MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP.

SEC. 404. MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP. (a) Community College Support.—Section 25(a) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(a)) is amended— (1) by striking “and” after the semicolon in paragraph (4); (2) by striking “Institute.” in paragraph (5) and inserting “Institute; and”; and (3) by adding at the end the following: “(6) providing to community colleges information about the job skills needed in small- and medium-sized manufacturing businesses in the regions they serve.” . (b) Innovative Services Initiative.—Section 25 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) is amended by adding at the end the following: “(g) Innovative Services Initiative.— “(1) Establishment.—The Director shall establish, within the Centers program under this section, an innovative services initiative to assist small- and medium-sized manufacturers in— “(A) reducing their energy usage, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental waste to improve profitability; “(B) accelerating the domestic commercialization of new product technologies, including components for renewable energy and energy efficiency systems; and “(C) identification of and diversification to new markets, including support for transitioning to the production of components for renewable energy and energy efficiency systems. “(2) Market demand.—The Director may not undertake any activity to accelerate the domestic commercialization of a new product technology under this subsection unless an analysis of market demand for the new product technology has been conducted.” . (c) Reports.—Section 25 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278k), as amended by subsection (b), is further amended by adding at the end the following: “(h) Reports.— “(1) In general.—In submitting the 3-year programmatic planning document and annual updates under section 23, the Director shall include an assessment of the Director’s governance of the program established under this section. “(2) Criteria.—In conducting the assessment, the Director shall use the criteria established pursuant to the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award under section 17(d)(1)(C) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3711a(d)(1)(C)).” . (d) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program Cost-Sharing.—Section 25(c) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following: “(7) Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Authorization Act of 2010, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the cost share requirements under the program. The report shall— “(A) discuss various cost share structures, including the cost share structure in place prior to such date of enactment, and the effect of such cost share structures on individual Centers and the overall program; and “(B) include recommendations for how best to structure the cost share requirement to provide for the long-term sustainability of the program.” . “(8) If consistent with the recommendations in the report transmitted to Congress under paragraph (7), the Secretary shall alter the cost structure requirements specified under paragraph (3)(B) and (5) provided that the modification does not increase the cost share structure in place before the date of enactment of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, or allow the Secretary to provide a Center more than 50 percent of the costs incurred by that Center.” . (e) Advisory Board.—Section 25(e)(4) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(e)(4)) is amended to read as follows: “(4) Federal advisory committee act applicability.— “(A) In general.—In discharging its duties under this subsection, the MEP Advisory Board shall function solely in an advisory capacity, in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. “(B) Exception.—Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act shall not apply to the MEP Advisory Board.’. “(f) Designation of Program.— “(1) In general.—Section 25 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k), as amended by subsection (c), is further amended by adding at the end the following: “(i) Designation.— “(1) Hollings manufacturing extension partnership.—The program under this section shall be known as the ‘Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership’. “(2) Hollings manufacturing extension centers.—The Regional Centers for the Transfer of Manufacturing Technology created and supported under subsection (a) shall be known as the ‘Hollings Manufacturing Extension Centers’ (in this Act referred to as the ‘Centers’).” . (2) Conforming amendment to consolidated appropriations act, 2005.—Division B of title II of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 (Public Law 108-447; 118 Stat. 2879; 15 U.S.C. 278k note) is amended under the heading “industrial technology services” by striking “2007: Provided further, That” and all that follows through “Extension Centers.” and inserting “2007.”. (3) Technical amendments.— (A) Section 25(a) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(a)) is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking “Regional Centers for the Transfer of Manufacturing Technology” and inserting “regional centers for the transfer of manufacturing technology”. (B) Section 25 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278k), as amended by subsection (f), is further amended by adding at the end the following: “(j) Community College Defined.—In this section, the term ‘community college’ means an institution of higher education (as defined under section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) at which the highest degree that is predominately awarded to students is an associate’s degree.” . (h) Evaluation of Obstacles Unique to Small Manufacturers.—Section 25 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278k), as amended by subsection (g), is further amended by adding at the end the following: “(k) Evaluation of Obstacles Unique to Small Manufacturers.—The Director shall— “(1) evaluate obstacles that are unique to small manufacturers that prevent such manufacturers from effectively competing in the global market; “(2) implement a comprehensive plan to train the Centers to address such obstacles; and “(3) facilitate improved communication between the Centers to assist such manufacturers in implementing appropriate, targeted solutions to such obstacles.” . (i) NIST Act Amendment.—Section 25(f)(3) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(f)(3)) is amended by striking “Director of the Centers program,” and inserting “Director of the Hollings MEP program,”.