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103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 626

To establish a Small Business Manufacturing Extension Service, and for

other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 26, 1993

Mr. OLVER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee

on Science, Space, and Technology

A BILL

To establish a Small Business Manufacturing Extension

Service, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Small Business Manu5 facturing Extension Act of 1993’’.

6 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

7 The Director of the National Institute of Standards

8 and Technology (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Director’’)

9 shall establish a Small Business Manufacturing Extension
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1 Service (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Extension Serv2 ice’’).

3 SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

4 The purpose of the Extension Service shall be to co5 ordinate and improve efforts to help small and medium6 sized manufacturers to increase their competitiveness and

7 efficiency through improved equipment, processes, and

8 practices. In order to achieve such purpose, the Extension

9 Service shall—

10 (1) assess the needs of manufacturers;

11 (2) serve as a central clearinghouse, in order to

12 make available to such manufacturers in a coordi13 nated manner relevant Federal and other resources,

14 including—

15 (A) available manufacturing equipment

16 and processes encompassing the highest level of

17 technology appropriate to the manufacturer;

18 (B) appropriate energy efficiency tech19 nologies;

20 (C) technologies and practices to achieve

21 waste reduction;

22 (D) workforce development programs and

23 other educational resources;
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1 (E) modern management techniques to im2 prove productivity, quality, and customer satis3 faction; and

4 (F) financing; and

5 (3) encourage sources of credit by informing

6 lending institutions of appropriate opportunities for

7 investment in the manufacturing industry and by

8 matching lending institutions with manufacturers.

9 SEC. 4. EXTENSION OFFICES.

10 (a) PUBLIC NOTICE.—Within 6 months after the

11 date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall issue a

12 public notice soliciting applications under this section.

13 (b) ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.—Eligible applicants for

14 grants under this section shall be regional groups that

15 shall include substantial participation by private manufac16 turing industries and may include—

17 (1) educational institutions;

18 (2) Manufacturing Technology Centers estab19 lished under section 25 of the National Institute of

20 Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k);

21 (3) Small Business Development Centers;

22 (4) lending institutions;

23 (5) labor organizations; and

24 (6) State and local government officials.
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1 (c) APPLICATIONS.—Each application under this sec2 tion shall outline a strategy for efficiently accomplishing

3 the purpose stated in section 3 through one or more exten4 sion agents, who shall be full-time employees and may be

5 located at educational institutions, State or local agencies,

6 or nonprofit organizations.

7 (d) GRANTS.—Within one year after the date of en8 actment of this Act, the Director shall award grants on

9 a competitive basis to at least—

10 (1) 50 applicants; or

11 (2) one half of the bona fide applicants under

12 this section,

13 for establishing extension offices. Each such grant shall

14 be for a period of 2 years.

15 SEC. 5. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

16 Within 3 years after the date of enactment of this

17 Act, and at least once every 2 years thereafter, the Direc18 tor shall submit a report to Congress evaluating the effec19 tiveness of the Extension Service.

20 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

21 There are authorized to be appropriated to the Direc22 tor for carrying out this Act $120,000,000 for the period

23 encompassing fiscal years 1994 through 1998.

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