114 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall continue 
the Facility Operation Transition pilot program for 
a total of 5 years. 
(2) COST
SHARING.—The Facility Operation 
Transition program shall provide funding for 10–50 
percent of the operations and maintenance costs for 
major research facilities that are within the first five 
years of operation, where the share is determined 
based on— 
(A) the operations and maintenance costs 
of the major research facility; and 
(B) the capacity of the managing direc-
torate or division to absorb such costs. 
(3) REPORT.—After the fifth year of the pilot 
program, the Director shall transmit a report to 
Congress that includes— 
(A) an assessment, that includes feedback 
from the research community, of the effective-
ness of the pilot program for— 
(i) supporting research directorates 
and divisions in balancing investments in 
research grants and funding for the initial 
operation and maintenance of major facili-
ties;
115 
(ii) incentivizing the development of 
new world-class facilities; 
(iii) facilitating interagency and inter-
national partnerships; 
(iv) funding core elements of multi- 
disciplinary facilities; and 
(v) 
supporting 
facility 
divestment 
costs; and 
(B) if deemed effective, a plan for perma-
nent implementation of the pilot program. 
(b) REVIEWS.—The Director shall periodically carry 
out reviews within each of the directorates and divisions 
to assess the cost and benefits of extending the operations 
of research facilities that have exceeded their planned 
operational lifespan. 
(c) HELIUM CONSERVATION.— 
(1) MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION SUP-
PORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall sup-
port, through the Major Research Instrumenta-
tion program, proposal requests that include 
the purchase, installation, operation, and main-
tenance of equipment and instrumentation to 
reduce consumption of helium.
116 
(B) COST
SHARING.—The Director may 
waive the cost-sharing requirement for helium 
conservation measures for non-Ph.D.-granting 
institutions of higher education and Ph.D.- 
granting institutions of higher education that 
are not ranked among the top 100 institutions 
receiving Federal research and development 
funding, as documented by the National Center 
for Science and Engineering Statistics. 
(2) ANNUAL REPORT.—No later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act and annually 
for the subsequent two years, the Director shall sub-
mit an annual report to Congress on the use of 
funding awarded by the Foundation for the purchase 
and conservation of helium. The report should in-
clude— 
(A) the volume and price of helium pur-
chased; 
(B) changes in pricing and availability of 
helium; and 
(C) any supply disruptions impacting a 
substantial number of institutions. 
(d) ADVANCED COMPUTING.— 
(1) COMPUTING
NEEDS.—To gather informa-
tion about the computational needs of Foundation-
117 
funded projects, the Director shall require grant pro-
posals submitted to the Foundation, as appropriate, 
to include estimates of computational resource needs 
for projects that require use of advanced computing. 
The Director shall encourage and provide access to 
tools that facilitate the inclusion of these measures, 
including those identified in the 2016 Academies re-
port entitled ‘‘Future Directions for NSF Advanced 
Computing Infrastructure to Support U.S. Science 
and Engineering in 2017–2020’’. 
(2) REPORTS.—The Director shall document 
and publish every two years a summary of the 
amount and types of advanced computing capabili-
ties that are needed to fully meet the Foundation’s 
project needs as identified under paragraph (1). 
(3) ROADMAP.—To set priorities and guide 
strategic decisions regarding investments in ad-
vanced computing capabilities, the Director shall de-
velop, publish, and regularly update a 5-year ad-
vanced computing roadmap that— 
(A) describes the advanced computing re-
sources and capabilities that would fully meet 
anticipated project needs, including through in-
vestments in the Mid-Scale Research Infra-
118 
structure program and the Major Research 
Equipment and Facilities Construction account; 
(B) draws on community input, informa-
tion contained in research proposals, allocation 
requests, 
insights 
from 
Foundation-funded 
cyber-infrastructure operators, and Foundation- 
wide information gathering regarding commu-
nity needs; 
(C) considers computational needs of 
planned major facilities; 
(D) reflects anticipated technology trends; 
(E) informs users and potential partners 
about future facilities and services; 
(F) addresses the needs of groups histori-
cally underrepresented in STEM and geo-
graphic regions with low availability and high 
demand for advanced computing resources; 
(G) considers how Foundation-supported 
advanced computing capabilities can be lever-
aged for activities through the Directorate for 
Science and Engineering Solutions; and 
(H) provides an update to Congress about 
the level of funding necessary to fully meet 
computational resource needs for the research 
community.
