New National-Level Economic Impact of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Report Released

A recent study by the W.E. Upjohn Institute found the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program generates a substantial economic and financial return of nearly 14.5:1 for the $128 million annually invested by the federal government.  The study also finds that total employment in the U.S. was over 219,000 higher because of MEP center projects than without the program.  The Upjohn study also examined additional areas of economic impact not previously reported by the MEP Program: (1) personal income is $13.76 billion higher and (2) GDP is $22.01 billion larger, translating into an increase of $1.86 billion in personal income tax revenue to the federal government than without the program. The study is available at  http://research.upjohn.org/reports/230/