(NIST: Gaithersburg, Maryland) — The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is accepting applications from eligible organizations to operate Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers in Kentucky, Nebraska, Rhode Island and South Dakota. NIST will award nearly $19.8 million to support four centers that will provide manufacturing extension services to small and medium-size manufacturers in these states.

“American manufacturing makes our nation stronger by growing the U.S. economy, safeguarding the health of our citizens, and securing our national defense,” said Mojdeh Bahar, NIST associate director for innovation and industry services. “Small and medium-sized manufacturers are the foundation of American manufacturing, and these competitions will serve to strengthen manufacturing and empower manufacturers in Kentucky, Nebraska, Rhode Island and South Dakota.”

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