(1) PROJECTS ON NON-FEDERAL LAND.—The 
Secretaries may enter into cooperative agreements 
with State and local governments, tribal govern-
ments, private and nonprofit entities, and land-
owners for protection, restoration, and enhancement 
of fish and wildlife habitat and other resources on 
public or private lands, or both, that benefit these 
resources within a watershed. 
(2) COST-SHARING
REQUIREMENT.—If funds 
provided under this section are expended on a 
project conducted in whole or part on non-Federal 
lands, the Federal share of the project’s total costs 
shall not exceed 70 percent. 
(d) HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE.—
(1) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—Funds pro-
vided pursuant to a cooperative agreement under 
subsection (c)may be expended to reduce the likeli-
hood of damage from fire to a residence located in 
the wildland-urban interface, or to a structure ap-
purtenance to such a residence, if the Secretary con-
cerned determines that such a residence is vulner-
able to damage from a wildfire originating on adja-
cent lands. 
(2) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS.—
Subsections (e) through (i) shall not apply to a
project under this section involving only the provi-
sion of assistance under this subsection. 
(3) IMPLEMENTATION
CRITERIA.—The Secre-
taries, in consultation with the State Foresters, shall 
develop criteria for implementation of this subsection 
in order to achieve the most effective and efficient 
use of Federal funds. 
(e) MONITORING.—
(1) MULTIPARTY
MONITORING, EVALUATION, 
AND
ACCOUNTABILITY
PROCESS.—The Secretaries 
shall establish a multiparty monitoring, evaluation, 
and accountability process in order to assess the eco-
logical, social, and economic impacts of projects con-
ducted under the program. A project may not be im-
plemented, in whole or in part, under the program 
until the Secretaries reserve sufficient funds to en-
sure that the multiparty monitoring and evaluation 
required by this subsection will be performed with 
respect to the project. 
(2) MONITORING
REPORT.—The Secretaries 
shall complete a detailed monitoring report for each 
project conducted under the program that evaluates 
whether the project was properly implemented and 
was effective in accomplishing restoration objectives, 
whether the assumptions that went into the project’s
design were valid, and whether funding amounts and 
sources were sufficient. The monitoring report shall 
provide for validation monitoring and include an as-
sessment and identification of the following: 
(A) Whether or not the project met desired 
ecological conditions, including soils, water, and 
native fish and wildlife, and used low-impact 
equipment. 
(B) Whether or not the project created 
high-skill, long-duration employment or training 
opportunities for local crews, small or micro-en-
terprises, underserved communities, or mobile 
workers, including whether or not the project 
created, or used existing, natural-resource re-
lated small or micro-enterprises. 
(C) The duration of each contract used to 
implement the project; the average wage re-
ceived by persons implementing the contract, 
and the name and size of the entity that se-
cured the contract. 
(D) An overall assessment of the positive 
or negative impact and effectiveness of the 
project. 
(3) ANNUAL
REPORT.—The Secretaries shall 
submit an annual report to the Committee on En-
ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the 
Committee on Resources of the House of Represent-
atives detailing the information identified pursuant 
to this subsection. 
(4) 
COLLECTION
AND
COMPILATION
OF 
DATA.—The Secretaries shall ensure that monitoring 
data is collected and compiled in a way that the gen-
eral public can easily access. The Secretaries may 
collect the data using cooperative agreements, 
grants, or contracts with small or micro-enterprises, 
or Youth Conservation Corps work crews or related 
partnerships with State, local, and non-profit youth 
groups. 
(f) REQUIRED ASSESSMENT AND ESTIMATES. Before 
initiating a project under the program, the Secretaries 
shall complete the following with respect to the project: 
(1) An assessment of the expected outcomes, includ-
ing how the project will help to accomplish restoration ob-
jectives to improve the health, diversity, or ecological proc-
esses of the lands covered by the project. Specific benefits 
to soil, water, and native wildlife and fish habitats must 
be identified, as well as how the project will restore natu-
rally occurring ecological processes. 
(2) Within the context of accomplishing restoration 
objectives, an estimation of the number of jobs or training
opportunities, crew size, contract duration, and equipment 
requirements that may be created by the project, including 
opportunities for Youth Conservation Corps work crews or 
partnerships with non-Federal youth groups. 
(3) An estimate of the number of natural resource-
related small or micro-enterprises that may be created as 
a result of the project and the number of existing small 
or micro-enterprises that may benefit from the project. 
