(1) that is composed, in a concentrated geo-
graphic region, of 1 or more— 
(A) business organizations; 
(B) 
academic 
institutions, 
including 
minority- and Tribal-serving institutions; 
(C) not-for-profit organizations; 
(D) Federal, State, or local governmental 
entities, agencies, or instrumentalities; 
(E) Indian Tribes; or 
(F) Native Hawaiian organizations; 
(2) that is led by a not-for-profit organization; 
and 
(3) that works to deliver services in the con-
centrated geographic region where the entity is lo-
cated, enhance collaboration, promote innovation, 
and contribute to the equitable and sustainable 
growth of the Blue Economy across all sectors. 
(c) PRIORITY.—In designating entities as Ocean In-
novation Clusters under subsection (a), the Secretary of 
Commerce shall prioritize entities with a history of sup-
porting cross-sector growth and development of the Blue 
Economy. 
(d) GEOGRAPHIC
DIVERSITY.—The Secretary of 
Commerce shall designate not fewer than 1 Ocean Innova-
tion Cluster under subsection (a) in— 
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(1) each of the regions covered by the 5 re-
gional offices of the National Marine Fisheries Serv-
ice; 
(2) the Great Lakes region; and 
(3) the Gulf of Mexico region. 
(e) CONSIDERATIONS.—In designating an eligible en-
tity as an Ocean Innovation Cluster under subsection (a), 
the Secretary of Commerce shall consider the following: 
(1) The economic development potential of the 
coastal community or region in which the entity is 
located. 
(2) The ability of the entity to incorporate and 
bring growth and opportunity to broad geographic 
areas, including urban, rural, and underserved areas. 
(3) Whether the entity serves a diverse, 
multigenerational, ocean-dependent population con-
sisting of groups with different socioeconomic and 
educational attainment levels, industries, and Indian 
Tribes. 
(4) The ability of the entity to cultivate and le-
verage partnerships with private industry, academia, 
nongovernmental organizations, Federal, State, and 
local governments, and Indian Tribes to collaborate 
on shared outcomes. 
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(5) The relative potential for the designation of 
the entity as an Ocean Innovation Cluster to reverse 
a decline, or accelerate growth, in ocean sector jobs. 
(6) The ability of the entity to carry out 
projects that support economic and climate resilience 
through economic diversification and long-term re-
covery from natural disasters. 
(7) The extent, rural and underserved nature, 
and economic underutilization of the coastline and 
ocean area that projects carried out by the entity 
could affect. 
(f) PARTNERSHIP MANAGEMENT.— 
(1) PARTNERSHIP LIAISONS.— 
(A) DESIGNATION.—The Director of Sea 
Grant, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
Oceans and Atmosphere, and the Assistant Sec-
retary of Commerce for Economic Development 
shall each designate 1 partnership manager 
from within their respective agencies to serve as 
a partnership liaison between each Ocean Inno-
vation Cluster and Sea Grant, the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and 
the Economic Development Administration, re-
spectively. 
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(B) FUNCTION.—Each partnership liaison 
designated under subparagraph (A) shall ensure 
that Ocean Innovation Clusters— 
(i) have direct communication with 
the agency of the liaison; and 
(ii) allow for collaboration and align-
ment with Federal objectives in each re-
gion regarding the Blue Economy. 
(2) INTERAGENCY COORDINATION.— 
(A) SECRETARY OF COMMERCE.—The Sec-
retary of Commerce shall coordinate with the 
Director of Sea Grant, the Assistant Secretary 
of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, the 
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic 
Development, the Department of Energy, the 
Maritime Administration of the Department of 
Transportation, the Environmental Protection 
Agency, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Manage-
ment of the Department of the Interior, the De-
partment of Agriculture, the Coast Guard, and 
such other Federal agencies, including bureaus 
of the Department of Commerce, as the Sec-
retary of Commerce considers appropriate to in-
crease technical knowledge exchange and oppor-
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tunities for cross-sector collaboration with those 
agencies. 
(B) SECRETARY
OF
ENERGY.—With re-
spect to matters relating to the nexus of the 
Blue Economy and the responsibilities and ex-
pertise of the Department of Energy, the Sec-
retary of Energy— 
(i) shall provide advice and rec-
ommendations to the Secretary of Com-
merce in order to increase technical knowl-
edge exchange and opportunities for cross- 
sector collaboration; and 
(ii) may provide such advice and rec-
ommendations without any formal request 
from the Department of Commerce. 
(g) DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMIC IMPACT METRICS 
OF OCEAN INNOVATION CLUSTERS.—The Administrator 
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
the Director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the 
Department of Commerce, and the heads of other relevant 
Federal agencies shall use and refine the Marine Economy 
Satellite Account to measure the value to and impact of 
Ocean Innovation Clusters on the Blue Economy. 
(h) AREAS OF FOCUS.—The Director of Sea Grant, 
the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and At-
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