Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Published on AidPage by
IDILOGIC on Jun 24, 2005
Purpose of this program:
To establish, maintain, and support manufacturing extension centers and services, the functions of which are to improve the competitiveness of firms accelerating the usage of appropriate manufacturing technology by smaller U.S. based manufacturing firms, and partner with the States in developing such technical assistance programs and services for their manufacturing base.
Possible uses and use restrictions...
Federal funding provided under this program shall be used for the creation and support of manufacturing extension services, or used by the States to plan for and pilot test state-wide extension services. It may also be used to plan for and pilot test services within a multi-state region which has sufficient regional linkages to justify such services. Extension service providers shall be affiliated with a U.S. based nonprofit institution or organization or group thereof. Funds may be used for the purpose of demonstrations, technology deployment, active transfer and dissemination of research findings and extension service expertise to a wide range of companies and enterprises, especially small manufacturers with fewer than 500 employees. Extension service planning and pilot testing agreements require a State to provide cost share by an amount at least equal to the amount of Federal assistance requested. Congressional funding has been provided annually since fiscal year 1988 (under Manufacturing Technology Centers and the State Technology Extension Program, which were combined into the Manufacturing Extension Partnership in fiscal year 1993).
Who is eligible to apply...
For extension services, eligible applicants shall be U.S.-based nonprofit institutions or organizations or groups thereof. Applicants must contribute 50 percent or more of the proposed service's capital, annual operating and maintenance costs. At least 50 percent of the applicant's share must be as cash or full-time personnel. For extension service planning and pilot services agreements, eligible applicants shall be State governments and State affiliated nonprofit organizations. For multi-state regional planning and pilot services agreements, eligible applicants shall be State and local governments, representing either themselves or a consortium of States, and appropriate private or public nonprofit organizations, operating on behalf of a consortium of States or as a representative of States.
Credentials/Documentation
An applicant for manufacturing extension centers must submit a proposal in accordance with 15 CFR 290, which provides assurances that they will contribute 50 percent or more of the proposed center's capital, annual operating and maintenance costs. Proposals also must contain sufficient information regarding management, technical, and technology strengths sufficient for a formal merit review of the proposal. Applicants must have and demonstrate competence in areas for which financial assistance is requested. Costs will be determined in accordance with applicable cost principles found in OMB Circular Nos. A-87 for State and local governments, A-21 for educational institutions, A-122 for nonprofit organizations, 48 CFR 31 for commercial organizations, and 45 CFR 74, Appendix E for hospitals.
Note:This is a brief description of the credentials or documentation required prior to, or along with, an application for assistance.
About this section:
This section indicates who can apply to the Federal government for assistance and the criteria the potential applicant must satisfy.
For example, individuals may be eligible for research grants, and the criteria to be satisfied may be that they have a professional or scientific degree,
3 years of research experience, and be a citizen of the United States. Universities, medical schools, hospitals, or State and local governments may also be eligible.
Where State governments are eligible, the type of State agency will be indicated (State welfare agency or State agency on aging) and the criteria that they
must satisfy.
Certain federal programs (e.g., the Pell Grant program which provides grants to students) involve intermediate levels of application processing, i.e., applications
are transmitted through colleges or universities that are neither the direct applicant nor the ultimate beneficiary. For these programs,
the criteria that the intermediaries must satisfy are also indicated, along with intermediaries who are not eligible.
How to apply...
Application Procedure:
Applicants must submit proposals in accordance with deadlines and other details as published in formal program announcements including Standard Form 424 and Commerce Department Form 511. Applicants for manufacturing extension centers must follow the format set out in 15 CFR 290.
Note: Each program will indicate whether applications are to be submitted to the Federal headquarters, regional or local office, or to a State or local government office.
Award Procedure:
All timely submitted and qualified proposals are reviewed by a NIST selection panel. For proposals for manufacturing extension centers, the finalists' proposals are selected on the basis of NIST evaluations and judgments based on published evaluation criteria, and may undergo a site visit.
Note: Grant payments may be made by a letter of credit, advance by Treasury check, or reimbursement by Treasury check.
Awards may be made by the headquarters office directly to the applicant, an agency field office, a regional office,
or by an authorized county office. The assistance may pass through the initial applicant for further distribution by
intermediate level applicants to groups or individuals in the private sector.
Deadlines and process...
Deadlines
Notices of availability of funds and deadlines are published in the Federal Register.
