80 FR 26898 - Manufacturing Extension Partnership State Competitions and Regional Forums
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 90 (May 11, 2015)
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 90 (May 11, 2015)
| Page Range | 26898-26899 | |
| FR Document | 2015-11256 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 90 (Monday, May 11, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 26898-26899] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-11256] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Institute of Standards and Technology [Docket Number: 150501413-5413-01] Manufacturing Extension Partnership State Competitions and Regional Forums AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announces that the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program (MEP) intends to publish and post two (2) separate announcements of funding availability for MEP Centers in calendar year 2016. The list of specific states that will be involved in the competitions will be posted on the NIST MEP Web site at: http://www.nist.gov/mep/. The funding announcements will be provided both in the Federal Register and on Grants.gov. Prior to or in conjunction with each publication, MEP will conduct approximately two to three Regional Forums. DATES: The two separate announcements of funding availability are expected to be published and posted in January 2016 and July 2016, respectively. The Regional Forums will take place prior to or in conjunction with each publication, with notification to the public posted at: www.nist.gov/mep/. ADDRESS: The FRNs will be published in the Federal Register at https://www.federalregister.gov/, and the FFOs will be posted on http://www.grants.gov. More information about MEP and past funding opportunities may be obtained from the MEP Web site: www.nist.gov/mep/. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane Henderson, Manufacturing Extension Partnership, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 4800, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-4800, telephone number (301) 975-5105, email: mepffo@nist.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NIST MEP, through a state-federal network of 60 centers and 1,200 manufacturing experts, helps small and medium- sized manufacturers across the country to improve their production processes, upgrade their technological capabilities, and bring new products to market. MEP helps small and medium-sized manufacturers compete, thereby increasing employment and investment across the country and generating a high return on public investment. Every dollar of federal investment in the MEP translates into $19 of new sales for small and medium-sized manufacturers, or almost $2.5 billion annually across the 30,000 small and medium-sized manufacturers that MEP serves. See http://www.nist.gov/mep/about/index.cfm and http://www.nist.gov/mep/about-impact.cfm. Since it was founded in 1988, MEP has worked with nearly 80,000 manufacturers, leading to $88 billion in sales and $14 billion in cost savings, and helping small manufacturers create more than 729,000 new jobs. See http://www.nist.gov/mep/about/index.cfm. The MEP program is in the process of a multi-year effort to conduct full and open competitions to select operators for MEP centers. On August 1, 2014, NIST launched the first round of competitions for MEP centers in 10 states, focusing on states where the MEP investment in terms of dollars per manufacturing establishment was below its national average, making them the most underfunded of MEP's 60 centers. See 79 FR 44746 (Aug. 1, 2014). In February 2015, NIST MEP awarded cooperative agreements with start dates of July 1, 2015, to winning applicants in each of the 10 states. On March 9, 2015, NIST announced funding opportunities in 12 states, with [[Page 26899]] an application deadline of June 1, 2015. See 80 FR 12451 (March 9, 2015); http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html?keywords=NIST MEP. The primary objective of these competitions is to optimize the impact of the Federal investment on U.S. manufacturing and to allocate additional funds to areas with higher concentrations of manufacturers. Non-profit organizations, including public and private nonprofit organizations, nonprofit or State colleges and universities, public or nonprofit community and technical colleges, and State, local or Tribal governments, are eligible to apply for a NIST cooperative agreement for the operation of an MEP Center. In turn, MEP Centers work directly with small and medium-sized manufacturers to expand the range of growth, innovation, lean production, supply chain innovation, technology acceleration and workforce development offered to small and medium-sized manufacturers. In addition to a continued focus on growing all sectors of U.S. manufacturing, it is expected that an increased emphasis will be given to offering these services to very small firms, rural firms, and start- up firms. The competitions provide an opportunity to expand the number of small and medium-sized manufacturers served by the network and to align the program activities with the strategic goals of the states. The benefits of competition include: [cir] Opportunity to realign MEP center activities with State economic development strategies; [cir] Resetting of NIST MEP funding levels by State to reflect the regional importance of manufacturing and the national distribution of manufacturing activities; [cir] Reduction and simplification of reporting requirements; and [cir] Five-year awards reducing the annual paperwork burden. It should be noted that the MEP Program is not a Federal research and development program. It is not the intent of the program that awardees will perform systematic research. To learn more about the MEP Program, please go to http://www.nist.gov/mep/. NIST MEP anticipates announcing the competitions for approximately eleven (11) states in January 