Manufacturing communities

(a)

Definitions

(1)

Eligible consortium

The term eligible consortium means a consortium that meets the eligibility criteria established by the Secretary under subsection (c)(2)(A).(2)

Manufacturing community

The term manufacturing community means an eligible consortium designated by the Secretary under subsection (c)(1).(3)

Nonprofit organization

The term nonprofit organization means an organization exempt from taxation and described in paragraph (3), (5), or (6) of section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.(4)

Program

The term Program means the Manufacturing Communities Support Program established under subsection (b)(1).(5)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce.(6)

Small business concern

The term small business concern means the term as defined under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632). (b)

Program authorized

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall establish a program to be known as the Manufacturing Communities Support Program, under which the Secretary shall designate and support eligible consortiums as manufacturing communities.(2)

Purpose

The purpose of the Program shall be to strengthen the manufacturing base of the United States by making long-term investments in manufacturing communities by supporting—(A)critical skills;(B)facilities;(C)research and development; and(D)small business concerns.(c)

Designation of manufacturing communities

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall designate an eligible consortium as a manufacturing community through a competitive process.(2)

Eligible consortiums

(A)

In general

The Secretary shall establish criteria for a consortium to be eligible for a designation as a manufacturing community under paragraph (1).(B)

Considerations

In developing eligibility criteria under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall consider the merits of—(i)including members from academia, commercial industry, nonprofit organizations, and State and local governmental organizations;(ii)supporting efforts in geographical regions that have capabilities in key technologies or manufacturing base supply chains that the Secretary determines to be critical to codifying the supply chains of the United States; and(iii)the optimal composition and size of a consortium to promote effectiveness, collaboration, and efficiency.(3)

Duration

Each designation under paragraph (1) shall be for a 5-year period.(4)

Renewal

(A)

In general

The Secretary may renew a designation made under paragraph (1) for not more than 2 additional 2-year periods. (B)

Criteria for renewal

(i)

In general

The Secretary shall establish criteria for the renewal of a designation under subparagraph (A).(ii)

Considerations

In establishing criteria for a renewal under clause (i) the Secretary shall consider, with respect to the manufacturing community seeking a renewal—(I)the performance of the manufacturing community in meeting the established goals of the Program;(II)the progress the manufacturing community has made with respect to project-specific metrics, particularly with respect to metrics designed to help manufacturing communities track their own progress;(III)whether any changes to the composition of the manufacturing community or revisions of the plan of the manufacturing community would improve the capabilities of the manufacturing base of the United States; and(IV)any other criteria the Secretary determines appropriate.(5)

Application for designation

(A)

In general

An eligible consortium seeking a designation under paragraph (1) shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require.(B)

Considerations

In developing application procedures under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall consider the inclusion of, with respect to an eligible consortium—(i)a description of the regional boundaries of the eligible consortium and the manufacturing capacity of the region;(ii)an evidence-based plan for enhancing the manufacturing base in the United States through the efforts of the eligible consortium;(iii)the investments the eligible consortium proposes and the strategy of the eligible consortium to address gaps in the manufacturing base of the United States; (iv)a description of the outcome-based metrics, benchmarks, and milestones that will track and the evaluation methods that will be used to gauge performance of the eligible consortium;(v)a plan to ensure that members of the eligible consortium are representative of the proposed location of the manufacturing community;(vi)a community that had previously received a designation by the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership of the Economic Development Administration; and(vii)any other matters the Secretary determines appropriate.(C)

Strategic planning assistance

The Secretary shall provide strategic planning assistance for eligible consortiums that lack experience applying for Federal assistance to ensure such eligible consortiums may submit an application that meets the procedures established by the Secretary under this paragraph. (d)

Financial and technical assistance

(1)

In general

As appropriate and for purposes of the Program, the Secretary may award financial or technical assistance to a member of an eligible consortium that has been designated as a manufacturing community.(2)

Use of funds

A recipient of financial or technical assistance under paragraph (1) shall use the financial or technical assistance to support an investment that will improve the manufacturing base of the United States.(3)

Investments supported

Investments supported under this subsection may include activities relating to—(A)equipment or facility upgrades;(B)workforce training, retraining, or recruitment and retention, including for women, underrepresented minorities, and veterans;(C)business incubators;(D)advanced research and commercialization, including with Federal laboratories and depots;(E)supply chain development; and(F)assistance for small business concerns.(e)

Other Federal assistance

The Secretary may make a Federal point of contact available to each eligible consortium designated as a manufacturing community to help such consortium and the members of such consortium access Federal financial and technical assistance.(f)

Receipt of transferred funds

The Secretary may accept amounts transferred to the Secretary from the head of an agency or a State or local governmental organization to carry out this section.(g)

Report

Not later than 6 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress, and make publicly available, a report that identifies the best practices for an eligible consortium—(1)to be designated as a manufacturing community; and(2)to renew the manufacturing community designation.