SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary of Commerce for the Collaborative Manufacturing 
Research Grants program under section 33 of the Na-
tional Institute of Standards and Technology Act and for 
Manufacturing Fellowships at the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology under section 5 of this Act—
(1) $41,500,000 for fiscal year 2005, of which 
$40,000,000 shall be for the program under section 
33 of the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology Act and $1,500,000 shall be for the program 
under section 5 of this Act; 
(2) $45,750,000 for fiscal year 2006, of which 
$44,000,000 shall be for the program under section 
33 of the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology Act and $1,750,000 shall be for the program 
under section 5 of this Act; 
(3) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2007, of which 
$48,000,000 shall be for the program under section 
33 of the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology Act and $2,000,000 shall be for the program 
under section 5 of this Act; and 
(4) $54,250,000 for fiscal year 2008, of which 
$52,000,000 shall be for the program under section 
33 of the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology Act and $2,250,000 shall be for the program 
under section 5 of this Act. 
SEC. 7. MANUFACTURING EXTENSION. 
(a) MANUFACTURING CENTER EVALUATION.—Sec-
tion 25(c)(5) of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(c)(5)) is amended by in-
serting ‘‘A Center that has not received a positive evalua-
tion by the evaluation panel shall be notified by the panel 
of the deficiencies in its performance and placed on proba-
tion for one year, after which time the panel shall reevalu-
ate the Center. If the Center has not addressed the defi-
ciencies identified by the panel, or shown a significant im-
provement in its performance, the Director shall conduct 
a new competition to select an operator for the Center.’’ 
after ‘‘sixth year at declining levels.’’. 
(b) MANUFACTURING EXTENSION CENTER COMPETI-
TIVE GRANT PROGRAM.—Section 25 of the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(e) COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM.—
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director shall es-
tablish, within the Manufacturing Extension Part-
nership program under this section and section 26 
of this Act, a program of competitive awards among
participants described in paragraph (2) for the pur-
poses described in paragraph (3). 
‘‘(2) 
PARTICIPANTS.—Participants 
receiving 
awards under this subsection shall be the Centers, or 
a consortium of such Centers. 
‘‘(3) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the program 
under this subsection is to develop projects to solve 
new or emerging manufacturing problems as deter-
mined by the Director, in consultation with the Di-
rector of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
program, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
National Advisory Board, and small and medium-
sized manufacturers. One or more themes for the 
competition may be identified, which may vary from 
year to year, depending on the needs of manufactur-
ers and the success of previous competitions. These 
themes may be related to projects associated with 
manufacturing extension activities, including work-
force training, supply chain integration, and quality 
management, or extend beyond these traditional 
areas. 
‘‘(4) APPLICATIONS.—Applications for awards 
under this subsection shall be submitted in such 
manner, at such time, and containing such informa-
tion as the Director shall require, in consultation
with the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Na-
tional Advisory Board. 
‘‘(5) SELECTION.—Awards under this sub-
section shall be peer reviewed and competitively 
awarded. The Director shall select proposals to re-
ceive awards—
‘‘(A) that utilize innovative or collaborative 
approaches to solving the problem described in 
the competition; 
‘‘(B) that will improve the competitiveness 
of industries in the region in which the Center 
or Centers are located; and 
‘‘(C) that will contribute to the long-term 
economic stability of that region. 
‘‘(6) PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION.—Recipients of 
awards under this subsection shall not be required 
to provide a matching contribution. 
‘‘(7) REPORT.—Not later than two years after 
the first awards under this subsection, the Director 
shall transmit to Congress a report on the program 
describing the grants that were awarded, their re-
cipients, the success to date of the program to meet 
the purposes of this subsection, lessons learned, and 
the challenges and opportunities facing the future 
success of the program.
‘‘(8) FUNDING.—Funding for the program 
under this subsection shall not be available unless 
amounts remain available after financial assistance 
is provided to Centers as specified under this sec-
tion.’’. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Com-
merce for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership pro-
gram under sections 25 and 26 of the National Institute 
of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k and 
278l)—
(1) $120,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; 
(2) $125,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; 
(3) $132,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and 
(4) $137,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
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