SEC. 2. REGIONAL INNOVATION CAPACITY. 
(a) IN
GENERAL.—The Stevenson-Wydler Tech-
nology Innovation Act of 1980 (Public Law 96–480; 15 
U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating section 28 as section 29; 
and 
(2) by inserting after section 27 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 28. REGIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION HUB 
PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’ means— 
‘‘(A) 
the 
Committee 
on 
Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation, the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works, and the Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the Senate; and 
‘‘(B) the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology and the Committee on Appro-
priations of the House of Representatives. 
‘‘(2) COOPERATIVE
EXTENSION
SERVICES.— 
The term ‘cooperative extension services’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 1404 of the Food 
and Agriculture Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103). 
‘‘(3) HISTORICALLY
BLACK
COLLEGES
AND 
UNIVERSITIES.—The term ‘historically Black col-
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leges and universities’ has the same meaning given 
to the term in section 322 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061). 
‘‘(4) LABOR ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘labor 
organization’ has the meaning given the term in sec-
tion 2(5) of the National Labor Relations Act (29 
U.S.C. 152(5)), except that such term shall also in-
clude— 
‘‘(A) any organization composed of labor 
organizations, such as a labor union federation 
or a State or municipal labor body; and 
‘‘(B) any organization which would be in-
cluded in the definition for such term under 
such section (5) but for the fact that the orga-
nization represents— 
‘‘(i) individuals employed by the 
United States, any wholly owned Govern-
ment corporation, any Federal Reserve 
Bank, or any State or political subdivision 
thereof; 
‘‘(ii) individuals employed by persons 
subject to the Railway Labor Act (45 
U.S.C. 151 et seq.); or 
‘‘(iii) individuals employed as agricul-
tural laborers. 
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‘‘(5) MANUFACTURING EXTENSION CENTER.— 
The term ‘manufacturing extension center’ has the 
meaning given the term ‘Center’ in section 25(a) of 
the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(a)). 
‘‘(6) MANUFACTURING
USA
INSTITUTE.—The 
term ‘Manufacturing USA institute’ means an Man-
ufacturing USA institute described in section 34(d) 
of the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology Act (15 U.S.C. 278s(d)). 
‘‘(7) MINORITY
SERVING
INSTITUTION.—The 
term ‘minority-serving institution’ means a His-
panic-serving institution, an Alaska Native-serving 
institution, a Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, a 
Predominantly Black Institution, an Asian American 
and Native American Pacific Islander-serving insti-
tution, or a Native American-serving nontribal insti-
tution as described in section 371 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)). 
‘‘(8) SITE CONNECTIVITY INFRASTRUCTURE.— 
The term ‘site connectivity infrastructure’ means lo-
calized driveways and access roads to a facility as 
well as hookups to the new facility for drinking 
water, waste water, broadband, and other basic in-
frastructure services already present in the area. 
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‘‘(9) STATE.—The term ‘state’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 27(a) of the Stevenson- 
Wydler Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3722(a)). 
‘‘(10) TRIBAL COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.—The 
term ‘Tribal College or University’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 316 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c). 
‘‘(11) VENTURE
DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZA-
TION.—The term ‘venture development organization’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 27(a) of 
the Stevenson-Wydler Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
3722(a)). 
‘‘(b) REGIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION HUB 
PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability 
of appropriations, the Secretary shall carry out a 
program— 
‘‘(A) to encourage new and constructive 
collaboration among local, State, and Federal 
government entities, institutions of higher edu-
cation, the private sector, economic development 
organizations, labor organizations, nonprofit or-
ganizations, and community organizations to 
promote inclusive regional innovation initiatives; 
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‘‘(B) to support eligible consortia in the 
development and implementation of regional in-
novation strategies; 
‘‘(C) to designate eligible consortia as re-
gional technology and innovation hubs and fa-
cilitate activities by consortia designated as re-
gional technology and innovation hubs in imple-
menting their regional innovation strategies, in 
order— 
‘‘(i) to enable United States leader-
ship in technology and innovation sectors 
critical to national and economic security; 
‘‘(ii) to support regional economic de-
velopment and resilience, including in 
small cities and rural areas, and promote 
increased geographic diversity of innova-
tion across the United States; 
‘‘(iii) to promote the benefits of tech-
nology development and innovation for all 
Americans, including underserved commu-
nities and vulnerable communities; 
‘‘(iv) to support domestic job creation 
and broad-based economic growth; and 
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‘‘(v) to improve the pace of market 
readiness, industry maturation, and overall 
commercialization of innovative research; 
‘‘(D) to ensure that the regional tech-
nology and innovation hubs address the inter-
section of emerging technologies and either re-
gional challenges or national challenges; and 
‘‘(E) to conduct ongoing research, evalua-
tion, analysis, and dissemination of best prac-
tices for regional development and competitive-
ness in technology and innovation. 
