‘‘(c) OPERATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) FINANCIAL SUPPORT.—The Secretary may 
provide financial support to any Center created 
under subsection (a). The Secretary may not provide 
to a Center more than 50 percent of the capital and 
annual operating and maintenance funds required to 
create and maintain such Center. 
‘‘(2) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall im-
plement, review, and update the sections of the Code 
of Federal Regulations related to this section at 
least once every 3 years. 
‘‘(3) APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Any nonprofit institu-
tion, or consortium thereof, or State or local 
government, may submit to the Secretary an 
application for financial support under this sec-
tion, in accordance with the procedures estab-
lished by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) COST-SHARING.—In order to receive 
assistance under this section, an applicant for 
financial assistance under subparagraph (A) 
shall provide adequate assurances that non- 
Federal assets obtained from the applicant and 
the applicant’s partnering organizations will be 
used as a funding source to meet not less than 
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50 percent of the costs incurred for the first 3 
years and an increasing share for each of the 
next 3 years. For purposes of the preceding 
sentence, the costs incurred means the costs in-
curred in connection with the activities under-
taken to improve the competitiveness, manage-
ment, productivity, and technological perform-
ance of small- and medium-sized manufacturing 
companies. 
‘‘(C) AGREEMENTS
WITH
OTHER
ENTI-
TIES.—In meeting the 50 percent requirement, 
it is anticipated that a Center will enter into 
agreements with other entities such as private 
industry, institutions of higher education, and 
State governments to accomplish programmatic 
objectives and access new and existing resources 
that will further the impact of the Federal in-
vestment made on behalf of small- and medium- 
sized manufacturing companies. 
‘‘(D) LEGAL
RIGHTS.—Each applicant 
under subparagraph (A) shall also submit a 
proposal for the allocation of the legal rights as-
sociated with any invention which may result 
from the proposed Center’s activities. 
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‘‘(4) MERIT REVIEW.—The Secretary shall sub-
ject each such application to merit review. In mak-
ing a decision whether to approve such application 
and provide financial support under this section, the 
Secretary shall consider, at a minimum, the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) The merits of the application, par-
ticularly those portions of the application re-
garding technology transfer, training and edu-
cation, and adaptation of manufacturing tech-
nologies to the needs of particular industrial 
sectors. 
‘‘(B) The quality of service to be provided. 
‘‘(C) Geographical diversity and extent of 
service area. 
‘‘(D) The percentage of funding and 
amount of in-kind commitment from other 
sources. 
‘‘(5) EVALUATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each Center that re-
ceives financial assistance under this section 
shall be evaluated during its third year of oper-
ation by an evaluation panel appointed by the 
Secretary. 
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‘‘(B) COMPOSITION.—Each such evalua-
tion panel shall be composed of private experts, 
none of whom shall be connected with the in-
volved Center, and Federal officials. 
‘‘(C) CHAIR.—An official of the Institute 
shall chair the panel. 
‘‘(D) 
PERFORMANCE
MEASUREMENT.— 
Each evaluation panel shall measure the in-
volved Center’s performance against the objec-
tives specified in this section. 
‘‘(E) POSITIVE EVALUATION.—If the eval-
uation is positive, the Secretary may provide 
continued funding through the sixth year at de-
clining levels. 
‘‘(F) PROBATION.—The Secretary shall 
not provide funding unless the evaluation is 
positive. A Center that has not received a posi-
tive evaluation by the evaluation panel shall be 
notified by the panel of the deficiencies in its 
performance and shall be placed on probation 
for one year, after which time the panel shall 
reevaluate the Center. If the Center has not ad-
dressed the deficiencies identified by the panel, 
or shown a significant improvement in its per-
formance, the Director shall conduct a new 
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competition to select an operator for the Center 
or may close the Center. 
‘‘(G) ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT.— 
After the sixth year, a Center may receive addi-
tional financial support under this section if it 
has received a positive evaluation through an 
independent review, under procedures estab-
lished by the Institute. Funding received for a 
fiscal year under this section after the sixth 
year of operation shall not exceed one third of 
the capital and annual operating and mainte-
nance costs of the Center under the program. 
