Military Readiness and Cost Savings Act

To direct the Secretary of Defense to enter into a contract with an eligible institution to carry out research and education activities relating to military painting. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Military Readiness and Cost Savings Act 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 ( Public Law 107–314 oversee and coordinate efforts throughout the Department of Defense to prevent and mitigate corrosion of the military equipment and infrastructure of the Department (2) Corrosion of the equipment and infrastructure of the Department of Defense (referred to in this section as the Department (3) Chemical-agent-resistant-coatings, which help to protect military vehicles and equipment from chemical and biological weapons and severe environmental conditions that cause corrosion, can range in price from $100 to $800 per gallon. With approximately 3,760 assets of varying sizes painted at a typical Department depot per year, such coatings comprise a significant annual cost category for the operation of the facility and the maintenance of military assets, according to analysis from the Southwest Research Institute. (4) Military painter training and certification helps reduce waste and rework of military assets, reducing the costs associated with the application of chemical-agent-resistant-coatings. For example, one military painter training and certification provider helped Letterkenny Army Depot use 8,100 fewer gallons of such coatings per year, saving the depot $500,000 per year through improved transfer efficiency and reduced rework, according to the Southwest Research Institute. (5) The Senate Report accompanying S. 1519 (115th Congress; the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018) included language recognizing the importance of military painter training, noting that paint training programs can save the Department time and funding resources by using advanced technology and equipment along with hands-on training to effectively apply coatings and reduce waste. Additionally, increasing coating transfer efficiency and preventing corrosion and rework can improve asset readiness (6) Investing in military painter and coating training and certification programs helps improve military readiness, increases safety for service members, and reduces paint costs. It is prudent for Congress to invest in research that will foster innovations in those areas. (7) The importance of corrosion resistance goes beyond Department assets. Across nearly every sector, corrosion is expensive and poses a safety risk to users. For example, decaying roads and bridges cost the United States economy $5,000,000,000 a year, according to the National Association of Corrosion Engineers. Congress has a duty to pair Federal infrastructure investment with corrosion management to ensure new and existing public infrastructure is built to last. (8) The proper application of anticorrosion coatings requires a high degree of knowledge and skill. According to the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, a poorly executed corrosion prevention project will leave an asset unprotected, increase costs to repair or replace all or parts of it, and irresponsibly use taxpayer dollars. Using trained and certified painters is the most effective way to ensure assets are truly protected from corrosion. 3. National center for military painter training and applied research (a) Establishment Chapter 131 section 2228 2228a. National Center for Military Painter Training and Applied Research (a) In general The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Office of Corrosion Policy and Oversight, shall seek to enter into a contract with an eligible institution under which the institution will carry out the functions described in subsection (c). (b) Designation The Secretary shall designate the institution that is awarded a contract under subsection (a) as the National Center for Military Painting and Applied Research Center (c) Functions The Center shall— (1) serve as a testing facility for the application of new paint coatings developed by industry-leading research and development facilities; (2) partner with industry to assess the efficacy of specific blends of chemical-agent-resistant coating powder on certain military assets to assure maximum cost efficiency, coating effectiveness, and quality finish; (3) expand training and certification programs for military painters to covered facilities that have an ongoing, unmet need for such programs; (4) develop new teaching tools, which may include the use of virtual reality technology to enable trainees to simulate the painting of a variety of military assets; (5) develop online learning modules for training military painters in the use of liquid and powder coatings; (6) explore the adoption of automated painting technologies while recognizing that the repair of certain military assets is best performed manually; (7) provide on-site consultation and technical assistance at covered facilities to maximize cost efficiency, quality assurance, and operational effectiveness in painting and coating operations; and (8) conduct outreach to servicemembers at covered facilities, in coordination with Department of Defense and any appropriate skilled labor organizations, employers, and industry organizations with specialties in corrosion and painting, to raise awareness of military painter career opportunities and any related industrial and commercial painting apprenticeship opportunities for Veterans. (d) Contract procedures A contract under subsection (a) shall be awarded in accordance with full and open competition (as that term is defined in chapter 1 (e) Provision of services for Coast Guard The Secretary of Defense may enter into an agreement with the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating under which the Center may provide, with or without reimbursement for the cost thereof, training and other assistance to the Coast Guard in accordance with subsection (c). (f) Annual report Not later than September 30 of each year covered by the contract under subsection (a), the Center shall submit to the Director of the Office of Corrosion Policy and Oversight a report that describes the progress of the Center in carrying out the functions described in subsection (c), including the progress of the Center in— (1) expanding training programs for military painters; and (2) conducting applied research relating to military painting. (g) Definitions In this section: (1) The term eligible institution (A) as of the date of the enactment of this section, provides military painter training programs that lead to a certification that is recognized by the Department of Defense; (B) demonstrates the ability to establish sustainable military painter operations at multiple covered facilities, including on military bases and depots; (C) has a proven ability to scale a military painter training program to meet the needs of multiple covered facilities, including by developing or expanding a certified train-the-trainer program; (D) demonstrates experience in developing and managing a military painter training and certification program that has proven success in achieving cost savings and unit readiness through training in the prevention and control of corrosion; and (E) possesses the facilities and equipment necessary to conduct applied research on the efficacy of military paint composites and coatings and the transfer efficiency of such composites and coatings. (2) The term covered facilities (A) the facilities of the Department of Defense, including the facilities of— (i) the Armed Forces; (ii) the reserve components, including the National Guard; and (iii) the Army Corps of Engineers; and (B) subject to an agreement under subsection (e), the facilities of the Coast Guard. (h) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section— (1) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2020; and (2) $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2023. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2228 the following new item: 2228a. National Center for Military Painter Training and Applied Research. .

Summary: Military Readiness and Cost Savings Act This bill directs the Department of Defense to seek to enter into a contract with an institution&#8212;to be designated as the National Center for Military Painting and Applied Research&#8212;to serve as a resource for testing paint coatings for military assets and developing training tools and programs concerning military painting and coating. The bill includes authority to enter into an agreement to provide these services to the Coast Guard.