Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center

GAO report calls for ‘enhanced information’ on DoD contractors’ safety records

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Nearly 4 out of 5 Department of Defense manufacturing or construction contractors inspected by OSHA or state agencies over a recent five-year period were cited for at least one safety or health violation, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.

Researchers used federal data to examine previous safety and health violations of 192 selected companies with DoD contracts in fiscal year 2017, as well as how DoD and its components addressed contractor workplace safety and health during the acquisition process.

Of the 192 companies, 106 had been inspected by OSHA or state agencies between FYs 2013 and 2017. The inspections resulted in 83 being cited for at least one violation (78.3 percent) and 52 cited for at least one serious violation (49 percent). Three were cited for at least one repeat violation.

GAO concluded that OSHA “doesn’t collect data that could be used to match federal contracts with violations, so it’s not always possible to know whether the violations occurred on defense contracts. Also, oOD doesn’t always require contractors to be rated on safety.”

GAO made three recommendations to increase the use and availability of information regarding defense contract worker safety.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/18144-gao-report-calls-for-enhanced-information-on-dod-contractors-safety-records

5 things you should know: SBA’s definition of manufacturer

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SBA’s regulations say that in order to qualify as a small business under a set-aside or sole-source contract seeking manufactured products or supply items, an offeror ordinarily must either be the manufacturer of the end item or qualify under the nonmanufacturer rule.

This post will discuss five things your small business should know about qualifying as a manufacturer under the SBA’s rules; in a future post, I’ll walk through the nonmanufacturer rule.

Let’s get to it: Here are 5 Things You Should Know about the SBA’s definition of manufacturer.

Keep reading this article at: http://smallgovcon.com/five-things/5-things-you-should-know-sbas-definition-of-manufacturer/

SBA’s hearings and appeals office provides clarity on nonmanufacturer rule

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To be eligible for a small business set-aside procurement seeking a manufactured product, an offeror has to either be the product’s manufacturer or otherwise qualify under the nonmanufacturer rule.

Determining whether a business qualifies — either as the manufacturer or nonmanufacturer — can be a fact-intensive and confusing task. But it’s a vitally important one, as the penalty for not qualifying can be the loss of an awarded contract.

Recently, however, the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals provided important clarity on how a small business might qualify as a nonmanufacturer.

Let’s take a look.

Keep reading this article at: http://smallgovcon.com/sbaohadecisions/sba-oha-provides-clarity-on-the-nonmanufacturer-rule/

Disaster preparedness help available to manufacturers on Georgia’s coast

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The Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) is seeking eligible manufacturers to participate in a disaster assistance program designed to help companies that are located in the state’s coastal areas assess their preparedness and develop operational solutions to minimize the impact of future hurricanes and other natural disasters.

The $173,859 grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) funds the GaMEP’s Manufacturing Disaster Assistance Program (MDAP), which was developed to address the needs of Georgia manufacturers.

The funds for the two-year effort are specifically designated toward assisting manufacturers with operations in Coastal Georgia in Camden, Chatham, Charlton, Glynn, Liberty, and McIntosh counties. It also includes Coffee County, which is not on the coast, but was also severely impacted by flooding during 2017’s Hurricane Irma.

The counties are home to 408 manufacturing facilities that employ 23,000.

The MDAP creation follows a devastating 2017 hurricane season in which Hurricane Irma led to a mandatory evacuation of the coast’s nearly 540,000 residents and business owners, and resulted in estimated damages of more than $670 million. That’s on top of a 2016 evacuation of the Georgia coast following Hurricane Matthew, which caused more than $500 million in damages.

The goal with this tailored approach to help manufacturers on the Georgia Coast is two-pronged, said Ben Cheeks, GaMEP’s coastal region manager.

“First, we want to assist as many manufacturers as possible and get them operating at pre-Hurricane Irma levels — that includes employment and fully contributing to the regional and state economies,” Cheeks said. “The second part of this effort is to help them develop plans that they will already have in place to address future hurricanes and other natural disasters so they will positioned for as little disruption as possible in resuming operations.”

As part of the offering, GaMEP will leverage its expertise and resources at Georgia Tech, as well as its local, state, and federal economic development partners, including the Technical College System of Georgia and the MEP network, among other organizations, Cheeks said. Pooling resources at all levels ensures maximum impact for the affected companies and communities, he added.

The MDAP initiative will include assessments of the manufacturers’ needs, helping prioritize opportunities for sustainability and growth. It also will incorporate the development of pre and post-natural disaster protocols that address challenges manufacturers will face following hurricanes and other natural disasters, such as supply chain and infrastructure disruption, labor displacement, and financial constraints.

“We’re taking a 360-degree approach with this effort,” Cheeks said. “It’s designed to help position our coastal manufacturers proactively and ahead of the likely after-effects we will see in future storms that will affect the Georgia Coast.”

Eligible manufacturers are encouraged to email Ben Cheeks, GaMEP’s coastal region manager at ben.cheeks@innovate.gatech.edu.

