Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Abstract
The Massachusetts Development Finance Agency is developing a strategy that will assist Massachusetts defense-dependent businesses in diversifying their product, expanding their customer base, providing skills training for employees, and utilizing available technology to improve the manufacturing process and product. The initial findings from the first months of the Office of Economic Adjustment, Defense Industry Adjustment Project, have indicated critical data and needs that are not currently addressed by the initial award. As a result, there were four tasks that became inherently obvious to the Agency and stakeholders as critical components of the project that should be incorporated as an amendment and continuation of the existing grant. With additional funding we intend to: 1) provide an in-depth analysis of the Massachusetts defense industry supply chain map provided by the Connecticut OEA funding in order to interpret the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities of the map to assist companies in their transformation; 2) assist the Small Business Innovation and Research/DOD recipients in need of additional assistance by providing critical services to insure their products and technology mature through the mid-levels of technology and manufacturing maturity to commercialization; 3) partner with the Smaller Business Association of New England (SBANE) to provide assistance on a smaller scale to the defense industry in need of high powered consulting services for diversification or transformation efforts; and 4) partner with the newly established Centers for Manufacturing Innovation to provide funding for defense industry businesses seeking affordable and effective measures for improving their manufacturing processes; product design; and product development. With the additional targeted programs and services provided with this amendment we expect to better assist companies in their transformation, provide targeted consulting services in-line with company needs, provide effective manufacturing services and engineering support to assist defense-dependent businesses to diversify their product, expand their customer base, and utilize available technology to improve the manufacturing process and product.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 06, 2016
- Source ID
- HQ00051410016
Entities
People
- Anne Marie Dowd
Organizations
- Massachusetts Development Finance Agency
- Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation
- Office of the Secretary of Defense