Advancing Innovative Manufacturing Act of 2012 - Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to carry out a program to develop and support industry-led consortia that will identify, prioritize, and address long-term, precompetitive industrial research needs in the area of advanced manufacturing, including through the use of technology roadmaps and transfer of technology platforms and infrastructure.
Requires the Director to carry out a pilot program (through the award of competitive, merit-reviewed grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to small- or medium-sized manufacturers through a uniform process) to enhance the innovative capabilities and competitiveness of such manufacturers through support for research and development that will promote the field of advanced manufacturing and lead to the commercialization of new products, processes, or technologies.
Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish an innovation voucher pilot program to accelerate innovative activities and enhance the competitiveness of small- and medium-sized manufacturers, which shall: (1) foster collaborations between such manufacturers and research institutions, and (2) enable the manufacturers to access technical expertise and capabilities that will lead to the development of innovative products or manufacturing processes.
Amends the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 to revise the program of grants for education and training in advanced manufacturing so that such grants are provided to community colleges for the development and implementation of innovative education reforms to ensure an adequate and well-trained advanced manufacturing workforce. Lists activities that may be supported by such grants, including for: (1) the development of teaching materials and methods, (2) faculty professional development, (3) centers to provide models and leadership, and (4) activities to enhance student recruitment and retention.
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6081 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6081
To accelerate research, development, and innovation in advanced
manufacturing, to improve the competitiveness of American
manufacturers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 9, 2012
Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas (for herself, Mr. Costello, Ms.
Woolsey, Mr. Miller of North Carolina, Mr. Lipinski, Ms. Edwards, Mr.
Lujan, Ms. Sewell, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Clarke of Michigan, and
Ms. Bonamici) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To accelerate research, development, and innovation in advanced
manufacturing, to improve the competitiveness of American
manufacturers, 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 ``Advancing Innovative Manufacturing
Act of 2012''.
SEC. 2. ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY CONSORTIA.
Section 33 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Act (15 U.S.C. 278r) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 33. ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY CONSORTIA.
``(a) Authority.--
``(1) In general.--The Director shall carry out a program
to facilitate the development of and provide support to
industry-led consortia that will identify, prioritize, and
address long-term, precompetitive industrial research needs in
the area of advanced manufacturing.
``(2) Program objectives.--The objectives of the program
established under this section include the following:
``(A) To promote collective public-private efforts
to develop key technology platforms and infrastructure
for advanced manufacturing.
``(B) To enable the prioritization of public
research portfolios to be more responsive to the long-
term technology development needs of industry.
``(C) To leverage Federal investment in advanced
manufacturing with shared investment by the private
sector.
``(D) To increase industrial research and
development investment in precompetitive technology
platforms and infrastructure.
``(E) To accelerate technological innovation in
advanced manufacturing.
``(F) To foster broad participation by industry,
the Federal Government, institutions of higher
education, and State, local, and tribal governments in
advanced manufacturing research and development.
``(b) Activities.--As part of the program established under this
section, the Director shall--
``(1) support the formation of industry-led consortia
composed of representatives from industry (including small- and
medium-sized manufacturers), institutions of higher education,
the Federal Government, State, local, and tribal governments,
and other entities, as appropriate;
``(2) collaborate with consortia participants in the
development of technology roadmaps that identify research needs
in the area of advanced manufacturing;
``(3) support precompetitive research directed at meeting
the research needs identified in the roadmaps developed under
paragraph (2);
``(4) promote the transfer of precompetitive technology
platforms and infrastructure resulting from consortia research
to the private sector and facilitate open access to the
intellectual property underpinning those platforms and
technology; and
``(5) facilitate the development of new technologies into
commercial products.
