Federal Highway Administration

MEP has been formally partnering with the DOT since 2010 in the conduct of Supplier Scouting pilots for several DOT Administrations. In Supplier Scouting, MEP identifies U.S. manufacturers that potentially have the capabilities, capacities, and business interests to satisfy difficult supply chain sourcing issues for federal agencies and OEMs. For DOT and other federal agencies that have included the U.S. Department of Energy and NIST, MEP Supplier Scouting has included a focus on ensuring compliance with Buy American and Buy America provisions associated with specific federal procurements.

Consistent with the MEP mission of assisting U.S. manufacturers in strategically implementing business growth initiatives that enhance their competitiveness, MEP partnered with DOTs Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to conduct a number of Supplier Scouting pilot projects. In these Supplier Scouting pilots, MEP Seeks to identify U.S. manufacturers that are potentially capable of satisfying compliance with applicable Buy America provisions. This collaboration will also utilize MEP's Supplier Scouting processes to help inform the FHWA about U.S. manufacturing capabilities and capacities to potentially be able to produce new technologies and emerging products needed by the highway system.