‘‘(2) AWARDS.—The Secretary shall carry out 
the program required by paragraph (1) through the 
award of the following: 
‘‘(A) Strategy development grants or coop-
erative agreements to eligible consortia under 
subsection (e). 
‘‘(B) Strategy implementation grants or 
cooperative agreements to regional technology 
and innovation hubs under subsection (f). 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE CONSORTIA.—For purposes of this 
section, an eligible consortium is a consortium that— 
‘‘(1) includes 1 or more of each of the fol-
lowing— 
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‘‘(A) institutions of higher education, 
which may include Historically Black Colleges 
and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Univer-
sities, and Minority Serving Institutions; 
‘‘(B) State, local, or Tribal governments or 
other political subdivisions of a State, including 
State and local agencies, or a consortia thereof; 
‘‘(C) industry or firms in relevant tech-
nology or innovation sectors; 
‘‘(D) labor organizations or workforce 
training organizations, which may include State 
and local workforce development boards as es-
tablished under section 101 and 107 of the 
Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (29 
U.S.C. 3111; 3122); and 
‘‘(E) organizations that contribute to in-
creasing the participation of underserved popu-
lations in science, technology, innovation, and 
entrepreneurship; and 
‘‘(2) may include 1 or more— 
‘‘(A) economic development entities with 
relevant expertise, including a district organiza-
tion (as defined in section 300.3 of title 13, 
Code of Federal Regulations, or successor regu-
lation); 
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‘‘(B) economic development organizations 
or similar entities that are focused primarily on 
improving science, technology, innovation, en-
trepreneurship, or access to capital; 
‘‘(C) venture development organizations; 
‘‘(D) financial institutions and investment 
funds; 
‘‘(E) primary and secondary educational 
institutions, including career and technical edu-
cation schools; 
‘‘(F) National Laboratories (as defined in 
section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 15801)); 
‘‘(G) Federal laboratories; 
‘‘(H) Manufacturing extension centers; 
‘‘(I) Manufacturing USA institutes; 
‘‘(J) transportation planning organizations; 
‘‘(K) a cooperative extension services; and 
‘‘(L) organizations that represent the per-
spectives of underserved communities in eco-
nomic development initiatives. 
‘‘(d) DESIGNATION OF REGIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND 
INNOVATION HUBS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out subsection 
(b)(1)(C), the Secretary shall use a competitive, 
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merit-review process to designate not fewer than 10 
eligible consortia as regional technology and innova-
tion hubs. 
‘‘(2) GEOGRAPHIC
DISTRIBUTION.—In con-
ducting the competitive process under paragraph 
(1), the Secretary shall ensure geographic distribu-
tion in the designation of regional technology and in-
novation hubs by— 
‘‘(A) focusing on localities that are not 
leading technology centers; 
‘‘(B) ensuring that not fewer than one 
third of eligible consortia designated as regional 
technology and innovation hubs significantly 
benefit a rural or other underserved community; 
‘‘(C) ensuring that at least one eligible 
consortium designated as a regional technology 
and innovation hub is headquartered in a State 
that is eligible to receive funding from the Es-
tablished Program to Stimulate Competitive Re-
search of the National Science Foundation; and 
‘‘(D) ensuring that at least one eligible 
consortium designated as a regional technology 
and innovation hub is headquartered in a region 
that has a high density of institutions of higher 
education serving populations historically un-
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derrepresented in STEM, including historically 
Black Colleges and Universities and minority 
serving institutions. 
‘‘(3) RELATION TO CERTAIN GRANT AWARDS.— 
The Secretary shall not require an eligible consor-
tium to receive a grant or cooperative agreement 
under subsection (e) in order to be designated as a 
regional technology and innovation hub under para-
graph (1) of this subsection. 
‘‘(e) STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT GRANTS AND COOP-
ERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall use a 
competitive, merit-review process to award grants or 
cooperative agreements to eligible consortia for the 
development of regional innovation strategies. 
‘‘(2) NUMBER OF RECIPIENTS.—The Secretary 
shall award a grant or cooperative agreement under 
paragraph (1) to not fewer than 20 eligible con-
sortia. 