‘‘(H) EIGHT-YEAR
REVIEW.—A Center 
shall undergo an independent review in the 8th 
year of operation. Each evaluation panel shall 
measure the Center’s performance against the 
objectives specified in this section. A Center 
that has not received a positive evaluation as a 
result of an independent review shall be notified 
by the Program of the deficiencies in its per-
formance and shall be placed on probation for 
one year, after which time the Program shall 
reevaluate the Center. If the Center has not ad-
dressed the deficiencies identified by the review, 
or shown a significant improvement in its per-
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formance, the Director shall conduct a new 
competition to select an operator for the Center 
or may close the Center. 
‘‘(I) RECOMPETITION.—If a recipient of a 
Center award has received financial assistance 
for 10 consecutive years, the Director shall con-
duct a new competition to select an operator for 
the Center consistent with the plan required in 
this Act. Incumbent Center operators in good 
standing shall be eligible to compete for the new 
award. 
‘‘(J) REPORTS.— 
‘‘(i) PLAN.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of the FIRST 
Act of 2014, the Director shall transmit to 
the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
a plan as to how the Institute will conduct 
reviews, assessments, and reapplication 
competitions under this paragraph. 
‘‘(ii) INDEPENDENT
ASSESSMENT.— 
The Director shall contract with an inde-
pendent organization to perform an assess-
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ment of the implementation of the re-
application competition process under this 
paragraph within 3 years after the trans-
mittal of the report under clause (i). The 
organization conducting the assessment 
under this clause may consult with the 
MEP Advisory Board. 
‘‘(iii) COMPARISON
OF
CENTERS.— 
Not later than 2 years after the date of en-
actment of the FIRST Act of 2014, the 
Director shall transmit to the Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Trans-
portation of the Senate a report providing 
information on the first and second years 
of operations for centers operating from 
new competitions or recompetition as com-
pared to longstanding centers. The report 
shall provide detail on the engagement in 
services provided by Centers and the char-
acteristics of services provided, including 
volume and type of services, so that the 
Committees can evaluate whether the cost- 
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sharing ratio has an effect on the services 
provided at Centers. 
‘‘(6) PATENT RIGHTS.—The provisions of chap-
ter 18 of title 35, United States Code, shall apply, 
to the extent not inconsistent with this section, to 
the promotion of technology from research by Cen-
ters under this section except for contracts for such 
specific technology extension or transfer services as 
may be specified by statute or by the Director. 
‘‘(7) PROTECTION
OF
CENTER
CLIENT
CON-
FIDENTIAL INFORMATION.—Section 552 of title 5, 
United States Code, shall apply to the following in-
formation obtained by the Federal Government on a 
confidential basis in connection with the activities of 
any participant involved in the Hollings Manufac-
turing Extension Partnership: 
‘‘(A) Information on the business operation 
of any participant in a Hollings Manufacturing 
Extension Partnership program or of a client of 
a Center. 
‘‘(B) Trade secrets possessed by any client 
of a Center. 
‘‘(8) ADVISORY BOARDS.—Each Center’s advi-
sory boards shall institute a conflict of interest pol-
icy, approved by the Director, that ensures the 
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Board represents local small- and medium-sized 
manufacturers in the Center’s region. Board Mem-
bers may not serve as a vendor or provide services 
to the Center, nor may they serve on more than one 
Center’s oversight board simultaneously. 
‘‘(d) ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to such sums 
as may be appropriated to the Secretary and Direc-
tor to operate the Hollings Manufacturing Extension 
Partnership, the Secretary and Director also may 
accept funds from other Federal departments and 
agencies and, under section 2(c)(7), from the private 
sector for the purpose of strengthening United 
States manufacturing. 
‘‘(2) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(A) FUNDS ACCEPTED FROM OTHER FED-
ERAL DEPARTMENTS OR AGENCIES.—The Di-
rector shall determine whether funds accepted 
from other Federal departments or agencies 
shall be counted in the calculation of the Fed-
eral share of capital and annual operating and 
maintenance costs under subsection (c). 
‘‘(B) FUNDS ACCEPTED FROM THE PRI-
VATE SECTOR.—Funds accepted from the pri-
vate sector under section 2(c)(7), if allocated to 
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a Center, may not be considered in the calcula-
tion of the Federal share under subsection (c) 
of this section. 
‘‘(e) MEP ADVISORY BOARD.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established 
within the Institute a Manufacturing Extension 
Partnership Advisory Board (in this subsection re-
ferred to as the ‘MEP Advisory Board’). 
