To amend the Department of Energy High-End Computing Revitalization Act of 2004 to improve the high-end computing research and development program of the Department of Energy, and for other purposes.

Summary: Department of Energy High-End Computing Act of 2012 - Amends the Department of Energy High-End Computing Revitalization Act of 2004 with respect to: (1) exascale computing (computing system performance at or near 10 to the 18th power floating point operations per second); and (2) a high-end computing sytem with performance substantially exceeding that of systems commonly available for advanced scientific and engineering applications.

Directs the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to: (1) coordinate the development of high-end computing systems across DOE; and (2) include among the multiple architectures researched any computer technologies that show promise of substantial reductions in power requirements and substantial gains in parallelism of multicore processors, concurrency, memory and storage, bandwidth, and reliability.

Repeals authority for establishment of at least one High-End Software Development Center.

Directs the Secretary to conduct a coordinated research program to develop one or more exascale computing systems to advance DOE missions. Requires establishment through competitive merit review of two or more DOE National Laboratory-industry partnerships to conduct integrated research, development, and engineering of one or more prototype exascale systems.

Requires the Secretary to conduct mission-related co-design activities in developing prototype exascale platforms. Defines "co-design" as the joint development of application algorithms, models, and codes with computer technology architectures and operating systems to maximize effective use of high-end computing systems.

Directs the Secretary to develop any advancements in hardware and software technology required to realize fully the potential of an exascale production system in addressing DOE target applications and solving scientific problems involving predictive modeling and simulation and large-scale data analytics and management.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Energy High-End 
Computing Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 2 of the Department of Energy High-End Computing 
Revitalization Act of 2004 (15 U.S.C. 5541) is amended by striking 
paragraphs (1) through (5) and inserting--
            (1) Co-design.--The term ``co-design'' means the joint 
        development of application algorithms, models, and codes with 
        computer technology architectures and operating systems to 
        maximize effective use of high-end computing systems.
            (2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
        Department of Energy.
            (3) Exascale.--The term ``exascale'' means computing system 
        performance at or near 10 to the 18th power floating point 
        operations per second.
            (4) High-end computing system.--The term ``high-end 
        computing system'' means a computing system with performance 
        that substantially exceeds that of systems that are commonly 
        available for advanced scientific and engineering applications.
            (5) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (6) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory'' 
        means any one of the seventeen laboratories owned by the 
        Department.
            (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.

SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HIGH-END COMPUTING RESEARCH AND 
              DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

    Section 3 of the Department of Energy High-End Computing 
Revitalization Act of 2004 (15 U.S.C. 5542) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``program'' and 
        inserting ``coordinated program across the Department'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ``vector'' and all 
        that follows through ``architectures'' and inserting ``computer 
        technologies that show promise of substantial reductions in 
        power requirements and substantial gains in parallelism of 
        multicore processors, concurrency, memory and storage, 
        bandwidth, and reliability''; and
            (3) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
    ``(d) Exascale Computing Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
        coordinated research program to develop one or more exascale 
        computing systems to advance the missions of the Department.
            ``(2) Execution.--The Secretary shall through competitive 
        merit review establish two or more National Laboratory-industry 
        partnerships to conduct integrated research, development, and 
        engineering of one or more prototype exascale systems, and--
                    ``(A) conduct mission-related co-design activities 
                in developing such prototype exascale platforms; and
                    ``(B) develop those advancements in hardware and 
                software technology required to fully realize the 
                potential of an exascale production system in 
                addressing Department target applications and solving 
                scientific problems involving predictive modeling and 
                simulation and large-scale data analytics and 
                management.
            ``(3) Administration.--In carrying out this program, the 
        Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) provide, on a competitive, merit-reviewed 
                basis, access for researchers in United States 
                industry, institutions of higher education, National 
                Laboratories, and other Federal agencies to these 
                exascale systems, as appropriate; and
                    ``(B) conduct outreach programs to increase the 
                readiness for the use of such platforms by domestic 
                industries, including manufacturers.
            ``(4) Reports.--
                    ``(A) Integrated strategy and program management 
                plan.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress, not 
                later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the 
                Department of Energy High-End Computing Act of 2012, a 
                report outlining an integrated strategy and program 
                management plan, including target dates for 
                prototypical and production exascale platforms, interim 
                milestones to reaching these targets, functional 
                requirements, roles and responsibilities of National 
                Laboratories and industry, acquisition strategy, and 
                estimated resources required, to achieve this exascale 
                system capability.
                    ``(B) Status reports.--At the time of the budget 
                submission of the Department for each fiscal year, the 
                Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that 
                describes the status of milestones and costs in 
                achieving the objectives of the exascale computing 
                program.''.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 4 of the Department of Energy High-End Computing 
Revitalization Act of 2004 (15 U.S.C. 5543) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``this Act'' and inserting ``section 
        3(d)''; and
            (2) by striking paragraphs (1) through (3) and inserting 
        the following:
                    (A) $110,000,000 for fiscal year 2013;
                    (B) $195,000,000 for fiscal year 2014; and
                    (C) $260,000,000 for fiscal year 2015.