,,ii #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #abbf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #bf1 #bjac ,mr4 ,brown 7for himself and ,ms4 ,collins7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to promote industry growth and competitiveness and to improve worker training1 retention1 and advancement1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,strengthening ,employment ,clusters ,to ,organize ,regional ,success ,act of #bjac or the ,,sectors ,act of #bjac4 #b4 ,industry or sector partnership grant 7a7 ,amendment ,subtitle ,d of title ,i of the ,workforce ,investment ,act of #aiih 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #biaa et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #aga the following3 #aga;,a4 ,industry or sector partnership grant program 7a7 ,purpose ,it is the purpose of this section to promote industry or sector partnerships that lead collaborative planning1 resource alignment1 and training efforts across multiple firms for a range of workers employed or potentially employed by a targeted industry cluster1 in order to encourage industry growth and competitiveness and to improve worker training1 retention1 and advancement in targeted industry clusters1 including by developing-- 7#a7 immediate strategies for regions and communities to fulfill pressing skilled workforce needs2 7#b7 long-term plans to grow targeted industry clusters with better training and a more productive workforce2 7#c7 core competencies and competitive advantages for regions and communities undergoing structural economic redevelopment2 and 7#d7 skill standards1 career ladders1 job redefinitions1 employer practices1 and shared training and support capacities that facilitate the advancement of workers at all skill levels4 7b7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,career ladder ,the term career ladder means an identified series of positions1 work experiences1 and educational benchmarks or credentials that offer occupational and financial advancement within a specified career field or related fields over time4 7#b7 ,economic self-sufficiency ,the term economic self-sufficiency means1 with respect to a worker1 earning a wage sufficient to support a family adequately over time1 based on factors such as-- 7,a7 family size2 7,b7 the number and ages of children in the family2 7,c7 the cost of living in the worker's community2 and 7,d7 other factors that may vary by region4 7#c7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means-- 7,a7 an industry or sector partnership2 or 7,b7 an eligible ,state agency4 7#d7 ,eligible ,state agency ,the term eligible ,state agency means a ,state agency designated by the ,governor of the ,state in which the ,state agency is located for the purposes of the grant program under this section4 7#e7 ,high-priority occupation ,the term high-priority occupation means an occupation that-- 7,a7 has a significant presence in an industry cluster2 7,b7 is in demand by employers2 7,c7 pays family-sustaining wages that enable workers to achieve economic self-sufficiency1 or can reasonably be expected to lead to such wages2 7,d7 has or is in the process of developing a documented career ladder2 and 7,e7 has a significant impact on a region's economic development strategy4 7#f7 ,industry cluster ,the term industry cluster means a concentration of interconnected businesses1 suppliers1 research and development entities1 service providers1 and associated institutions in a particular field that are linked by common workforce needs4 7#g7 ,industry or sector partnership ,the term industry or sector partnership means a workforce collaborative that is described as follows3 7,a7 ,required members 7i7 ,in general ,an industry or sector partnership is a workforce collaborative that organizes key stakeholders in a targeted industry cluster into a working group that focuses on the workforce needs of the targeted industry cluster and includes1 at the appropriate stage of development of the partnership-- 7,i7 representatives of multiple firms or employers in the targeted industry cluster1 including small- and medium-sized employers when practicable2 7,,ii7 #a or more representatives of ,state labor organizations1 central labor coalitions1 or other labor organizations1 except in instances where no labor representation exists2 7,,iii7 #a or more representatives of local boards2 7,,iv7 #a or more representatives of postsecondary educational institutions or other training providers2 and 7,v7 #a or more representatives of ,state workforce agencies or other entities providing employment services4 7ii7 ,diverse and distinct representation ,no individual may serve as a member in an industry or sector partnership1 as defined in this paragraph1 for more than #a of the required categories described in subclauses 7,i7 through 7,v7 of clause 7i74 7,b7 ,authorized members ,an industry or sector partnership may include representatives of-- 7i7 ,state or local government2 7ii7 ,state or local economic development agencies2 7iii7 other ,state or local agencies2 7iv7 chambers of commerce2 7v7 nonprofit organizations2 7vi7 philanthropic organizations2 7vii7 economic development organizations2 7viii7 industry associations2 and 7ix7 other