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State OEA grant funds pilot to commercialize defense technologies; ExCel hired, regional rep named
Summary
St. Mary's County staff reported that a Southern Maryland pilot project funded by an OEA grant has hired the firm ExCel and that DBEDT has named Jeffrey Arrington as the regional representative to coordinate outreach to Navy technology transfer offices.
County staff reported updates on a multi‑county pilot project to commercialize defense technologies funded through a federal Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) grant administered by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBEDT).
Robin (EDC staff) said the project, which covers three Southern Maryland counties, has hired a consultant named ExCel to carry out the initial work on patent and technology inventories and to identify commercial possibilities. DBEDT has also appointed a regional representative for the grant, Jeffrey Arrington, who will be housed at the Tri‑County Council office in Hughesville and will help coordinate meetings with technology transfer staff at the region's Navy installations — Patuxent River, Dahlgren, Indian Head and the Naval Research Laboratory — and with local economic‑development staff.
Robin said the state will use OEA funding for a broader, statewide supply‑chain analysis tied to defense spending to trace prime contractors, subcontractors and sub‑subcontractors. That analysis is intended to reveal where federal defense dollars flow, which firms are headquartered in neighboring states, and where opportunities may exist for Maryland firms to capture more defense‑related contracting.
Robin told commissioners the regional pilot and statewide work will produce a SWOT analysis and inform the SEDS effort. Staff intends to introduce Jeffrey Arrington to the commission in a future meeting.
Robin also described collaboration with Dr. (name in transcript as) Dempwolf on a cluster analysis; staff said the two studies should dovetail but focus at different levels (patent level vs. firm level).
Separately, staff described an ongoing Maryland Startup Maryland pitch bus event and an upcoming manufacturing forum; those items were presented as outreach and engagement opportunities rather than formal actions.
