Manufacturing Extension Partnership Support

NIST established this Master IDIQ on August 22, 2019, with a shared ceiling of $9.965 million to support the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership's mission of enhancing U.S. manufacturing productivity and competitiveness through advisory services and connections to resources for small and medium-size manufacturers. The vehicle's ordering period closed on August 21, 2024, and is no longer active for new task orders.

The 40 task orders issued under this vehicle totaled $15.7 million in combined potential value, with all obligated funds expended. Award momentum accelerated in the final years of the vehicle—orders grew from 5 per year in 2020 to 11 in 2024—suggesting strong demand for the services contracted before the ordering window shut. The portfolio is heavily weighted toward small-business awardees; 37 of 40 orders (93%) carried a Total Small Business set-aside, with the remaining 3 unrestricted. All 40 orders funded NIST exclusively; no other federal agencies placed orders.

Work spans organizational development, training, and strategic support for the MEP National Network comprising 51 centers across all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Representative task orders include center leadership team support, board development, financial management training, cybersecurity services, communications and marketing campaigns, knowledge management system enhancement, and workforce development support. Order values clustered in the $100,000 to $600,000 range, with durations typically 6 to 12 months.

Stone & Associates Inc. dominated the award portfolio, capturing 23 of 40 orders valued at $9.9 million (63% of combined potential value). Nexight Group LLC and Battra LLC followed with 7 orders worth $3.6 million and 10 orders worth $2.3 million respectively, collectively holding 37% of remaining value. All three primes appear to have competing strengths across different service lines rather than monopolizing a single capability.

Since the ordering period closed nearly two years ago, this vehicle no longer represents an active procurement opportunity.

NIST's Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) has a need for an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract to assist MEP in successfully fulfilling their mission. The Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership is a program of the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). MEP's mission is to enhance the productivity and technology performance of U.S. manufacturing by acting as a trusted, strategic advisor to promote business growth and connecting manufacturers to public and private resources essential for increased competitiveness and profitability.