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The MEP Advisory 
Board shall consist of not fewer than 10 mem-
bers broadly representative of stakeholders, to 
be appointed by the Director. At least 2 mem-
bers shall be employed by or on an advisory 
board for the Centers, and at least 5 other 
members shall be from United States small 
businesses in the manufacturing sector. No 
member shall be an employee of the Federal 
Government. 
‘‘(B) TERM.—Except as provided in sub-
paragraph (C) or (D), the term of office of each 
member of the MEP Advisory Board shall be 3 
years. 
‘‘(C) VACANCIES.—Any member appointed 
to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expira-
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tion of the term for which his predecessor was 
appointed shall be appointed for the remainder 
of such term. 
‘‘(D) SERVING
CONSECUTIVE
TERMS.— 
Any person who has completed two consecutive 
full terms of service on the MEP Advisory 
Board shall thereafter be ineligible for appoint-
ment during the one-year period following the 
expiration of the second such term. 
‘‘(3) MEETINGS.—The MEP Advisory Board 
shall meet not less than 2 times annually and shall 
provide to the Director— 
‘‘(A) advice on Hollings Manufacturing 
Extension Partnership programs, plans, and 
policies; 
‘‘(B) assessments of the soundness of Hol-
lings Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
plans and strategies; and 
‘‘(C) assessments of current performance 
against 
Hollings 
Manufacturing 
Extension 
Partnership program plans. 
‘‘(4) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT AP-
PLICABILITY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In discharging its du-
ties under this subsection, the MEP Advisory 
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Board shall function solely in an advisory ca-
pacity, in accordance with the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act. 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTION.—Section 14 of the Fed-
eral Advisory Committee Act shall not apply to 
the MEP Advisory Board. 
‘‘(5) REPORT.—The MEP Advisory Board shall 
transmit an annual report to the Secretary for 
transmittal to Congress within 30 days after the 
submission to Congress of the President’s annual 
budget request in each year. Such report shall ad-
dress the status of the program established pursuant 
to this section and comment on the relevant sections 
of the programmatic planning document and updates 
thereto transmitted to Congress by the Director 
under subsections (c) and (d) of section 23. 
‘‘(f) COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director shall es-
tablish, within the Hollings Manufacturing Exten-
sion Partnership, under this section and section 26, 
a program of competitive awards among participants 
described in paragraph (2) for the purposes de-
scribed in paragraph (3). 
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‘‘(2) 
PARTICIPANTS.—Participants 
receiving 
awards under this subsection shall be the Centers, or 
a consortium of such Centers. 
‘‘(3) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the program 
under this subsection is to add capabilities to the 
Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, in-
cluding the development of projects to solve new or 
emerging manufacturing problems as determined by 
the Director, in consultation with the Director of the 
Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership pro-
gram, the MEP Advisory Board, and small- and me-
dium-sized manufacturers. One or more themes for 
the competition may be identified, which may vary 
from year to year, depending on the needs of manu-
facturers and the success of previous competitions. 
Centers may be reimbursed for costs incurred under 
the program. 
‘‘(4) APPLICATIONS.—Applications for awards 
under this subsection shall be submitted in such 
manner, at such time, and containing such informa-
tion as the Director shall require, in consultation 
with the MEP Advisory Board. 
‘‘(5) SELECTION.—Awards under this sub-
section shall be peer reviewed and competitively 
awarded. The Director shall endeavor to have broad 
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geographic diversity among selected proposals. The 
Director shall select proposals to receive awards that 
will— 
‘‘(A) improve the competitiveness of indus-
tries in the region in which the Center or Cen-
ters are located; 
‘‘(B) create jobs or train newly hired em-
ployees; and 
‘‘(C) promote the transfer and commer-
cialization of research and technology from in-
stitutions of higher education, national labora-
tories, and nonprofit research institutes. 
‘‘(6) PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION.—Recipients of 
awards under this subsection shall not be required 
to provide a matching contribution. 
‘‘(7) GLOBAL
MARKETPLACE
PROJECTS.—In 
making awards under this subsection, the Director, 
in consultation with the MEP Advisory Board and 
the Secretary, may take into consideration whether 
an application has significant potential for enhanc-
ing the competitiveness of small- and medium-sized 
United States manufacturers in the global market-
place. 
‘‘(8) DURATION.—Awards under this subsection 
shall last no longer than 3 years. 
