News

25, March 2021

 

Executive Order on Ensuring the Future Is Made in All of America by All of America’s Workers

On January 25, 2021 The White House announced Executive Order (EO) 14005, called Executive Order on Ensuring the Future is Made in All of America by All American Workers. EO 14005 establishes a substantial role for the MEP National NetworkTM in the Biden Administration’s plans to bolster American manufacturing.

The mission of the MEP National NetworkTM is to strengthen and empower U.S manufacturers.

About MEP

The MEP National Network equips U.S. manufacturers with the tools and resources necessary to be competitive in today’s rapidly changing marketplace. Our industry experts work side-by-side with manufacturers to reduce costs, improve efficiencies, develop the next generation workforce, create new products, find new markets and much more. Together, they strengthen communities and U.S. manufacturing.

Focused on helping small and medium-sized manufacturers generate business results and thrive in today’s technology-driven economy, the MEP National Network comprises the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP), the 51 MEP Centers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, and more than 1,400 trusted advisors and experts at more than 385 MEP service locations, providing any U.S. manufacturer with access to resources they need to succeed. NIST MEP serves as the national program office for the MEP program, provides the federal government funding for the MEP National Network, and is located in Gaithersburg, MD.

Partnering with MEP

The MEP National Network's strength is in its partnerships. MEP was founded on the premise that partnerships among NIST MEP and other public and private entities increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our Network. MEP’s ability to foster, develop and leverage these relationships permits MEP Centers to expand the reach and value of the program to the manufacturing industry.

Each MEP Center is a partnership between the federal government and a variety of public or private entities, including state, university and nonprofit organizations. Through its collaborations at the federal, state and local level, MEP Centers work with manufacturers to develop new products and customers, expand and diversify markets, adopt new technology, and enhance value within supply chains. You can learn more about the 51 MEP Centers and how you can connect with your local MEP Center.

The MEP program serves as a bridge to other organizations and federal, state and local agencies that share a passion for enhancing the manufacturing community. To ensure our nation’s health and safety as well as our national and economic security, NIST MEP serves as a bridge to these organizations and agencies needing critical products that are in short supply to ensure our nation’s health and safety as well as our national and economic security. To learn more about how your agency or organization can work with NIST MEP to leverage domestic manufacturing capabilities and capacities to produce item needed by our nation’s supply chains, please contact us at scouting@nist.gov.

MEP National Network Services

The MEP National Network offers a suite of services to respond to the important guidance that EO 14005 provides, including:

Supplier Scouting

Supplier Scouting is a successful nationwide MEP service that identifies domestic manufacturers to produce hard-to-source and critically needed supply chain items including personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies. Supplier Scouting can be applied on a national, regional or local scale. By leveraging our extensive relationships and knowledge of U.S. manufacturer capabilities, we are able to identify manufacturers’ production and technical capabilities and connect them with supply chains of larger companies and government agencies. The Supplier Scouting service was specifically cited within the “Executive Order on Ensuring the Future Is Made in All of America by All of America’s Workers” signed by President Biden on January 25, 2021.
Learn more about Supplier Scouting.

For more information on Supplier Scouting, please contact NIST MEP's Robert BarnesAndrew Peterson or Samm Webb.

Supply Chain

Effective supply chains are critical to manufacturing operations. The MEP National Network’s supply chain services help address various aspects of supply chain management and development. Our experts can help with supply chain challenges including supply chain management and optimization, integration of software, inventory control and supplier scouting. These services can help U.S. small and medium-sized manufacturers provide domestic content within supply chains of U.S. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and others, including federal agencies seeking to Buy American.

Learn more about Supply Chain services.

For more information on Supply Chain services, please contact NIST MEP's Robert BarnesAndrew Peterson or Samm Webb.

Cybersecurity Resources for Manufacturers

With limited resources and budgets, small manufacturers need cybersecurity guidance, solutions, and training that is practical, actionable, cost-effective and helps manage their cybersecurity risks. Many of these small manufacturers exist within U.S. defense manufacturing supply chains, and all manufacturers involved in the Department of Defense (DOD) supply chain that handle, process, or store Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) must comply with the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clause 252.204-7012 “Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting.”

These cybersecurity requirements will also soon apply to manufacturers that are part of supply chains for other federal institutions, including the General Services Administration (GSA), NASA, and the Department of Energy (DOE), per the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Whether you’re a manufacturer that needs cybersecurity assistance or a federal agency seeking suppliers that have met the necessary cybersecurity requirements, MEP can help.

Learn more about Cybersecurity Resources for Manufacturers.

Article originally appeared here