Sec. 2108. Test beds
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/bill/117/hr/4521/eas/section-2108A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
From amounts made available for the Directorate, the Director, in coordination with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Secretary of Energy, and other Federal agencies, as determined appropriate by the Director, shall establish a program in the Directorate to make awards, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, or consortia (as defined in section 2104(a)(7)(C)) to establish and operate test beds, which may include fabrication facilities and cyberinfrastructure, to advance the development, operation, integration, deployment, and, as appropriate, demonstration of new, innovative technologies in the key technology focus areas, which may include hardware or software.
In establishing new test beds under this section, the Director shall ensure coordination with other test beds supported by the Foundation or other Federal agencies to avoid duplication and maximize the use of Federal resources. An applicant for an award under this section shall submit a proposal to the Director, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may reasonably require. The proposal shall, at a minimum, describe— the technology or technologies that will be the focus of the test bed; and the goals of the work to be done at the test bed; how the applicant will assemble a workforce with the skills needed to operate the test bed; how the applicant will ensure broad access to the test bed; how the applicant will collaborate with firms in the key technology focus areas, including through coordinated research and development and funding, to ensure that work in the test bed will contribute to the commercial viability of any technologies and will include collaboration from industry and labor organizations; how the applicant will encourage the participation of inventors and entrepreneurs and the development of new businesses; how the applicant will increase participation by populations that are underrepresented in STEM; how the applicant will demonstrate that the commercial viability of any new technologies will support the creation of high-quality domestic jobs; how the test bed will operate after Federal funding has ended; how the test bed will disseminate lessons and other technical information to United States entities or allied or partner country entities in the United States; and how the applicant plans to take measures to prevent the inappropriate use of research results, data, and intellectual property, as applicable and consistent with the requirements of the award.
A recipient of an award under this section may, in order to achieve the purposes described in subsection (a), use the award for the purchase of equipment and for the support of students, faculty and staff, and postdoctoral researchers. In selecting award recipients under this section, the Director shall give priority to applicants with proposals that maximize the geographic diversity of test beds. The Director, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, and the heads of other Federal departments and agencies, or their designees, with test bed related equities shall hold an annual meeting to coordinate their respective test bed related investments, future plans, and other appropriate matters, to avoid conflicts and duplication of efforts.
Upon request by Congress, Congress shall be briefed on the results of the meetings.