Oct. 3, 2011 Allard Beutel Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 allard.beutel@nasa.gov Dina Reider-Hicks Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast 321-638-2000 DReider-Hicks@SpaceCoastEDC.org RELEASE: 35-11 NASA AND EDC RENEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's Kennedy Space Center and the Economic Development Commission (EDC) of Florida's Space Coast are formally renewing their economic development partnership. NASA and EDC managers signed a new five-year Space Act Agreement on Monday at Kennedy that outlines economic development cooperation aimed at supporting NASA's current and future missions. "The Kennedy Space Center appreciates our relationship with the EDC of Florida's Space Coast and looks forward to continuing our strong partnership with this agreement," said Kennedy Space Center Director Robert Cabana. "It's the people of the Space Coast that have made Kennedy a success over the decades, and it's our hope that working with the EDC and other partners will help us and the surrounding communities continue to be successful." The agreement calls for NASA and EDC senior leadership to meet regularly to discuss economic development matters of mutual interest. Managers from Kennedy's Center Planning and Development Office will work with the EDC on potential business partnerships and meet with business leaders and committees to address space-related and high-tech economic development. They will also collaborate with the EDC on industry recruitment initiatives seeking targeted space-related and high-tech companies and on targeted industry outreach activities, such as trade shows. EDC officials will assist NASA with disseminating information about potential partnership opportunities and space-related and high-tech economic development, and increase awareness of Kennedy's Engineering and Technology Directorate collaboration initiatives. They also will promote the commercial use of underutilized facilities at Kennedy. "The continuation of this agreement further enhances the partnership between the EDC and Kennedy Space Center," said Bob Whelen, Chairman of the Board for the Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast. "This agreement reinforces our joint goal of maintaining and enhancing Brevard County's vigorous activity in support of the nation's preeminent gateway to space." NASA and the EDC entered into their first economic cooperation agreement in 2005. For information about the Economic Development Commission (EDC) of Florida's Space Coast, visit: http://www.spacecoastedc.org For information about how to partner and do business with NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit: http://kscpartnerships.ksc.nasa.gov And for more information about Kennedy, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy -end- To subscribe to the list, send a message to: ksc-subscribe@newsletters.nasa.gov To remove your address from the list, send a message to: ksc-unsubscribe@newsletters.nasa.gov
