,i #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ciah ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #af1 #bjad,mr4 ,kilmer 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,eddie ,bernice ,johnson of ,texas1 ,mr4 ,peters of ,california1 ,ms4 ,esty1 and ,mr4 ,bera of ,california7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,science1 ,space1 and ,technology ,a ,,bill ,to amend sections #be and #bg of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj to improve the ,office of ,innovation and ,entrepreneurship and regional innovation programs4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,regional ,innovation and ,entrepreneurship ,enhancement ,act of #bjad4 #b4 ,office of ,innovation and ,entrepreneurship ,section #be of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgbj7 is amended to read as follows3 #be4 ,office of ,innovation and ,entrepreneurship 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish an ,office of ,innovation and ,entrepreneurship with a ,director and full-time staff to foster innovation and the commercialization of new technologies1 products1 processes1 and services with the goal of promoting productivity and economic growth in the ,united ,states4 7b7 ,duties ,the ,office of ,innovation and ,entrepreneurship shall be responsible for-- 7#a7 developing policies to accelerate innovation and advance the commercialization of research and development1 including federally funded research and development2 7#b7 identifying existing barriers to innovation and commercialization1 including access to capital and other resources1 and ways to overcome those barriers1 particularly in ,states participating in the ,experimental ,program to ,stimulate ,competitive ,research2 7#c7 providing access to relevant data1 research1 and technical assistance on innovation and commercialization1 including best practices for university-based incubators and accelerators2 7#d7 overseeing the implementation of the loan guarantee programs and the ,regional ,innovation ,program established under sections #bf and #bg1 respectively2 7#e7 developing1 within #ahj days after the date of enactment of the ,regional ,innovation and ,entrepreneurship ,enhancement ,act of #bjad1 and updating at least every #e years1 a strategic plan to guide the activities of the ,office of ,innovation and ,entrepreneurship that shall-- 7,a7 specify and prioritize near-term and long-term goals1 objectives1 and policies to accelerate innovation and advance the commercialization of research and development1 including federally funded research and development1 set forth the anticipated time for achieving the objectives1 and identify metrics for use in assessing progress toward such objectives2 7,b7 describe how the ,department of ,commerce is working in conjunction with other ,federal agencies to foster innovation and commercialization across the ,united ,states2 and 7,c7 provide a summary of the activities1 including the development of metrics to evaluate regional innovation strategies undertaken through the ,regional ,innovation ,research and ,information ,program established under section #bg7;c72 7#f7 strengthening collaboration on and coordination of policies relating to innovation and commercialization1 including those focused on the needs of small businesses and rural communities1 within the ,department of ,commerce1 between the ,department of ,commerce and other ,federal agencies1 and between the ,department of ,commerce and appropriate ,state government agencies and institutions1 as appropriate2 and 7#g7 any other duties as determined by the ,secretary4 7c7 ,advisory committee 7#a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary shall establish or designate an advisory committee1 which shall meet at least twice each fiscal year1 to provide advice to the ,secretary on carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the ,office of ,innovation and ,entrepreneurship4 7#b7 ,report to congress ,the advisory committee shall prepare a report1 to be submitted to the ,committee on ,science1 ,space1 and ,technology of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate every #c years4 ,the first report shall be submitted not later than #a year after the date of enactment of the ,regional ,innovation and ,entrepreneurship ,enhancement ,act of #bjad and shall include-- 7,a7 an assessment of the strategic plan developed under subsection 7b77#e7 and the progress made in implementing the plan and the duties of the ,office of ,innovation and ,entrepreneurship2 7,b7 an assessment of how the ,office of ,innovation and ,entrepreneurship is working with other ,federal agencies to meet the goals and duties of the office2 and 7,c7 any recommendations for how the ,office of ,innovation and ,entrepreneurship could be improved4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary #e1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjad through #bjah to carry out this section4 4 #c4 ,regional innovation program ,section #bg of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgbb7 is amended to read as follows3 #bg4 ,regional innovation program 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary shall establish a regional innovation program to encourage and support the development of regional innovation strategies1 including regional innovation clusters4 7b7 ,cluster ,grants 7#a7 ,in general ,as part of the program established under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary may award grants on a competitive basis to eligible recipients for activities relating to the formation and development of regional innovation clusters4 7#b7 ,permissible activities ,grants awarded under this subsection may be used for activities determined appropriate by the ,secretary1 including the following3 7,a7 ,feasibility studies4 7,b7 ,planning activities4 7,c7 ,technical assistance4 7,d7 ,developing or strengthening communication and collaboration between and among participants of a regional innovation cluster4 7,e7 ,attracting additional participants to a regional innovation cluster4 7,f7 ,facilitating market development of products and services developed by a regional innovation cluster1 including through demonstration1 deployment1 technology transfer1 and commercialization activities4 7,g7 ,developing relationships between a regional innovation cluster and entities or clusters in other regions4 7,h7 ,interacting with the public and ,state and local governments to meet the goals of the cluster4 7#c7 ,eligible recipient defined ,in this subsection1 the term eligible recipient means-- 7,a7 a ,state2 7,b7 an ,indian tribe2 7,c7 a city or other political subdivision of a ,state2 7,d7 an entity that-- 7i7 is a nonprofit organization1 an institution of higher education1 a public-private partnership1 a science or research park1 a ,federal laboratory1 or an economic development organization