Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 102 Part 2.djvu/430

 102 STAT. 1434

Schools and coUeges.

Federal Register, publication.

PUBLIC LAW 100-418—AUG. 23, 1988

facturing Technology (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 'Centers'). Such centers shall be affiliated with any United States-based nonprofit institution or organization, or group thereof, that applies for and is awarded financial assistance under this section in accordance with the description published by the Secretary in the Federal Register under subsection (c)(2). Individual awards shall be decided on the basis of merit review. The objective of the Centers is to enhance productivity and technological performance in United States manufacturing through— "(1) the transfer of manufacturing technology and techniques developed at the Institute to Centers and, through them, to manufacturing companies throughout the United States; "(2) the participation of individuals from industry, universities. State governments, other Federal agencies, and, when appropriate, the Institute in cooperative technology transfer activities; "(3) efforts to make new manufacturing technology and processes usable by United States-based small- and medium-sized companies; "(4) the active dissemination of scientific, engineering, technical, and management information about manufacturing to industrial firms, including small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies; and "(5) the utilization, when appropriate, of the expertise and capability that exists in Federal laboratories other than the Institute. "(b) The activities of the Centers shall include— "(1) the establishment of automated manufacturing systems and other advanced production technologies, based on research by the Institute, for the purpose of demonstrations and technology transfer; "(2) the active transfer and dissemination of research findings and Center expertise to a wide range of companies and enterprises, particidarly small- and medium-sized manufacturers; and "(3) loans, on a selective, short-term basis, of items of advanced manufacturing equipment to small manufacturing firms with less than 100 employees. "(c)(1) The Secretary may provide financial support to any Center created under subsection (a) for a period not to exceed six years. The Secretary may not provide to a Center more than 50 percent of the capital and annual operating and maintenance funds required to create and maintain such Center. "(2) The Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register, within 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section, a draft descrip^j^jj ^f g program for establishing Centers, including— ^ "(A) a description of the program; "(B) procedures to be followed by applicants; "(C) criteria for determining qualified applicants; "(D) criteria, including those listed under paragraph (4), for choosing recipients of financial assistance under this section from among the qualified applicants; and "(E) maximum support levels expected to be available to Centers under the program in the fourth through sixth years of assistance under this section. The Secretary shall publish a final description under this paragraph after the expiration of a 30-day comment period.

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