Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 124.djvu/4068

 124 STAT. 4042 PUBLIC LAW 111–358—JAN. 4, 2011 (7) It is therefore in the national interest to expand the capabilities of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partner- ship to be supportive of the construction and green energy industries. SEC. 703. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM. (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 25(f)(3) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(f)(3)) is amended— (1) by striking ‘‘to develop’’ in the first sentence and inserting ‘‘to add capabilities to the MEP program, including the development of’’; and (2) by striking the last sentence and inserting ‘‘Centers may be reimbursed for costs incurred under the program. These themes— ‘‘(A) shall be related to projects designed to increase the viability both of traditional manufacturing sectors and other sectors, such as construction, that increasingly rely on manufacturing through the use of manufactured compo- nents and manufacturing techniques, including supply chain integration and quality management; ‘‘(B) shall be related to projects related to the transfer of technology based on the technological needs of manufac- turers and available technologies from institutions of higher education, laboratories, and other technology producing entities; and ‘‘(C) may extend beyond these traditional areas to include projects related to construction industry moderniza- tion.’’. (b) SELECTION.—Section 25(f)(5) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(f)(5)) is amended to read as follows: ‘‘(5) SELECTION.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Awards under this section shall be peer reviewed and competitively awarded. The Director shall endeavor to select at least one proposal in each of the 9 statistical divisions of the United States (as des- ignated by the Bureau of the Census). The Director shall select proposals to receive awards that will— ‘‘(i) create jobs or train newly hired employees; ‘‘(ii) promote technology transfer and commer- cialization of environmentally focused materials, prod- ucts, and processes; ‘‘(iii) increase energy efficiency; and ‘‘(iv) improve the competitiveness of industries in the region in which the Center or Centers are located. ‘‘(B) ADDITIONAL SELECTION CRITERIA.—The Director may select proposals to receive awards that will— ‘‘(i) encourage greater cooperation and foster part- nerships in the region with similar Federal, State, and locally funded programs to encourage energy effi- ciency and building technology; and ‘‘(ii) collect data and analyze the increasing connection between manufactured products and manufacturing tech- niques, the future of construction practices, and the emerging application of products from the green energy industries.’’.