or similar entity2 and 7ii7 has an application that is supported by a ,state or a political subdivision of a ,state2 or 7,e7 a consortium of any of the entities described in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,d74 7#d7 ,application 7,a7 ,in general ,an eligible recipient shall submit an application to the ,secretary at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information and assurances as the ,secretary may require4 7,b7 ,components ,the application shall include1 at a minimum1 a description of the regional innovation cluster supported by the proposed activity1 including a description of-- 7i7 whether the regional innovation cluster is supported by the private sector1 ,state and local governments1 and other relevant stakeholders2 7ii7 how the existing participants in the regional innovation cluster will encourage and solicit participation by all types of entities that might benefit from participation1 including newly formed entities and those rival existing participants2 7iii7 the extent to which the regional innovation cluster is likely to stimulate innovation and have a positive impact on regional economic growth and development2 7iv7 whether the participants in the regional innovation cluster have access to1 or contribute to1 a well-trained workforce2 7v7 whether the participants in the regional innovation cluster are capable of attracting additional funds from non-,federal sources2 and 7vi7 the likelihood that the participants in the regional innovation cluster will be able to sustain activities once grant funds under this subsection have been expended4 7,c7 ,special consideration ,the ,secretary shall give special consideration to applications from regions that contain communities negatively impacted by trade4 7#e7 ,special consideration ,the ,secretary shall give special consideration to an eligible recipient who agrees to collaborate with local workforce investment area boards4 7#f7 ,cost share ,the ,secretary may not provide more than #ej percent of the total cost of any activity funded under this subsection4 7#g7 ,outreach to rural communities ,the ,secretary shall conduct outreach to public and private sector entities in rural communities to encourage those entities to participate in regional innovation cluster activities under this subsection4 7#h7 ,funding ,the ,secretary may accept funds from other ,federal agencies to support grants and activities under this subsection4 7c7 ,regional ,innovation ,research and ,information ,program 7#a7 ,in general ,as part of the program established under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall establish a regional innovation research and information program-- 7,a7 to gather1 analyze1 and disseminate information on best practices for regional innovation strategies 7including regional innovation clusters71 including information relating to how innovation1 productivity1 and economic development can be maximized through such strategies2 7,b7 to provide technical assistance1 including through the development of technical assistance guides1 for the development and implementation of regional innovation strategies 7including regional innovation clusters72 7,c7 to support the development of relevant metrics and measurement standards to evaluate regional innovation strategies 7including regional innovation clusters71 including the extent to which such strategies stimulate innovation1 productivity1 and economic development2 and 7,d7 to collect and make available data on regional innovation cluster activity in the ,united ,states1 including data on-- 7i7 the size1 specialization1 and competitiveness of regional innovation clusters2 7ii7 the regional domestic product contribution1 total jobs and earnings by key occupations1 establishment size1 nature of specialization1 patents1 ,federal research and development spending1 and other relevant information for regional innovation clusters2 and 7iii7 supply chain product and service flows within and between regional innovation clusters4 7#b7 ,research grants ,the ,secretary may award research grants on a competitive basis to support and further the goals of the program established under this subsection4 7#c7 ,dissemination of information ,data and analysis compiled by the ,secretary under the program established in this subsection shall be made available to other ,federal agencies1 ,state and local governments1 and nonprofit and for-profit entities4 7#d7 ,regional innovation grant program ,the ,secretary shall incorporate data and analysis relating to any grant under subsection 7b7 into the program established under this subsection4 7d7 ,interagency ,coordination 7#a7 ,in general ,to the maximum extent practicable1 the ,secretary shall ensure that the activities carried out under this section are coordinated with1 and do not duplicate the efforts of1 other programs at the ,department of ,commerce or other ,federal agencies4 7#b7 ,collaboration 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall explore and pursue collaboration with other ,federal agencies1 including through multiagency funding opportunities1 on regional innovation strategies4 7,b7 ,small businesses ,the ,secretary shall ensure that such collaboration with ,federal agencies prioritizes the needs and challenges of small businesses4 7e7 ,evaluation 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #c years after the date of enactment of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj1 the ,secretary shall enter into a contract with an independent entity1 such as the ,national ,academy of ,sciences1 to conduct an evaluation of the program established under subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,requirements ,the evaluation shall include-- 7,a7 whether the program is achieving its goals2 7,b7 any recommendations for how the program may be improved2 and 7,c7 a recommendation as to whether the program should be continued or terminated4 7f7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,regional innovation cluster ,the term regional innovation cluster means a geographically bounded network of similar1 synergistic1 or complementary entities that-- 7,a7 are engaged in or with a particular industry sector2 7,b7 have active channels for business transactions and communication2 7,c7 share specialized infrastructure1 labor markets1 and services2 and 7,d7 leverage the region's unique competitive strengths to stimulate innovation and create jobs4 7#b7 ,state ,the term ,state means one of the several ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 the ,virgin ,islands1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 or any other territory or possession of the ,united ,states4 7g7 ,authorization of ,appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated #ajj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjad through #bjah to carry out this section4 4