in registering for one or more of the regional forums, please email [email protected] must register at least one week prior to each regional forum to ensure access through security and sign-up for a one-on-one session.

When registering please specify your first and last name, your organization, names of any other individuals attending with you, which regional forum you are attending, and if you are interested in scheduling time for a one-on-one meeting.
*The state of Ohio was included in the Round II competition, but did not result in a successful applicant

Forum Logistics

Boston, MA

Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr. Federal Building

10 Causeway Street

Boston, MA 02222

Meeting Logistics:

Start time: 9:30am

Meeting Room: Auditorium on first floor
Concessions: Ten Causeway Café located in building
Security: Will need to enter through security and show photo ID

Parking: No onsite parking, but parking available next door at TD Bank Garden’s North Station
Public Transportation: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, http://www.mbta.com

San Francisco, CA

San Francisco Federal Building

90 7th Street (corner of 7th Street and Mission Street)

San Francisco, CA 94103

Meeting Logistics

Start Time: 9:30am

Meeting Room: B-020

Concessions: Mezzo Café, located on first floor
Security: Will need to enter through security and show photo ID

Parking: The Federal Building is just around the corner from the San Francisco Civic Center and there will be plenty of parking facilities in that area.
Public Transportation: Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), http://www.bart.gov

Atlanta, GA
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Atlanta Downtown
160 Spring Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30303
Meeting Logistics
Start Time: 9:30am
Meeting Room: Centennial B
Parking: No self-parking available.  Valet only $30
Directions: Please visit DoubleTree’s website