AGRICULTURE, STRATEGIC METALS. MINERALS, FORESTRY, AND OCEANS COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FACILITIES AND INSTRUMENTATION MODERNIZATION PROGRAM.

SEC. 6211. AGRICULTURE, STRATEGIC METALS. MINERALS, FORESTRY, AND OCEANS COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FACILITIES AND INSTRUMENTATION MODERNIZATION PROGRAM. Title VII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended by adding new part J: “Part J— Agriculture, Strategic Metals, Minerals, Forestry And Oceans College and University Research Facilities and Instrumentation Modernization Program “program authority “Sec. 795. (a) Purpose.—It is the purpose of this section to help revitalize college and university academic research programs that specialize in agricultural, strategic metals and minerals, energy, forestry and wood products, and oceanic research by assisting colleges and universities in repair and renovation of their research laboratories and other research facilities and upgrading or replacing outmoded research equipment and instrumentation currently in use at such facilities for agricultural, strategic metals, minerals, energy, forestry, and oceans research. “(b) Financial Assistance Authorized.— The Secretary shall, from the sums available to carry out this section in any fiscal year, establish and carry out a new College and University Research Facilities and Instrumentation Modernization Program for agriculture, strategic metals, minerals, energy, forestry, and oceanic research that will provide assistance for the replacement, repair, or renovation of such institutions’ obsolete laboratories, other research facilities, and outmoded equipment and instrumentation. No funds made available under this section may be used for the construction of new facilities. “(c) Program Requirements.— The College and University Research Facilities and Instrumentation Modernization Program for agriculture, strategic metals, minerals, energy, forestry, and oceans shall be carried out through projects which involve the replacement, repair, or renovation of specific research facilities and research equipment or instrumentation at colleges and universities. Funds shall be awarded competitively, on the basis of specific proposals submitted by colleges and universities, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary. The Secretary shall consult with the Secretaries of Agriculture, Interior, Energy, and Commerce and shall obtain their recommendations regarding final proposal funding should they wish to provide such. In no case should this language be construed as granting these Secretaries final authority over funding or the right to hold up funding of acceptable projects. “(d) Matching Requirements.— Any participating college or university must provide an amount not exceeding 50 percent of the costs involved from other non-Federal public or private sources. “(e) Selection Criteria.— The criteria for making an award to any college or university under this part, shall include— “(1) the quality of the research and training to be carried out in the facility or facilities involved; “(2) the congruence of the institution’s research activities to be supported with funds awarded under this part with the102 STAT. 1518 future research needs of the Nation, especially as they relate to improving the Nation’s trade and competitiveness position; “(3) the contribution which the project will make toward meeting national, regional, and State research and related training needs, especially as those needs are related to improving the Nation’s trade and competitiveness position; and “(4) an analysis of the age and condition of existing research facilities and equipment. “(f) Set-Aside.— At least 20 percent of the amount available under this section in any fiscal year shall be available only for awards to colleges and universities that received less than $10,000,000 in total Federal obligations for research and development (including obligations for the university research laboratory modernization program) in each of the two preceding fiscal years. “(g) Consultations for Rulemaking.— In prescribing regulations and conducting the program under this section, the Secretary shall consult with other agencies of the Federal Government concerned with research, including the Departments of Energy, Agriculture, Interior, and Commerce. “(h) Authorization of Appropriations.— There are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1988 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 3 succeeding fiscal years to carry out this section.”.