To award grants to establish Advanced Multidisciplinary Computing Software Centers, which shall conduct outreach, technology transfer, development, and utilization programs in specific industries and geographic regions for the benefit of small and medium-sized manufacturers and businesses.

Summary: Blue Collar Computing and Business Assistance Act of 2007 - Directs the Under Secretary of Technology of the Department of Commerce to award grants to eligible entities (any nonprofit, consortium of nonprofits, or partnership between a for-profit and a nonprofit) to establish up to five Advanced Multidisciplinary Computing Software Centers throughout the United States.

Requires each Center to conduct: (1) general outreach to small businesses and manufacturers in all industry sectors within the geographic region assigned to the Center by the Under Secretary; and (2) technology transfer, development, and utilization programs for businesses throughout the United States in the specific industry sector assigned to the Center by the Under Secretary.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Blue Collar Computing and Business 
Assistance Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. ADVANCED MULTIDISCIPLINARY COMPUTING SOFTWARE CENTERS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Advanced multidisciplinary computing software center; 
        center.--The terms ``Advanced Multidisciplinary Computing 
        Software Center'' and ``Center'' mean a center created by an 
        eligible entity with a grant awarded under subsection (b).
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means 
        any--
                    (A) nonprofit organization;
                    (B) consortium of nonprofit organizations; or
                    (C) partnership between a for-profit and a 
                nonprofit organization.
            (3) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit 
        organization'' means any organization that--
                    (A) is described in section 501(c)(3) of the 
                Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
                    (B) is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of 
                such Code.
            (4) Small business or manufacturer.--The terms ``small 
        business or manufacturer'' and ``small business and 
        manufacturer'' have the meaning given the term ``small business 
        concern'' in section 3(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
        632(a)), including a small manufacturing concern.
            (5) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means 
        the Under Secretary for Technology of the Department of 
        Commerce.
    (b) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall award grants to 
        eligible entities to establish up to 5 Advanced 
        Multidisciplinary Computing Software Centers throughout the 
        United States.
            (2) Purposes.--Each Center established with grant funds 
        awarded under paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) conduct general outreach to small businesses 
                and manufacturers in all industry sectors within the 
                geographic region assigned to the Center by the Under 
                Secretary; and
                    (B) conduct technology transfer, development, and 
                utilization programs for businesses throughout the 
                United States in the specific industry sector assigned 
                to the Center by the Under Secretary.
            (3) Application.--
                    (A) In general.--Each eligible entity desiring a 
                grant under this subsection shall submit an application 
                to the Under Secretary at such time, in such manner, 
                and accompanied by such additional information as the 
                Under Secretary may reasonably require.
                    (B) Publication in federal register.--Not later 
                than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
                the Under Secretary shall publish the application 
                requirements referred to in subparagraph (A) in the 
                Federal Register.
                    (C) Contents.--Each application submitted under 
                subparagraph (A) shall--
                            (i) conform to the requirements prescribed 
                        by the Under Secretary under this paragraph; 
                        and
                            (ii) contain a proposal for the allocation 
                        of the legal rights associated with any 
                        invention that may result from the activities 
                        of the proposed Center.
                    (D) Selection criteria.--In evaluating each 
                application submitted under subparagraph (A) on the 
                basis of merit, the Under Secretary shall consider--
                            (i) the extent to which the eligible 
                        entity--
                                    (I) has a partnership with 
                                nonprofit organizations, businesses, 
                                software vendors, and academia 
                                recognized for relevant expertise in 
                                its selected industry sector;
                                    (II) uses State-funded academic 
                                supercomputing centers and universities 
                                or colleges with expertise in the 
                                computational needs of the industry 
                                assigned to the eligible entity under 
                                paragraph (2)(B);
                                    (III) has a history of working with 
                                small businesses and manufacturers;
                                    (IV) has experience providing 
                                educational programs aimed at helping 
                                organizations adopt the use of high-
                                performance computing and computational 
                                science;
                                    (V) has partnerships with education 
                                or training organizations that can help 
                                educate future workers on the 
                                application of computational science to 
                                industry needs;
                                    (VI) is accessible to businesses, 
                                academia, incubators, or other economic 
                                development organizations via high-
                                speed networks; and
                                    (VII) is capable of partnering with 
                                small businesses and manufacturers to 
                                enhance the ability of such entities to 
                                compete in the global marketplace;
                            (ii) the ability of the eligible entity to 
                        enter successfully into collaborative 
                        agreements with small businesses and 
                        manufacturers to experiment with new high 
                        performance computing and computational science 
                        technologies; and
                            (iii) such other factors as the Under 
                        Secretary considers relevant.
