S.Amdt. 1760

SA 1760. Ms. CORTEZ MASTO (for herself, Mr. Young, and Mr. Coons)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 1502
proposed by Mr. Schumer to the bill S. 1260, to establish a new
Directorate for Technology and Innovation in the National Science
Foundation, to establish a regional technology hub program, to require
a strategy and report on economic security, science, research,
innovation, manufacturing, and job creation, to establish a critical
supply chain resiliency program, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

TITLE VII--SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION VOUCHERS

SEC. 2701. SHORT TITLE.

This title may be cited as the ``Small Business Innovation
Voucher Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2702. DEFINITIONS.

In this title:
(1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
(2) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the Innovation
Voucher Grant Program established under section 2703(a).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Commerce.
(4) Small business.--The term ``small business'' means a
business with 50 or fewer employees.
(5) Small business in an underserved market.--The term
``small business in an underserved market'' means a small
business concern owned and controlled by socially and
economically disadvantaged individuals (as defined in section
8(d)(3)(C) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
637(d)(3)(C))) that is a small business (as defined in this
section).

SEC. 2703. INNOVATION VOUCHER GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this division, the Secretary shall, acting
through the Director, establish a program under which the
Secretary shall, on a competitive basis and in accordance
with subsection (g), award to eligible entities grants or
financial assistance in another form for the provision of
technical assistance to small businesses to assist the small
businesses in carrying out projects that advance research,
development, or commercialization of new or innovative
products and services.
(2) Purposes of program.--The purposes of the Program are--
(A) to foster collaboration between small businesses and
research institutions or other similar organizations;
(B) to facilitate access by small businesses to capital-
intensive infrastructure and advanced research capabilities;
(C) to enable small businesses to access technical
expertise and capabilities that will lead to the development
of innovative products;
(D) to promote business dynamism and competition;
(E) to stimulate United States leadership in advanced
research, innovation, and technology;
(F) to accelerate the development of an advanced workforce;
and
(G) to preserve and create new jobs.
(3) Designation.--The program established under paragraph
(1) shall be known as the ``Innovation Voucher Grant
Program''.
(b) Eligible Entities.--
(1) In general.--For purposes of the Program, an eligible
entity is an entity that the Director determines--
(A) is--
(i) an institution of higher education, as defined in
section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001); or
(ii) a nonprofit research lab, institution, or other
similar organization in the United States associated with
educational or research activities, including a federally
funded research and development center; and
(B) according to terms that the Director considers
appropriate, is a suitable provider of knowledge for purposes
of the program.
(2) Geographic diversity.--In determining whether entities
are suitable providers of knowledge under paragraph (1)(B),
the Director shall seek to establish geographic diversity
among eligible entities.
(c) Application.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity seeking a grant or
other financial assistance under the Program to assist the
eligible entity in providing technical assistance to small
businesses shall, in conjunction with one or more small
businesses, submit to the Secretary an application therefor
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information
as the Secretary may require.
(2) Deadline.--The Secretary shall establish a deadline for
the submittal of applications under paragraph (1).
(3) Selection.--Not later than 180 days after the deadline
established under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall select
the recipients of the grants or other financial assistance
under the Program.
(d) Evaluation.--In evaluating an application for a grant
or other financial assistance under the Program, the
Secretary shall take into consideration--
(1) the likelihood that the amounts of the grant or
financial assistance will be used to create or advance a
novel product or service;
(2) the technical feasibility of creating or advancing a
novel product or service proposed to be created or advanced
using technical assistance provided with assistance under the
Program; and
(3) whether creating or advancing a product or service
proposed to be created or advanced using technical assistance
supported by a grant under the Program could be accomplished
without a grant awarded under the Program.
(e) Amount.--A grant or other financial assistance awarded
under the Program shall be awarded in an amount of not less
than $20,000 and not more than $75,000, which shall remain
available to the recipient of the grant until expended.
(f) Amounts for Small Businesses.--
(1) In general.--Except to the extent that the Secretary
determines otherwise, not less than 40 percent of the amounts
made available for the Program in a fiscal year shall be set
aside and expended through eligible entities providing
technical assistance to--
(A) small businesses in underserved markets; or
(B) small businesses in regions or States that have
historically been underserved by Federal research and
development funds.
(2) Remaining amount.--Any amount that is set aside under
paragraph (1) in a fiscal year that is not expended by the
end of the fiscal year shall be--
(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), available in
the following fiscal year to make grants to eligible entities
described in paragraph (1); and
(B) on and after October 1, 2024, available to award grants
to all eligible entities under the Program.
(g) Federal Share.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may not award a grant to an
eligible entity under the Program to provide technical
assistance to a small business unless the eligible entity
agrees that, with respect to the costs to be incurred by the
eligible entity in providing such technical assistance, the
eligible entity will make available non-Federal contributions
in an amount equal to--
(A) in the case of an award in an amount that is less than
$50,000, not less than 25 percent of the amount of the award;
and
(B) in the case of an award in an amount that is equal to
or greater than $50,000, not less than 50 percent of the
amount of the award.
(2) Sources of non-federal contributions.--Non-Federal
contributions under paragraph (1) may be derived from non-
Federal contributions provided by the eligible entity, the
small business, or from such State and local government
sources as the Secretary considers appropriate.
(h) Reports.--
(1) Reports from grant recipients.--Not later than 180 days
after the date on which a project carried out with technical
assistance provided with support from a grant or other
financial assistance awarded under the Program is completed,
the recipient of the grant or other financial assistance
shall submit to the Secretary a report on the project,
including--
(A) whether and how the project met the original
expectations for the project;
(B) how the results of the project were incorporated in the
business of the small business; and
(C) whether and how the project improved innovation
practices of the small business.
(2) Report of the secretary.--Not later than 2 years after
the date on which the Secretary establishes the Program, and
every 2 years thereafter until the date on which the amounts
appropriated for the Program are expended, the Secretary
shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a
report on grants and other financial assistance awarded under
the Program, including--
(A) a description of the grants and financial assistance
awarded;
(B) the estimated number of products or services created or
advanced with technical assistance supported by a grant or
other financial assistance awarded under the Program that
could have been created or advanced without a grant or
financial assistance awarded under the Program; and
(C) a description of the impact of the Program on knowledge
transfer and commercialization.
(3) Final report of the secretary.--Not later than 180 days
after the date on which amounts appropriated for the Program
are expended, the Secretary shall submit to the committees
described in paragraph (2) a final report containing the
information described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of
that paragraph.

SEC. 2704. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to
carry out the Program $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2022 through 2026, to remain available until expended.
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