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‘‘(g) EVALUATION OF OBSTACLES UNIQUE TO SMALL 
MANUFACTURERS.—The Director shall— 
‘‘(1) evaluate obstacles that are unique to small 
manufacturers that prevent such manufacturers 
from effectively competing in the global market; 
‘‘(2) implement a comprehensive plan to train 
the Centers to address such obstacles; and 
‘‘(3) facilitate improved communication between 
the Centers to assist such manufacturers in imple-
menting appropriate, targeted solutions to such ob-
stacles. 
‘‘(h) COMMUNITY COLLEGE DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘community college’ means an institution 
of higher education (as defined under section 101(a) of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) 
at which the highest degree that is predominately awarded 
to students is an associate’s degree.’’. 
SEC. 410. ELIMINATION OF OBSOLETE REPORTS. 
(a) ENTERPRISE INTEGRATION STANDARDIZATION 
AND IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES REPORT.—Section 3 
of the Enterprise Integration Act of 2002 (15 U.S.C. 
278g–5) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (c); and 
(2) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as 
subsections (c) and (d), respectively. 
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(b) TIP REPORTS.—Section 28 of the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278n) 
is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (g); and 
(2) in subsection (k), by striking paragraph (5). 
SEC. 411. MODIFICATIONS TO GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE 
AGREEMENTS. 
Section 8(a) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology In-
novation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3706(a)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘The total amount of any such grant or coopera-
tive agreement may not exceed 75 percent of the total cost 
of the program.’’. 
Subtitle B—Innovative Approaches 
to Technology Transfer 
SEC. 421. INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO TECHNOLOGY 
TRANSFER. 
Section 9(jj) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
638(jj)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(jj) INNOVATIVE APPROACHES
TO TECHNOLOGY 
TRANSFER.— 
‘‘(1) GRANT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each Federal agency 
required by subsection (n) to establish an 
STTR program shall carry out a grant program 
to support innovative approaches to technology 
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transfer at institutions of higher education (as 
defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))), non-
profit research institutions, and Federal labora-
tories in order to improve or accelerate the 
commercialization of federally funded research 
and technology by small business concerns, in-
cluding new businesses. 
‘‘(B) 
AWARDING
OF
GRANTS
AND 
AWARDS.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Each Federal 
agency required by subparagraph (A) to 
participate in this program shall award, 
through a competitive, merit-based process, 
grants, in the amounts listed in subpara-
graph (C) to institutions of higher edu-
cation, technology transfer organizations 
that facilitate the commercialization of 
technologies developed by one or more such 
institutions of higher education, Federal 
laboratories, other public and private non-
profit entities, and consortia thereof, for 
initiatives that help identify high-quality, 
commercially viable federally funded re-
search and technologies and to facilitate 
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and accelerate their transfer into the mar-
ketplace. 
‘‘(ii) USE OF FUNDS.—Activities sup-
ported by grants under this subsection 
may include— 
‘‘(I) providing early-stage proof 
of concept funding for translational 
research; 
‘‘(II) identifying research and 
technologies at institutions that have 
the potential for accelerated commer-
cialization; 
‘‘(III) 
technology 
maturation 
funding to support activities such as 
prototype 
construction, 
experiment 
analysis, product comparison, and the 
collection of performance data; 
‘‘(IV) technical validations, mar-
ket research, clarifying intellectual 
property rights position and strategy, 
and investigating commercial and 
business opportunities; 
‘‘(V) programs to provide advice, 
mentoring, entrepreneurial education, 
project management, and technology 
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and business development expertise to 
innovators and recipients of tech-
nology transfer licenses to maximize 
commercialization potential; and 
‘‘(VI) conducting outreach to 
small business concerns as potential 
licensees of federally funded research 
and technology, and providing tech-
nology transfer services to such small 
business concerns. 
‘‘(iii) SELECTION
PROCESS
AND
AP-
PLICATIONS.—Qualifying institutions seek-
ing a grant under this subsection shall 
submit an application to a Federal agency 
required by subparagraph (A) to partici-
pate in this program at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information 
as the agency may require. The application 
shall include, at a minimum— 
‘‘(I) a description of innovative 
approaches to technology transfer, 
technology development, and commer-
cial readiness that have the potential 
to increase or accelerate technology 
transfer outcomes and can be adopted 
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by other qualifying institutions, or a 
demonstration of proven technology 
transfer and commercialization strate-
gies, or a plan to implement proven 
technology 
transfer 
and 
commer-
cialization strategies that can achieve 
greater commercialization of federally 
funded research and technologies with 
program funding; 
‘‘(II) a description of how the 
qualifying institution will contribute 
to local and regional economic devel-
opment efforts; and 
‘‘(III) a plan for sustainability 
beyond the duration of the funding 
award. 
