,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #hef  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,march #be1         
#bjai,mr4 ,whitehouse 7for himself and  
,mr4 ,inhofe7 introduced the following  
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,commerce1         
,science1 and ,transportation  ,a ,,bill
  ,to allow ,state manufacturing        
extension partnerships to award grants  
to small- and medium-sized manufacturers
 for the purpose of training new workers
 to replace departing experienced       
workers4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act   
may be cited as the ,retain ,innovation 
and ,manufacturing ,excellence 7,,rime7 
,act of #bjai4  #b4 ,definitions ,in    
this ,act3 7#a7 ,center ,the term       
,center has the meaning given the term  
in section #be7;a7 of the ,national     
,institute of ,standards and ,technology
 ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bghk7a774  7#b7   
,eligible manufacturers ,the term       
eligible manufacturer means a           
manufacturer that-- 7,a7 is a small     

business concern1 as that term is       
defined under section #c of the ,small  
,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcb72 and
  7,b7 has an existing relationship with
 a ,center4  #c4 ,pilot program  7a7 ,in
 general ,the ,secretary of ,commerce   
shall establish a pilot program to award
 ,national ,institute of ,standards and 
,technology ,manufacturing ,extension   
,partnership 7,,mep7 grants to help     
ensure an adequately trained            
manufacturing workforce4 ,under the     
program1 eligible ,centers may award    
,,mep grants to eligible manufacturers  
to retain retiring employees for up to  
#ij days for the purpose of transferring
 job-specific skills and training to    
existing or new employees4 ,the length  
of each grant shall be determined       
through negotiations between the ,center
 and the eligible manufacturer4  7b7    
,eligibility ,in order to be eligible to
 receive funding and award grants under 
the program1 a ,center must meet the    
following criteria3 7#a7 ,a ,center must

 be able to document evidence of an     
aging workforce within manufacturing    
firms that are seeking assistance with  
retaining skills and knowledge of their 
operations4  7#b7 ,a ,center shall      
establish a transparent application     
process for eligible manufacturing firms
 that may include one or more of the    
following preferences3 7,a7 ,a          
preference for manufacturers that employ
 veterans discharged or released under  
honorable conditions4  7,b7 ,a          
preference for manufacturing firms from 
industry sectors that are most in need  
of assistance as determined by the local
 ,,mep4  7,c7 ,a preference for         
manufacturing firms with a facility in  
the ,state or region for an extended    
period of time before the application is
 submitted 7as determined by the        
,center74  7,d7 ,a preference for       
manufacturing firms that have an        
existing relationship with the local    
,,mep4  7#c7 ,a ,center must be able to 
demonstrate their ability to assess1    

advise and train manufacturers on how to
 transfer the job-specific skills and   
training through the implementation of a
 training structure and                 
train-the-trainer program focused on    
knowledge capture and transfer4  7c7    
,training ,in awarding grants pursuant  
to this section1 consideration shall be 
given to the use of funds by ,centers to
 assist manufacturers that are          
experiencing high employee turnover due 
to their inability to transfer required 
job-specific skills and training to new 
employees with the implementation of    
training structures and                 
train-the-trainer programs4  7d7 ,cost  
sharing ,to be eligible for a grant     
under the pilot program under this      
section1 a ,center shall demonstrate    
that #ej percent of the amount of the   
funds awarded are matched from          
non-,federal sources4 ,those sources may
 include ,state and local agencies      
engaged in workforce development1       
foundations engaged in workforce        

development1 or an in-kind contribution 
from an employer that would stand to    
directly benefit from the grant received
 by the ,center4  7e7 ,number and size  
of awards  7#a7 ,number ,the ,secretary 
may award up to #be grants to ,centers  
under the pilot program4  7#b7 ,size    
,each award under the program shall be  
for not less than #ej1jjj and not more  
than #ejj1jjj4  7f7 ,authorization of   
appropriations ,there is authorized to  
be appropriated to the ,national        
,institute of ,standards and ,technology
 #aj1jjj1jjj to carry out the pilot     
program4