A nationwide network that partners with U.S. manufacturers has given approximately $400,000 each to its centers to help develop programs to make domestic supply chains more resilient and efficient.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership has awarded more than $20 million to its MEP National Network Centers in each of the 50 states and Puerto Rico, according to a June 9 news release.
“For the first time, the U.S. government is creating a comprehensive end-to-end mapping of the supply chain, which is crucial for the domestic manufacturing industry and resiliency,” NIST MEP Director Pravina Raghavan said in the release. “Supply chain shortages are due to a lack of supply chain capacity. To address this issue, we’re creating an information system that lays out all the suppliers across various industries. This way, we can connect small suppliers to more opportunities in the supply chain.”
The recent monetary awards will help with the development of the national database Supply Chain Optimization and Intelligence Network, the release reported.
“It will focus on providing supplier scouting services, establishing new service offerings to improve existing supply chain networks, filling gaps in the supply chain by connecting original equipment manufacturers with small and medium-sized manufacturers and creating a complete map of U.S. supplier capability and capacity,” the release said.
Each center participating in the funding opportunity must commit at least one staff member or contractor per year to the efforts and report the “results to small and medium-sized manufacturers and the MEP National Network,” according to the release. The projects are set to run a minimum of two years, with a possibility of extension.
The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 made way for the pilot program of awards which allowed MEP centers to provide "services focused on resiliency of domestic supply chains, workforce development and adoption of advanced technology upgrades at small and medium-sized manufacturers," the release said.
