NIST MEP launches manufacturing Policy Academy

NIST’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership program launched a new Policy Academy focused on manufacturing this week. Funded by NIST MEP and organized by SSTI and  the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC), the Policy Academy is designed to help states build upon existing strategies, leverage available resources, and spur creative new ideas about how to address major challenges or leverage opportunities around the manufacturing sector. Through a customized and collaborative experience, the Policy Academy will help teams of four-to-ten members representing a cross-section of policymakers and practitioners from relevant state agencies and stakeholder groups to identify best practices, partnerships, and policies to strengthen the manufacturers in their states.

The request for proposals, which can be downloaded here, covers the first of two academy cohorts, with up to four states selected. The first cohort will be from states selected from the 15 states that are not holding gubernatorial elections in 2018 (Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia). The second cohort, in 2019-2020, will be selected from the remaining states. For additional information regarding eligibility and how to apply, contact Jonathan Dworin at SSTI.

All states are required to engage a Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program (MEP) Center on their proposal team.

The downloadable RFP includes application guidelines. The deadline to submit a proposal is July 6, 2018, by 5 p.m. EDT. SSTI will host a bidders’ conference call on June 12 at 3 p.m. EDT, to offer guidance and answer specific questions about the request for proposals. Details about this call are included in the request for proposals.

If you have any question, please contact Jonathan Dworin at SSTI at 614.901.1690 or by email at dworin@ssti.org.