produce large amounts of data that will need to 
be stored, curated, and made publicly available; 
‘‘(E) strengthen all levels of networking 
and information technology education and 
training programs to ensure an adequate, well- 
trained workforce; and 
‘‘(F) attract individuals identified in sec-
tions 33 and 34 of the Science and Engineering 
Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a and 
1885b) to networking and information tech-
nology fields. 
‘‘(3) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The entities in-
volved in developing the strategic plan under para-
graph (1) shall take into consideration the rec-
ommendations— 
‘‘(A) of the advisory committee established 
under subsection (b); 
‘‘(B) of the Committee on Science and rel-
evant subcommittees of the National Science 
and Technology Council; and 
‘‘(C) of the stakeholders whose input was 
solicited by the National Coordination Office, as 
required under section 102(b)(3). 
‘‘(4) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Director of 
the National Coordination Office shall transmit the 
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strategic plan required under paragraph (1) to the 
advisory committee, the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology of the House of Representa-
tives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate.’’. 
SEC. 6. NATIONAL COORDINATION OFFICE. 
Section 102 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5512) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 102. NATIONAL COORDINATION OFFICE. 
‘‘(a) OFFICE.—The Director shall maintain a Na-
tional Coordination Office with a Director and full-time 
staff. 
‘‘(b) FUNCTIONS.—The National Coordination Office 
shall— 
‘‘(1) provide technical and administrative sup-
port to— 
‘‘(A) the agencies participating in planning 
and implementing the Program, including such 
support as needed in the development of the 
strategic plan under section 101(e); and 
‘‘(B) the advisory committee established 
under section 101(b), as appropriate; 
‘‘(2) serve as the primary point of contact on 
Federal networking and information technology ac-
tivities for government organizations, academia, in-
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dustry, professional societies, State computing and 
networking technology programs, interested citizen 
groups, and others to exchange technical and pro-
grammatic information; 
‘‘(3) solicit input and recommendations from a 
wide range of stakeholders during the development 
of each strategic plan required under section 101(e) 
and the scope of the Program Component Areas 
through the convening of at least one workshop with 
invitees from academia, industry, Federal labora-
tories, and other relevant organizations and institu-
tions; 
‘‘(4) conduct and increase outreach, including 
to academia, industry, other relevant organizations 
and institutions, and the public, in order to increase 
awareness of the Program and the benefits of the 
Program and to increase potential opportunities for 
collaboration between agencies participating in the 
Program and the private sector; and 
‘‘(5) promote access to and early application of 
the technologies, innovations, and expertise derived 
from Program activities to agency missions and sys-
tems across the Federal Government and to United 
States industry. 
‘‘(c) SOURCE OF FUNDING.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The operation of the Na-
tional Coordination Office shall be supported by 
funds from each agency participating in the Pro-
gram. 
‘‘(2) SPECIFICATIONS.—The portion of the total 
budget of such Office that is provided by each agen-
cy for each fiscal year shall be in the same propor-
tion as each such agency’s share of the total budget 
for the Program for the previous fiscal year, as spec-
ified in the report required under section 101(a)(3). 
‘‘(3) WAIVER.—As appropriate, the Director 
may consider and approve a reduction or waiver of 
an agency contribution requirement under paragraph 
(2).’’. 
SEC. 7. NEXT GENERATION INTERNET. 
Section 103 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5513) is repealed. 
SEC. 8. GRAND CHALLENGES IN AREAS OF NATIONAL IM-
PORTANCE. 
Title I of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511 et seq.) is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 103. GRAND CHALLENGES IN AREAS OF NATIONAL 
IMPORTANCE. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Program shall encourage 
agencies identified in section 101(a)(3)(E) to support 
large-scale, long-term, interdisciplinary research and de-
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velopment activities in networking and information tech-
nology directed toward agency mission areas that have the 
potential for significant contributions to national economic 
competitiveness and for other significant societal benefits. 
Such activities, ranging from basic research to the dem-
onstration of technical solutions, shall be designed to ad-
vance the development of fundamental discoveries. The ad-
visory committee established under section 101(b) shall 
make recommendations to the Program for candidate re-
search and development areas for support under this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(b) CHARACTERISTICS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Research and development 
activities under this section shall— 
‘‘(A) include projects selected on the basis 
of applications for support through a competi-
tive, merit-based process; 
‘‘(B) involve collaborations among re-
searchers in institutions of higher education 
and industry, and may involve nonprofit re-
search institutions and Federal laboratories, as 
appropriate; 
‘‘(C) leverage Federal investments through 
collaboration with related State and private sec-
tor initiatives; and 
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