,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dieg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #ac1     
#bjbf,mr4 ,schiff 7for himself1 ,mr4    
,husted1 ,mr4 ,kim1 and ,mr4 ,moreno7   
introduced the following bill2 which was
 read twice and referred to the         
,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and  
,transportation  ,a ,,bill  ,to improve 
the administration of the ,hollings     
,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership1 
and for other purposes4  #a4            
,improvements for administration of     
,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension     
,partnership  7a7 ,requirement for      
cooperative agreements ,subsection      
7e77#a7 of section #be of the ,national 
,institute of ,standards and ,technology
 ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bgh,k7 is amended 
by striking may and inserting shall4    
7b7 ,expansion of evaluation of centers 
,to include assessment of financial     
management ,subsection 7g77#c7 of such  
section is amended--  7#a7 by           
redesignating subparagraphs 7,a7 through

 7,c7 as clauses 7i7 through 7iii71     
respectively1 and indenting such clauses
 #b ems to the right2  7#b7 in the      
matter before clause 7i71 as            
redesignated by paragraph 7#a71 by      
striking performance of the ,center     
against-- and inserting the following3  
performance of the ,center-- 7,a7       
against  2  7#c7 in subparagraph        
7,a77iii71 as designated by paragraph   
7#b71 by striking the period at the end 
and inserting 2 and2 and  7#d7 by adding
 at the end the following3  7,b7 with   
respect to financial management1        
including monitoring for potential fraud
 and misuse of funds4  4  7c7           
,improvements to administration of      
probation ,subsection 7g77#e7 of such   
section is amended-- 7#a7 in            
subparagraph 7,b71 by amending clause   
7iii7 to read as follows3  7iii7 not    
later than #ahj days after the date of  
the notice under clause 7i71 reevaluate 
the ,center and determine whether the   
,center has remedied a deficiency or    

shown significant improvement in        
performance4  2 and  7#b7 in            
subparagraph 7,c77i71 by striking may   
and inserting shall4  7d7 ,remedies     
,subsection 7g77#f7 of such section is  
amended-- 7#a7 by amending subparagraph 
7,a7 to read as follows3  7,a7 ,in      
general ,if the ,secretary determines   
that a ,center has failed to remedy a   
deficiency or to show significant       
improvement in performance before the   
end of the probation period under       
paragraph 7#e71 the ,secretary shall1   
not later than #cj days after making    
that determination1 commence conducting 
a competition to select an operator for 
the ,center under subsection 7h74  2 and
  7#b7 by adding at the end the         
following3  7,c7 ,not renewed or        
canceled financial assistance ,in any   
case in which the financial assistance  
for a ,center is not renewed or         
canceled1 subject to the availability of
 appropriations1 the ,secretary shall1  
not later than #cj days after the date  

on which such financial assistance is   
not renewed or canceled-- 7i7 commence  
conducting a competition to select an   
operator for the ,center under          
subsection 7h72 and  7ii7 make available
 to the eligible entity selected to     
operate the ,center pursuant to clause  
7i7 any remaining financial assistance  
that had been allocated to the previous 
operator of the ,center under subsection
 7e74  7,d7 ,period for competition and 
selection ,for any competition commenced
 pursuant to subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,c7  
to select an operator for the ,center   
under subsection 7h7-- 7i7 the duration 
of the period for submittal of an       
application to operate the ,center shall
 not be exceed #ij days2 and  7ii7 not  
later than #cj days after the date on   
which the period described in clause 7i7
 ends1 the ,secretary shall select an   
eligible entity to operate the ,center  
in accordance with subsections 7h7 and  
7i74  4  7e7 ,exclusivity of remedies   
,subsection 7g7 of such section is      

amended by adding at the end the        
following new paragraph3  7#g7          
,exclusivity of remedies ,the ,secretary
 may not take any adverse action against
 a ,center1 including suspending1       
canceling1 or not renewing financial    
assistance or a cooperative agreement1  
except pursuant to an evaluation under  
this subsection that is other than      
positive4  4