§3704a — Title 15 Commerce and Trade | U.S. Code

Summary

Creates a Clearinghouse inside the Office of Productivity, Technology, and Innovation. It must collect and share information about state and local programs that help U.S. businesses be more competitive by boosting productivity, technology, and innovation, and about federal help for those programs. The Clearinghouse can work with state, local, and regional groups; gather data on what programs do and how well they work; publish reports, directories, and hold meetings; give technical help and point out federal funding sources; study how federal agencies and labs can help; send recommendations to the Secretary and other agencies; make ways to evaluate programs and advise governments on what works; and use and share a nationwide study of state industrial extension programs. The Secretary may hire contractors to collect information.

Title 15, §3704a

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)There is established within the Office of Productivity, Technology, and Innovation a Clearinghouse for State and Local Initiatives on Productivity, Technology, and Innovation. The Clearinghouse shall serve as a central repository of information on initiatives by State and local governments to enhance the competitiveness of American business through the stimulation of productivity, technology, and innovation and Federal efforts to assist State and local governments to enhance competitiveness.

(b)The Clearinghouse may—

(1)establish relationships with State and local governments, and regional and multistate organizations of such governments, which carry out such initiatives;

(2)collect information on the nature, extent, and effects of such initiatives, particularly information useful to the Congress, Federal agencies, State and local governments, regional and multistate organizations of such governments, businesses, and the public throughout the United States;

(3)disseminate information collected under paragraph (2) through reports, directories, handbooks, conferences, and seminars;

(4)provide technical assistance and advice to such governments with respect to such initiatives, including assistance in determining sources of assistance from Federal agencies which may be available to support such initiatives;

(5)study ways in which Federal agencies, including Federal laboratories, are able to use their existing policies and programs to assist State and local governments, and regional and multistate organizations of such governments, to enhance the competitiveness of American business;

(6)make periodic recommendations to the Secretary, and to other Federal agencies upon their request, concerning modifications in Federal policies and programs which would improve Federal assistance to State and local technology and business assistance programs;

(7)develop methodologies to evaluate State and local programs, and, when requested, advise State and local governments, and regional and multistate organizations of such governments, as to which programs are most effective in enhancing the competitiveness of American business through the stimulation of productivity, technology, and innovation; and

(8)make use of, and disseminate, the nationwide study of State industrial extension programs conducted by the Secretary.

(c)In carrying out subsection (b), the Secretary may enter into contracts for the purpose of collecting information on the nature, extent, and effects of initiatives.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Subsec. (d) of this section, which required the Secretary to prepare and transmit a triennial report to Congress, including recommendations to the President, Congress, and Federal agencies, on initiatives by State and local governments to enhance the competitiveness of American businesses through the stimulation of productivity, technology, and innovation, terminated, effective May 15, 2000, pursuant to section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance. See, also, page 50 of House Document No. 103–7.

§3704a Clearinghouse for State and Local Initiatives on Productivity, Technology, and Innovation

Summary

Title 15, §3704a

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Citations & Metadata