SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

SEC. 231. SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM. (a) Establishment.— There is established within the Small Business Administration a Small Business Technology Transfer Demonstration Program (hereafter referred to as the “Program”). (b) Purpose of Program.— The purpose of the Program is to demonstrate the feasibility of providing small businesses with education, training, and technical assistance with respect to technology transfer and application through an eligible entity. (c) Program Activities.— The eligible entity shall undertake, through a regional network of participating community and technical colleges, a program of activities to provide small business concerns training and assistance with respect to— (1) technological innovations, (2) statistical process control, (3) computer-assisted design, (4) computer-assisted manufacturing and computer-integrated manufacturing, (5) implementation and deployment of telecommunications and other interactive systems, and (6) other new equipment and advanced manufacturing processes. 104 STAT. 2824 (d) Cooperative Agreement.— The Administration is authorized to award a cooperative agreement to an eligible entity to undertake a demonstration program pursuant to this subsection. (e) Regulations.— (1) In general.— The Administrator shall issue regulations for the implementation of the Program within 180 days of the date of the enactment of this Act. (2) Allocation of funding.— In addition to any other matters which the Administration deems appropriate, such Program regulations shall provide for the allocation of funds among the educational institutions that comprise the eligible entity on the basis of scope of the assistance and training activities to be offered small business concerns under the Program and the capability of the educational institution to provide such Program activities. (f) Use of Small Business Development Centers and Other Resources.— In implementing the Program, the Administrator shall assure that the eligible entity uses to the maximum extent feasible Small Business Development Centers, receiving support pursuant to section 21 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648), and other available sources in conducting the Program. (g) Duration of the Program.— The Program shall terminate on September 30, 1993. (h) Report.— The Administrator shall monitor the implementation of the Program established by this section and submit a report evaluating such implementation to the Committees on Small Business of the Senate and the House of Representatives by not later than June 30, 1993, including appropriate recommendations regarding continuation of the Program and its extension to other regions in the country. (i) Authorization.— There is authorized to be appropriated to the Small Business Administration $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1991, 1992, and 1993 to carry out the Program established by this section. (j) Definitions.— For purposes of this section: (1) The term “eligible entity” means the Community College Association for Technology Transfer or, if such organization is not available, another not-for-profit association of community and technical colleges determined to be eligible for an award of a cooperative agreement, under the regulations issued pursuant to subsection (e). (2) The term “Community College Association for Technology Transfer” (“CCATT”) means a coalition currently composed of 16 community and technical colleges located in the Midwest which has proposed a cooperative regional program for technology transfer and application for the benefit of small businesses to revitalize the regional economy.