‘‘(3) GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY AND REPRESEN-
TATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
carry out paragraph (1) in a manner that en-
sures geographic diversity and representation 
from communities of differing populations. 
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‘‘(B) AWARDS
TO
RURAL
COMMUNITIES 
AND
UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES.—In car-
rying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
award not fewer than one-half of the grants and 
cooperative agreements under such paragraph 
to eligible consortia that significantly benefit a 
rural state, rural community, or other under-
served community. 
‘‘(4) USE OF FUNDS.—The amount of a grant 
or cooperative agreement awarded under paragraph 
(1) shall be as follows: 
‘‘(A) To coordinate locally defined planning 
processes, across jurisdictions and agencies, re-
lating to developing a comprehensive regional 
technology strategy. 
‘‘(B) To identify regional partnerships for 
developing and implementing a comprehensive 
regional technology strategy. 
‘‘(C) To conduct or update assessments to 
determine regional needs and capabilities. 
‘‘(D) To develop or update goals and strat-
egies to implement an existing comprehensive 
regional plan. 
‘‘(E) To identify or implement planning 
and local zoning and other code changes nec-
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essary to implement a comprehensive regional 
technology strategy. 
‘‘(F) To develop or update goals for ensur-
ing that any new regional technology strategy 
mitigates and does not exacerbate economic or 
social inequities in a region. 
‘‘(5) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of 
the cost of an effort carried out using a grant or co-
operative agreement awarded under this subsection 
may not exceed 80 percent— 
‘‘(A) where in-kind contributions may be 
used for all or part of the non-Federal share, 
but Federal funding from other government 
sources may not count towards the non-Federal 
share; 
‘‘(B) except in the case of an eligible con-
sortium that represents all or part of a rural or 
other underserved community, the Federal 
share may be up to 90 percent of the total cost, 
subject to subparagraph (A); and 
‘‘(C) except in the case of an eligible con-
sortium that is led by a Tribal government, the 
Federal share may be up to 100 percent of the 
total cost of the project. 
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‘‘(f) STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS AND CO-
OPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall use a 
competitive, merit-review process to award grants or 
cooperative agreements to regional technology and 
innovation hubs for the implementation of regional 
innovation strategies, including regional strategies 
for infrastructure and site development, in support 
of the regional innovation and technology and inno-
vation hub’s plans and programs. The Secretary 
should determine the size and number of awards 
based on appropriations available to ensure the suc-
cess of regional technology and innovation hubs as 
outlined in subsection (h). 
‘‘(2) USE
OF
FUNDS.—Financial assistance 
awarded under paragraph (1) to a regional tech-
nology and innovation hub may be used by the re-
gional technology and innovation hub to support any 
of the following activities, consistent with the most 
current regional innovation strategy of the regional 
technology and innovation hub: 
‘‘(A) WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVI-
TIES.—Workforce development activities, in-
cluding activities relating to the following: 
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‘‘(i) The creation of partnerships be-
tween industry, workforce, nonprofit, and 
educational institutions to create and align 
technical training and educational pro-
grams. 
‘‘(ii) The design, development, and 
updating of educational and training cur-
riculum tied to demonstrated regional 
workforce needs. 
‘‘(iii) The procurement of facilities 
and equipment, as required to train a tech-
nical workforce. 
‘‘(iv) The development and execution 
of programs to rapidly award certificates 
or credentials recognized by regional indus-
tries or other organizations. 
‘‘(v) The matching of regional employ-
ers with a potential new entrant, under-
employed, underrepresented, or incumbent 
workforce. 
‘‘(vi) The expansion of successful 
training programs at a scale required by 
the region served by the regional tech-
nology and innovation hub, including 
through the use of online education. 
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‘‘(vii) The development and expansion 
of programs with the goal of increasing the 
participation of persons historically under-
represented in STEM in the workforce de-
velopment plans of the regional technology 
and innovation hub. 
‘‘(B) BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEUR DE-
VELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.—Business and entre-
preneur development activities, including activi-
ties relating to the following: 
‘‘(i) The development and growth of 
regional businesses and the training of en-
trepreneurs. 
‘‘(ii) The support of technology com-
mercialization, including funding for activi-
ties relevant for advancing high growth po-
tential ventures such as acceleration, incu-
bation and other relevant programming. 
‘‘(iii) The development of capital net-
works and consortia to attract necessary 
private funding to businesses and entre-
preneurs in the region. 
‘‘(iv) The development of networks for 
business and entrepreneur mentorship. 
