CONSORTIA OF UNIVERSITIES TO ADVISE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ON CYBERSECURITY MATTERS.

SEC. 1659. CONSORTIA OF UNIVERSITIES TO ADVISE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ON CYBERSECURITY MATTERS.(a) Establishment and Function.—The Secretary of Defense shall establish one or more consortia of universities to assist the Secretary on cybersecurity matters relating to the following:(1) To provide the Secretary a formal mechanism to communicate with consortium or consortia members regarding the Department of Defense’s cybersecurity strategic plans, cybersecurity requirements, and priorities for basic and applied cybersecurity research.(2) To advise the Secretary on the needs of academic institutions related to cybersecurity and research conducted on behalf of the Department and provide feedback to the Secretary from members of the consortium or consortia.(3) To serve as a focal point or focal points for the Secretary and the Department for the academic community on matters related to cybersecurity, cybersecurity research, conceptual and academic developments in cybersecurity, and opportunities for closer collaboration between academia and the Department.(4) To provide to the Secretary access to the expertise of the institutions of the consortium or consortia on matters relating to cybersecurity.(5) To align the efforts of such members in support of the Department.(b) Membership.—The consortium or consortia established under subsection (a) shall be open to all universities that have been designated as centers of academic excellence by the Director of the National Security Agency or the Secretary of Homeland Security.(c) Organization.—(1) Designation of administrative chair and terms.—For each consortium established under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense, based on recommendations from the members of the consortium, shall designate one member of the consortium to function as an administrative chair of the consortium for a term with a specific duration specified by the Secretary.(2) Subsequent terms.—No member of a consortium designated under paragraph (1) may serve as the administrative chair of that consortium for two consecutive terms.(3) Duties of administrative chair.—Each administrative chair designated under paragraph (1) for a consortium shall—(A) act as the leader of the consortium for the term specified by the Secretary under paragraph (1);(B) be the liaison between the consortium and the Secretary;(C) distribute requests from the Secretary for advice and assistance to appropriate members of the consortium and coordinate responses back to the Secretary; and133 STAT. 1771(D) act as a clearinghouse for Department of Defense requests relating to assistance on matters relating to cybersecurity and to provide feedback to the Secretary from members of the consortium.(4) Executive committee.—For each consortium, the Secretary, in consultation with the administrative chair, may form an executive committee comprised of university representatives to assist the chair with the management and functions of the consortia. Executive committee institutions may not serve consecutive terms before all other consortium institutions have been afforded the opportunity to hold the position.(d) Consultation.—The Secretary, or a senior level designee, shall meet with each consortium not less frequently than twice per year, or at a periodicity agreed to between the Department and each such consortium.(e) Procedures.—The Secretary shall establish procedures for organizations within the Department to access the work product produced by and the research, capabilities, and expertise of a consortium established under subsection (a) and the universities that constitute such consortium.