April 2022 Newsletter

The Latest from Impact Washington 

Local Manufacturers Advocate for Impact Washington - NIST MEP at Hill Day Events

Several regional manufacturing executives – Jay Schmidt from Silicon Forest Electronics, Carlos Veliz from Commercial Aircraft Interiors, Jennifer Porter from Satsuma Designs, Allison Budvarson from Out of the Box Manufacturing, Drew Dalgetty from Crunch Pak, Jan Schmidlkofer from K & N Electronic Motors, Inc. Steve Wittenberg from Toolcraft, Inc. and Sarah Lee 李姗姗, Governor’s Sector Lead and Director of Advanced Manufacturing– participated with Impact Washington staff during the month of March to advocate in support of Impact Washington and the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program funding during the annual Hill Day Initiative.

>Read recap of visit and view Congressional Impact Reports here

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MEP National Network Helps Manufacturers Respond To The Pandemic And Thrive Despite 

The Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a program of the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has announced the results of its fiscal year 2021 manufacturing client survey, as well as the impacts of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) funding through January 2022.

According to the survey, for every dollar of federal investment in FY 2021, the MEP National Network generated $26.20 in new sales growth and $34.50 in new client investment. This translates into $14.4 billion in new and retained sales for U.S. manufacturers. The network also created or retained one manufacturing job for every $1,193 of federal investment.

The entire country and the thousands of small and midsize manufacturers across the U.S., including Washington, faced enormous challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic dislocation. Despite these obstacles, manufacturers in our state proved to be resilient, and Impact Washington continued to deliver a consistent and significant return on investment to the allocated federal funds.

>Read more about national and state funding and outcomes here

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Impact Washington Offers Cybersecurity Consortium Grant Opportunity

Best Practices, Training, and Implementation of NIST 800-171 Controls. Cohort curriculum designed to Create CMMC Level 2 Awareness

Commitment needed by May 1, 2022 | Training August 2022 - May 2023

>Download one-sheet and learn more here 

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Tips to Align Your Domestic Sourcing Efforts with Your Business Success

Disruptions in the global supply chain have led to a new dynamic for many small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) – the need to be more strategic about “second sourcing” and reshoring. The biggest increase is in what’s referred to as second sourcing, which adds redundancies such as a second source of a supply to minimize risk while increasing options. But supply chain experts also are seeing an interest in relying long term on domestic supply sources. 

In one recent example, a manufacturer was paying $5,000 per roll for material and shipping from China, but delays in shipping forced it to use air freight instead of ocean freight, which raised the cost of just the shipping to $7,500. A traditional tactical approach of reducing shipping costs is not enough to address the potential risk for that manufacturer. The manufacturer is now using supplier scouting to reshore that base material and source it domestically. The SMM realizes that a more integrated approach to its supply chain will help its business planning.

>Read more tips and learn how we can help here 

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Request for Information about Evaluating and Improving Cybersecurity Resources: The Cybersecurity Framework and Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) wants your input to improve the effectiveness of the Cybersecurity Framework and its alignment with other cybersecurity resources. NIST is seeking information about the use, adequacy, and timeliness of the Cybersecurity Framework – and the degree to which other NIST resources are used in conjunction with, or instead of, the Cybersecurity Framework. NIST also wants to better understand opportunities for greater alignment and harmonization of the framework with other resources. This will help NIST provide even more effective support to organizations as they manage different types of cybersecurity risks.

NIST is also seeking information on the challenges organizations are facing from a technology supply chain perspective to inform a public-private partnership, the National Initiative for Improving Cybersecurity in Supply Chains (NIICS). NIST requests information about needed tools and guidance and how NIICS might be aligned and integrated with the CSF. This information will help NIST to identify and prioritize supply chain-related cybersecurity needs across sectors.

Comments in response to notice must be received by April 25, 2022. Submissions received after that date may not be considered.

>Learn how to submit your comments here

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Made In Washington Showcase

Birdloft is a custom furniture studio using reclaimed materials in Tacoma. Co-owners Adrienne Wicks and Jeff Libby are a two-person, small-scale manufacturer, which allows them to be hands-on and involved with every piece they design. Working out of a former organ-repair shop, they ship across the country, though increasingly more in the South Sound.

Learn more about Birdloft in our Made In South Sound feature story