(II) by making the manufac-
turing of the region of the consortium 
uniquely competitive; 
(v) a description of the investments 
the consortium proposes and the imple-
mentation strategy the consortium intends 
to use to address gaps in such ecosystem; 
(vi) a description of the outcome- 
based metrics, benchmarks, and milestones 
that the consortium will track and the 
evaluation methods the consortium will use 
while designated as a manufacturing com-
munity to gauge performance of the strat-
egy of the consortium to improve the man-
ufacturing in the region of the consortium; 
and 
(vii) such other matters as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(6) EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS.—The Sec-
retary shall evaluate each application received under 
paragraph (5) to determine— 
(A) whether the applicant demonstrates a 
significant level of regional cooperation in their 
proposal; and 
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(B) how the manufacturing concentration 
of the applicant competitively ranks nationally 
according to measures described in paragraph 
(5)(B)(ii). 
(7) CERTAIN COMMUNITIES PREVIOUSLY REC-
OGNIZED.—Each consortium that was designated as 
a manufacturing community by the Secretary in car-
rying out the Investing in Manufacturing Commu-
nities Partnership initiative of the Department of 
Commerce before the date of the enactment of this 
Act shall be deemed a manufacturing community 
designated under this subsection if such consortium 
is still designated as a manufacturing community by 
the Secretary as part of such initiative. 
(c) SUPPORT
FOR DESIGNATED MANUFACTURING 
COMMUNITIES.— 
(1) PREFERENTIAL CONSIDERATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (D), if a member of a consortium 
designated as a manufacturing community 
under subsection (b) seeks financial or technical 
assistance under a participating program of a 
participating agency, the head of such agency 
may give preferential consideration to such 
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member with respect to the awarding of such fi-
nancial or technical assistance if— 
(i) such head considers the award of 
the financial or technical assistance con-
sistent with the economic development 
strategy of the consortium; and 
(ii) the member otherwise meets all 
applicable requirements for the financial or 
technical assistance. 
(B) PARTICIPATING AGENCIES.—The Sec-
retary shall invite other Federal agencies to be-
come participating agencies of the Manufac-
turing Community Support Program. 
(C) PARTICIPATING PROGRAMS.—The head 
of each participating agency shall identify all 
programs administered by such participating 
agency that are applicable to the Manufacturing 
Community Support Program. 
(D) MULTIPLE MEMBERS OF THE SAME 
CONSORTIUM
SEEKING
THE
SAME
FINANCIAL 
OR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—If a participating 
agency receives applications for the same 
financial or technical assistance from more 
than one member of the same consortium 
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designated as a manufacturing community 
under subsection (b), the head of such 
agency may determine how preference will 
be given under subparagraph (A), includ-
ing by requiring the consortium to select 
which of the members should be given 
preference. 
(ii) COORDINATION.—If the head of a 
participating agency determines that more 
than one member of a consortium should 
be given preference for financial or tech-
nical assistance under subparagraph (A), 
he or she may require such members to 
demonstrate coordination with each other 
in developing their applications for the fi-
nancial or technical assistance. 
(E) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
head of each participating agency shall submit 
a report to the Secretary that specifies how the 
head will give preferential consideration under 
subparagraph (A). 
(2) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 
may make a Federal point of contact available to 
each consortium designated as a manufacturing 
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community under subsection (b) to help the mem-
bers of the consortium access Federal funds and 
technical assistance. 
(3) FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Under the Manufac-
turing Community Support Program, the head 
of a participating agency may award financial 
or technical assistance to a member of a consor-
tium designated as a manufacturing community 
under subsection (b) as he or she considers ap-
propriate for purposes of such program and 
consistent with the economic development strat-
egy of the consortium. 
(B) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—A recipient of fi-
nancial or technical assistance under sub-
paragraph (A) may use such financial or 
technical assistance to support an invest-
ment in an ecosystem that will improve the 
competitiveness of United States manufac-
turing. 
(ii) INVESTMENTS
SUPPORTED.—In-
vestments supported under this subpara-
graph may include— 
(I) infrastructure; 
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(II) access to capital; 
(III) promotion of exports and 
foreign direct investment; 
(IV) equipment or facility up-
grades; 
(V) workforce training, retrain-
ing, or recruitment and retention, in-
cluding that of women and underrep-
resented minorities; 
(VI) energy or process efficiency; 
(VII) business incubators; 
(VIII) site preparation; 
(IX) advanced research; 
(X) supply chain development; 
and 
(XI) small business assistance. 
(4) COORDINATION.— 
(A) COORDINATION
BY
SECRETARY
OF 
COMMERCE.—The Secretary shall coordinate 
with the heads of the participating agencies to 
identify programs under paragraph (1)(C). 
(B) INTER-AGENCY
COORDINATION.—The 
heads of the participating agencies shall coordi-
nate with each other— 
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(i) to leverage complementary activi-
ties, including from non-Federal sources, 
such as philanthropies; and 
(ii) to avoid duplication of efforts. 
(d) RECEIPT OF TRANSFERRED FUNDS.—The Sec-
retary may accept amounts transferred to the Secretary 
from the head of another participating agency to carry out 
this section. 
Æ 
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