I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2034 
To provide for the establishment and operation of Advanced Composites 
Development Centers. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 16, 2013 
Mr. MICHAUD (for himself, Ms. TSONGAS, Mr. PALAZZO, Mr. LIPINSKI, and 
Mr. CONYERS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the 
Committees on Homeland Security, Armed Services, and Transportation 
and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide for the establishment and operation of Advanced 
Composites Development Centers. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Advanced Composites 
Development Act of 2013’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress makes the following findings: 
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(1) Compared to traditional metals and woods, 
reinforced composite materials are lightweight, cor-
rosion resistant, high strength, and durable. 
(2) Because of their intrinsic physical qualities, 
composites have the ability to address national prior-
ities in infrastructure, energy, defense, and natural 
disaster mitigation with innovative solutions. 
(3) To this end, research on advancement in 
composite material development, new applications 
for composites, or advanced manufacturing processes 
serves a critical national interest. 
SEC. 3. ADVANCED COMPOSITES DEVELOPMENT CENTERS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of De-
fense, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
carry out a program to improve our Nation’s trans-
portation infrastructure, advance the technologies 
used to produce alternative energy, enhance our 
military security, and develop new disaster mitiga-
tion systems by making grants to consortia to estab-
lish and operate Advanced Composites Development 
Centers. In doing so, they shall work with stake-
holders to identify problems that can be solved over 
a period of 5 years through the development of an 
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(i) the proposed partnership agree-
ment, including the governance and man-
agement structure of the Center; 
(ii) measures to enable cost-effective 
implementation of the program under this 
section; 
(iii) a proposed budget, including fi-
nancial contributions from non-Federal 
sources; 
(iv) conflict of interest procedures 
consistent with subsection (d)(2), all 
known material conflicts of interest, and 
corresponding mitigation plans; and 
(v) an accounting structure that en-
ables the Secretary to ensure that the con-
sortium has complied with the require-
ments of this section; and 
(C) operate as a nonprofit organization. 
(2) APPLICATION.—A consortium seeking to es-
tablish and operate a Center under this section, act-
ing through a prime applicant, shall transmit to the 
Secretary an application at such time, in such form, 
and accompanied by such information as the Sec-
retary shall require, including a detailed description 
of the elements of the consortium agreement re-
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quired under paragraph (1)(B). If the consortium 
members will not be located at one centralized loca-
tion, such application shall include a communica-
tions plan that ensures close coordination and inte-
gration of the Center’s activities. 
(c) SELECTION AND SCHEDULE.— 
(1) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall select 
consortia for grants for the establishment and oper-
ation of Centers through competitive selection proc-
esses. In selecting consortia, the Secretary shall con-
sider— 
(A) the information a consortium must dis-
close according to subsection (b); 
(B) any existing facilities a consortium will 
provide for Center activities; 
(C) experience in design, prototyping, and 
testing advanced composites; 
(D) existing ISO 17025 certification; 
(E) experience and achievements working 
with the private sector and commercializing 
composite materials technologies; and 
(F) opportunities to leverage previous sup-
port that a member of the consortium has re-
ceived from the Department or Departments 
awarding the grant, the National Institute of 
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Standards and Technology, or the National 
Science Foundation to research, develop, dem-
onstrate, or commercialize an advanced com-
posite. 
(2) SCHEDULE.—Grants made for the estab-
lishment and operation of a Center shall be for a pe-
riod not to exceed 5 years, after which the grant 
may be renewed, subject to a competitive selection 
process. 
(d) CENTER OPERATIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Centers shall conduct or 
provide for multidisciplinary, collaborative research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial appli-
cation of advanced composites technologies within 
the technology development focus area or areas des-
ignated for the Center by the Secretary under sub-
section (a)(2). Each Center shall— 
(A) encourage collaboration and commu-
nication among the member qualifying entities 
of the consortium and awardees by conducting 
activities whenever practicable at one central-
ized location; 
(B) develop and publish on the website of 
the Department or Departments of the desig-
nating Secretary proposed plans and programs; 
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(C) submit an annual report to the Sec-
retary summarizing the Center’s activities, in-
cluding detailing organizational expenditures 
and describing each project undertaken by the 
Center; and 
(D) monitor project implementation and 
coordination. 
(2) CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.— 
(A) PROCEDURES.—Centers shall establish 
conflict of interest procedures, consistent with 
those of the Department or Departments of the 
designating Secretary, to ensure that employees 
and consortia designees for Center activities 
who are in decisionmaking capacities disclose all 
material conflicts of interest, including finan-
cial, organizational, and personal conflicts of in-
terest. 
(B) 
DISQUALIFICATION
AND
REVOCA-
TION.—The Secretary may disqualify an appli-
cation or revoke funds distributed to a Center 
if the Secretary discovers a failure to comply 
with conflict of interest procedures established 
under subparagraph (A). 
(e) OVERSIGHT BOARD.—Each Secretary described 
in subsection (a)(1) shall establish and maintain within 
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its Department an Oversight Board to oversee the 
progress of Centers. 
(f) PRIORITY CONSIDERATION.—The Secretary shall 
give priority consideration to applications in which 1 or 
more of the institutions comprising the applicant consor-
tium are 1890 Land Grant Institutions (as defined in sec-
tion 2 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Edu-
cation Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7061)), Predomi-
nantly Black Institutions (as defined in section 318 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059e)), Tribal 
Colleges or Universities (as defined in section 316(b) of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)), 
or Hispanic Serving Institutions (as defined in section 318 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059e)). 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
(1) ADVANCED COMPOSITES.—The term ‘‘ad-
vanced composites’’ means polymer matrix composite 
materials, including synthetic and natural fibers, as 
well as synthetic and bio-based resins, used in struc-
tural, load-bearing applications. These materials 
may be enhanced with nano-additives, and may be 
used in combination with traditional and other ad-
vanced materials. 
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