119 
(4) SECURING
AMERICAN
RESEARCH
FROM 
CYBER THEFT.— 
(A) 
NETWORKING
AND
INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY
RESEARCH
AND
DEVELOPMENT 
UPDATE.—Section 101(a)(1) of the High-Per-
formance Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 
5511) is amended— 
(i) by moving the margins of subpara-
graphs (D) and (J) through (O) two ems 
to the left; 
(ii) by redesignating subparagraphs 
(J) through (O) as subparagraphs (K) 
through (P), respectively; and 
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph 
(I) the following: 
‘‘(J) provide for improving the security, reli-
ability, and resiliency of computing and networking 
systems used by institutions of higher education and 
other nonprofit research institutions for the proc-
essing, storage and transmission of sensitive feder-
ally funded research and associated data;’’. 
(B) COMPUTING
ENCLAVE
PILOT
PRO-
GRAM.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—The Director, in 
consultation with the Director of the Na-
122 
operate the secure computing enclave 
in a research setting; 
(IV) develop a system security 
plan template; and 
(V) develop a process for man-
aging a plan of action and milestones 
for the secure computing enclave. 
(v) 
DURATION.—Subject 
to 
other 
availability of appropriations, the pilot pro-
gram established pursuant to clause (i) 
shall operate for not less than 3 years. 
(vi) REPORT.— 
(I) IN GENERAL.—The Director 
shall report to Congress not later than 
6 months after the completion of the 
pilot program under clause (i). 
(II) CONTENTS.—The report re-
quired under subclause (I) shall in-
clude— 
(aa) an assessment of the 
pilot program under clause (i), 
including an assessment of the 
security benefits provided by such 
secure computing enclaves;
123 
(bb) recommendations re-
lated to the value of expanding 
the network of secure computing 
enclaves; and 
(cc) recommendations on the 
efficacy of the use of secure com-
puting enclaves by other Federal 
agencies in a broader effort to 
expand security of Federal re-
search. 
(vii) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to the Director, $38,000,000 for 
fiscal years 2022 through 2024, to carry 
out the activities outlined in this section. 
(e) NATIONAL SECURE DATA SERVICE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director, in consulta-
tion with the Chief Statistician of the United States, 
shall establish a demonstration project to develop, 
refine and test models to inform the full implemen-
tation of the Commission on Evidence-Based Policy-
making recommendation for a government-wide data 
linkage and access infrastructure for statistical ac-
tivities conducted for statistical purposes, as defined 
in chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code.
124 
(2) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than one year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director 
shall establish a National Secure Data Service dem-
onstration project. The National Secure Data Serv-
ice demonstration project shall be— 
(A) aligned with the principles, best prac-
tices, and priority actions recommended by the 
Advisory Committee on Data for Evidence 
Building, to the extent feasible; and 
(B) operated directly by or via a contract 
that is managed by the National Center for 
Science and Engineering Statistics. 
(3) DATA.—In carrying out this subsection, the 
Director shall engage with Federal and State agen-
cies to collect, acquire, analyze, report, and dissemi-
nate statistical data in the United States and other 
nations to support government-wide evidence-build-
ing activities consistent with the Foundations for 
Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018. 
(4) PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY PROTEC-
TIONS.—If the Director issues a management con-
tract under paragraph (2), the awardee shall be des-
ignated as an ‘‘agent’’ under chapter 35 of title 44, 
United States Code, subchapter III, section 3561 et 
seq., with all requirements and obligations for pro-
125 
tecting confidential information delineated in the 
Confidential Information Protection and Statistical 
Efficiency Act of 2018 and the Privacy Act of 1974. 
(5) TECHNOLOGY.—In carrying out this sub-
section, the Director shall consider application and 
use of systems and technologies that incorporate 
protection measures to reasonably ensure confiden-
tial data and statistical products are protected in ac-
cordance with obligations under chapter 35 of title 
44, United States Code, subchapter III, section 
3561 et seq., including systems and technologies 
that ensure raw data and other sensitive inputs are 
not accessible to recipients of statistical outputs 
from the National Secure Data Service demonstra-
tion project. 
(6) TRANSPARENCY.—The National Secure 
Data Service established under paragraph (2) shall 
maintain a public website with up-to-date informa-
tion on supported projects. 
