Building U.S. Infrastructure by Leveraging Demands for Skills

Summary: Building U.S. Infrastructure by Leveraging Demands for Skills or the BUILDS Act This bill requires the Department of Labor to award implementation or renewal grants, for up to three years and on a competitive basis, to eligible industry or sector partnerships to achieve certain strategic objectives with respect to targeted infrastructure industries (e.g., transportation, construction, energy, information technology, or utilities industries). Such strategic objectives must include:  recruiting key stakeholders in the targeted infrastructure industries; identifying the training needs of multiple businesses in such industries; facilitating actions that lead to economies of scale by aggregating multiple businesses' training and education needs; helping grant recipients who provide career and technical education and training in aligning curricula, entrance requirements, and programs to the targeted infrastructure's needs and required credentials; providing information on grant activities to state agencies to enable them to inform unemployment compensation recipients of employment and training opportunities; and helping partner businesses to attract potential workers from a diverse jobseeker base. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Building U.S. Infrastructure by 
Leveraging Demands for Skills'' or the ``BUILDS Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to promote industry or sector 
partnerships that engage in collaborative planning, resource alignment, 
and training efforts across multiple businesses, for a range of workers 
employed or potentially employed by infrastructure industries, in order 
to encourage industry growth and competitiveness and to improve worker 
training, retention, and advancement.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Career and technical education; career guidance and 
        academic counseling.--The terms ``career and technical 
        education'' and ``career guidance and academic counseling'' 
        have the meanings given such terms in section 3 of the Carl D. 
        Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 
        2302).
            (2) Career pathway.--The term ``career pathway'' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 3 of the Workforce 
        Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an 
        entity that is an industry or sector partnership, or (with 
        respect to an implementation grant) an entity that is in the 
        process of establishing an industry or sector partnership.
            (4) Individual with a barrier to employment; industry or 
        sector partnership; local board.--The terms ``individual with a 
        barrier to employment'', ``industry or sector partnership'', 
        and ``local board'' have the meanings given such terms in 
        section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
            (5) Recognized postsecondary credential; registered 
        apprenticeship program.--The terms ``recognized postsecondary 
        credential'' and ``registered apprenticeship program'' have the 
        meanings given such terms in such section.
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Labor.
            (7) State; state board.--The terms ``State'' and ``State 
        board'' have the meanings given such terms in 3 of the 
        Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
            (8) Targeted infrastructure industry.--The term ``targeted 
        infrastructure industry'' means an industry, including 
        transportation (including surface, transit, aviation, or 
        railway transportation), construction, energy, information 
        technology, or utilities industries, that the eligible entity 
        identifies in accordance with section 5(c) to be served by a 
        grant under this Act.
            (9) Work-based learning program.--The term ``work-based 
        learning program'' means a program (which may be a registered 
        apprenticeship program) that provides workers with paid work 
        experience and corresponding approved classroom instruction, 
        delivered in an employment relationship that both the employer 
        and worker intend to be permanent.

SEC. 4. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary 
of Transportation, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Commerce, 
the Secretary of Education, and the Chief of Engineers and Commanding 
General of the Army Corps of Engineers, shall award, on a competitive 
basis, grants to eligible entities to plan and implement activities to 
achieve the strategic objectives described in section 5(d) with respect 
to a targeted infrastructure industry.
    (b) Grants.--
            (1) Types of grants.--A grant awarded under this Act may be 
        in the form of--
                    (A) an implementation grant, for entities seeking 
                an initial grant under this Act; or
                    (B) a renewal grant for entities that have already 
                received an implementation grant under this Act.
            (2) Duration.--Each grant awarded under this Act shall be 
        for a period not to exceed 3 years.
            (3) Amount.--The amount of a grant awarded under this Act 
        may not exceed--
                    (A) for an implementation grant, $2,500,000; and
                    (B) for a renewal grant, $1,500,000.
    (c) Award Basis.--
            (1) Geographic diversity.--The Secretary shall award grants 
        under this Act in a manner that ensures geographic diversity in 
        the areas in which activities will be carried out under the 
        grants.
            (2) Priority for renewal grants.--In awarding renewal 
        grants under this Act, the Secretary shall give priority to 
        eligible entities that--
                    (A) demonstrate long-term sustainability of an 
                industry or sector partnership; and
                    (B) provide a non-Federal share of the cost of the 
                activities.

SEC. 5. APPLICATION PROCESS.

