Michigan looks to double DOD dollars
U.S. defense contracting dollars are on the upswing in Michigan, thanks to efforts made by the Pentagon and by Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
U.S. defense contracting dollars are on the upswing in Michigan, thanks to efforts made by the Pentagon and by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, according to a column today by Tom Walsh of the .The volume of defense contracts landed with assistance from Defense Department Procurement Technical Assistance Centers in Michigan was $500 million for the first nine months of 2008, in comparison to $315 million in 2007, Walsh writes.In addition, the governor hired retired U.S. Marine Corps Major Gen. Bradley Lott a year ago to be the first director of a new entity, Michigan's Defense Contract Coordination Center. His mission is to help Michigan win a larger share of military and homeland security contracts.Lott's goal is to increase total defense contracting in Michigan to $2 billion by 2010, from $1 billion last year.