2016, with new MEP Center cooperative agreement awards anticipated to start in October 2016. NIST MEP anticipates announcing the competitions for an additional eleven (11) states in July 2016, with new MEP Center cooperative agreement awards anticipated to start in April 2017. The proposed list of states for the January 2016 and July 2016 announcements of funding availability will be posted on the MEP Web site at http://www.nist.gov/mep/. The list of specific states may change from time to time until finalized in the announcements of funding availability. This notice contains information based on the current planning for NIST MEP's activities in calendar year 2016, with the competitions expected to be completed by December 2016. NIST reserves the discretion to add and/or remove states from the list of states participating in the MEP competitions. The final list of states participating in each of the MEP Center competitions and the funding amounts available will be published in the announcements of funding availability that will be published in the Federal Register and posted simultaneously on www.grants.gov. In addition to issuing the two announcements of funding availability described above, NIST MEP intends to conduct approximately two to three regional forums prior to or in conjunction with each publication of these announcements. These forums will provide general information regarding MEP and offer general guidance on preparing proposals. NIST/MEP staff will be available at the forums to answer general questions. During the forums, proprietary technical discussions about specific project ideas will not be permitted. Also, NIST/MEP staff will not critique or provide feedback on any project ideas during the forums or at any time before submission of a proposal to MEP. However, NIST/MEP staff will provide information about business model approaches, developing proposals and sharing lessons learned from the 2015 MEP competition. NIST/MEP staff will also discuss the MEP eligibility and cost-sharing requirements, evaluation criteria and selection factors, selection process, and the general characteristics of a competitive MEP proposal. Once specific dates, locations and agendas have been identified for each of these Regional Forums, NIST MEP will post this information on its public Web site, http://www.nist.gov/mep/. Kevin Kimball, Chief of Staff. [FR Doc. 2015-11256 Filed 5-8-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-13-P
![26898 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 90 / Monday, May 11, 2015 / Notices
companies where the Department or destruction of APO materials or take place prior to or in conjunction
determined that the exporter under conversion to judicial protective order is with each publication, with notification
review had no shipments of the subject hereby requested. Failure to comply to the public posted at: www.nist.gov/
merchandise, any suspended entries with the regulations and terms of an mep/.
that entered under that exporter’s case APO is a sanctionable violation. ADDRESS: The FRNs will be published in
number (i.e., at that exporter’s rate) will These final results of review are the Federal Register at https://
be liquidated at the PRC-wide rate.7 issued and published in accordance www.federalregister.gov/, and the FFOs
We intend to issue assessment with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i) of the will be posted on http://www.grants.gov.
instructions to CBP 15 days after the Act and 19 CFR 351.213. More information about MEP and past
date of publication of the final results of Dated: April 30, 2015. funding opportunities may be obtained
review. from the MEP Web site: www.nist.gov/
Paul Piquado,
Cash Deposit Requirements Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and mep/.
Compliance. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The following cash deposit
Diane Henderson, Manufacturing
requirements will be effective upon Appendix I Extension Partnership, National
publication of these final results of
List of Topics Discussed in the Issues and Institute of Standards and Technology,
review for all shipments of the subject Decision Memorandum 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 4800,
merchandise from the PRC entered, or
1. Summary Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899–4800,
withdrawn from warehouse, for
2. Background telephone number (301) 975–5105,
consumption on or after the publication 3. Scope of the Order email: mepffo@nist.gov.
date as provided by section 751(a)(2)(C) 4. Separate Rate/PRC-Wide Entity SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NIST
of the Act: (1) For previously 5. Discussion of the Issues
investigated or reviewed PRC and non- MEP, through a state-federal network of
Comment 1: Whether Rongxin is Entitled
PRC exporters not listed above that to a Separate Rate
60 centers and 1,200 manufacturing
received a separate rate in a prior Comment 2: Whether Dixon is a U.S. experts, helps small and medium-sized
segment of this proceeding, the cash Manufacturer of Subject Merchandise, manufacturers across the country to
deposit rate will continue to be the and, therefore, Entitled to Request an improve their production processes,
exporter-specific rate; (2) for all PRC Administrative Review of Rongxin upgrade their technological capabilities,
6. Recommendation and bring new products to market. MEP
exporters of subject merchandise that
have not been found to be entitled to a [FR Doc. 2015–10622 Filed 5–8–15; 8:45 am] helps small and medium-sized
separate rate, the cash deposit rate will BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P manufacturers compete, thereby
be that for the PRC-wide entity of 114.90 increasing employment and investment
percent; (3) for all non-PRC exporters of across the country and generating a high
subject merchandise which have not DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE return on public investment.
