California's MEP Included in Harvard's List of the Government's Best Programs.

Business Editors

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 10, 2004

The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) of the U.S. Department of Commerce was selected by Harvard's Institute of Government Innovation as one of the semifinalists for the 2004 Innovation Government Awards. The Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation, a part of the Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, selected the MEP because it is a "creative, forward thinking, results-driven government program."

From a pool of nearly 1,000 applicants, MEP was chosen as one of the 50 semifinalists. Fifteen finalists will be chosen in March and five winners announced in Washington D.C. on June 28, 2004. Winners will receive a grant of $100,000. Four criteria were used to evaluate each application. They included: novelty, effectiveness in addressing important problems, significance, and the potential for replication by other government entities.

The California MEP is part of the national network of centers that specialize in making small and medium size manufacturers more competitive so that can continue to create high-paying jobs. California's own MEP center, California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC), works with thousands of manufacturers in Central and Southern California. Reaching out to all manufacturers from aerospace suppliers to computer chip manufacturers, CMTC improves California manufacturer's profits, productivity and competitiveness. Last year alone, as a result of CMTC's work, over 2,750 jobs were created and retained in California.

The recognition for the MEP comes at a critical time. For the past six years, MEP has secured $106 million annually, due to widespread support in Congress. However, the Administration has reduced the program to $39.6 million. This constitutes a 63% decrease in the programs funding.

"This funding cut will really impact California's ability to rebound with high-paying jobs," says David Braunstein, President and CEO of CMTC. "As the largest center in the United States and with the most manufacturers, California's economy will be hurt by insufficient funding of such as vital program. MEP is unique in that it focuses on smaller manufacturers who would normally not be able to access this type of service. Without competitive improvements, manufacturing will move out-of-state and move out of the country. That means lost California jobs, sales and revenue. In order to boost California and the U.S. economy, the MEP funding has to be reinstated to its full funding."

About California Manufacturing Technology Consulting

A private, nonprofit corporation, CMTC was established in 1992 to provide high-value consulting services to California's high-tech and traditional small- and medium-size manufacturers to increase their competitive advantage through improved methods of management and manufacturing. CMTC's regional teams cover Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, Orange County, Ventura/Santa Barbara County, the San Fernando/San Gabriel Valley, the San Joaquin Valley and San Diego/Imperial County. For more information, visit www.cmtc.com.