Provide services to expand existing MEP capabilities to provide national supply chain optimization and to establish a supply chain intelligence network

The Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology awarded Delaware Technical & Community College $399,648 under the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program (CFDA 11.611) from June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2025. The award will fund expansion of existing manufacturing extension capabilities to establish a supply chain intelligence network and optimize domestic supply chains in Delaware.

Key activities include dedicating one full-time staff member to coordinate data collection from manufacturers and recruit them to register supply chain capability and capacity on a connection platform. This will provide improved visibility into Delaware's manufacturing resources. Funds will also support identifying challenges for local small and medium-sized manufacturers to determine further support opportunities, training manufacturers on the platform, and assessing collected supply chain intelligence data. Anticipated outcomes include 50 manufacturers registered in year one and 100 by year two, with utilization supporting new sales and sourcing opportunities to strengthen resilience of local supply chains.

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to provide services to expand existing MEP capabilities to provide national supply chain optimization and to establish a supply chain intelligence network. Improve the resiliency and optimization for domestic supply chains in the MEP national network in the state of delaware.

Activities

This expansion project will have an FTE dedicated staffing to provide outreach and coordination of data collection. Utilizing a connection platform, staff will recruit manufacturers to register capability and capacity intelligence into the platform to provide an improved picture of supply chain resources throughout the state. Identify and subscribe to a connection platform. Prepare the platform for use by delaware manufacturers. Develop outreach strategy/implementation plan. Member training and account setup. Ongoing maintenance of the platform. Engage manufacturers on qualitative challenge discussions. Assessment of collected supply chain intelligence data. Documentation and sharing of intelligence. Participation in MEP national network supply chain initiatives, contract with business professionals who have considerable knowledge of the delaware manufacturing ecosystem or unique skill sets to access decision makers at local smms.

Expected outcomes

Identifying key supply chain challenges for local small and mid-sized manufacturers (SMM) and will capture those challenges to identify further support opportunities. Engagements are expected to attract adoption of a statewide database by smms to capture capability and capacity intelligence to aid in further development of delaware?s manufacturing ecosystem. Outreach targets to have 50 manufactures registered/connected to the platform by the end of the first year and at least 100 manufacturers participating on the platform by the end of the second year. Utilization is expected to support the creation of new business/sales and successful sourcing/RFQ responses providing resiliency through local supply chains. In the broad implementation of the platform, the delaware manufacturing extension partnership (demep) can provide additional services to the approximately 580 delaware manufacturers that strengthen and contributes to the flexibility of the delaware supply chain ecosystem. The platform would allow for the integration of the delaware supply chain into the national manufacturing ecosystem intended beneficiaries: small and medium-sized manufacturers (smms) in the state of delaware.

Subrecipient activities

The recipient plans to subaward funds to participate in conducting the activities of this project as stated above.