(7) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the National Secure 
Data Service demonstration project established 
under paragraph (2) shall submit a report to Con-
gress that includes—
126 
(A) a description of policies for protecting 
data, consistent with applicable Federal law; 
(B) a comprehensive description of all 
completed or active data linkage activities and 
projects; 
(C) an assessment of the effectiveness of 
the demonstration project for mitigating risks 
and removing barriers to a sustained implemen-
tation of the National Secure Data Service as 
recommended by the Commission on Evidence- 
Based Policymaking; and 
(D) if deemed effective by the Director, a 
plan for scaling up the demonstration project to 
facilitate data access for evidence building while 
ensuring transparency and privacy. 
(8) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Di-
rector to carry out this subsection $9,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. 
SEC. 9. DIRECTORATE FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 
SOLUTIONS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriated funds, there is established within the Foun-
dation the Directorate for Science and Engineering Solu-
tions to advance research and development solutions to ad-
127 
dress societal and national challenges for the benefit of 
all Americans. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Directorate estab-
lished under subsection (a) is to support use-inspired re-
search, accelerate the translation of Foundation-supported 
fundamental research and to advance technologies, facili-
tate commercialization and use of federally funded re-
search, and expand the pipeline of United States students 
and researchers in areas of societal and national impor-
tance. 
(c) ACTIVITIES.—The Director shall achieve the pur-
poses described in subsection (b) by awarding financial as-
sistance through the Directorate to— 
(1) support transformational advances in use- 
inspired and translational research through diverse 
funding mechanisms and models, including conver-
gence accelerators; 
(2) translate research into science and engineer-
ing innovations, including through developing inno-
vative approaches to connect research with societal 
outcomes, developing approaches to technology 
transfer that do not rely only on traditional market 
and commercialization tools, education and training 
for students and researchers on engaging with end 
users and the public, partnerships that facilitate re-
129 
ferences, targeted incentives and training, and multi-
disciplinary research centers; 
(6) support the education, mentoring, and 
training of undergraduate students, graduate stu-
dents, and postdoctoral researchers in use-inspired 
and translational approaches to research and entre-
preneurship in key focus areas identified under sub-
section (g) through scholarships, fellowships, and 
traineeships; 
(7) support translational research infrastruc-
ture, including platforms and testbeds, data manage-
ment and software tools, and networks and commu-
nication platforms for interactive and collective 
learning and information sharing; 
(8) identify social, behavioral, and economic 
drivers and consequences of technological innova-
tions; and 
(9) ensure the programmatic work of the Direc-
torate and Foundation incorporates a worker per-
spective through participation by labor organizations 
and workforce training organizations. 
(d) ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall appoint 
an Assistant Director responsible for the manage-
130 
ment of the Directorate established under this sec-
tion. 
(2) TERM LIMIT.—The Assistant Director ap-
pointed under paragraph (1) shall serve a term last-
ing no longer than 4 years. 
(3) QUALIFICATIONS.—The Assistant Director 
shall be an individual, who by reason of professional 
background and experience, is specially qualified 
to— 
(A) advise the Director on all matters per-
taining to use-inspired and translational re-
search, development, and commercialization at 
the Foundation, including partnership with the 
private sector and other users of Foundation 
funded research; and 
(B) develop and implement the necessary 
policies and procedures to promote a culture of 
use-inspired and translational research within 
the Directorate and across the Foundation and 
carry out the responsibilities under paragraph 
(4). 
(4) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The responsibilities of 
the Assistant Director shall include— 
(A) advising the Director on all matters 
pertaining to use-inspired and translational re-
131 
search and development activities at the Foun-
dation, including effective practices for conver-
gence research; 
(B) identifying opportunities for and facili-
tating coordination and collaboration, where ap-
propriate, on use-inspired and translational re-
search, development, commercialization, and so-
cietal application activities— 
(i) among the offices, directorates, 
and divisions within the Foundation; and 
(ii) between the Foundation and 
stakeholders in academia, the private sec-
tor, including non-profit entities, labor or-
ganizations, Federal or State agencies, and 
international entities, as appropriate; 
(C) ensuring that the activities carried out 
under this section are not duplicative of activi-
ties supported by other parts of the Foundation 
or other relevant Federal agencies; 
(D) approving all new programs within the 
Directorate; 
(E) developing and testing diverse merit- 
review models and mechanisms for selecting 
and providing awards for use-inspired and 
translational research and development at dif-
132 
ferent scales, from individual investigator 
awards to large multi-institution collaborations; 
(F) assessing the success of programs; 
(G) administering awards to achieve the 
purposes described in subsection (b); and 
(H) performing other such duties per-
taining to the purposes in subsection (b) as are 
required by the Director. 