(g) REQUIRED SET-ASIDES.—
(1) SET-ASIDE
OF
FUNDS.—The Secretaries 
shall ensure that all contracts to implement projects 
under the program are issued or awarded to—
(A) natural-resource related small or 
micro-enterprises; 
(B) Youth Conservation Corps crews or re-
lated partnerships with State, local and non-
profit youth groups; 
(C) entities (including Indian tribes and 
the Restoration and Value-added Centers estab-
lished under section 12) that will hire or train 
local people, or re-train nonlocal traditional for-
est workers, to perform activities under the con-
tract; or 
(D) local entities that meet the criteria to 
qualify for the Historically Underutilized Busi-
ness Zone Program under section 31 of the 
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657a). 
(2) SET-ASIDE OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES.—The 
Secretaries shall ensure that, on an annual basis, 50 
percent of all projects involving the sale of mer-
chantable material under the program are imple-
mented using separate contracts for—
(A) the harvesting or collection of mer-
chantable material; and 
(B) the sale of such material. 
(h) BEST-VALUE CONTRACTING.—In order to imple-
ment a project under the program, and consistent with 
the Federal acquisition requirements for best-value con-
tracting, the Secretaries shall select a source for perform-
ance of a contract or agreement on a best-value basis, 
after consideration of the following: 
(1) Understanding of the technical demands 
and complexity of the work to be done. 
(2) Ability of the offeror to meet desired eco-
logical objectives of the project and the sensitivity of 
the resources being treated. 
(3) The offeror’s commitment to hiring or 
training workers from the local area and the poten-
tial for benefit to local small and micro-enterprises
involved in the processing of by-products derived 
from the project. 
(4) The past performance by the offeror with 
the type of work being done, the application of low-
impact equipment, and the ability of the offeror to 
meet desired ecological conditions. 
(5) The commitment and feasibility of the con-
tractor to training workers for high wage and high 
skill jobs that are long in duration. 
(6) The commitment of the offeror to hiring 
highly qualified workers and local residents. 
(i) SOLE SOURCE PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY.—
(1) USE TO PROMOTE MICRO- AND SMALL-EN-
TERPRISES.—In implementing this section, a con-
tracting officer may award on a sole source basis 
projects up to $100,000 for the purpose of providing 
projects to micro- and small-enterprises in order to 
help establish them as viable enterprises. 
(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible for a 
sole source contract under this subsection, a micro- 
or small-enterprise must complete training provided 
by a Restoration and Value-added Center established 
under section 12 or other program for certification 
as a micro- or small-enterprise, such as the Jobs-in-
the-Woods program. The micro- or small-enterprise
must present certification from the training provider 
that the micro- or small-enterprise is ready to per-
form. 
(3) ADVANCE PAYMENTS.—The contracting of-
ficer may make advance payment to enterprises cer-
tified as provided in paragraph (2). 
(4) LIMIT ON CONTRACTS.—Based on the per-
formance of the micro- or small-enterprise, and in 
consultation with the training provider under para-
graph (2), the contracting officer may award up to 
five contracts under this subsection, after which the 
enterprise will no longer be eligible for any further 
sole source awards. 
(5) PROCUREMENT
PERSONNEL.—The Secre-
taries shall hire additional procurement personnel, 
including contracting officer trainees, in order to im-
plement this section. 
SEC. 12. FOREST RESTORATION AND VALUE-ADDED CEN-
TERS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Agriculture, 
acting through the Regional Foresters, shall establish For-
est Restoration and Value-added Centers in order to im-
prove the implementation of collaborative, community-
based restoration projects on the National Forest System 
lands and other lands. The Secretary may enter into part-
nerships with other Federal agencies or other organiza-
tions, including local non-profit organizations, conserva-
tion groups, and community colleges to establish and 
maintain the Restoration Centers. 
(b) LOCATION.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall 
ensure that at least one Restoration Center is located in 
each Forest Service Region and that every Restoration 
Center is located in a small, rural community adjacent to 
or surrounded by National Forest System lands. 
(c) PROVISION
OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
AND 
GRANTS.—The Restoration Centers shall develop pro-
grams to provide technical assistance and grants to non-
profit organizations, existing small or micro-enterprises, 
and individuals interested in creating a natural-resource 
related small or micro-enterprise for the purpose of—
(1) conducting forest restoration activities, in-
cluding environmental assessments and monitoring; 
or 
(2) utilizing processing techniques for the by-
products of restoration and value-added manufac-
turing. 