``(c) Selection Criteria.--In selecting applications for awards
under this section, the Director shall consider, at a minimum--
``(1) the degree to which the activities proposed under the
consortia will broadly impact manufacturing and increase the
productivity and economic competitiveness of the United States;
``(2) the level of technical risk to be addressed by the
consortia;
``(3) the potential to produce fundamental new knowledge;
and
``(4) the likelihood that the consortia will become self
sustaining, if appropriate.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated for carrying out this section $120,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2013 through 2017.''.
SEC. 3. SMALL MANUFACTURER INNOVATION PROGRAM.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
271 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 34 as section 35; and
(2) by inserting after section 33 the following:
``SEC. 34. SMALL MANUFACTURER INNOVATION PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--The Director shall carry out a pilot program to
enhance the innovative capabilities and competitiveness of small- and
medium-sized manufacturers through support for research and development
that will promote the field of advanced manufacturing and lead to the
commercialization of new products, processes, or technologies for use
in advanced manufacturing.
``(b) Objectives.--The objectives of the program under this section
are--
``(1) to accelerate the development of processes and, as
appropriate, incremental innovations that will improve how
goods are designed, produced, or distributed;
``(2) to advance the development and commercialization of
novel products and technologies for use in advanced
manufacturing;
``(3) to reduce the technical and economic risks associated
with developing new products, processes, or technologies for
use in advanced manufacturing;
``(4) to foster cooperative research and development
between small- and medium-sized manufacturers and research
institutions; and
``(5) to promote research and development collaboration
among small- and medium-sized manufacturers facing similar
technical challenges or obstacles, including collaboration
along a supply chain.
``(c) Program.--
``(1) Award phases.--The Director shall award competitive,
merit-reviewed grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to
small- or medium-sized manufacturers in the United States
through a uniform process having--
``(A) a first phase for determining, insofar as
possible, the scientific and technical merit and
feasibility of a proposal; and
``(B) a second phase to further develop proposals,
including the development of prototypes, for which
scientific and technical merit and feasibility was
demonstrated in the first phase.
``(2) Applications.--A small- or medium-sized manufacturer
seeking an award under this section shall submit an application
to the Director at such time, in such manner, and containing
such information as the Director may require.
``(d) Stakeholder Input.--In carrying out the program under this
section, the Director shall solicit stakeholder input on how best to
carry out the program.
``(e) Coordination and Nonduplication.--To the maximum extent
practicable, the Director shall ensure that the activities carried out
under this section are coordinated with, and do not duplicate the
efforts of, other programs within the Federal Government.
``(f) Report.--Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment
of the Advancing Innovative Manufacturing Act of 2012, the Director
shall transmit a report to Congress assessing the program established
under this section. The report shall include--
``(1) a summary of the activities carried out under the
program;
``(2) an assessment of whether the program is achieving its
goals, including a description of the metrics used to determine
progress in meeting such goals;
``(3) any recommendations on how the program may be
improved; and
``(4) a recommendation as to whether such program should be
continued or terminated.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Director to carry out this section--
``(1) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2013;
``(2) $25,500,000 for fiscal year 2014;
``(3) $39,750,000 for fiscal year 2015;
``(4) $42,250,000 for fiscal year 2016; and
``(5) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2017.''.
SEC. 4. INNOVATION VOUCHER PROGRAM.
Section 25 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of
1980 (15 U.S.C. 3720) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Innovation Voucher Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the Office
of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, shall establish an
innovation voucher pilot program to accelerate innovative
activities and enhance the competitiveness of small- and
medium-sized manufacturers in the United States. The pilot
program shall--
``(A) foster collaborations between small- and
medium-sized manufacturers and research institutions;
and
``(B) enable small- and medium-sized manufacturers
to access technical expertise and capabilities that
will lead to the development of innovative products or
manufacturing processes, including through--
``(i) research and development, including
proof of concept, technical development, and
compliance testing activities;
``(ii) early-stage product development,
including engineering design services; and
``(iii) technology transfer and related
activities.
``(2) Award size.--The Secretary shall competitively award
vouchers worth up to $20,000 to small- and medium-sized
manufacturers for use at eligible research institutions to
acquire the services described in paragraph (1)(B).