    (a) In General.--An eligible entity desiring a grant under this Act 
shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, 
including the contents described in subsection (b).
    (b) Contents.--An application submitted under this Act shall 
contain, at a minimum--
            (1) a description of the eligible entity, evidence of the 
        eligible entity's capacity to carry out activities to achieve 
        the strategic objectives described in subsection (d), and the 
        expected participation and responsibilities of each of the 
        partners included in the industry or sector partnership 
        involved;
            (2) a description of the targeted infrastructure industry 
        served by the grant, and a description of how such industry was 
        identified in accordance with subsection (c);
            (3) a description of the workers that will be targeted or 
        recruited by the partnership, including an analysis of the 
        existing labor market, a description of potential barriers to 
        employment for targeted workers, and a description of 
        strategies that will be employed to help workers overcome such 
        barriers;
            (4) a description of the local, State, or federally funded 
        infrastructure projects on which the eligible entity 
        anticipates engaging partners;
            (5) a description of the strategic objectives described in 
        subsection (d) that the eligible entity intends to achieve 
        concerning the targeted infrastructure industry;
            (6) a description of the credentials that the eligible 
        entity proposes to use or develop as a performance measure, to 
        assess the degree to which the eligible entity has achieved 
        such strategic objectives, which credentials--
                    (A) shall be nationally portable;
                    (B) shall be recognized postsecondary credentials 
                or, if not available for the industry, other 
                credentials determined by the Secretary to be 
                appropriate; and
                    (C) shall be related to the targeted infrastructure 
                industry that the eligible entity proposes to support;
            (7) a description of the manner in which the eligible 
        entity intends to make sustainable progress towards achieving 
        such strategic objectives;
            (8) performance measures for measuring progress towards 
        achieving such strategic objectives;
            (9) a description of the Federal and non-Federal resources, 
        available under provisions of law other than this Act, that 
        will be leveraged in support of the partnerships and activities 
        under this Act; and
            (10) a timeline for progress towards achieving such 
        strategic objectives.
    (c) Targeted Infrastructure Industry.--Each grant under this Act 
shall serve a targeted infrastructure industry that is identified by 
the eligible entity through working with businesses, industry 
associations and organizations, labor organizations, State boards, 
local boards, economic development agencies, and other organizations 
that the eligible entity determines necessary.
    (d) Strategic Objectives.--The activities to be carried out under 
each grant awarded under this Act shall be designed to achieve 
strategic objectives that include the following:
            (1) Recruiting key stakeholders in the targeted 
        infrastructure industry, such as multiple businesses, labor 
        organizations, local boards, and education and training 
        providers, including providers of career and technical 
        education, and regularly convening the stakeholders in a 
        collaborative structure that supports the sharing of 
        information, ideas, and challenges common to the targeted 
        infrastructure industry.
            (2) Identifying the training needs of multiple businesses 
        in the targeted infrastructure industry, including--
                    (A) needs for skills critical to competitiveness 
                and innovation in the industry;
                    (B) needs of the registered apprenticeship programs 
                or other work-based learning programs supported by the 
                grant; and
                    (C) needs for the usage of career pathways.
            (3) Facilitating actions that lead to economies of scale by 
        aggregating training and education needs of multiple 
        businesses.
            (4) Helping postsecondary educational institutions, 
        training institutions, sponsors of registered apprenticeship 
        programs, and all other providers of career and technical 
        education and training programs receiving assistance under this 
        Act, align curricula, entrance requirements, and programs to 
        the targeted infrastructure industry needs and the credentials 
        described in subsection (b)(6), particularly for higher skill, 
        high-priority occupations related to the targeted 
        infrastructure industry.
            (5) Providing information on the grant activities to the 
        State agency carrying out the State program under the Wagner-
        Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. 49 et seq.), including staff of the 
        agency that provide services under such Act, to enable the 
        agency to inform recipients of unemployment compensation of the 
        employment and training opportunities that may be offered 
        through the grant activities.
            (6) Helping partner businesses in industry or sector 
        partnerships to attract potential workers from a diverse 
        jobseeker base, including individuals with barriers to 
        employment, by identifying any such barriers through analysis 
        of the labor market and implementing strategies to help such 
        workers overcome such barriers.