(d) TYPES OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Res-
toration Centers shall provide technical assistance in—
(1) using the latest scientific information and 
methodology to accomplish restoration and land 
health objectives; 
(2) accessing capital from public and private 
sources; 
(3) workforce training for value-added manufac-
turing and restoration activities, including environ-
mental assessments and monitoring; 
(4) marketing and business support for con-
servation-based small and micro-businesses located 
in rural communities to better access urban markets; 
(5) developing technology for restoration activi-
ties and use of products resulting from restoration 
activities. 
(e) ESTABLISHMENT PROCESS.—The Secretary of 
Agriculture shall select the location at which each Restora-
tion Center will be established based on requests for pro-
posals. The Secretary shall appoint an advisory committee 
for each Forest Service Region that, consistent with the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, will recommend a loca-
tion for the Restoration Center for that Region. 
(f) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—The advisory commit-
tees appointed pursuant to subsection (e) shall include—
(1) Representatives of the Environmental Pro-
tection Agency, United States Fish and Wildlife
Service, and relevant State wildlife-management 
agencies. 
(2) Representatives of any affected Indian 
tribes or pueblos. 
(3) Representatives of the Department of 
Labor, the Small Business Administration, and ap-
propriate State agencies with expertise in micro-en-
terprises. 
(4) Representatives (other than elected officials) 
of community groups active in National Forest or 
public land conservation. 
(5) At least two scientists with expertise in eco-
system restoration who are not employees of any 
Federal or State agency. 
(6) Representatives of national or regional envi-
ronmental organizations. 
(7) Representatives of regional value-added for-
est products companies. 
(g) FEDERAL FUNDING.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture shall make grants to each Restoration Center in 
amounts sufficient to cover 75 percent of the Restoration 
Center’s operating costs, but not to exceed $1,000,000 an-
nually per Restoration Center. After a Restoration Center 
has operated for five years, the Secretary may begin to 
reduce the level of Federal funding for the Restoration
Center’s operating costs, based on the performance of the 
Restoration Center. 
(h) EXPANSION TO OTHER FEDERAL LANDS.—In 
order to determine whether a similar Restoration Center 
program is appropriate for public lands, the Secretary of 
the Interior shall establish one Restoration Center meeting 
the requirements of this section. Not later than three 
years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of the Interior shall submit a report to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 
and the Committee on Resources of the House of Rep-
resentatives 
containing 
recommendations 
regarding 
whether additional Restoration Centers should be estab-
lished to serve communities adjacent to or surrounded by 
public lands. 
SEC. 13. COMPETITIVE SERVICE HIRING PREFERENCE FOR 
GRADUATES OF CERTIFIED YOUTH SERVICE 
OR CONSERVATION CORPS. 
(a) HIRING PREFERENCE.—The Secretary of the In-
terior and the Secretary of Agriculture may appoint in the 
competitive service any person who—
(1) is at least 21 years of age; 
(2) has satisfactorily completed a minimum of 
one year of service in a certified youth service or 
conservation corps;
(3) received satisfactory evaluations of knowl-
edge, skills, and abilities by both corps supervisors 
or crew leaders as well as agency liaison personnel. 
(b) DURATION OF PREFERENCE.—A person’s eligi-
bility for preferential hiring under this section expires 
after one year after the date of the person’s graduation 
from a certified youth service or conservation corps. 
SEC. 14. RESEARCH AND TRAINING. 
(a) APPLIED RESEARCH PROGRAM.—The Secretary 
of Agriculture shall establish a program of applied re-
search using the resources of the Forest Products Labora-
tory for the purpose of—
(1) identifying restoration methods, including 
assessments and monitoring, and treatments that 
minimize adverse impacts to the land, such as 
through the use of low-impact techniques and equip-
ment; and 
(2) testing and developing value-added products 
created from the by-products of restoration. 
(b) DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS.—The Secretary of 
Agriculture shall disseminate the results of the applied re-
search to the Restoration and Value-added Centers, rural 
communities adjacent to or surrounded by Federal lands. 
The Secretary shall annually conduct training workshops 
and classes for the Restoration Centers as well as for other
interested communities to ensure that residents of such 
communities have access to the information. 
(c) RESEARCH
AGENDA.—The Restoration and 
Value-added Centers shall work with the Forest Products 
Laboratory to develop the research agenda so that re-
search efforts respond to the needs of the user community. 
SEC. 15. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 
as may be necessary to carry out this Act.
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