Sec. 10534. Agency responsibilities
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/bill/117/hr/4521/eh/section-10534·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
In consultation with outside stakeholders and the heads of the Federal science agencies, the Director shall develop a uniform set of policy guidelines for Federal science agencies to carry out a sustained program of outreach activities to increase clarity, transparency, and accountability for Federal science agency investments in STEM education and research activities at HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs. In developing policy guidelines under subsection
(a)the Director shall include guidelines that require each Federal science agency— to designate a liaison for HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs responsible for— enhancing direct communication with HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs to increase the Federal science agency’s understanding of the capacity and needs of such institutions and to raise awareness of available Federal funding opportunities at such institutions; coordinating programs, activities, and initiatives while accounting for the capacity and needs of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs; tracking Federal science agency investments in and engagement with HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs; and reporting progress toward increasing participation of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs in grant programs; to publish annual forecasts of funding opportunities and proposal deadlines, including for grants, contracts, subcontracts, and cooperative agreements; to conduct on-site reviews of research facilities at HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs, as practicable, and make recommendations regarding strategies for becoming more competitive in research; to hold geographically accessible or virtual workshops on research priorities of the Federal science agency and on how to write competitive grant proposals and how to bolster grant management capacity for the entire grant lifecycle, from application to completion; to ensure opportunities for HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs to directly communicate with Federal science agency officials responsible for managing competitive grant programs in order to receive feedback on research ideas and proposals, including guidance on the Federal science agency’s peer review process; to foster mutually beneficial public-private collaboration among Federal science agencies, industry, Federal laboratories, academia, and nonprofit organizations to— identify alternative sources of funding for STEM education and research at HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs; provide access to high-quality, relevant research experiences for students and faculty of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs; expand the professional networks of students and faculty of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs; broaden STEM educational opportunities for students and faculty of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs; and support the transition of students of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs into the STEM workforce; and to publish an annual report that provides an account of Federal science agency investments in HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs, including data on the level of participation of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs as prime recipients/contractors or subrecipients/subcontractors. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director, in collaboration with the head of each Federal science agency, shall submit to Congress a report containing a strategic plan for each Federal science agency to increase the capacity of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs to compete effectively for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements and to encourage HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs to participate in Federal programs. In developing a strategic plan under paragraph (1), the Director and each head of each Federal science agency shall consider— issuing new or expanding existing funding opportunities targeted to HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs; modifying existing research and development program solicitations to incentivize effective partnerships with HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs; offering planning grants for HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs to develop or equip grant offices with the requisite depth of knowledge to submit competitive grant proposals and manage awarded grants; offering additional training programs and individualized and timely guidance to grant officers faculty and postdoctoral researchers at HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs to ensure they understand the requirements for an effective grant proposal; and other approaches for making current competitive funding models more accessible for under-resourced HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs. Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and every 5 years thereafter, the Director shall report to Congress on the implementation by Federal science agencies of the policy guidelines developed under this section.