‘‘(1) consult and cooperate with other Federal
agencies, including the Department of Defense, the
Department of Energy, and the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration to ensure consist-
ent and, where possible, coordinated efforts to pro-
mote the development and adoption of modern and
advanced manufacturing technologies;
‘‘(2) assist the Office of Science and Tech-
nology Policy in its efforts to coordinate the manu-
facturing technology activities of the various Federal
agencies; and
‘‘(3) work with representatives of Federal,
State, and local agencies, manufacturing extension
programs, private industry, industry groups, worker
organizations, and academia to encourage and facili-
tate the use of both advanced manufacturing tech-
nologies, including those developed by the Advanced
Manufacturing Technology Development Program
established under section 304 of this Act, and mod-
ern manufacturing technologies and practices to
United States manufacturers.
The Secretary shall annually report to Congress on actions
taken under this subsection.
‘‘(b) OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.—To the extent
permitted by other law, other Federal agencies shall co-
operate with the Secretary in carrying out this title.’’.
SEC. 204. NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY OUTREACH PROGRAM.
Title III of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innova-
tion Act of 1980, as added by sections 202 and 203 of
this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section:
‘‘SEC. 303. NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY OUTREACH PROGRAM.
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT
AND
PURPOSE.—There is
hereby established a National Technology Outreach Pro-
gram (in this section referred to as the ‘Outreach Pro-
gram’), the purpose of which shall be to—
‘‘(1) interconnect, programmatically and elec-
tronically, the Nation’s technology and manufactur-
ing extension centers, programs, and activities;
‘‘(2) improve the competitiveness of United
States manufacturers and create jobs located in the
United States; and
‘‘(3) assist United States manufacturers, espe-
cially small businesses, to expand and accelerate the
use of cost-effective modern manufacturing tech-
nologies and practices and to develop and adopt ad-
vanced manufacturing technologies. The Secretary,
acting through the Under Secretary and the Direc-
tor, shall implement and coordinate the Outreach
Program in accordance with an initial plan and a 5-
year plan for the Outreach Program, to be submit-
ted to the Congress under subsection (g).
‘‘(b) PROGRAM COMPONENTS.—The Outreach Pro-
gram shall constitute a partnership between the Depart-
ment of Commerce, the States, the private sector, and,
as appropriate, shall include other Federal agencies to
provide a national system of manufacturing and tech-
nology extension centers and technical services to United
States manufacturers, particularly small businesses. The
Outreach Program shall include—
‘‘(1) Manufacturing Outreach Centers estab-
lished under subsection (c);
‘‘(2) Regional Centers for the Transfer of Man-
ufacturing Technology established under section 25
of the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k);
‘‘(3) the State Technology Extension Program
established under section 26 of the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
278l);
‘‘(4) the Outreach Program Information Net-
work and the Clearinghouse established under sub-
sections (d) and (e) of this section, respectively; and
‘‘(5) other technology and manufacturing exten-
sion centers and activities supported by Federal,
State, or local agencies which could contribute to the
goals of this title and that the Secretary considers
appropriate for inclusion in the Outreach Program.
‘‘(c) MANUFACTURING OUTREACH CENTERS.—(1)
Eligible government and private sector organizations that
are engaged in technology or manufacturing extension ac-
tivities may apply to the Secretary for designation as Man-
ufacturing Outreach Centers, in such form and manner
as the Secretary may prescribe. Eligible organizations in-
clude Federal, State, and local government agencies, ex-
tension programs, universities, and laboratories; small
business development centers; and professional societies,
worker organizations, industrial organizations, nonprofit
organizations, community development organizations,
community colleges, and technical schools and colleges.
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall establish standards, consist-
ent with the requirements of subsection (f), for designa-
tion of existing technology or manufacturing extension
programs and for qualification of start-up programs as
Manufacturing Outreach Centers.
‘‘(3) The Secretary may, through a competitive proc-
ess, make grants, subject to the availability of appropria-
tions, to Manufacturing Outreach Centers designated in
accordance with the standards established under para-
graph (2), to enable them to fulfill the purposes and per-
form the activities of the Outreach Program. If a State
plan for technology extension exists in a State where an
applicant for a grant under this paragraph is operating
or plans to operate, the proposer shall demonstrate in its
application that its proposal is compatible with such State
plan. The purpose of such grants is to upgrade the overall
quality of the Outreach Program and to contribute to the
goal of ready availability of the services and information
provided through the Outreach Program, including infor-
mation on modern and advanced manufacturing tech-
nology, to all interested United States manufacturers.
Such grants shall be awarded to increase the capabilities
and capacity of Manufacturing Outreach Centers. Manu-
facturing Outreach Centers may not concurrently receive
financial assistance under section 25 of the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology Act and grants under
this paragraph. Grants may be awarded under this para-
graph for an initial period not to exceed 3 years and may
be renewed for one additional period, not to exceed 2
years. Such grants may not at any time exceed 50 percent
of the operating costs and in-kind contributions of the
grant recipient.
‘‘(4) In selecting applicants to participate in the Out-
reach Program and in making grants under paragraph
(3), the Secretary shall solicit and consider evaluations of
the applicant’s performance record and current capabili-
ties, and the potential usefulness of the applicant’s pro-
posal, from United States manufacturers that the Sec-
retary considers qualified to make such evaluations.
‘‘(d) OUTREACH
PROGRAM
INFORMATION
NET-
WORK.—(1) The Department of Commerce shall provide
for an instantaneous, interactive electronic communica-
tions network (in this section referred to as the ‘outreach
network’) to serve the Outreach Program, to facilitate ef-
fective and efficient interaction within it, and to permit
the collection and dissemination in electronic form, in a
timely and accurate manner, of information described in
subsection (e). The outreach network shall, wherever prac-
ticable, make use of existing public and private computer
networks, data bases, and electronic bulletin boards. The
design, configuration, acquisition plan, and operating poli-
cies, including user fees and appropriate electronic access
for public and private information suppliers and users, of
the outreach network shall be included in the 5-year plan
prepared under subsection (g)(2) and shall address—
‘‘(A) effective mechanisms for providing operat-
ing funds for the maintenance and use of the out-