ENC Tech Bridge hosts state economic development advocates at FRCE

HeatherWilburn Fleet Readiness Center East

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRYPOINT,N.C. Withaneyeonthe futuregrowthofFleetReadinessCenterEast (FRCE)anditspotentialtopositivelyimpact thearea’seconomy,morethan30economic development leaders from across North CarolinatouredthedepotMay11.

Hosted by the Eastern North Carolina (ENC) Tech Bridge at FRCE, the visiting members of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina learned moreabouttheTechBridgeanditsmission to bridge the gap between the Navy and nontraditional partners like small businesses, academia and nonprofits During a brieftourofFRCE,theyalsohadtheopportunity to get a firsthand look at the depot’s militaryaircraftmaintenanceoperations.

FRCE Executive Director Mark Meno provided the group with an overview of FRCE’s history and transformation from a World War II-era aviation repair depot withjustafewdozenemployeestoanorga- nization with more than 4,000 employees who provides touch labor, logistics support and engineering services at the depot’s five detachmentsandtoforward-deployedunits throughouttheworld.

“FRC East is more a capability than a location,” Meno said “Our skilled labor is what sets us apart, and we can send teams ofartisans,logisticiansandengineersoutto locationsaroundtheworld.WhentheFleet can’tcometousforservice,wecantakethe servicetotheFleet We’reabletoprovidethe world-classserviceourwarfightersdepend on,nomatterwhenorwheretheyneedus.

TheEconomicDevelopmentPartnership ofNorthCarolinafocusesonrecruitingnew businesses to the state and supporting the needs of existing businesses, along with connecting exporters to global customers and helping small business owners. ENC Tech Bridge Director Jamaine Clemmons said the visit provided the perfect venue to familiarize these economic development advocates with the important role FRCE playsinthelocaleconomy,andtheprospects the ENC Tech Bridge presents for growth andadvancement “We’reexcitedtonetworkwitheconomic developmentleaderswithinNorthCarolina and introduce them to FRC East and the ENC Tech Bridge, Clemmons said. “This was agreat opportunity to discusstheTech Bridge’scoreinitiativesandlaythegroundworkforfuturepartnershipsaswecontinue tofosterinnovationandcollaborationinour region, in order to meets the needs of the Fleetacrosstheglobe.”

The ENC Tech Bridge works to build an ecosystemofinnovationtosupporttheNavy and Marine Corps with a focus on several areas of consideration, including manufacturing and repair technologies; advanced manufacturing; big data, data analytics and visualization; technical insertion; augmented and mixed reality; automation and robotics; and soft and wicked problem solving The ENC Tech Bridge operates in conjunction with a partnership between Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) and CravenCounty

As part of a NavalX network, 18 Tech Bridges aim to bridge the gap between the

Navy and emerging entities like startups small businesses academia, nonprofits and private capital that aren’t traditionally part of the Navy’s development and acquisition process.TheTechBridgeframeworkallows theNavytocollaboratewithnontraditional partners and accelerate the innovation timeline in ways that traditional acquisition methods do not. This structure eases the collaboration process and allows the Navy to leverage the speed and efficiency improvementsthesenontraditionalpartners haveexperiencedinrecentyears ultimately putting assets in the hands of the nation’s warfighters significantly faster, at a more economicalrate

FRCE is North Carolina’s largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, with more than 4,000 civilian, military and contract workers. Its annualrevenueexceeds$1billion.Thedepot providesservicetothefleetwhilefunctioning as an integral part of the greater U.S. Navy; Naval Air Systems Command; and Commander,FleetReadinessCenters