10 U.S.C. § 4844: Manufacturing experts in the…

Summary

The Secretary of Defense, working with the Secretaries of Education and Commerce, must run a program that puts manufacturing experts at colleges and universities to help nearby U.S. manufacturers. These experts must find local companies’ training needs, help create classroom and in-factory courses, teach or oversee teaching, train permanent faculty and staff, promote the school’s programs to local firms, and coordinate with other federal, state, local, or nonprofit programs that modernize manufacturing, including regional technology centers and programs under section 4843. Colleges must apply and the Secretary will pick winners by a competitive, merit-based process. Selected schools must show their plans are the right size and quality for long-term help, have strong industry support, and consider firms that supply the Department of Defense or its contractors. Federal money can pay no more than 50 percent of project costs, cannot exceed $250,000 per year, and must cover at least two years unless ended for cause. “Manufacturing expert” means managers or workers with production and training experience and other manufacturing specialists.

Title 10, §4844

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment of Program.—

The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Commerce, shall conduct a program to support the following activities of one or more manufacturing experts at institutions of higher education:

(1)Identifying the education and training requirements of United States manufacturing firms located in the same geographic region as an institution participating in the program.

(2)Assisting in the development of teaching curricula for classroom and in-factory education and training classes at such an institution.

(3)Teaching such classes and overseeing the teaching of such classes by others.

(4)Improving the knowledge and expertise of permanent faculty and staff of such an institution.

(5)Marketing the programs and facilities of such an institution to firms referred to in paragraph (1).

(6)Coordinating the activities described in the other provisions of this subsection with other programs conducted by the Federal Government, any State, any local government, or any private, nonprofit organization to modernize United States manufacturing firms, especially the regional centers for the transfer of manufacturing technology and programs receiving financial assistance under section 4843 of this title.

(b)Merit Competition.—

Applications for assistance under this section shall be evaluated on the basis of merit pursuant to competitive procedures prescribed by the Secretary.

(c)Selection Criteria.—

The Secretary shall select institutions for the award of financial assistance under this section from among institutions submitting applications for such assistance that—

(1)demonstrate that the proposed activities are of an appropriate scale and a sufficient quality to ensure long term improvement in the applicant’s capability to serve the education and training needs of United States manufacturing firms in the same region as the applicant;

(2)demonstrate a significant level of industry involvement and support;

(3)demonstrate attention to the needs of any United States industries that supply manufactured products to the Department of Defense or to a contractor of the Department of Defense; and

(4)meet such other criteria as the Secretary may prescribe.

(d)Federal Support.—

The amount of financial assistance furnished to an institution under this section may not exceed 50 percent of the estimated cost of carrying out the activities proposed to be supported in part with such financial assistance for the period for which the assistance is to be provided. In no event may the amount of the financial assistance provided to an institution exceed $250,000 per year. The period for which financial assistance is provided an institution under this section shall be at least two years unless such assistance is earlier terminated for cause determined by the Secretary.

(e)Manufacturing Expert Defined.—

In this section, the term “manufacturing expert” means manufacturing managers and workers having experience in the organization of production and education and training needs and other experts in manufacturing.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2021—Pub. L. 116–283, § 1869(d)(1), as added by Pub. L. 117–81, § 1701(p)(1)(A), (B), renumbered section 2197 of this title as this section. Subsec. (a)(6). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1869(d)(2), as added by Pub. L. 117–81, § 1701(p)(1)(C), substituted “section 4843” for “section 2196”. 1992—Pub. L. 102–484, § 4238(b)(1), substituted “experts” for “managers” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–484, § 4238(a)(1), struck out “managers and” after “manufacturing” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 102–484, § 4238(a)(2), added subsec. (e).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2021 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 117–81 applicable as if included in the enactment of title XVIII of Pub. L. 116–283 as enacted, see section 1701(a)(2) of Pub. L. 117–81, set out in a note preceding section 3001 of this title and note below. Amendment by Pub. L. 116–283 effective Jan. 1, 2022, with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see section 1801(d) of Pub. L. 116–283, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

§4844 Manufacturing Experts in the Classroom