‘‘(iv) 
PROGRAM
OVERSIGHT 
BOARDS.— 
‘‘(I) IN
GENERAL.—Successful 
proposals shall include a plan to as-
semble a Program Oversight Board, 
the members of which shall have tech-
nical, scientific, or business expertise 
three-fifths of whom shall be drawn 
from industry, start-up companies, 
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venture capital or other equity invest-
ment mechanism, technical enter-
prises, financial institutions, and busi-
ness development organizations with a 
track record of success in commer-
cializing innovations. Proposals may 
use oversight boards in existence on 
the date of the enactment of the 
FIRST Act of 2014 that meet the re-
quirements of this subclause. 
‘‘(II) 
PROGRAM
OVERSIGHT 
BOARDS
RESPONSIBILITIES.—Pro-
gram Oversight Boards shall— 
‘‘(aa) establish award pro-
grams for individual projects; 
‘‘(bb) provide rigorous eval-
uation of project applications; 
‘‘(cc) 
determine 
which 
projects should receive awards, in 
accordance with guidelines estab-
lished 
under 
subparagraph 
(C)(ii); 
‘‘(dd) establish milestones 
and associated award amounts 
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100 
for projects that reach mile-
stones; 
‘‘(ee) 
determine 
whether 
awarded projects are reaching 
milestones; and 
‘‘(ff) develop a process to re-
allocate 
outstanding 
award 
amounts from projects that are 
not reaching milestones to other 
projects with more potential. 
‘‘(III) 
CONFLICT
OF
INTER-
EST.—Program 
Oversight 
Boards 
shall be composed of members who do 
not have a conflict of interest. Boards 
shall adopt conflict of interest policies 
to ensure relevant relationships are 
disclosed and proper recusal proce-
dures are in place. 
‘‘(C) GRANT AND AWARD AMOUNTS.— 
‘‘(i) GRANT AMOUNTS.—Each Federal 
agency required by subparagraph (A) to 
carry out a grant program may make 
grants of up to $3,000,000 to a qualifying 
institution. 
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101 
‘‘(ii) AWARD AMOUNTS.—Each quali-
fying institution that receives a grant 
under subparagraph (B) shall provide 
awards for individual projects of not more 
than $100,000, to be provided in phased 
amounts, based on reaching the milestones 
established by the qualifying institution’s 
Program Oversight Board. 
‘‘(D) AUTHORIZED
EXPENDITURES
FOR 
INNOVATIVE
APPROACHES
TO
TECHNOLOGY 
TRANSFER GRANT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(i) PERCENTAGE.—The percentage 
of the extramural budget for research, or 
research and development, each Federal 
agency required by subsection (n) to estab-
lish an STTR program shall expend on the 
Innovative 
Approaches 
to 
Technology 
Transfer Grant Program shall be— 
‘‘(I) 0.05 percent for each of fis-
cal years 2014 and 2015; and 
‘‘(II) 0.1 percent for each of fis-
cal years 2016 and 2017. 
‘‘(ii) 
TREATMENT
OF
EXPENDI-
TURES.—Any portion of the extramural 
budget expended by a Federal agency on 
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102 
the Innovative Approaches to Technology 
Transfer Grant Program shall apply to-
wards the agency’s expenditure require-
ments under subsection (n). 
‘‘(2) PROGRAM
EVALUATION
AND
DATA
COL-
LECTION AND DISSEMINATION.— 
‘‘(A) EVALUATION PLAN AND DATA COL-
LECTION.—Each Federal agency required by 
paragraph (1)(A) to establish an Innovative Ap-
proaches to Technology Transfer Grant Pro-
gram shall develop a program evaluation plan 
and collect annually such information from 
grantees as is necessary to assess the Program. 
Program evaluation plans shall require the col-
lection of data aimed at identifying outcomes 
resulting from the transfer of technology with 
assistance from the Innovative Approaches to 
Technology Transfer Grant Program. Such 
data may include— 
‘‘(i) specific follow-on funding identi-
fied or obtained, including follow-on fund-
ing sources, such as Federal sources or 
private sources, within 3 years of the com-
pletion of the award; 
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