organizations1 as determined necessary by the members comprising the industry or sector partnership4 7#h7 ,industry-recognized ,the term industry-recognized1 used with respect to a credential1 means a credential that-- 7,a7 is sought or accepted by businesses within the industry or sector involved as a recognized1 preferred1 or required credential for recruitment1 screening1 or hiring purposes2 and 7,b7 is endorsed by a nationally recognized trade association or organization representing a significant part of the industry or sector1 where appropriate4 7#i7 ,nationally portable ,the term nationally portable1 used with respect to a credential1 means a credential that is sought or accepted by businesses within the industry sector involved1 across multiple ,states1 as a recognized1 preferred1 or required credential for recruitment1 screening1 or hiring purposes4 7#aj7 ,targeted industry cluster ,the term targeted industry cluster means an industry cluster that has-- 7,a7 economic impact in a local or regional area1 such as advanced manufacturing1 clean energy technology1 and health care2 7,b7 immediate workforce development needs1 such as advanced manufacturing1 clean energy1 technology1 and health care2 and 7,c7 documented career opportunities4 7c7 ,grants authorized 7#a7 ,in general ,from amounts appropriated to carry out this section1 the ,secretary shall award1 on a competitive basis1 grants described in paragraph 7#c7 to eligible entities to enable the eligible entities to plan and implement1 respectively1 the eligible entities' strategic objectives in accordance with subsection 7d77#b77;,d74 7#b7 ,maximum amount 7,a7 ,implementation grants ,an implementation grant awarded under paragraph 7#c77;,a7 may not exceed a total of #b1ejj1jjj for a #c-year period4 7,b7 ,renewal grants ,a renewal grant awarded under paragraph 7#c77;,c7 may not exceed a total of #a1ejj1jjj for a #c-year period4 7#c7 ,implementation and renewal grants 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary may award an implementation grant under this section to an eligible entity that has established1 or is in the process of establishing1 an industry or sector partnership4 7,b7 ,duration ,an implementation grant shall be for a duration of not more than #c years1 and may be renewed in accordance with subparagraph 7,c74 7,c7 ,renewal ,the ,secretary may renew an implementation grant for not more than #c years4 ,a renewal of such grant shall be subject to the requirements of this section1 except that the ,secretary shall-- 7i7 prioritize renewals to eligible entities that can demonstrate the long-term sustainability of an industry or sector partnership funded under this section2 and 7ii7 require assurances that the eligible entity will leverage1 in accordance with subparagraph 7,d77ii71 each year of the grant period1 additional funding sources for the non-,federal share of the grant which shall-- 7,i7 be in an amount greater than-- 7aa7 the non-,federal share requirement described in subparagraph 7,d77i77,,iii72 and 7bb7 for the second and third year of the grant period1 the non-,federal share amount the eligible entity provided for the preceding year of the grant2 and 7,,ii7 include at least a #ej percent cash match from the ,state or the industry cluster1 or some combination thereof1 of the eligible entity4 7,d7 ,federal and non-,federal share 7i7 ,federal share ,except as provided in subparagraph 7,c77ii7 and clause 7iii71 the ,federal share of a grant under this section shall be-- 7,i7 #ij percent of the costs of the activities described in subsection 7f71 in the first year of the grant2 7,,ii7 #hj percent of such costs in the second year of the grant2 and 7,,iii7 #gj percent of such costs in the third year of the grant4 7ii7 ,non-,federal ,the non-,federal share of a grant under this section may be in cash or in-kind1 and may come from ,state1 local1 philanthropic1 private1 or other sources4 7iii7 ,exception ,the ,secretary may require the ,federal share of a grant under this section to be #ajj percent if an eligible entity receiving such grant is located in a ,state or local area that is receiving a national emergency grant under section #agc4 7#d7 ,fiscal agent ,each eligible entity receiving a grant under this section that is an industry or sector partnership shall designate an entity in the partnership as the fiscal agent for purposes of this grant4 7#e7 ,use of grant funds during grant periods ,an eligible entity receiving grant funds under a grant under this section shall expend grant funds or obligate grant funds to be expended by the last day of the grant period4 7d7 ,application process 7#a7 ,identification of a targeted industry cluster ,in order to qualify for a grant under this section1 an eligible entity shall identify a targeted industry cluster that could benefit from such grant by-- 7,a7 working with businesses1 industry associations and organizations1 labor organizations1 ,state boards1 local boards1 economic development agencies1 and other organizations that the eligible entity determines necessary1 to identify an appropriate targeted industry cluster based on criteria that include1 at a minimum-- 7i7 data showing the competitiveness of the industry cluster2 7ii7 the importance of the