            (4) Maximum amount.--The Under Secretary may not award a 
        grant under this subsection in an amount which exceeds 
        $5,000,000 for any year of the grant period.
            (5) Duration.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided under 
                subparagraph (B), a grant may not be awarded under this 
                subsection for a period exceeding 5 years.
                    (B) Renewal.--The Under Secretary may renew any 
                grant awarded under this subsection.
            (6) Matching requirement.--
                    (A) In general.--The Under Secretary may not award 
                a grant under this subsection unless the eligible 
                entity receiving such grant agrees to provide not less 
                than 50 percent of the capital and annual operating and 
                maintenance funds required to create and maintain the 
                Center established with such grant funds.
                    (B) Funding from other federal, state, or local 
                government agencies.--The funds provided by the 
                eligible entity under subparagraph (A) may include 
                amounts received by the eligible entity from the 
                Federal Government (other than the Department of 
                Commerce), a State, or a unit of local government.
            (7) Limitation on administrative expenses.--The Under 
        Secretary may establish a reasonable limitation on the portion 
        of each grant awarded under this subsection that may be used 
        for administrative expenses or other overhead costs.
            (8) Fees and alternative funding sources authorized.--
                    (A) In general.--A Center established with a grant 
                awarded under this subsection may, in accordance with 
                regulations established by the Under Secretary--
                            (i) collect a nominal fee from a small 
                        business or manufacturer for a service provided 
                        under this section, if such fee is utilized for 
                        the budget and operation of the Center; and
                            (ii) accept financial assistance from the 
                        Federal Government (other than the Department 
                        of Commerce) for capital costs and operating 
                        budget expenses.
                    (B) Condition.--Any Center receiving financial 
                assistance from the Federal Government (other than the 
                Department of Commerce) may be selected, and if 
                selected shall be operated, in accordance with this 
                section.
    (c) Use of Funds.--Grant funds received under subsection (b) shall 
be used for the benefit of businesses in the industry sector designated 
by the Under Secretary under subsection (b)(2)(B) to--
            (1) create a repository of nonclassified, nonproprietary 
        new and existing federally funded software and algorithms;
            (2) test and validate software in the repository;
            (3) determine when and how the industry sector it serves 
        could benefit from resources in the repository;
            (4) work with software vendors to commercialize repository 
        software and algorithms from the repository;
            (5) make software available to small businesses and 
        manufacturers where it has not been commercialized by a 
        software vendor;
            (6) help software vendors, small businesses, and 
        manufacturers test or utilize the software on high-performance 
        computing systems; and
            (7) maintain a research and outreach team that will work 
        with small businesses and manufacturers to aid in the 
        identification of software or computational science techniques 
        which can be used to solve challenging problems, or meet 
        contemporary business needs of such organizations.
    (d) Reports and Evaluations.--
            (1) Annual report.--Each eligible entity that receives a 
        grant under subsection (b) shall submit an annual report to the 
        Under Secretary that describes--
                    (A) the goals of the Center established by the 
                eligible entity; and
                    (B) the progress made by the eligible entity in 
                achieving the purposes described in subsection (b)(2).
            (2) Evaluation.--The Under Secretary shall establish a peer 
        review committee, composed of representatives from industry and 
        academia, to review the goals and progress made by each Center 
        during the grant period.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        $25,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012 to 
        carry out this section.
            (2) Availability.--Funds appropriated pursuant to paragraph 
        (1) shall remain available until expended.