Cooperative Agreement 70NANB23H099

PURPOSE: THE AWARD RECIPIENT WOULD BE GRANTED FUNDING THROUGH A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT TO OPERATE A HOLLINGS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP (MEP) CENTER IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND. THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD IS TO PROVIDE MANUFACTURING EXTENSION SERVICES TO PRIMARILY SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED MANUFACTURERS IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND, WITH DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA INCLUDED. ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT PROPOSES TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND, DEVELOP AND DELIVER PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT SUPPORT MANUFACTURERS TODAY, WHILE IDENTIFYING NEW TECHNOLOGIES, NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND NEW PROCESSES THAT WILL POWER MANUFACTURING INTO TOMORROW. THIS INCLUDES INCREASING MARKET PENETRATION AND IMPACTS IN MARYLAND WHILE CREATING A PRESENCE IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.THE RECIPIENT PROPOSES TO ACCOMPLISH THE ABOVE OBJECTIVES THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO DELIVER THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:O RAISE MARKET AND INDUSTRY AWARENESSO CONDUCT OUTREACHO ENGAGE INDUSTRY AND SOLICIT INPUT AND FEEDBACKO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS AND EVENTSO DELIVER TECHNICAL, FINANCIAL AND PROGRAMMATIC ASSISTANCEO ENSURE PERFORMANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITYO CREATE NEW INDUSTRY AND STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIPSOUTCOMES: THE OBJECTIVE OF THE MEP PROGRAM IS TO ENHANCE COMPETITIVENESS, PRODUCTIVITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE IN UNITED STATES MANUFACTURING. THE PROPOSED ACTIVITIES ARE EXPECTED TO RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES:O INCREASE THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS OF MANUFACTURING IN MARYLAND AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAO CONDUCT OUTREACH TO AT LEAST 60% OF THE MANUFACTURING BASE (~2,400 MANUFACTURERS)O ENGAGE AT LEAST 30% OF THE MANUFACTURING BASE (~1,200 MANUFACTURERS)O DELIVER PROJECTS WITH AT LEAST 150 MANUFACTURERS ON AN ANNUAL BASISO CREATE AT LEAST $2BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT (AS MEASURED BY THE NIST MEP CLIENT SURVEY)O 10,000 JOBS CREATED OR RETAINEDBENEFICIARIES: THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THIS AWARD ARE PRIMARILY SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED MANUFACTURERS IN MARYLAND AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN MARYLAND, THE BENEFICIARIES OF THESE PROPOSED SERVICES WOULD BE THE 4,000+ MANUFACTURERS THAT ARE PROUD TO MAKE IT IN MARYLAND AND THE NEARLY 200 MANUFACTURERS LOCATED IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. INDIRECT BENEFICIARIES EXTEND BEYOND MARYLAND, AS THE CENTER WILL BECOME PART OF THE MEP NATIONAL NETWORK?, WHICH INCLUDES 51 MEP CENTERS LOCATED IN EACH STATE AND IN PUERTO RICO.SUBRECIPIENTS: THE PRIMARY ACTIVITIES OF THIS PROGRAM WOULD BE DELIVERED BY THE RECIPIENT. HOWEVER, THE RECIPIENT PROPOSES TO ENGAGE THE FOLLOWING SUB-RECIPIENTS TO ASSIST WITH OUTREACH, EVENTS, AND PROGRAMMATIC SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE OVERALL MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION.O SUBAWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $10,000 TO REGIONAL MANUFACTURING INSTITUTE TO BE THE PRIMARY OUTREACH AND AWARENESS PROVIDER FOR THE RECIPIENT, CONDUCTING EVENTS AND CO-HOSTING OUTREACH.O SUBAWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,000 TO MARYLAND WORLD CLASS CONSORTIA. THESE FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR A RESOURCE AT MWCC TO CONDUCT OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, FOCUS ON DEVELOPING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT SERVICES, PROVIDE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT TRAINING AND SERVICES AND FACILITATE THE LEAN PEER GROUPS.O THE RECIPIENT EXPECTS TO ENGAGE ONE ADDITIONAL SUBRECIPIENT, AND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,000.