industry cluster to the economic development of the area served by the eligible entity1 including estimation of jobs created or preserved2 7iii7 the identification of supply and distribution chains within the industry cluster2 and 7iv7 research studies on industry clusters2 and 7,b7 working with appropriate employment agencies1 workforce investment boards1 economic development agencies1 community organizations1 and other organizations that the eligible entity determines necessary to ensure that the targeted industry cluster identified under subparagraph 7,a7 should be targeted for investment1 based primarily on the following criteria3 7i7 ,demonstrated demand for job growth potential4 7ii7 ,employment base4 7iii7 ,wages and benefits4 7iv7 ,demonstrated importance of the targeted industry cluster to the area's economy4 7v7 ,workforce development needs4 7#b7 ,application ,an eligible entity desiring to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the ,secretary at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 ,an application submitted under this paragraph shall contain1 at a minimum1 the following3 7,a7 ,a description of the eligible entity1 evidence of the eligible entity's capacity to carry out activities in support of the strategic objectives identified in the application under subparagraph 7,d71 and a description of the expected participation and responsibilities of each of the mandatory partners described in subsection 7b77#h77;,a74 7,b7 ,a description of the targeted industry cluster for which the eligible entity intends to carry out activities through a grant under this section1 and a description of how such targeted industry cluster was identified in accordance with paragraph 7#a74 7,c7 ,a description of the workers that will be targeted or recruited by the partnership1 including an analysis of the existing labor market1 a description of potential barriers to employment for targeted workers1 and a description of strategies that will be employed to help workers overcome such barriers4 7,d7 ,a description of the strategic objectives that the eligible entity intends to carry out for the targeted industry cluster1 which objectives shall include-- 7i7 recruiting key stakeholders in the targeted industry cluster1 such as multiple businesses and employers1 labor organizations1 local boards1 and education and training providers1 and regularly convening the stakeholders in a collaborative structure that supports the sharing of information1 ideas1 and challenges common to the targeted industry cluster2 7ii7 identifying the training needs of multiple businesses1 especially skill gaps critical to competitiveness and innovation to the targeted industry cluster2 7iii7 facilitating economies of scale by aggregating training and education needs of multiple employers2 7iv7 helping postsecondary educational institutions1 training institutions1 apprenticeship programs1 and all other training programs authorized under this ,act1 align curricula1 entrance requirements1 and programs to industry demand and nationally portable1 industry-recognized credentials 7or1 if not available for the targeted industry1 other credentials1 as determined appropriate by the ,secretary71 particularly for higher skill1 high-priority occupations validated by the industry2 7v7 ensuring that the ,state agency carrying out the ,state program under the ,wagner-,peyser ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #di et seq471 including staff of the agency that provide services under such ,act1 shall inform recipients of unemployment insurance of the job and training opportunities that may result from the implementation of this grant2 7vi7 informing and collaborating with organizations such as youth councils1 business-education partnerships1 apprenticeship programs1 secondary schools1 and postsecondary educational institutions1 and with parents and career counselors1 for the purpose of addressing the challenges of connecting disadvantaged adults as defined in section #acb7;b77#a77;,b77v7 and disadvantaged youth as defined in section #abg7;b7 to careers2 7vii7 helping companies identify1 and work together to address1 common organizational and human resource challenges1 such as-- 7,i7 recruiting new workers2 7,,ii7 implementing effective workplace practices2 7,,iii7 retraining dislocated and incumbent workers2 7,,iv7 implementing a high-performance work organization2 7,v7 recruiting and retaining women in nontraditional occupations2 7,,vi7 adopting new technologies2 and 7,,vii7 fostering experiential and contextualized on-the-job learning2 7viii7 developing and strengthening career ladders within and across companies1 in order to enable dislocated1 incumbent and entry-level workers to improve skills and advance to higher-wage jobs2 7ix7 improving job quality through improving wages1 benefits1 and working conditions2 7x7 helping partner companies in industry or sector partnerships to attract potential employees from a diverse job seeker base1 including individuals with barriers to employment 7such as job seekers who are low income1 youth1 older workers1 and individuals who have completed a term of imprisonment71 by identifying such barriers through analysis of the existing labor market and