MEP Center State Competition FY 2022

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UPDATE: This opportunity has closed. 

2022 NIST MEP Center State Competition for Kentucky, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and South Dakota Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

The NIST Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), authorized by 15 U.S.C. § 278k, is seeking applications from eligible applicants to enter into cooperative agreements to operate MEP Centers in the States of Kentucky, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and South Dakota.  These MEP Centers will provide manufacturing extension services to small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) in the States outlined above. These new MEP Centers will become part of the MEP National Network™, which consists of 51 MEP Centers located in each State and in Puerto Rico, and over 1,400 trusted advisors and experts at more than 385 MEP service locations.  When an MEP Center has operated for a period of 10 consecutive years, a competition must be conducted to select an eligible entity to operate the Center. The MEP Centers in these States are each nearing 10 consecutive years of operation.  

To view a PDF of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), click here.

Please submit your proposals via www.grants.gov under Funding Opportunity Number 2022-NIST-MEP-01

Anticipated Amounts
NIST anticipates funding one (1) MEP Center cooperative agreement in each of the States listed below. Each award will have an initial project performance period of up to five (5) years and will be funded at the following anticipated levels:

Funding Instrument: Cooperative Agreement

Who is Eligible?
Eligibility is limited to United States-based nonprofit institutions, or consortium thereof, institutions of higher education, or State, United States territory, local, or tribal governments.  NIST generally will not fund applications that propose an organizational or operational structure that, in whole or in part, delegates or transfers to another person, institution, or organization the applicant’s responsibility for core MEP Center management and Oversight functions. Incumbent MEP Centers that have received financial assistance for ten (10) consecutive years and that the Secretary determines are in good standing are eligible to apply under this NOFO.

Cost Share Requirements
The MEP Center program requires non-Federal cost share of at least 50 percent of the total annual allowable project costs.

Competition Timeline
Below is an outline of key actions and dates. Updates and changes will be posted to this site as needed.

MEP Resources
The following resources are currently available:

• NIST MEP Strategic Plan
• Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Operating Plan Guidelines (see Appendix 1, page 12)
• Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership General Terms and Conditions
• MEP Reporting Guidelines
• Required MEP Single-Year Budget Workbook Template
• Required Award Budget Summary Table Template
• Most recent MEP Annual Report
• FY 2021 Oversight Board Standards

Virtual Information Forum
NIST MEP held a virtual information forum on November 22, 2021 for organizations that are considering applying for this funding opportunity.  NIST MEP staff provided general information regarding MEP and the upcoming competition.  NIST MEP also provided information about applicant eligibility, cost sharing requirements, and competition timeline. The recorded session can be viewed at: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2021/11/nist-mep-fy-2022-virtual-state-center-competition-information-forum.

Virtual NOFO Information Meeting
A virtual NOFO information meeting was held on February 14, 2022, which can be accessed at https://bluejeans.com/s/cipYJUMNK6A.  Participation in the webinar is not required in order for an organization to submit an application pursuant to the NOFO. Presentation slides are available here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Questions from applicants pertaining to NOFO eligibility, evaluation criteria and selection factors, selection process, and the general characteristics of a competitive proposal will not be considered on an informal basis. Applicants must submit all such questions in writing to mepnofo [at] nist.gov (mepnofo[at]nist[dot]gov). Answers to such written questions submitted to NIST MEP may be made available to the public as part of an FAQ document, which will be updated periodically on this page.