(5) RELATIONSHIP
TO
THE
DIRECTOR.—The 
Assistant Director shall report to the Director. 
(6) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PROGRAMS.—No 
other directorate within the Foundation shall report 
to the Assistant Director. 
(e) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with the Fed-
eral Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) the 
Director shall establish an advisory committee to as-
sess, and make recommendations regarding, the ac-
tivities carried out under this section. 
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The advisory committee 
members shall— 
(A) be individuals with relevant experience 
or expertise, including individuals from industry 
and national labs, educators, academic subject 
matter experts, including individuals with
133 
knowledge of the technical and social dimen-
sions of science and technology, technology 
transfer experts, labor organizations, and rep-
resentatives of civil society, community organi-
zations, and other nongovernmental organiza-
tions; and 
(B) consist of at least 10 members broadly 
representative of stakeholders, including no less 
than 3 members from the private sector, none 
of whom shall be an employee of the Federal 
Government. 
(3) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Committee shall 
be responsible for— 
(A) reviewing and evaluating activities car-
ried out under this section; and 
(B) assessing the success of the Direc-
torate in and proposing new strategies for ful-
filling the purposes in subsection (b). 
(f) EXISTING PROGRAMS.—The Convergence Accel-
erator, the Growing Convergence Research Big Idea, and 
any other program, at the discretion of the Director, may 
be managed by the Directorate. 
(g) FOCUS AREAS.—In consultation with the Assist-
ant Director, the Board, and other Federal agencies and 
taking into account advice under subsection (e), the Direc-
134 
tor shall identify, and regularly update, up to 5 focus 
areas to guide activities under this section. In selecting 
such focus areas, the Director shall consider the following 
societal challenges: 
(1) Climate change and environmental sustain-
ability. 
(2) Global competitiveness and domestic job 
creation in critical technologies. 
(3) Cybersecurity. 
(4) National security. 
(5) STEM education and workforce. 
(6) Social and economic inequality. 
(h) TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTES.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Director may award 
grants and cooperative agreements to institutions of 
higher education, or consortia thereof, for the plan-
ning, establishment, and support of Technology Re-
search Institutes in key technology areas, as deter-
mined by the Director. 
(2) USES OF FUNDS.—Funds awarded under 
this section may be used by a Technology Research 
Institute to— 
(A) conduct fundamental research to ad-
vance innovation in a key technology;
135 
(B) conduct research involving a key tech-
nology to solve challenges with social, economic, 
health, scientific, and national security implica-
tions; 
(C) further the development, adoption, and 
commercialization of innovations in key tech-
nology focus areas, including through partner-
ship with other Federal agencies and Federal 
laboratories, industry, including startup compa-
nies, labor organizations, civil society organiza-
tions, and state and local, and Tribal govern-
ments; 
(D) develop and manage multi-user re-
search testbeds and instrumentation for key 
technologies; 
(E) develop and manage an accessible re-
pository, as appropriate, for research data and 
computational models relevant to the relevant 
key technology field, consistent with applicable 
privacy and intellectual property laws; 
(F) convene national workshops for re-
searchers and other stakeholders in that tech-
nology area; 
(G) establish traineeship programs for 
graduate students who pursue research related
136 
to the technology leading to a masters or doc-
torate degree by providing funding and other 
assistance, and by providing graduate students 
opportunities for research experiences in gov-
ernment or industry related to the students’ 
studies in that technology area; 
(H) engage in outreach and engagement to 
broaden participation in technology research 
and education; and 
(I) support such other activities that the 
Director determines appropriate. 
(3) 
CONSIDERATIONS.—In 
making 
awards 
under this section, the Director may consider the ex-
tent to which the activities proposed— 
(A) have the potential to create an innova-
tion ecosystem, or enhance existing ecosystems, 
to translate Technology Research Institute re-
search into applications and products, as appro-
priate to the topic of each Institute; 
(B) support transdisciplinary research and 
development across multiple institutions of 
higher education and organizations; 
(C) support transdisciplinary education ac-
tivities, including curriculum development, re-
search experiences, and faculty professional de-
137 
velopment across undergraduate, graduate, and 
professional academic programs; 
(D) involve partnerships with multiple 
types of institutions, including emerging re-
search institutions, historically Black colleges 
and universities, Tribal Colleges or Universities, 
and minority serving institutions, and with 
other Federal agencies, Federal laboratories, in-
dustry, state, local, and Tribal governments, 
labor organizations, civil society organizations, 
and other entities that may use or be affected 
by the technology; and 
(E) include a component that addresses 
the ethical, societal, safety, and security impli-
cations relevant to the application of the tech-
nology. 
