DEFENSE RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES AT MINORITY INSTITUTIONS.

SEC. 220. DEFENSE RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES AT MINORITY INSTITUTIONS. (a) Plan to Promote Defense Research at Minority Institutes.— (1) In general.—The Secretary of Defense shall develop a plan to promote defense-related engineering, research, and development activities at minority institutions for the purpose of elevating the capacity of such institutions in those areas. (2) Elements.—The plan under paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) An assessment of the engineering, research, and development capabilities of minority institutions, including an assessment of the workforce and physical research infrastructure of such institutions. (B) An assessment of the ability of minority institutions— (i) to participate in defense-related engineering, research, and development activities; and (ii) to effectively compete for defense-related engineering, research, and development contracts. (C) An assessment of the activities and investments necessary— (i) to elevate minority institutions or a consortium of minority institutions (including historically black colleges and universities) to R1 status on the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education; (ii) to increase the participation of minority institutions in defense-related engineering, research, and development activities; and (iii) to increase the ability of such institutions ability to effectively compete for defense-related engineering, research, and development contracts. (D) Recommendations identifying actions that may be taken by the Secretary, Congress, minority institutions, and other organizations to increase the participation of minority institutions in defense-related engineering, research, and development activities and contracts. (E) The specific goals, incentives, and metrics developed by the Secretary under subparagraph (D) to increase and measure the capacity of minority institutions to address the engineering, research, and development needs of the Department. (3) Consultation.—In developing the plan under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall consult with such other public and private sector organizations as the Secretary determines appropriate. (4) Report.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall— (A) submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes the plan developed under paragraph (1); and (B) make the plan available on a publicly accessible website of the Department of Defense. (b) [10 U.S.C. 4144 note] Activities to Support the Research and Engineering Capacity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions.— (1) In general.—Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary may establish a program to award contracts, grants, or other agreements on a competitive basis, and to perform other appropriate activities for the purposes described in paragraph (2). (2) Purposes.—The purposes described in this paragraph are the following: (A) Developing the capability, including workforce and research infrastructure, for minority institutions to more effectively compete for Federal engineering, research, and development funding opportunities. (B) Improving the capability of such institutions to recruit and retain research faculty, and to participate in appropriate personnel exchange programs and educational and career development activities. (C) Any other purposes the Secretary determines appropriate for enhancing the defense-related engineering, research, and development capabilities of minority institutions. (c) Increasing Partnerships for Minority Institutions With National Security Research and Engineering Organizations.—Section 2362 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by striking “Assistant Secretary” each place it appears and inserting “Under Secretary”; and (2) in subsection (d)— (A) by striking “The Secretary of Defense may” and inserting the following: “(1) The Secretary of Defense may” ; and (B) by adding at the end the following paragraph: “(2) The Secretary of Defense shall establish goals and incentives to encourage federally funded research and development centers, science and technology reinvention laboratories, and University Affiliated Research Centers funded by the Department of Defense— “(A) to assess the capacity of covered educational institutions to address the research and development needs of the Department through partnerships and collaborations; and “(B) if appropriate, to enter into partnerships and collaborations with such institutions.” . (d) [10 U.S.C. 4144 note] Minority Institution Defined.—In this section, the term “minority institution” means a covered educational institution (as defined in section 2362 of title 10, United States Code).