Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 38, September 20, 2024
a) Purpose - The Purpose of the Manufacturing
Extension Program is defined at Section 3520(a) of the Act. The Department may
establish, subject to available appropriated funds, a program of statewide
manufacturing extension centers serving the geographic needs of the State's
manufacturers, whose mission is to assist small or medium-sized manufacturers
with technological advancement, for continuous improvement of business
practices for these firms to be better positioned to succeed against global
competition.
b) Allowable Costs -
Per Section 3520(b) of the Act, the Department may provide grants or may
provide cost share or reimbursements under this Section to support the
operation of manufacturing extension deliverers.
c) Eligible Applicants - Per Section 3520(b),
manufacturing extension deliverers can include universities and colleges,
regional or sectorial based organizations, technical societies, or other
similar groups, including organizations financed through a federal
manufacturing extension partnership program.
d) Procedures for establishment of regionally
based or functionally based Manufacturing Extension Centers
1) Service Regions: Regionally based
Manufacturing Extension Centers (MECs) must serve a specific geographic region
of the State. Two regions are defined as follows:
A) Chicago Metropolitan Area:
i) Cook County;
ii) DuPage and Kane Counties;
iii) Kendall and Will Counties; and
iv) Lake and McHenry Counties.
B) Remainder of
Illinois.
2) Service
Specialties - Functionally based Manufacturing Extension Centers must serve a
single industry, a limited number of related industries, or a specific
manufacturing function.
3)
Application for Financial Assistance - The Department shall issue instructions
and formats for the submittal of applications for financial assistance to
support MECs. Such applications shall be solicited on a competitive basis
within each service specialty or specific region of the State targeted for the
creation of a center. Applications shall include information such as:
A) a description of the related experience of
the applicant agency, including a discussion of performance against goals for
projects funded by the Department in the past;
B) a description of the qualifications of MEC
staff, consultants, firms, and other organizations delivering MEC
services;
C) a discussion of the
market niches and customers to be targeted, including technological
opportunities and the specific needs of the region's industries;
D) a description of MEC services to be
provided, including:
i) marketing
activities;
ii) educational
events;
iii) enrollment of firms
for modernization services;
iv)
informal and structured assessments;
v) technical services to improve
productivity; and
vi) specialized
services;
E) a listing
of performance objectives, including the number or amount of:
i) companies served;
ii) companies served for the first
time;
iii) events;
iv) event attendees;
v) informal assistance;
vi) formal assistance;
vii) categories of formal and informal
assistance;
viii) group projects;
and
ix) evaluations;
F) an implementation
schedule;
G) a proposed line item
budget, including a description of matching funds by source and amount;
and
H) for federally designated
MECs, a copy of the federal operating plan.
3) Application Review Criteria - As required
by Section 3520(d) of the Act, in determining which applicants shall be awarded
a grant, the Department shall examine:
A)
prior compliance with awards programs;
B) the relationship of a proposed project to
the State's future economic growth;
C) the qualifications and expertise of
organizations undertaking the effort;
D) the applicant's understanding of the
requirements and needs of the target groups served;
E) the potential of the applicant's project
to provide an economic benefit to the State;
F) the methods engaged to measure and track
performance; and
G) the likelihood
that the project has a potential for improving the competitiveness of small and
mid-sized manufacturers.
4) Renewal of Awards - The Department may
renew a grant award for a subsequent year for any MEC judged to be meeting
performance objectives during the current grant performance period. In making
determinations regarding the renewal of grant awards, the Department shall
consider evaluative criteria, including but not limited to the number or amount
of:
A) companies served;
B) companies served for the first
time;
C) events;
D) event attendees;
E) informal assistance;
F) formal assistance;
G) categories of formal and informal
assistance;
H) group projects;
and
I) evaluations.
e) Professional
Development - Per Section 3520(c) of the Act, the Department may provide grant
funds made available under the Act to support professional development and
capacity building of the manufacturing extension system within the State as may
be required for the administration, operations, research, analysis, promotion,
or training of geographic based manufacturing extension centers.