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‘‘(C) TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT
AND 
MATURATION ACTIVITIES.—Technology matura-
tion activities, including activities relating to 
the following: 
‘‘(i) The development and deployment 
of technologies in sectors critical to the re-
gion served by the regional technology and 
innovation hub or to national and economic 
security, including industry-university re-
search cooperation, proof of concept, proto-
type development, and testing. 
‘‘(ii) The development of program-
ming to support the creation and transfer 
of intellectual property into private use, 
such as through startup creation. 
‘‘(iii) The provision of facilities for 
technology maturation, including incuba-
tors for collaborative development of tech-
nologies by private sector, academic, non-
profit, and other entities. 
‘‘(iv) Activities to provide or ensure 
access to capital for new business forma-
tion and business expansion, including by 
attracting new private, public, and philan-
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thropic investment and by establishing re-
gional venture and loan funds. 
‘‘(D) INFRASTRUCTURE-RELATED
ACTIVI-
TIES.—The building of facilities and site 
connectivity infrastructure necessary to carry 
out activities described in subparagraphs (A), 
(B), and (C), including activities relating to the 
following: 
‘‘(i) Establishing a center with re-
quired tools and instrumentation for work-
force development. 
‘‘(ii) Establishing a facility for tech-
nology development, demonstration, and 
testing. 
‘‘(iii) Establishing collaborative incu-
bators to support technology commer-
cialization and entrepreneur training. 
‘‘(3) TERM.— 
‘‘(A) INITIAL
PERFORMANCE
PERIOD.— 
The term of an initial grant or cooperative 
agreement awarded under this subsection shall 
be for a period that the Secretary deems appro-
priate for the proposed activities but not less 
than 2 years. 
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‘‘(B) SUBSEQUENT
PERFORMANCE
PE-
RIOD.—The Secretary may renew a grant or co-
operative agreement awarded to a regional tech-
nology and innovation hub under paragraph (1) 
for such period as the Secretary considers ap-
propriate, if the Secretary determines that the 
regional technology and innovation hub has 
made satisfactory progress towards the metrics 
agreed to under subparagraph (j). 
‘‘(C) FLEXIBLE APPROACH.—In renewing 
a grant or cooperative agreement under sub-
paragraph (B), the Secretary and eligible con-
sortium may agree to new or additional uses of 
funds in order to meet changes in the needs of 
the region. 
‘‘(4) LIMITATION ON AMOUNT OF AWARDS.— 
‘‘(A) INITIAL
PERFORMANCE
PERIOD.— 
The amount of an initial grant or cooperative 
agreements awarded to a regional technology 
and innovation hub under paragraph (3)(A) 
shall be no more than $150,000,000. 
‘‘(B) SUBSEQUENT
PERFORMANCE
PE-
RIOD.—Upon renewal of a grant or cooperative 
agreement under paragraph (3)(B), the Sec-
retary may award funding in the amount that 
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the Secretary considers appropriate, ensuring 
that no single regional technology and innova-
tion hub receives more than 15 percent of the 
aggregate amount of the grants and cooperative 
agreements awarded under this subsection. 
‘‘(5) MATCHING REQUIRED.— 
‘‘(A) INITIAL PERFORMANCE PERIOD.—Ex-
cept in the case of a regional technology and in-
novation hub described in subparagraph (C), 
the total amount of all grants awarded to a re-
gional technology and innovation hub under this 
subsection in phase one shall not exceed 90 per-
cent of the total operating costs of the regional 
technology and innovation hub during the initial 
performance period. 
‘‘(B) SUBSEQUENT
PERFORMANCE
PE-
RIOD.—Except in the case of a regional tech-
nology and innovation hub described in sub-
paragraph (C), the total amount of all grants 
awarded to a regional technology and innova-
tion hub in subsequent performance periods 
shall not exceed 75 percent of the total oper-
ating costs of the regional technology and inno-
vation hub in each year of the grant or coopera-
tive agreement. 
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resentation in the regional technology and 
innovation hub. 
‘‘(D) IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS.—For pur-
poses of this paragraph, in-kind contributions 
may be used for part of the non-Federal share 
of the total funding of a regional technology 
and innovation hub in a fiscal year. 
‘‘(6) GRANTS
FOR
INFRASTRUCTURE.—Any 
grant or cooperative agreement awarded under this 
subsection to support the construction of facilities 
and site connectivity infrastructure shall be awarded 
pursuant to section 201 of the Public Works and 
Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 
3141) and subject to the provisions of such Act, ex-
cept that subsection (b) of such section and sections 
204 and 301 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3144; 3161) 
shall not apply. 