(4) DURATION.— 
(A) INITIAL
PERIOD.—An award under 
this section shall be for an initial period of 5 
years. 
(B) RENEWAL.—An established Tech-
nology Institute may apply for, and the Direc-
tor may grant, extended funding for periods of 
5 years on a merit-reviewed basis.
138 
(5) APPLICATION.—An institution of higher 
education or consortia thereof seeking financial as-
sistance under this section shall submit to the Direc-
tor an application at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Director may re-
quire. 
(6) COMPETITIVE, MERIT-REVIEW.—In making 
awards under the section, the Director shall— 
(A) use a competitive, merit review process 
that includes peer review by a diverse group of 
individuals with relevant expertise from both 
the private and public sectors; and 
(B) ensure the focus areas of the Institute 
do not substantially and unnecessarily duplicate 
the efforts of any other Technology Research 
Institute or any other similar effort at another 
Federal agency. 
(7) COLLABORATION.—In making awards under 
this section, the Director may collaborate with Fed-
eral departments and agencies whose missions con-
tribute to or are affected by the technology focus 
area of the institute. 
(i) PLANNING AND CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS.— 
Section 602 of the American Innovation and Competitive-
ness Act (42 U.S.C. 1862s–9) is amended—
139 
(1) by redesignating subsection (e) as sub-
section (f); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (d), the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(e) PLANNING AND CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Under the program estab-
lished in section 508 of the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 1862p–2) 
and the activities authorized under this section, the 
Director shall award grants to eligible entities for 
planning and capacity building at institutions of 
higher education. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY DEFINED.—In this sub-
section, the term ‘eligible entity’ means an institu-
tion of higher education (or a consortium of such in-
stitutions) that, according to the data published by 
the National Center for Science and Engineering 
Statistics, is not, on average, among the top 100 in-
stitutions in Federal R&D expenditures during the 3 
year period prior to the year of the award. 
‘‘(3) USE OF FUNDS.—In addition to activities 
listed under subsection (c), an eligible entity receiv-
ing a grant under this subsection may use funds 
to—
140 
‘‘(A) ensure the availability of staff, includ-
ing technology transfer professionals, entre-
preneurs in residence, and other mentors as re-
quired to accomplish the purpose of this sub-
section; 
‘‘(B) revise institution policies, including 
policies related to intellectual property and fac-
ulty entrepreneurship, and taking other nec-
essary steps to implement relevant best prac-
tices for academic technology transfer; 
‘‘(C) develop new local and regional part-
nerships among institutions of higher education 
and between institutions of higher education 
and private sector entities and other relevant 
organizations with the purpose of building net-
works, expertise, and other capacity to identify 
promising research that may have potential 
market value and enable researchers to pursue 
further development and transfer of their ideas 
into possible commercial or other use; 
‘‘(D) develop seminars, courses, and other 
educational opportunities for students, post-doc-
toral researchers, faculty, and other relevant 
staff at institutions of higher education to in-
crease awareness and understanding of entre-
147 
lic input, as appropriate, to ensure that ethical, legal, and 
societal considerations are explicitly integrated into the 
priorities for the Directorate, including the selection of 
focus areas under subsection (g), the award-making proc-
ess, and throughout all stages of supported projects. 
(o) REPORTS AND ROADMAPS.— 
(1) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Director shall pro-
vide to the relevant authorizing and appropriations 
committees of Congress an annual report describing 
projects supported by the Directorate during the 
previous year. 
(2) ROADMAP.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall pro-
vide to the relevant authorizing and appropriations 
committees of Congress a roadmap describing the 
strategic vision that the Directorate will use to guide 
investment decisions over the following 3 years. 
(p) EVALUATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—After the Directorate has 
been in operation for 6 years, the National Science 
Board shall evaluate how well the Directorate is 
achieving the purposes identified in subsection (b), 
including an assessment of the impact of Directorate 
activities on the Foundation’s primary science mis-
sion.