S.Amdt. 3165

SA 3165. Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by her to the bill S. 2296, to authorize appropriations for
fiscal year 2026 for military activities of the Department of Defense,
for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department
of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal
year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as
follows:

At the appropriate place in title VIII, insert the
following:

SEC. __. CONSIDERATION OF STEM INVESTMENT IN DEFENSE
CONTRACTS.

(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered contract.--The term ``covered contract'' means
a contract issued by the Department of Defense that uses best
value evaluation criteria.
(2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
Department of Defense.
(3) Registered apprenticeship.--The term ``registered
apprenticeship'' means an apprenticeship registered under the
Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the ``National
Apprenticeship Act''; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50
et seq.).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Defense.
(5) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' means science, technology,
engineering, or mathematics.
(6) STEM investment activity.--The term ``STEM investment
activity'' means an activity that invests in STEM education
or in the STEM workforce and includes--
(A) a kindergarten through grade 12 partnership, or a
postsecondary education partnership, with a STEM focus;
(B) a paid internship, a registered apprenticeship, or a
mentoring program, in a STEM field;
(C) an investment in a local or regional STEM coalition or
a STEM nonprofit organization; and
(D) STEM workforce development that is focused on an
underrepresented community.
(b) Consideration of STEM Investment in Contract Awards.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish policies and
procedures that allow and encourage contracting officers for
covered contracts of the Department to consider the
involvement of a potential awardee in STEM investment
activities as a positive factor in source selection under
best value tradeoff procedures.
(2) Consideration.--A contracting officer may, under
paragraph (1), consider--
(A) the past and current performance of a potential awardee
with respect to STEM investment activities; and
(B) the STEM investment activities proposed to be carried
out under the covered contract by the potential awardee.
(c) Implementation Guidance.--By not later than 180 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
issue implementation guidance for this section, with a goal
to ensure consistency across services and agencies of the
Department.
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