Sec. 404. Network for manufacturing innovation
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The National Institute of Standards and Technology Act ( 15 U.S.C. 271 et seq. ) is amended— by redesignating section 34 as section 36; and by inserting after section 33 ( 15 U.S.C. 278r ) the following: The Secretary shall establish within the Institute a program to be known as the Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program (referred to in this section as the Program ). The purposes of the Program are— to improve the competitiveness of United States manufacturing and to increase domestic production; to stimulate United States leadership in advanced manufacturing research, innovation, and technology; to facilitate the transition of innovative technologies into scalable, cost-effective, and high-performing manufacturing capabilities; to facilitate access by manufacturing enterprises to capital-intensive infrastructure, including high-performance computing, in order to improve the speed with which such enterprises commercialize new processes and technologies; to accelerate the development of an advanced manufacturing workforce; to facilitate peer exchange of and the documentation of best practices in addressing advanced manufacturing challenges; and to leverage non-Federal sources of support to promote a stable and sustainable business model without the need for long-term Federal funding.
The Secretary, acting through the Director, shall carry out the purposes set forth in paragraph
(2)by supporting— the Network for Manufacturing Innovation established under subsection (b); and the establishment of centers for manufacturing innovation. The Secretary shall carry out the Program through the Director. As part of the Program, the Secretary shall establish a network of centers for manufacturing innovation. The network established under paragraph
(1)shall be known as the Network for Manufacturing Innovation (referred to in this section as the Network ). For purposes of this section, a center for manufacturing innovation is a center that— has been established by a person to address challenges in advanced manufacturing and to assist manufacturers in retaining or expanding industrial production and jobs in the United States; has a predominant focus on a manufacturing process, novel material, enabling technology, supply chain integration methodology, or another relevant aspect of advanced manufacturing, as determined by the Secretary, with the potential— to improve the competitiveness of United States manufacturing; to accelerate investment in advanced manufacturing production capacity in the United States; and to enable the commercial application of new technologies or industry-wide manufacturing processes; and includes active participation among representatives from multiple industrial entities, research universities, community colleges, and such other entities as the Secretary considers appropriate, which may include career and technical education schools, Federal laboratories, State, local, and tribal governments, businesses, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations. Activities of a center for manufacturing innovation may include the following: Research, development, and demonstration projects, including proof-of-concept development and prototyping, to reduce the cost, time, and risk of commercializing new technologies and improvements in existing technologies, processes, products, and research and development of materials to solve pre-competitive industrial problems with economic or national security implications. Development and implementation of education and training courses, materials, and programs. Development of innovative methodologies and practices for supply chain integration and introduction of new technologies into supply chains. Outreach and engagement with small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, in addition to large manufacturing enterprises. Such other activities as the Secretary, in consultation with Federal departments and agencies whose missions contribute to or are affected by advanced manufacturing, considers consistent with the purposes described in subsection (a)(2). The National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute and pending manufacturing centers under interagency review shall be considered centers for manufacturing innovation. In carrying out the Program, the Secretary shall award financial assistance to a person to assist the person in planning, establishing, or supporting a center for manufacturing innovation. A person seeking financial assistance under paragraph
(1)shall submit to the Secretary an application therefor at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. In soliciting applications for financial assistance under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure an open process that will allow for the consideration of all applications relevant to advanced manufacturing regardless of technology area. In awarding financial assistance under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall use a competitive, merit review process. In awarding financial assistance under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, acting through the National Program Office established under subsection (e)(1), collaborate with Federal departments and agencies whose missions contribute to or are affected by advanced manufacturing. In selecting a person who submitted an application under paragraph
(2)for an award of financial assistance under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider, at a minimum, the following: The potential of the center for manufacturing innovation to advance domestic manufacturing and the likelihood of economic impact in the predominant focus areas of the center for manufacturing innovation. The commitment of continued financial support, advice, participation, and other contributions from non-Federal sources to provide leverage and resources to promote a stable and sustainable business model without the need for long-term Federal funding. How the center for manufacturing innovation will engage with small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, to improve the capacity of such enterprises to commercialize new processes and technologies. How the center for manufacturing innovation will carry out educational and workforce activities that meet industrial needs related to the predominant focus areas of the center for manufacturing innovation. How the center for manufacturing innovation will advance economic competitiveness. How the center for manufacturing innovation will strengthen and leverage the assets of a region. No award of financial assistance may be made under paragraph
