Strengthening MSI Competitiveness in Research and Innovation Act
Bill: H.R.3840 | Sponsor: Rep. Moore, Gwen (D-WI)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Strengthening MSI Competitiveness in Research and Innovation Act
This bill directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish a program to make competitive awards to eligible institutions to support the mission of the NSF and to build institutional research capacity at eligible institutions.
To be eligible to receive an award, an institution shall be
Each eligible institution shall have not more than $50 million in annual federally-financed research and development expenditures for science and engineering as reported through the National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development Survey.

To direct the Director of the National Science Foundation to establish 
a capacity-building program for developing universities, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening MSI Competitiveness in 
Research and Innovation Act''.

SEC. 2. CAPACITY-BUILDING PROGRAM FOR DEVELOPING UNIVERSITIES.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the National Science Foundation 
shall establish a program to make awards, on a competitive basis, to 
eligible institutions described in subsection (b) to support the 
mission of the Foundation and to build institutional research capacity 
at eligible institutions.
    (b) Eligible Institution.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible to receive an award under 
        this section, an institution--
                    (A) shall be--
                            (i) a historically Black college or 
                        university;
                            (ii) a Tribal College or University;
                            (iii) a minority-serving institution; or
                            (iv) an institution of higher education 
                        with an established STEM capacity building 
                        program focused on traditionally 
                        underrepresented populations in STEM, including 
                        Native Hawaiians, Alaska Natives, and Indians; 
                        and
                    (B) shall have not more than $50,000,000 in annual 
                federally-financed research and development 
                expenditures for science and engineering as reported 
                through the National Science Foundation Higher 
                Education Research and Development Survey.
            (2) Partnerships.--An eligible institution receiving a 
        grant under this section may carry out the activities of the 
        grant through a partnership with other entities, including 
        community colleges and other eligible institutions.
    (c) Proposals.--To receive an award under this section, an eligible 
institution shall submit an application to the Director at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may 
require, including a plan that describes how the eligible institution 
will establish or expand research office capacity and how such award 
would be used to--
            (1) conduct an assessment of capacity-building and research 
        infrastructure needs of an eligible institution;
            (2) enhance institutional resources to provide 
        administrative research development support to faculty at an 
        eligible institution;
            (3) bolster the institutional research competitiveness of 
        an eligible institution to support grants awarded by the 
        Foundation;
            (4) support the acquisition of instrumentation necessary to 
        build research capacity at an eligible institution in research 
        areas directly associated with the Foundation;
            (5) increase capability of an eligible institution to move 
        technology into the marketplace;
            (6) increase engagement with industry to execute research 
        through the SBIR and STTR programs (as defined in section 9(e) 
        of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(e)) and direct 
        contracts at an eligible institution;
            (7) provide student engagement and research training 
        opportunities at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral 
        levels at an eligible institution;
            (8) further faculty development initiatives and strengthen 
        institutional research training infrastructure, capacity, and 
        competitiveness of an eligible institution; or
            (9) address plans and prospects for long-term 
        sustainability of institutional enhancements at an eligible 
        institution resulting from the award including, if applicable, 
        how the award may be leveraged by an eligible institution to 
        build a broader base of support.
    (d) Awards.--Awards made under this section shall be for periods of 
3 years, and may be extended for periods of not more than 5 years.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Historically black college or university.--The term 
        ``historically Black college or university'' has the meaning 
        given the term ``part B institution'' in section 322 of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
            (2) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
        serving institution'' or ``MSI'' means--
                    (A) a Hispanic-serving institution as defined in 
                section 502 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1101a);
                    (B) an Alaska Native-serving Institution or a 
                Native Hawaiian-serving institution as such terms are 
                defined in section 317 of the Higher Education Act of 
                1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059d); and
                    (C) a Predominantly Black institution, an Asian 
                American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving 
                institution, or a Native American-serving nontribal 
                institution as such terms are defined in section 371 of 
                the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c)).
            (3) Tribal college or university.--The term ``Tribal 
        College or University'' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 316 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1059c).
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Director of the National Science Foundation 
$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to carry out 
the activities in this Act.
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