of serious and exploitable vulnerabilities, as well as a substantial reduction in the number of suppliers compliant with Department of Defense requirements, and thereby ineligible to provide products and services to the Department of Defense. (7) The Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership is well positioned to aid suppliers of the Department of Defense in complying with cybersecurity requirements of the Department to ensure adequate security to protect controlled unclassified information relevant to defense manufacturing supply chains. 3. Assistance for small manufacturers in the defense industrial supply chain on matters relating to cybersecurity (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Center The term Center has the meaning given such term in section 25(a) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act ( 15 U.S.C. 278k(a) ). (2) Director The term Director means the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. (3) Resources The term resources means guidelines, tools, best practices, standards, methodologies, and other ways of providing information. (4) Small business concern The term small business concern means a small business concern as that term is used in section 3 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 632 ). (5) Small manufacturer The term small manufacturer means a small business concern that is a manufacturer. (6) State The term State means each of the several States, Territories, and possessions of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (b) Dissemination of cybersecurity resources (1) In general The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in partnership with the Secretary of Defense and acting through the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, shall take such actions as may be necessary to address a widespread lack of awareness of cybersecurity threats among small manufacturers in the defense industrial supply chain. (2) National reach The Director shall ensure that efforts to increase awareness