§5304 Operation of Program

Summary

The Secretary must ask for and pick proposals within one year after October 15, 1990, to run the metal casting research program. To apply, an organization must already have the technical know-how to use research facilities, a team with experience in metal casting or related fields, and labs or equipment for at least small-scale testing. Proposals must show industry support, promise matching money from non‑Federal sources (either cash or, if the Secretary agrees, the fair market value of equipment, services, materials, technology transfer work, or other related assets), include a single- or multi‑year management plan, list yearly costs and cost details, and explain how research results will be shared with industry and other researchers. The management plan must say what work will be done, who will do it, how long it will take, and how the project will be managed, monitored, changed if needed, and why it costs what it does. The Secretary will fund and help the best proposals, trying to pick at least four and to include projects in each of the four census regions when possible. Selected projects should match the program’s research areas (like solidification and casting, computer modeling and design, energy- and material‑efficient processing, or other Board‑recommended areas), follow the Board’s annual Metal Casting Research Priorities, show strong industry backing, and plan quick technology transfer. Each funded recipient will be called a “National Metal Casting Research Institute.”