Jenniffer Gonzalez Supports the DDEC in a Federal Proposal to Strengthen the Local Bioindustrial Sector

Press Release

Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón welcomed the announcement that the United States Economic Development Administration (EDA) selected the proposal from the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC) as one of the sixty (60) finalists to participate in a pledge of up to $100 million to strengthen regional industrial centers for the bioindustrial sector, focused on pharmaceutical products and medical devices. As part of this selection they will receive a $500,000 grant to take the necessary steps to move to Part 2 of the proposal.

This is part of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge, aimed at promoting transformational investments to develop and strengthen regional industry clusters across the nation, while embracing economic fairness, creating good-paying jobs and improving the competitiveness of United States world level.

In Puerto Rico, a coalition in the northwestern region of Puerto Rico, led by the DDEC, has presented its proposal with the aim of addressing the issue of innovation in the local bioindustrial sector, focused on pharmaceutical products and medical devices. "Although bioindustries represent approximately 45 percent of Puerto Rico's GDP, it faces challenges with training for workforce development, efficient maintenance of logistics systems, and challenges of warehouse and loading infrastructure," "The culmination of this proposal would entail a development that could be applied at the level of the entire Island in the effort to strengthen the nation's supply chain for pharmaceutical products and medical equipment."

If an implementation grant is provided, the Biological Manufacturing Nucleus of Northwest Puerto Rico proposes to carry out seven projects to support the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, including the construction of warehouse facilities, the construction of loading access roads, the development of workforce development programs and the creation of an industry-wide logistics system.

The selection announcement for the next phase is expected in March 2022. EDA will allocate funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) proclamation to support communities as they recover from the pandemic to help create new jobs and opportunities, including through the creation or expansion of a new industrial sector.

The projects represent industry sectors that are unique to each region, including advanced manufacturing; aerospace and defense; agriculture and natural resources; biotechnology and biomanufacturing; energy and resilience; health care and digital health; information technology; transport; construction and logistics; and water and ocean economics.

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