Note:
When available, this section indicates the deadlines for applications to the funding agency which will
be stated in terms of the date(s) or between what dates the application should be received.
When not available, applicants should contact the funding agency for deadline information.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Applicants should be notified within 60 to 90 days of the application deadline for extension service planning/pilot testing agreements, and 120 days for manufacturing extension centers.
Preapplication Coordination
The extension service planning and pilot testing portion of this program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs". An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. For manufacturing extension centers, no formal preapplication is required, although applicants are advised to discuss their proposal during the early stages of development with NIST MEP regional managers. This portion of the program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Note:
This section indicates whether any prior coordination or approval is required with governmental or nongovernmental units
prior to the submission of a formal application to the federal funding agency.
Appeals
None.
Note:
In some cases, there are no provisions for appeal. Where applicable, this section discusses appeal procedures or allowable rework time for resubmission
of applications to be processed by the funding agency. Appeal procedures vary with individual programs and are either listed in this section or
applicants are referred to appeal procedures documented in the relevant Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Renewals
Future or continued funding will be based on availability of funds, and will be based on satisfactory performance, and may be subject to competition.
Note:
In some instances, renewal procedures may be the same as for the application procedure, e.g., for projects of a non-continuing nature renewals will be treated as new, competing applications; for projects of an ongoing nature, renewals may be given annually.
Who can benefit...
Beneficiary shall be U.S.-based manufacturing firms, especially smaller companies.
Beneficiaries
About this section:
This section lists the ultimate beneficiaries of a program, the criteria they must satisfy and who specifically is not eligible. The applicant and beneficiary will generally be the same for programs that provide assistance directly from a Federal agency. However, financial assistance that passes through State or local governments will have different applicants and beneficiaries since the assistance is transmitted to private sector beneficiaries who are not obligated to request or apply for the assistance.
What types of assistance...
Project Grants
The funding, for fixed or known periods, of specific projects. Project grants can include fellowships, scholarships, research grants, training grants, traineeships, experimental and demonstration grants, evaluation grants, planning grants, technical assistance grants, survey grants, and construction grants.
Dissemination of Technical Information
Programs which provide for the publication and distribution of information or data of a specialized or technical nature frequently through clearinghouses or libraries. This does not include conventional public information services designed for general public consumption.
How much financial aid...
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Individual awards for extension service planning and pilot testing agreements should range between $25,000 and $100,000. Awards for manufacturing extension centers fall in the range of $0.2 to $6.5 million annually.
Note:
This section lists the representative range (smallest to largest) of the amount of financial assistance available. These figures are based upon funds awarded in the past fiscal year and the current fiscal year to date. Also indicated is an approximate average amount of awards which were made in the past and current fiscal years.
Obligations
(Cooperative Agreements) FY 03 $92,704,000; FY 04 est $30,421,000; and FY 05 est $29,481,000.
Note:
The dollar amounts listed in this section represent obligations for the past fiscal year (PY), estimates for the current fiscal year (CY), and estimates for the budget fiscal year (BY) as reported by the Federal agencies. Obligations for non-financial assistance programs indicate the administrative expenses involved in the operation of a program.
Account Identification
13-0525-0-1-376.
Note:
Note: This 11-digit budget account identification code represents the account which funds a particular program.
This code should be consistent with the code given for the program area as specified in Appendix III of the Budget of the United States Government.
Examples of funded projects...
(1) The NIST Mid-American Manufacturing Technology Center located in Overland Park, Kansas and hosted by the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation; (2) the NIST Minnesota Manufacturing Extension Center located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and hosted by Minnesota Technology, Inc.; and (3) the NIST California Manufacturing Technology Center located in Gardena, California.
About this section
This section indicates the different types of projects which have been funded in the past. Only projects funded under Project Grants or Direct Payments for Specified Use should be listed here. The examples give potential applicants an idea of the types of projects that may be accepted for funding. The agency should list at least five examples of the most recently funded projects.
Program accomplishments...
In fiscal year 2003, MEP focused the majority of its resources on developing tools and products for centers to support the 360vu brand of services. These services include Lean Enterprise Implementation suite of products such as value steam mapping, Kanban Systems and Cellular Flow; and Process Control; Strategic Management Services including Strategic and Long Range Operations Planning and Quality Systems Products. Training for these services are supported by MEP University which is now up and operating. In Fiscal year 2004 and 2005, MEP plans to continue to develop and provide content for the Integrated Knowledge Network to better serve the U.S. small manufacturing base.
