Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

For Immediate Release: September 8, 2020

New Data Tools Offer In-Depth Insight to Grow Hawaii’s Second Largest Economic Sector

HONOLULU—The State of Hawaii’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) announced the launch of its Hawaii Defense Economy (HDE) website, which includes updated data, information and resources about Hawaii’s second largest economic sector, national defense. Local businesses can utilize the new data tools and information to improve their understanding of Hawaii’s military spending and contract trends, as well as access resources to explore and better engage in local defense contracting opportunities.

“A bright spot in Hawaii’s economy is the military defense industry, which is a vital economic driver that benefits all four counties,” said Mike McCartney, director of DBEDT. “In 2018, defense spending contributed $7.2 billion to our state’s economy – $4.9 billion in payroll and $2.3 billion in contracts – accounting for 7.7 percent of our GDP. During the current COVID 19 pandemic, defense spending in Hawaii has remained stable, sustaining 49,000 local jobs including more than 30,000 through federal contracts awarded to local businesses, statewide. This has helped to buffer some of the negative impact to our economy with the downturn in tourism.”

Updated on a regular basis, the HDE website offers current and comprehensive spending information and economic impact data tools, including: defense spending by state and county; top products and services; industry trends; sub-award growth and flows; and other defense economy analysis reports. In addition to providing customizable data, the website also includes links to small business resources, contract requirement information, and a list of industry partners that offer valuable assistance and information for local businesses interested in learning more about federal military contracts and potential partnership opportunities.

The HDE website is only one component of DBEDT’s Hawaii Defense Economy project. The purpose of the project is to improve the communities’ understanding and support for Hawaii’s defense industry, as well as work toward building our state’s economic resiliency. The multi-year, phased project is also anticipated to include technical assistance, workforce development initiatives, and industry diversification resources to further strengthen Hawaii’s defense economy and resiliency.

For more information about the Hawaii Defense Economy project, and to access updated data and information about Hawaii’s military defense sector, visit defenseeconomy.hawaii.gov.

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About Hawaii Defense Economy
The Hawaii Defense Economy project is developed by the State of Hawaii through the Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) with the support from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) – Office of Economic Adjustment. The project uses data from DoD contracts and grants awarded to the state of Hawaii to better understand the defense industry supply chain and improve the state’s response to future changes in military requirements and spending levels.

About the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT)
DBEDT is Hawaii’s resource center for economic and statistical data, business development opportunities, energy and conservation information, and foreign trade advantages. DBEDT’s mission is to achieve a Hawaii economy that embraces innovation and is globally competitive, dynamic and productive, providing opportunities for all Hawaii’s citizens. Through its attached agencies, the department fosters planned community development, creates affordable workforce housing units in high-quality living environments, and promotes innovation sector job growth.

Media Contact:
John Greene
Business Development and Support Division
Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism
defenseeconomy.hawaii.gov

Lea Okudara
808-729-6766