Partnering to Help Arkansas Small Businesses

The Arkansas Science and Technology Authority on behalf of Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions (AMS) is a participant in the federally funded Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership operated under the oversight of the Department of Commerce and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.  As a recipient of such funding, the Authority on behalf of AMS has a primary purpose to assist the state's small and medium sized manufacturers with their economic development activities. 

To accomplish the programmatic objective, the recipients (AMS) will identify and pursue with other business partners cooperative efforts that will both benefit and increase the availability of project expertise and training, and the distribution of products and services to SME.  AMS will establish a recipient/sub-recipient relationship that will provide the guidelines for AMS to work collaboratively with Winrock (the sub-recipient) and permit the sharing of resources between the parties.  These collaborative efforts and sharing of resources are identified in and consistent with the recipient's annual operating plan and business objectives of the sub-recipient.

Winrock's U.S. Programs bring global expertise home to benefit Arkansas, the Mid-South, and the United States.  Rural and enterprise development programs, technology assistance, and environmental services provide crosscutting strategies to address challenges facing the region and nation. Activities include:
• Natural resource management
• Manufacturing and business extension
• Workforce development
• Cooperative development
• Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA)
• Arkansas Wood Manufacturers Association (AWMA)

• Provide office facilities for the recipient supported collocated project managers including office space, computer, software, shared office equipment, and other resources as necessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities associated with the position.
• Allocate 100% of collocated project managers' time, as supported by the recipient's sub-award, devoted to AMS activities as designated by the AMS director.
• Recognize that the collocated project managers are required to comply with recipient's specified performance goals. 
• Work with the recipient to develop and implement new AMS services in the area of business development and growth planning for manufacturers.
• Work with the recipient to identify AMS projects for value-added agricultural products, where appropriate.