Criteria for selecting proposals...
Proposals are selected on the basis of merit. Selection criteria are published in the Federal Register Notice, and for manufacturing extension centers, appear in 15 C.F.R. 290.
Assistance considerations...
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
For extension service planning and pilot-testing agreements, one year. For manufacturing extension centers, duration of support is based upon positive evaluation every two years, and availability of funds.
Formula and Matching Requirements
A State may be required to provide adequate assurances that it will increase its spending on technology extension by an amount at least equal to the amount of Federal assistance requested. For manufacturing extension centers, the program has no statutory formula. Applicants must provide at least 50 percent of the capital, annual operating and maintenance funds required to create and maintain the center. Funds may be provided by any non- Federal source. A minimum of 50 percent of the applicant's share must be as cash or full-time personnel.
Note:
A formula may be based on population, per capita income, and other statistical factors. Applicants are informed whether there are any matching requirements to be met when participating in the cost of a project. In general, the matching share represents that portion of the project costs not borne by the Federal government. Attachment F of OMB Circular No. A-102 (Office of Management and Budget) sets forth the criteria and procedures for the evaluation of matching share requirements which may be cash or in-kind contributions made by State and local governments or other agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals to satisfy matching requirements of Federal grants or loans.
Cash contributions represent the grantees' cash outlay, including the outlay of money contributed to the grantee by other public agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals. When authorized by Federal regulation, Federal funds received from other grants may be considered as the grantees' cash contribution.
In-kind contributions represent the value of noncash contributions provided by the grantee, other public agencies and institutions, private organizations or individuals. In-kind contributions may consist of charges for real property and equipment, and value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the grant program. When authorized by Federal legislation, property purchased with Federal funds may be considered as grantees' in-kind contribution.
Maintenance of effort (MOE) is a requirement contained in certain legislation, regulations, or administrative policies stating that a grantee must maintain a specified level of financial effort in a specific area in order to receive Federal grant funds, and that the Federal grant funds may be used only to supplement, not supplant, the level of grantee funds.
Post assistance requirements...
Reports
Quarterly progress and financial reports are required. Each request for reimbursement must be accompanied by a report of applicant's cost-share contribution.
Note:
This section indicates whether program reports, expenditure reports, cash reports or performance monitoring are required by the Federal funding agency, and specifies at what time intervals (monthly, annually, etc.) this must be accomplished.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), recipients that are States, Local Governments, Nonprofit Organizations (to include hospitals), and Institutions of Higher Learning shall be subject to the audit requirements contained in the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 U.S.C. 7501-7507). Commercial organizations shall be subject to the audit requirements as stipulated in the award document. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133, (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal Awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for the year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Note:
This section discusses audits required by the Federal agency.
The procedures and requirements for State and local governments and nonprofit entities are set forth in OMB Circular No. A-133.
These requirements pertain to awards made within the respective State's fiscal year - not the Federal fiscal year,
as some State and local governments may use the calendar year or other variation of time span designated as the fiscal year period,
rather than that commonly known as the Federal fiscal year (from October 1st through September 30th).
Records
All financial and programmatic records, supporting documents, statistical reports, and other records of awardees or subawardees are required to be maintained by the terms of the agreement. The awardees must retain records for 3 years after completion of the project or submission of the final financial report, whichever is later, and be readily available for inspection and audit.
Note:
This section indicates the record retention requirements and the type of records the Federal agency may require.
Not included are the normally imposed requirements of the General Accounting Office.
For programs falling under the purview of OMB Circular No. A-102, record retention is set forth in Attachment C.
For other programs, record retention is governed by the funding agency's requirements.
Regulations...
Authorization
Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, 15 U.S.C. 278K, as amended by Public Law 100-418; American Technology Preeminence Act of 1991; Technology Administration Act of 1998.
Note:
This section lists the legal authority upon which a program is based (acts, amendments to acts, Public Law numbers, titles, sections, Statute Codes, citations to the U.S. Code, Executive Orders, Presidential Reorganization Plans, and Memoranda from an agency head).
Regulations, Guidelines, And Literature
Program regulations are codified at 15 CFR 290-92. A Federal Register Notice announcing the request for proposals from qualified organizations will be published when funds are available. This program is subject to the provisions of 15 CFR 24 and 15 CFR 14.