NIST Awards More Than $30 Million for MEP Centers in 11 States and Puerto Rico
US domestic manufacturing grant with no immediate Australian regulatory or policy parallel.
Key points
- NIST awards $30 million to 12 Manufacturing Extension Partnership centers across 11 US states and Puerto Rico.
- Funding targets small and medium manufacturers adopting AI, robotics, automation, and additive manufacturing.
- No direct relevance to Australian federal agencies - a US domestic manufacturing competitiveness programme.
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"NIST Awards More Than $30 Million for MEP Centers in 11 States and Puerto Rico"
Source: NIST – AI News (topic 2753736)
Published: 15 September 2026
URL: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2026/09/nist-awards-more-30-million-mep-centers-11-states-and-puerto-rico
NIST has awarded over $30 million to 12 Manufacturing Extension Partnership centres to help US small and medium-sized manufacturers adopt advanced technologies including AI, robotics, and additive manufacturing. Funding is distributed across 11 states and Puerto Rico, with awardees required to secure at least 50% non-federal matching funds. The programme is part of the broader MEP National Network and supports domestic supply chain resilience. This is a US-specific industrial competitiveness initiative with no direct APS governance or policy implications.
Retrieved from SIMS, 15 November 2026.