SEC. 6. ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under this 
Act shall--
            (1) designate an entity in the industry or sector 
        partnership as the fiscal agent for the grant funds; and
            (2) carry out activities described in subsections (b) (as 
        applicable), (c), and (d) to achieve the strategic objectives 
        identified in the entity's application under section 5(b)(5), 
        in a manner that integrates services and funding sources to 
        ensure effectiveness of the activities and that uses the grant 
        funds efficiently.
    (b) Planning Activities.--An eligible entity receiving an 
implementation grant under this Act shall use not more than $250,000 of 
the grant funds to carry out planning activities during the first year 
of the grant period. Such activities may include--
            (1) establishing the industry or sector partnership;
            (2) convening key stakeholders as identified in the 
        application process;
            (3) conducting outreach to local businesses and business 
        associations; or
            (4) conducting an evaluation of workforce needs in the 
        local area.
    (c) Business Engagement.--An eligible entity receiving a grant 
under this Act shall use the grant funds to provide services to engage 
businesses in efforts to achieve the strategic objectives identified in 
the entity's application under section 5(b)(5). The services may 
include assisting businesses--
            (1) in navigating the registration process for a sponsor of 
        a registered apprenticeship program;
            (2) by connecting the business with an education provider, 
        including a provider of career and technical education, to 
        develop classroom instruction to complement on-the-job 
        learning;
            (3) in developing the curriculum design of a work-based 
        learning program;
            (4) in employing workers participating in a work-based 
        learning program for a transitional period before a business 
        hires the worker for full-time employment not less than 30 
        hours a week;
            (5) in providing training to managers and front-line 
        workers to serve as trainers or mentors to workers 
        participating in a work-based learning program;
            (6) in providing career awareness activities, such as 
        career guidance and academic counseling; and
            (7) in recruiting, for participation in a work-based 
        learning program, individuals eligible to receive additional 
        workforce or human services, including--
                    (A) individuals participating in programs under the 
                Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
                3101 et seq.), and the amendments made by such Act, 
                including to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
                701 et seq.);
                    (B) recipients of assistance through the 
                supplemental nutrition assistance program established 
                under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 
                et seq.);
                    (C) recipients of assistance through the program of 
                block grants to States for temporary assistance for 
                needy families established under part A of title IV of 
                the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.); or
                    (D) any other individuals with a barrier to 
                employment.
    (d) Support Services.--The eligible entity receiving a grant under 
this Act shall use the grant funds to provide services to support the 
success of individuals described in subsection (c)(7) who are 
participating in a work-based learning program for a period of not less 
than 12 months. Such services may include the following:
            (1) Pre-employment services.--Services, provided in a pre-
        employment stage of the program, to expand access to a work-
        based learning program for individuals described in subsection 
        (c)(7). Such services may include--
                    (A) skills training;
                    (B) career and technical education;
                    (C) initial assessments;
                    (D) providing work attire and necessary tools for a 
                work site;
                    (E) wrap-around services, such as child care and 
                transportation; and
                    (F) job placement assistance.
            (2) Early employment services.--Services provided to 
        individuals described in subsection (c)(7) who are 
        participating in a work-based learning program during their 
        first 6 months of employment through such program, to assure 
        the individuals succeed in the program. Such services may 
        include--
                    (A) ongoing case management and support services, 
                including the services provided in the pre-employment 
                stage described in paragraph (1);
                    (B) continued skills training, including career and 
                technical education, conducted in collaboration with 
                employers of such individuals;
                    (C) additional mentorship and retention supports 
                for such individuals;
                    (D) targeted training for frontline managers, 
                journey level workers working with such individuals 
                (such as mentors), and human resource representatives 
                within the business where such individuals are placed; 
                and
                    (E) subsidized wages and benefits for a period of 
                not more than 6 months, during which the eligible 
                entities shall serve as the employers of record of such 
                individuals.
            (3) Employment services.--Services to ensure the 
        individuals described in paragraph (2) maintain employment in 
        the work-based learning program for at least 12 months. The 
        services shall include support necessary to complete the work-
        based learning program, such as continuation of mentoring and 
        support services provided under paragraph (2).
    (e) Evaluation and Progress Reports.--Not later than 1 year after 
receiving a grant under this Act, and annually thereafter, the eligible 
entity receiving the grant shall submit a report to the Secretary and 
the Governor of the State that the eligible entity serves, that--
            (1) describes the activities funded by the grant; and
            (2) evaluates the progress the eligible entity has made 
        towards achieving the strategic objectives identified under 
        section 5(b)(5).
    (f) Administrative Costs.--An eligible entity may use not more than 
5 percent of the funds awarded through a grant under this Act for 
administrative expenses in carrying out this section.

SEC. 7. ADMINISTRATION BY THE SECRETARY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary may use not more than 10 percent of 
the amount appropriated under section 8 for each fiscal year for 
administrative expenses to carry out this Act, including the expenses 
of providing the technical assistance and oversight activities under 
subsection (b).
    (b) Technical Assistance; Oversight.--The Secretary shall provide 
technical assistance and oversight to assist the eligible entities in 
applying for and administering grants awarded under this Act.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act.