Source: http://www.news.gatech.edu/2018/01/30/manufacturing-disaster-assistance-program-help-georgia-companies-prepare-natural 

Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership launches outreach initiative for food processing manufacturers

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Georgia is a one of the nation’s leading agriculture states, with the industry contributing about $74.9 billion to the state economy each year.

Damon Nix (left), senior project manager at the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership, discusses ergonomic solutions for lifting bags of malt with Bobby Epperson, operations training and safety manager at Terrapin Brewery in Athens, Georgia. (Photo credit: Caley Landau)

A related sector — food processing — is a strong and growing component of the Georgia economy, and accounts for $11 billion to $12 billion each year of the state’s gross domestic product. Food processing also employs 69,000 across the state, with 10,000 of those jobs being created since 2010, according to Georgia Power’s 2016 Food Processing Industry Report.

It’s that strength in food processing, which comprises the largest segment of Georgia’s manufacturing sector, that led to the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership’s (GaMEP) new initiative focused on those manufacturers’ unique needs.

GaMEP, a federally funded economic development program at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Enterprise Innovation Institute, works with manufacturers across Georgia to help them remain viable and economically competitive.

“Food processing comprises many different products and sizes of manufacturers and it is important to assure their viability and growth,” said GaMEP Director Karen Fite. “This effort is in recognition of where the growth is occurring in the manufacturing sector and we want to make sure we’re applying our resources and expertise, as well as cutting edge research coming out of Georgia Tech, that can help our manufacturers.”

Damon C. Nix, GaMEP’s senior project manager, is leading the food manufacturing programming, which includes coaching, analysis, and consulting in:

  • Food Safety
    • Compliance with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements.
    • Management system implementation and audit team support.
  • Energy Management
    • Energy assessments to identify cost reduction and performance improvement opportunities.
    • Companies with fewer than 500 employees at a plant site may qualify for a free energy assessment through Georgia Tech’s Industrial Assessment Center program.
  • Environmental Services
    • Environmental compliance services and management system (ISO 14001) support.
    • Environmental Protection Agency P2 grant-funded projects that support pollution prevention through reduced greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and hazardous materials generation.
  • Worker Safety and Health
    • Implement lean/process improvement approaches to safety problem solving.
    • Partner with the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s Food Processing Technology Division to support Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules compliance, applied research, and technology solutions.
  • Workforce Development
    • Operational Leader and Frontline Supervisor Training.

“Georgia’s food processing GDP ranks it sixth in the country and we rank sixth in employment,” Nix said, noting the state has roughly 680 food processing manufacturers, including the 127 that either relocated to Georgia or built new facilities here since 2010.

“The GaMEP has created significant results serving manufacturers overall,” Nix said. “We want to continue that momentum in food processing. Georgia’s manufacturing industry remains competitive and continues to grow because the food processing industry is expanding. We want food processors to know that the GaMEP is a resource to support their continued growth.”

About the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP):

The Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) is an economic development program of the Enterprise Innovation Institute at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The GaMEP is a member of the National MEP network supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. With offices in nine regions across the state, the GaMEP has been serving Georgia manufacturers since 1960. It offers a solution-based approach to manufacturers through coaching and education designed to increase top line growth and reduce bottom line cost.

Source: http://www.news.gatech.edu/2017/08/23/georgia-manufacturing-extension-partnership-launches-outreach-initiative-food-processing

2nd MBE manufacturers summit to be held at Georgia Tech in August

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The national Minority Business Enterprise Manufacturer’s Summit is returning to Atlanta on August 15 & 16, 2017.

Held at Georgia Tech’s Global Learning Center, this two-day event has grown into a hub for leading Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) manufacturers to convene.

More than 200 attendees from the manufacturing community from 19 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. attended last year’s summit and that number is expected to increase at this year’s event.

Agenda
DAY 1: Social & Networking Reception – August 15, 2017

Be a part of the industry’s most powerful gathering of MBE manufacturers, innovators, leaders, and entrepreneurs shaping and transforming manufacturing through technology today. Share stories, recognize and celebrate your peers – form valuable connections that will last a lifetime. Come join your colleagues for cocktails, networking and thought leadership.

  • Gathering Spot 384 Northyards Boulevard, NW; Building 100, Atlanta, GA 30313
  • Reception Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Day 2: National MBE Manufacturers Summit 2017, August 16, 2017

Georgia Tech Global Learning Center 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

Registraion/Networking and Breakfast

  • Welcome: Chris Downing, Vice President, Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute
  • Opening Keynote: Theresa Carrington, CEO of The Blessing Basket Project as well as trademark symbol.
Relationship Building Sessions

Sessions:

  • Connecting MBE Manufacturers Together for Opportunities.
  • Building a Smart Factory – Industry 4.0
  • Building a Compititive Workforce
Luncheon Keynote
  • Steve Voorhees, CEO of WestRock
Innovation Pods
  • Featuring the Latest Trends in Innovation and Technology.
Fast Pitch One-On-One Meetings
  • With Corporations and OEMs.
Poster Walk
  • Featuring MBE Manufacturers.
Registration and More Information

Please visit: http://mbemanufacturersummit.com/index.html#home

Sponsors:

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