Boston — Today, the Healey-Driscoll administration launched the Massachusetts Tariff Response and Business Operations Support Initiative (TRBO) to align state resources to aid Massachusetts businesses in response to President Donald Trump’s recent tariff policies and the ongoing uncertainty they cause for consumers and businesses across the country.
TRBO, launched in partnership with the quasi-public economic development agency Massachusetts Technology Collaborative through its Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM), will assist Massachusetts manufacturers’ response to new and changing tariffs. It includes a survey for companies to share how they are impacted by the tariffs so that the state can help them develop response plans, identify their continuity needs, and connect them to alternative supply chains here in Massachusetts and across the region.
“In Massachusetts, we will not abandon our manufacturers the way that President Trump has by waging a trade war against our allies that is increasing costs for everyone and hurting American businesses,” said Governor Maura Healey. “My administration has partnered with businesses from Day One and, in this time of uncertainty, I want to do all I can to safeguard the manufacturing sector and mitigate market fluctuations.”
“Through TRBO, we will work with business leaders, community stakeholders and talented people from across the manufacturing sector to ensure that Massachusetts stays the course through these challenging times,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Despite what is happening at the federal level, we are working around the clock to build a path forward so we can keep goods moving and protect jobs no matter what.”
The TRBO initiative follows Governor Healey’s multiple convenings and meetings with businesses and business leaders about the impact of President’s Trump’s policies, including tariffs, on the Massachusetts economy. This includes a business roundtable held April 9 with leaders of prominent organizations representing hundreds of businesses of all sizes and spanning all industries across the state, as well as representatives from the manufacturing, finance and contracting industries.
“TRBO represents a concrete path forward to better understand and assess the impacts of the tariffs in Massachusetts so that we can advance our manufacturing capacity and support businesses in need,” said Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao. “Every day, businesses are working hard to pay their bills, deliver services and support their workers. The recent efforts by the Trump administration have thrown businesses into limbo. Massachusetts has weathered these storms before and is fortunate to have the expertise, knowledge and capacity to meet these challenging times.”
“MassTech will assist the Healey-Driscoll administration as we implement an effective plan to ease the pressures on our manufacturing sector,” said Massachusetts Technology Collaborative CEO Carolyn Kirk. “The TRBO initiative will rely on the efforts of CAM, which is tapped into a strong network of businesses, academic institutions and local governments, working together to build a resilient manufacturing ecosystem.”
TRBO is built on four critical focus areas:
- T – Tariff Impact Analysis: Monitoring how tariffs are impacting Massachusetts-based manufacturers through data collection
- R – Response Strategy Development: Facilitating resources from the ecosystem to support plans to mitigate risks
- B – Business Continuity Support: Coordinating and aligning partners with available state or ecosystem resources
- O – Operations Support for Supply Chain Resiliency: Supporting adaptability of supply chains in new tariff environments
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