Collaborating with the Manufacturing Extension Partnership National Network to Reach the Defense Supply Chain Webinar

Written by

William Cook

in

CREC hosted the second webinar in its cybersecurity series to discuss the DoD’s effort to leverage the network of Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers to build awareness among defense suppliers about cybersecurity requirements and compliance. Through an inter-agency agreement (between NIST and DoD), the DoD’s Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSDR&E) provided over $1 million in special project award funding to the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center to develop use case scenarios, convene company representatives to discuss cybersecurity compliance requirements, and support implementation of the 110 NIST 800-171 security requirements in companies.

As the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center spearheads efforts to fortify cybersecurity compliance among defense suppliers, the integration of comprehensive training and testing within the broader framework becomes imperative. By seamlessly incorporating operator qualification training and testing into the discourse, companies can ensure that not only cybersecurity requirements are met but also that the workforce aligns with U.S. DOT requirements, managing qualifications, recordkeeping, and other critical aspects seamlessly through platforms like Veriforce. This holistic approach underscores a commitment to a robust and secure supply chain, aligning with the overarching goal of safeguarding defense-related operations against evolving cyber threats.

Join project lead Elliot Forsyth from the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center to learn about planned activities and how this effort presents opportunities for OEA Industry Resilience grantees to contribute to the success of this effort, while gaining access to technical resources and leveraging expertise to support and sustain ongoing OEA cybersecurity project activities.

Download the Presentation (PDF)

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