received their own rate, the cash deposit Every dollar of federal investment in
National Institute of Standards and the MEP translates into $19 of new sales
rate will be the rate applicable to the
Technology for small and medium-sized
PRC exporter that supplied that non-
PRC exporter. These deposit [Docket Number: 150501413–5413–01] manufacturers, or almost $2.5 billion
requirements shall remain in effect until annually across the 30,000 small and
further notice. Manufacturing Extension Partnership medium-sized manufacturers that MEP
State Competitions and Regional serves. See http://www.nist.gov/mep/
Notification Forums about/index.cfm and http://
This notice serves as a final reminder www.nist.gov/mep/about-impact.cfm.
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards Since it was founded in 1988, MEP has
to importers of their responsibility
and Technology, Commerce. worked with nearly 80,000
under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2) to file a
certificate regarding the reimbursement ACTION: Notice. manufacturers, leading to $88 billion in
of antidumping duties prior to sales and $14 billion in cost savings,
SUMMARY: The National Institute of and helping small manufacturers create
liquidation of the relevant entries Standards and Technology (NIST)
during this review period. Failure to more than 729,000 new jobs. See
announces that the Hollings http://www.nist.gov/mep/about/
comply with this requirement could Manufacturing Extension Partnership
result in the Secretary’s presumption index.cfm.
Program (MEP) intends to publish and The MEP program is in the process of
that reimbursement of the antidumping post two (2) separate announcements of
duties occurred and the subsequent a multi-year effort to conduct full and
funding availability for MEP Centers in open competitions to select operators
assessment of double antidumping calendar year 2016. The list of specific
duties. for MEP centers. On August 1, 2014,
states that will be involved in the NIST launched the first round of
Notification Regarding Administrative competitions will be posted on the NIST competitions for MEP centers in 10
Protective Order MEP Web site at: http://www.nist.gov/ states, focusing on states where the MEP
This notice also serves as the only mep/. The funding announcements will investment in terms of dollars per
reminder to parties subject to be provided both in the Federal Register manufacturing establishment was below
administrative protective order (APO) of and on Grants.gov. Prior to or in its national average, making them the
their responsibility concerning the conjunction with each publication, MEP most underfunded of MEP’s 60 centers.
will conduct approximately two to three
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
return or destruction of proprietary See 79 FR 44746 (Aug. 1, 2014). In
information disclosed under APO in Regional Forums. February 2015, NIST MEP awarded
accordance with 19 CFR 351.305. DATES: The two separate cooperative agreements with start dates
Timely written notification of the return announcements of funding availability of July 1, 2015, to winning applicants in
are expected to be published and posted each of the 10 states.
7 For a full discussion of this practice, see in January 2016 and July 2016, On March 9, 2015, NIST announced
Assessment Practice Refinement. respectively. The Regional Forums will funding opportunities in 12 states, with
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![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 90 / Monday, May 11, 2015 / Notices 26899
an application deadline of June 1, 2015. 2017. The proposed list of states for the DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
See 80 FR 12451 (March 9, 2015); January 2016 and July 2016
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/ announcements of funding availability National Oceanic and Atmospheric
search-grants.html?keywords=NIST will be posted on the MEP Web site at Administration
MEP. The primary objective of these http://www.nist.gov/mep/. The list of [Docket No. 150114043–5407–01]
competitions is to optimize the impact specific states may change from time to
of the Federal investment on U.S. time until finalized in the RIN 0648–XD722
manufacturing and to allocate announcements of funding availability.
additional funds to areas with higher Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
concentrations of manufacturers. Non- This notice contains information and Plants: Notice of 12-Month Finding
profit organizations, including public based on the current planning for NIST on a Petition To List the Undulate Ray
and private nonprofit organizations, MEP’s activities in calendar year 2016, and the Greenback Parrotfish as
nonprofit or State colleges and with the competitions expected to be Threatened or Endangered Under the
universities, public or nonprofit completed by December 2016. NIST Endangered Species Act (ESA)
community and technical colleges, and reserves the discretion to add and/or
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
State, local or Tribal governments, are remove states from the list of states
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
eligible to apply for a NIST cooperative participating in the MEP competitions.
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
agreement for the operation of an MEP The final list of states participating in
Commerce.
