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DOC leadership pivotal to collaboration on Manufacturing USA, GAO finds

April 13, 2017
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While the Department of Commerce (DOC) has incorporated several key practices for enhancing and sustaining interagency collaboration around the Manufacturing USA network, the agency needs to develop a better a governance system that outlines the responsibilities and role of non-sponsoring agencies (e.g. Department of Labor, Department of Education) in the network, according to a new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). The report makes recommendations to DOC with the intent of increasing the involvement of non-sponsoring agencies in helping support the 11 innovation institutes that comprise the Manufacturing USA network. The recommendations include:

  • Revising the Manufacturing USA governance system to ensure the roles and responsibilities for non-sponsoring agencies are fully identified; and,
  • Continuing the steps already taken to standardize measures of progress for the individual institutes and the network.

The report also includes information about profiles of each of the existing innovation institutes with information on membership facts and existing technology portfolios. In 2016, the 11 innovation institutes engaged with nearly 780 members including manufacturing firms, trade associations, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations. 

manufacturing