implementing strategies to help such workers overcome such barriers2 and 7xi7 strengthening connections among businesses in the targeted industry cluster1 leading to cooperation beyond workforce issues that will improve competitiveness and job quality1 such as joint purchasing1 market research1 or centers for technology and innovation4 7,e7 ,a description of the nationally portable1 industry-recognized credentials or1 if not available1 other credentials1 related to the targeted industry cluster that the eligible entity proposes to support1 develop1 or use as a performance measure1 in order to carry out the strategic objectives described in subparagraph 7,d74 7,f7 ,a description of the manner in which the eligible entity intends to make sustainable progress toward the strategic objectives4 7,g7 ,performance measures for measuring progress toward the strategic objectives4 ,such performance measures-- 7i7 may consider the benefits provided by the grant activities funded under this section for workers employed in the targeted industry cluster1 disaggregated by gender and race1 such as-- 7,i7 the number of workers receiving nationally portable1 industry-recognized credentials 7or1 if not available for the targeted industry1 other credentials7 described in the application under subparagraph 7,e72 7,,ii7 the number of workers with increased wages1 the percentage of workers with increased wages1 and the average wage increase2 and 7,,iii7 for dislocated or nonincumbent workers1 the number of workers placed in sector-related jobs2 and 7ii7 may consider the benefits provided by the grant activities funded under this section for firms and industries in the targeted industry cluster1 such as-- 7,i7 the creation or updating of an industry plan to meet current and future workforce demand2 7,,ii7 the creation or updating of published industry-wide skill standards or career pathways2 7,,iii7 the creation or updating of nationally portable1 industry-recognized credentials1 or where there is not such a credential1 the creation or updating of a training curriculum that can lead to the development of such a credential2 7,,iv7 the number of firms1 and the percentage of the local industry1 participating in the industry or sector partnership2 and 7,v7 the number of firms1 and the percentage of the local industry1 receiving workers or services through the grant funded under this section4 7,h7 ,a timeline for achieving progress toward the strategic objectives4 7,i7 ,in the case of an eligible entity desiring an implementation grant under this section1 an assurance that the eligible entity will leverage other funding sources1 in addition to the amount required for the non-,federal share under subsection 7c77#c77;,d71 to provide training or supportive services to workers under the grant program4 ,such additional funding sources may include-- 7i7 funding under this title used for such training and supportive services2 7ii7 funding under title ,,ii2 7iii7 economic development funding2 7iv7 employer contributions to training initiatives2 or 7v7 providing employees with employee release time for such training or supportive services4 7e7 ,award basis 7#a7 ,geographic distribution ,the ,secretary shall award grants under this section in a manner to ensure geographic diversity4 7#b7 ,priorities ,in awarding grants under this section1 the ,secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that-- 7,a7 work with employers within a targeted industry cluster to retain and expand employment in high wage1 high growth areas2 7,b7 focus on helping workers move toward economic self-sufficiency and ensuring the workers have access to adequate supportive services2 7,c7 address the needs of firms with limited human resources or in-house training capacity1 including small- and medium-sized firms2 and 7,d7 coordinate with entities carrying out ,state and local workforce investment1 economic development1 and education activities4 7f7 ,activities 7#a7 ,in general ,an eligible entity receiving a grant under this section shall carry out the activities necessary to meet the strategic objectives1 including planning activities if applicable1 described in the entity's application in a manner that-- 7,a7 integrates services and funding sources in a way that enhances the effectiveness of the activities2 and 7,b7 uses grant funds awarded under this section efficiently4 7#b7 ,planning activities ,planning activities may only be carried out by an eligible entity receiving an implementation grant under this section during the first year of the grant period with not more than #bej1jjj of the grant funds4 7#c7 ,administrative costs ,an eligible entity may retain a portion of a grant awarded under this section for a fiscal year to carry out the administration of this section in an amount not to exceed #e percent of the grant amount4 7g7 ,evaluation and progress reports 7#a7 ,annual activity report and evaluation ,not later than #a year after receiving a grant under this section1 and annually thereafter1 an eligible entity shall-- 7,a7 report to the ,secretary1 and to the ,governor of the ,state that the eligible entity serves1 on the activities funded pursuant to a grant under this section2 and 7,b7 evaluate the progress the eligible