Center. In turn, MEP Centers work each of the MEP Center competitions
ACTION: Status review; notice of finding.
directly with small and medium-sized and the funding amounts available will
manufacturers to expand the range of be published in the announcements of SUMMARY: We, NMFS, have completed
growth, innovation, lean production, funding availability that will be comprehensive status reviews under the
supply chain innovation, technology published in the Federal Register and Endangered Species Act (ESA) for two
acceleration and workforce posted simultaneously on foreign marine species in response to a
development offered to small and www.grants.gov. petition to list those species. These
medium-sized manufacturers. In species are the undulate ray (Raja
In addition to issuing the two
addition to a continued focus on undulata) and the greenback parrotfish
growing all sectors of U.S. announcements of funding availability
described above, NIST MEP intends to (Scarus trispinosus). We have
manufacturing, it is expected that an determined that, based on the best
increased emphasis will be given to conduct approximately two to three
regional forums prior to or in scientific and commercial data
offering these services to very small available, listing the undulate ray under
firms, rural firms, and start-up firms. conjunction with each publication of
the ESA is not warranted and listing the
The competitions provide an these announcements. These forums
greenback parrotfish under the ESA is
opportunity to expand the number of will provide general information
not warranted. We conclude that the
small and medium-sized manufacturers regarding MEP and offer general
undulate ray and the greenback
served by the network and to align the guidance on preparing proposals. NIST/ parrotfish are not currently in danger of
program activities with the strategic MEP staff will be available at the forums extinction throughout all or a significant
goals of the states. to answer general questions. During the portion of their respective ranges and
The benefits of competition include: forums, proprietary technical are not likely to become so within the
Æ Opportunity to realign MEP center discussions about specific project ideas foreseeable future.
activities with State economic will not be permitted. Also, NIST/MEP DATES: The finding announced in this
development strategies; staff will not critique or provide notice was made on May 11, 2015.
Æ Resetting of NIST MEP funding feedback on any project ideas during the
levels by State to reflect the regional ADDRESSES: You can obtain the petition,
forums or at any time before submission
importance of manufacturing and the status review reports, the 12-month
of a proposal to MEP. However, NIST/
national distribution of manufacturing finding, and the list of references
MEP staff will provide information electronically on our NMFS Web site at
activities; about business model approaches,
Æ Reduction and simplification of http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/
developing proposals and sharing petition81.htm.
reporting requirements; and lessons learned from the 2015 MEP
Æ Five-year awards reducing the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
competition. NIST/MEP staff will also
annual paperwork burden. Ronald Salz, NMFS, Office of Protected
discuss the MEP eligibility and cost-
It should be noted that the MEP sharing requirements, evaluation criteria Resources (OPR), (301) 427–8171.
Program is not a Federal research and and selection factors, selection process, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
development program. It is not the and the general characteristics of a
intent of the program that awardees will Background
competitive MEP proposal.
perform systematic research. To learn On July 15, 2013, we received a
more about the MEP Program, please go Once specific dates, locations and petition from WildEarth Guardians to
to http://www.nist.gov/mep/. agendas have been identified for each of list 81 marine species or subpopulations
NIST MEP anticipates announcing the these Regional Forums, NIST MEP will as threatened or endangered under the
competitions for approximately eleven post this information on its public Web Endangered Species Act (ESA). This
(11) states in January 2016, with new site, http://www.nist.gov/mep/. petition included species from many
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
MEP Center cooperative agreement different taxonomic groups, and we
Kevin Kimball,
awards anticipated to start in October prepared our 90-day findings in batches
2016. NIST MEP anticipates announcing Chief of Staff. by taxonomic group. We found that the
the competitions for an additional [FR Doc. 2015–11256 Filed 5–8–15; 8:45 am] petitioned actions may be warranted for
eleven (11) states in July 2016, with new BILLING CODE 3510–13–P 24 of the species and 3 of the
MEP Center cooperative agreement subpopulations and announced the
awards anticipated to start in April initiation of status reviews for each of
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Document Created: 2018-02-21 10:25:44
Document Modified: 2018-02-21 10:25:44
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice. | |
| Dates | The two separate announcements of funding availability are expected to be published and posted in January 2016 and July 2016, respectively. The Regional Forums will take place prior to or in conjunction with each publication, with notification to the public posted at: www.nist.gov/mep/. | |
| Contact | Diane Henderson, Manufacturing Extension Partnership, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 4800, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-4800, telephone number (301) 975-5105, email: [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 26898 |
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