``(3) Streamlined procedures.--The Secretary shall
streamline and simplify the application, administrative, and
reporting procedures for vouchers administered under the
program.
``(4) Regulations.--Prior to awarding any vouchers under
the program, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations--
``(A) establishing criteria for the selection of
recipients of awards under this subsection;
``(B) establishing procedures regarding financial
reporting and auditing--
``(i) to ensure that awards are used for
the purposes of the program; and
``(ii) that are in accordance with sound
accounting practices; and
``(C) describing any other policies, procedures, or
information necessary to implement this subsection,
including those intended to streamline and simplify the
program in accordance with paragraph (3).
``(5) Transfer authority.--The Secretary may transfer funds
appropriated to the Department of Commerce to other Federal
agencies for the performance of services authorized under this
subsection.
``(6) Administrative costs.--All of the amounts
appropriated to carry out this subsection for a fiscal year
shall be used for vouchers awarded under this subsection,
except that an eligible research institution performing the
services described in paragraph (1)(B) may retain a percentage
of any amount received from the Secretary under this subsection
to defray administrative costs associated with the services.
The Secretary shall establish a single, fixed percentage for
such purposes that will apply to all eligible research
institutions.
``(7) Outreach.--The Secretary may use centers established
under section 25 of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) to provide information about
the program established under this subsection and to conduct
outreach to potential applicants, as appropriate.
``(8) Reports to congress.--
``(A) Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall
transmit to Congress a plan that will serve as a guide
for the activities of the program. The plan shall
include a description of the specific objectives of the
program and the metrics that will be used in assessing
progress toward those objectives.
``(B) Outcomes.--Not later than 3 years after the
date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary
shall transmit to Congress a report containing--
``(i) a summary of the activities carried
out under this subsection;
``(ii) an assessment of the impact of such
activities on the innovative capacity of small-
and medium-sized manufacturers receiving
assistance under the pilot program; and
``(iii) any recommendations for
administrative and legislative action that
could optimize the effectiveness of the pilot
program.
``(9) Coordination and nonduplication.--To the maximum
extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure that the
activities carried out under this subsection are coordinated
with, and do not duplicate the efforts of, other programs
within the Federal Government.
``(10) Eligible research institutions defined.--For the
purposes of this subsection, the term `eligible research
institution' means--
``(A) an institution of higher education, as such
term is defined in section 101(a) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a));
``(B) a Federal laboratory;
``(C) a federally funded research and development
center; or
``(D) a Hollings Manufacturing Extension Center
established under section 25 of the National Institute
of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k).
``(11) Authorization of appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the
pilot program in this subsection $5,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2013 through 2017.''.
SEC. 5. ADVANCED MANUFACTURING EDUCATION.
Section 506(b) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010
(42 U.S.C. 1862p-1(b)) is amended to read as follows:
``(b) Advanced Manufacturing Education.--The Director shall award
grants, on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis, to community colleges
for the development and implementation of innovative advanced
manufacturing education reforms to ensure an adequate and well-trained
advanced manufacturing workforce. Activities supported by grants under
this subsection may include--
``(1) the development or expansion of educational
materials, courses, curricula, strategies, and methods that
will lead to improved advanced manufacturing degree or
certification programs, including the integration of industry
standards and workplace competencies into the curriculum;
``(2) the development and implementation of faculty
professional development programs that enhance a faculty
member's capabilities and teaching skills in advanced
manufacturing, including efforts to understand current advanced
manufacturing technologies and practices;
``(3) the establishment of centers that provide models and
leadership in advanced manufacturing education and serve as
regional or national clearinghouses for educational materials
and methods;
``(4) activities to enhance the recruitment and retention
of students into certification and degree programs in advanced
manufacturing, including the provision of improved mentoring
and internship opportunities; and
``(5) other activities as determined appropriate by the
Director.''.
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Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation.
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