entity has made toward the strategic objectives identified in the application under subsection 7d77#b77;,d71 and measure the progress using the performance measures identified in the application under subsection 7d77#b77;,g74 7#b7 ,report to the ,secretary ,an eligible entity receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the ,secretary a report containing the results of the evaluation described in subparagraph 7,b7 at such time and in such manner as the ,secretary may require4 7h7 ,administration by the ,secretary 7#a7 ,administrative costs ,the ,secretary may retain not more than #aj percent of the funds appropriated to carry out this section for each fiscal year to administer this section4 7#b7 ,technical assistance and oversight ,the ,secretary shall provide technical assistance and oversight to assist the eligible entities in applying for and administering grants awarded under this section4 ,the ,secretary shall also provide technical assistance to eligible entities in the form of conferences and through the collection and dissemination of information on best practices4 ,the ,secretary may award a grant or contract to #a or more national or ,state organizations to provide technical assistance to foster the planning1 formation1 and implementation of industry cluster partnerships4 7#c7 ,performance measures ,the ,secretary shall issue a range of performance measures1 with quantifiable benchmarks1 and methodologies that eligible entities may use to evaluate the effectiveness of each type of activity in making progress toward the strategic objectives described in subsection 7d77#b77;,d74 ,such measures shall consider the benefits of the industry or sector partnership and its activities for workers1 firms1 industries1 and communities4 7#d7 ,dissemination of information ,the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 coordinate the annual review of each eligible entity receiving a grant under this section and produce an overview report that1 at a minimum1 includes-- 7i7 the critical learning of each industry or sector partnership1 such as-- 7,i7 the training that was most effective2 7,,ii7 the human resource challenges that were most common2 7,,iii7 how technology is changing the targeted industry cluster2 and 7,,iv7 the changes that may impact the targeted industry cluster over the next #e years2 and 7ii7 a description of what eligible entities serving similar targeted industry clusters consider exemplary practices1 such as-- 7,i7 how to work effectively with postsecondary educational institutions2 7,,ii7 the use of internships2 7,,iii7 coordinating with apprenticeships and cooperative education programs2 7,,iv7 how to work effectively with schools providing vocational education2 7,v7 how to work effectively with adult populations1 including-- 7aa7 dislocated workers2 7bb7 women in nontraditional occupations2 and 7cc7 individuals with barriers to employment1 such as job seekers who-- 7,,aa7 are economically disadvantaged2 7,,bb7 have limited ,english proficiency2 7,,cc7 require remedial education2 7,,dd7 are older workers2 7,,ee7 are individuals who have completed a sentence for a criminal offense2 and 7,,ff7 have other barriers to employment2 7,,vi7 employer practices that are most effective2 7,,vii7 the types of training that are most effective2 7,,viii7 other areas where industry or sector partnerships can assist each other2 and 7,,ix7 alignment of curricula to nationally portable1 industry-recognized credentials in the sectors where they are available or1 if not available for the sector1 other credentials1 as described in the application under subsection 7d77#b77;,e72 7,b7 make resource materials1 including all reports published and all data collected under this section1 available on the ,internet2 and 7,c7 conduct conferences and seminars to-- 7i7 disseminate information on best practices developed by eligible entities receiving a grant under this section2 and 7ii7 provide information to the communities of eligible entities4 7#e7 ,report ,not later than #ah months after the date of enactment of the ,strengthening ,employment ,clusters ,to ,organize ,regional ,success ,act of #bjac1 and on an annual basis thereafter1 the ,secretary shall transmit a report to ,congress on the industry or sector partnership grant program established by this section4 ,the report shall include a description of-- 7,a7 the eligible entities receiving funding2 7,b7 the activities carried out by the eligible entities2 7,c7 how the eligible entities were selected to receive funding under this section2 and 7,d7 an assessment of the results achieved by the grant program including findings from the annual reviews described in paragraph 7#d77;,a74 7i7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this section shall be construed to permit the reporting or sharing of personally identifiable information collected or made available under this section4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,the table of contents in section #a7;b7 of the ,workforce ,investment ,act of #aiih 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ibja note7 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #aga the following3 #aga;,a4 ,industry or sector partnership grant program4 4