‘‘(7) RELATION TO CERTAIN GRANT AWARDS.— 
The Secretary shall not require a regional tech-
nology and innovation hub to receive a grant or co-
operative agreement under subsection (e) in order to 
receive a grant or cooperative agreement under this 
subsection. 
‘‘(g) APPLICATIONS.—An eligible consortium seeking 
designation as a regional technology and innovation hub 
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under subsection (d) or a grant or cooperative agreement 
under subsection (e) or (f) shall submit to the Secretary 
an application therefore at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary may specify. 
‘‘(h) CONSIDERATIONS
FOR
DESIGNATION
AND 
AWARD OF STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS AND 
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—In selecting an eligible 
consortium that submitted an application under sub-
section (g) for designation under subsection (d) or for a 
grant or cooperative agreement under subsection (f), the 
Secretary shall consider the following: 
‘‘(1) The potential of the eligible consortium to 
advance the research, development, deployment, and 
domestic manufacturing of technologies in a tech-
nology or innovation sector critical to national and 
economic security. 
‘‘(2) The likelihood of positive regional eco-
nomic effect, including increasing the number of 
high wage domestic jobs, and creating new economic 
opportunities for economically disadvantaged and 
underrepresented populations. 
‘‘(3) How the eligible consortium plans to inte-
grate with and leverage the resources of 1 or more 
federally funded research and development centers, 
National Laboratories, Federal laboratories, Manu-
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facturing USA institutes, Hollings Manufacturing 
Extension Partnership centers, or other Federal en-
tities. 
‘‘(4) How the eligible consortium will engage 
with the private sector, including small- and me-
dium-sized businesses to commercialize new tech-
nologies and improve the resiliency of domestic sup-
ply chains in a technology or innovation sector crit-
ical to national and economic security. 
‘‘(5) How the eligible consortium will carry out 
workforce development and skills acquisition pro-
gramming, including through partnerships with enti-
ties that include State and local workforce develop-
ment boards, institutions of higher education, in-
cluding community colleges, historically Black col-
leges and universities, Tribal colleges and univer-
sities, and minority serving institutions, labor orga-
nizations, and workforce development programs, and 
other related activities authorized by the Secretary, 
to support the development of a skilled technical 
workforce for the regional technology and innovation 
hub. 
‘‘(6) How the eligible consortium will improve 
or expand science, technology, engineering, and 
mathematics education programs and opportunities 
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in the identified region in elementary and secondary 
school and higher education institutions located in 
the identified region. 
‘‘(7) How the eligible consortium plans to de-
velop partnerships with venture development organi-
zations and sources of private investment in support 
of private sector activity, including launching new or 
expanding existing companies. 
‘‘(8) How the eligible consortium plans to orga-
nize the activities of regional partners across sectors 
in support of a regional technology and innovation 
hub. 
‘‘(9) How the eligible consortium will ensure 
that growth in technology and innovation sector pro-
duces opportunity across the identified region, in-
cluding for economically disadvantaged, minority, 
and rural populations, including consideration of 
how the eligible consortium takes into account the 
relevant impact of regional status and plans for— 
‘‘(A) available housing stock and housing 
policies; 
‘‘(B) local and regional transportation sys-
tems; 
‘‘(C) high speed internet access; and 
‘‘(D) primary and secondary education. 
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‘‘(10) How much the regions educational insti-
tutions are committed to aligning their activities, in-
cluding research and education, as appropriate, to a 
region’s economic strengths and areas of focus. 
‘‘(11) The likelihood efforts served by the con-
sortium will be sustained once Federal support ends. 
‘‘(i) COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION.— 
‘‘(1) COORDINATION WITH REGIONAL INNOVA-
TION PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall ensure the ac-
tivities under this section do not duplicate activities 
or efforts under section 27. 
‘‘(2) COORDINATION AMONG HUBS.—The Sec-
retary shall ensure eligible consortia that receive a 
grant or cooperative agreement under this section 
coordinate and share best practices for regional eco-
nomic development. 
‘‘(3) COORDINATION WITH PROGRAMS OF THE 
NATIONAL
INSTITUTE
OF
STANDARDS
AND
TECH-
NOLOGY.—The Secretary shall coordinate the activi-
ties of regional technology and innovation hubs des-
ignated under this section, the Hollings Manufac-
turing Extension Partnership, and the Manufac-
turing USA Program, as the Secretary considers ap-
propriate, to maintain the effectiveness of a manu-
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