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Maine
Manufacturing Extension Partnership to receive $1.5
million in FY 2003 Defense appropriations
Office of Senator Susan Collins
October 10, 2002
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Susan Collins announced today
that the Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP),
as a member of the New England Consortium, will receive
funding for the New England Defense Manufacturing Supply
Chain project in the Defense appropriations bill for
Fiscal Year 2003. The appropriations measure will provide
approximately $6 million for the New England partners,
and the Maine MEP stands to receive approximately $1.5
million of that total.
This
funding will allow the MEP consortium to begin providing
training and expertise to contractors who want to become
qualified suppliers or expand their Department of Defense
business. The MEP consortium will also work with individual
businesses to help them understand specific DoD requirements
for critical defense material and identify existing
DoD qualified suppliers to rapidly respond to surges
in demand for specific, difficult to find parts and
material, while also providing local oversight of contract
execution, support strategic planning, and employee
training.
"The
Maine MEP team is working to meet the needs of the Department
of Defense for the prompt and reliable delivery of parts
and high quality equipment," said Senator Collins. "They
are able to do this while saving money but not sacrificing
quality."
Senator
Collins worked hard to retain the $6 million included
in the Senate version of the Defense appropriations
bill, as there was no funding included for this project
in the House bill passed earlier this year. The Defense
appropriations conference report is expected to be filed
late today, and will now come before the full body of
the House and Senate for action. The overall report
will provide approximately $355.1 billion in support
of defense related activities.
The
Maine MEP team works together in an innovative, effective
and cost-efficient partnership to help small manufactures
competitively meet the procurement demands of the United
States Armed Forces.
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