(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of De-
fense, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
carry out a program to improve our Nation’s trans-
portation infrastructure, advance the technologies 
used to produce alternative energy, enhance our 
military security, and develop new disaster mitiga-
tion systems by making grants to consortia to estab-
lish and operate Advanced Composites Development 
Centers. In doing so, they shall work with stake-
holders to identify problems that can be solved over 
a period of 5 years through the development of an 
advanced composite material. By working with the 
private sector and focusing on solutions to problems 
that can be researched, developed, and demonstrated 
over a short period of time, each Center will strive 
to produce new composite materials that are lighter, 
stronger, and more durable than existing materials 
and have an immediate practical application. 
(2) DESIGNATION OF CENTERS.—The Centers 
shall be designated as follows: 
(A) The Secretary of Transportation shall 
designate 1 Center for the development of ad-
vanced composites in civil infrastructure and 
transportation. 
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(B) The Secretary of Energy shall des-
ignate 1 Center for the development of ad-
vanced composites in energy technology. 
(C) The Secretary of Defense shall des-
ignate 1 Center for the development of ad-
vanced composites in military operations. 
(D) The Secretary of Homeland Security 
shall designate 1 Center for the development of 
advanced composites in disaster prevention and 
response. 
(E) Any 2 or more of the Secretaries de-
scribed in subparagraphs (A) through (D) may 
work together to explore opportunities to des-
ignate a single Center that addresses issues of 
importance to the Departments of each such 
Secretary. 
(3) ADDITIONAL COLLABORATION.—Each Sec-
retary designating a Center under paragraph (2) 
may include reviewers from the Director of the Na-
tional Institute of Standards and Technology and 
the Director of the National Science Foundation to 
leverage work that has been done at facilities sup-
ported by each of those agencies. 
(b) CONSORTIA.— 
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(1) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this section for the establishment and 
operation of a Center, a consortium shall— 
(A) be composed of qualifying entities, in-
cluding at least 1 prime applicant and 1 private 
company; 
(B) operate subject to a binding agreement 
entered into by its members that documents— 
(i) the proposed partnership agree-
ment, including the governance and man-
agement structure of the Center; 
(ii) measures to enable cost-effective 
implementation of the program under this 
section; 
(iii) a proposed budget, including fi-
nancial contributions from non-Federal 
sources; 
(iv) conflict of interest procedures 
consistent with subsection (d)(2), all 
known material conflicts of interest, and 
corresponding mitigation plans; and 
(v) an accounting structure that en-
ables the Secretary to ensure that the con-
sortium has complied with the require-
ments of this section; and 
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(C) operate as a nonprofit organization. 
(2) APPLICATION.—A consortium seeking to es-
tablish and operate a Center under this section, act-
ing through a prime applicant, shall transmit to the 
Secretary an application at such time, in such form, 
and accompanied by such information as the Sec-
retary shall require, including a detailed description 
of the elements of the consortium agreement re-
quired under paragraph (1)(B). If the consortium 
members will not be located at one centralized loca-
tion, such application shall include a communica-
tions plan that ensures close coordination and inte-
gration of the Center’s activities. 
(c) SELECTION AND SCHEDULE.— 
(1) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall select 
consortia for grants for the establishment and oper-
ation of Centers through competitive selection proc-
esses. In selecting consortia, the Secretary shall con-
sider— 
(A) the information a consortium must dis-
close according to subsection (b); 
(B) any existing facilities a consortium will 
provide for Center activities; 
(C) experience in design, prototyping, and 
testing advanced composites; 
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(D) existing ISO 17025 certification; 
(E) experience and achievements working 
with the private sector and commercializing 
composite materials technologies; and 
(F) opportunities to leverage previous sup-
port that a member of the consortium has re-
ceived from the Department or Departments 
awarding the grant, the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, or the National 
Science Foundation to research, develop, dem-
onstrate, or commercialize an advanced com-
posite. 
(2) SCHEDULE.—Grants made for the estab-
lishment and operation of a Center shall be for a pe-
riod not to exceed 5 years, after which the grant 
may be renewed, subject to a competitive selection 
process. 
(d) CENTER OPERATIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Centers shall conduct or 
provide for multidisciplinary, collaborative research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial appli-
cation of advanced composites technologies within 
the technology development focus area or areas des-
ignated for the Center by the Secretary under sub-
section (a)(2). Each Center shall— 
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