(1)to a center of manufacturing innovation after the 7-year period beginning on the date on which the Secretary first awards financial assistance to a center under such paragraph. The Secretary shall establish or designate, within the Institute, an Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office (referred to in this section as the National Program Office ), which shall oversee and carry out the Program. The functions of the National Program Office are— to oversee the planning, management, and coordination of the Program; to enter into memorandums of understanding with Federal departments and agencies, whose missions contribute to or are affected by advanced manufacturing, to carry out the purposes described in subsection (a)(2); to develop, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Authorization Act of 2014 , and update not less frequently than once every 3 years thereafter, a strategic plan to guide the Program; to establish such procedures, processes, and criteria as may be necessary and appropriate to maximize cooperation and coordinate of the activities of the Program with programs and activities of other Federal departments and agencies whose missions contribute to or are affected by advanced manufacturing; to establish a clearinghouse of public information related to the activities of the Program; and to act as a convener of the Network. In developing and updating the strategic plan under paragraph (2)(C), the Secretary shall solicit recommendations and advice from a wide range of stakeholders, including industry, small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, research universities, community colleges, and other relevant organizations and institutions. The Secretary shall transmit the strategic plan required under paragraph (2)(C) to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives. The Secretary shall ensure that the National Program Office incorporates the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership into Program planning to ensure that the results of the Program reach small and medium-sized entities. Any Federal Government employee may be detailed to the National Program Office without reimbursement. Such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege. The Secretary shall require recipients of financial assistance under subsection (d)(1) to annually submit a report to the Secretary that describes the finances and performance of the center for manufacturing innovation for which such assistance was awarded. Each report submitted under subparagraph
(A)shall include— an accounting of expenditures of amounts awarded to the recipient under subsection (d)(1); and a description of the performance of the center for manufacturing innovation with respect to— its goals, plans, financial support, and accomplishments; and how the center for manufacturing innovation has furthered the purposes described in subsection (a)(2). Not less frequently than once each year, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that describes the performance of the Program during the most recent 1-year period. Each report submitted under subparagraph
(A)shall include, for the period covered by the report— a summary and assessment of the reports received by the Secretary under paragraph (1); an accounting of the funds expended by the Secretary under the Program; and an assessment of the Program with respect to the purposes described in subsection (a)(2). Not less frequently than once every 3 years, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress an assessment of the operation of the Program during the most recent 3-year period. Each assessment submitted under subparagraph
(A)shall include, for the period covered by the report— a review of the management, coordination, and industry utility of the Program; an assessment of the extent to which the Program has furthered the purposes described in subsection (a)(2); and such recommendations for legislative and administrative action as the Comptroller General considers appropriate to improve the Program. The Secretary may appoint such personnel and enter into such contracts, financial assistance agreements, and other agreements as the Secretary considers necessary or appropriate to carry out the Program including support for research and development activities involving a center for manufacturing innovation. The Secretary may transfer to other Federal agencies such sums as the Secretary considers necessary or appropriate to carry out the Program. In the event that the Secretary exercises the authority to transfer funds to another agency under paragraph (2), such agency may award and administer all aspects of financial assistance awards under this section. In furtherance of the purposes of the Program, the Secretary may use, with the consent of a covered entity and with or without reimbursement, the land, services, equipment, personnel, and facilities of such covered entity. In addition to amounts appropriated to carry out the Program, the Secretary may accept funds, services, equipment, personnel, and facilities from any covered entity to carry out the Program. For purposes of this subsection, a covered entity is any Federal department, Federal agency, instrumentality of the United States, State, local government, tribal government, territory or possession of the United States, or of any political subdivision thereof, or international organization, or any public or private entity or individual. Chapter 18 of title 35, United States Code, shall not apply if financial assistance is awarded under this section solely for the purpose of planning, establishing, or supporting new or existing centers for manufacturing innovation. There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund to be known as the Network for Manufacturing Innovation Fund (referred to in this paragraph as the Fund ). There shall be deposited in the Fund, which shall constitute the assets of the Fund, amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to carry out the Program. Amounts deposited in the Fund shall be available to the Secretary, at the discretion of the Secretary, or the Secretary’s delegee, to carry out the Program without further appropriation and without fiscal year limitation. There is authorized to be appropriated $600,000,000 to the Secretary to carry out this section. The Secretary may use not more than 5 percent of the amounts appropriated pursuant to paragraph
(2)to pay the salaries, expenses, and other administrative costs incurred by the Secretary under this section. .
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