Success Story Powered by Statewide New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership Member MTEC
Bayshore, NY based Qualitech-Aerospace Corporation on Long Island is a 5-person manufacturing business dedicated to advanced parts manufacturing and engineering throughout the United States with advanced machining capability with the ability to reverse engineer mid-sized mechanical parts and build them with a variety of materials. In order to keep his business thriving and growing, Mr. Reynaldo Zapata, Founder and CEO of the company, needed to secure a Department of Defense (DOD) contract. In order to win the contract, Qualitech needed to be meet cybersecurity protocols for the DOD and Northrop Grumman and they needed to do it quickly.
MEP’s Role
Qualitech turned to NYMEP Manufacturing and Technology Enterprise Center (MTEC) in Highland, NY, part of the New York State Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the MEP National Network™ and a group with expertise in cybersecurity, particularly as it relates to the Department of Defense. MTEC worked with Qualitech and the company was able to secure a grant through the NYS Cybersecurity Assistance Grant in September 2020. This grant was targeted to help small manufacturers with limited resources secure DOD contracts through training and financial assistance to conduct cybersecurity assessments within their companies.
The first recommendation was to ask his prime client to delay compliance, giving Qualitech a three-week extension to meet the NIST 800-171 guidelines for DOD suppliers. This afforded MTEC three weeks to assess all Qualitech’s cyber risks following the DOD’s most stringent cybersecurity guidelines, fix a subset of failed cybersecurity controls specified by their client, and provide dates when Qualitech will be in full compliance. With the imminent Qualitech’s need to be compliant, the MTEC cybersecurity team developed a plan to execute what is normally a two-month process into a three-week delivery sprint. With only a part-time IT person, Reynaldo had to get up to speed and fully understand the requirements and deficiencies himself. At the conclusion of the intensive three-week project, Qualitech submitted the required cybersecurity documentation and proof to their prime client. Qualitech’s client subsequently approved them to submit bids for DOD contracts. By the end of November an Rey notified MTEC that their company had won their first contract to the tune of $77,000.00 with Northrop.
“Hey, I wanted to let you know that I just won my first Northrop contract. I’m so happy and wanted to thank you and to let the rest of the staff know how much I appreciate your help.”
Results:
- Qualitech became compliant with NIST 800-171 cybersecurity guidelines as they relate to Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Systems and Organizations
- Qualitech was able to secure a lucrative DOD contract based on their capabilities and compliance to DoD cybersecurity controls
