text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Regional Innovation and 
  Entrepreneurship Enhancement Act of 2014''.
  
  SEC. 2. OFFICE OF INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
  
      Section 25 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 
  1980 (15 U.S.C. 3720) is amended to read as follows:
  
  ``SEC. 25. OFFICE OF INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
  
      ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish an Office of 
  Innovation and Entrepreneurship with a Director and full-time staff to 
  foster innovation and the commercialization of new technologies, 
  products, processes, and services with the goal of promoting 
  productivity and economic growth in the United States.
      ``(b) Duties.--The Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship shall 
  be responsible for--
              ``(1) developing policies to accelerate innovation and 
          advance the commercialization of research and development, 
          including federally funded research and development;
              ``(2) identifying existing barriers to innovation and 
          commercialization, including access to capital and other 
          resources, and ways to overcome those barriers, particularly in 
          States participating in the Experimental Program to Stimulate 
          Competitive Research;
              ``(3) providing access to relevant data, research, and 
          technical assistance on innovation and commercialization, 
          including best practices for university-based incubators and 
          accelerators;
              ``(4) overseeing the implementation of the loan guarantee 
          programs and the Regional Innovation Program established under 
          sections 26 and 27, respectively;
              ``(5) developing, within 180 days after the date of 
          enactment of the Regional Innovation and Entrepreneurship 
          Enhancement Act of 2014, and updating at least every 5 years, a 
          strategic plan to guide the activities of the Office of 
          Innovation and Entrepreneurship that shall--
                      ``(A) specify and prioritize near-term and long-
                  term goals, objectives, and policies to accelerate 
                  innovation and advance the commercialization of 
                  research and development, including federally funded 
                  research and development, set forth the anticipated 
                  time for achieving the objectives, and identify metrics 
                  for use in assessing progress toward such objectives;
                      ``(B) describe how the Department of Commerce is 
                  working in conjunction with other Federal agencies to 
                  foster innovation and commercialization across the 
                  United States; and
                      ``(C) provide a summary of the activities, 
                  including the development of metrics to evaluate 
                  regional innovation strategies undertaken through the 
                  Regional Innovation Research and Information Program 
                  established under section 27(c);
              ``(6) strengthening collaboration on and coordination of 
          policies relating to innovation and commercialization, 
          including those focused on the needs of small businesses and 
          rural communities, within the Department of Commerce, between 
          the Department of Commerce and other Federal agencies, and 
          between the Department of Commerce and appropriate State 
          government agencies and institutions, as appropriate; and
              ``(7) any other duties as determined by the Secretary.
      ``(c) Advisory Committee.--
              ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish or 
          designate an advisory committee, which shall meet at least 
          twice each fiscal year, to provide advice to the Secretary on 
          carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the Office of 
          Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
              ``(2) Report to congress.--The advisory committee shall 
          prepare a report, to be submitted to the Committee on Science, 
          Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
          Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
          Senate every 3 years. The first report shall be submitted not 
          later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Regional 
          Innovation and Entrepreneurship Enhancement Act of 2014 and 
          shall include--
                      ``(A) an assessment of the strategic plan developed 
                  under subsection (b)(5) and the progress made in 
                  implementing the plan and the duties of the Office of 
                  Innovation and Entrepreneurship;
                      ``(B) an assessment of how the Office of Innovation 
                  and Entrepreneurship is working with other Federal 
                  agencies to meet the goals and duties of the office; 
                  and
                      ``(C) any recommendations for how the Office of 
                  Innovation and Entrepreneurship could be improved.
      ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
  appropriated to the Secretary $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 
  through 2018 to carry out this section.''.
  
  SEC. 3. REGIONAL INNOVATION PROGRAM.
  
      Section 27 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 
  1980 (15 U.S.C. 3722) is amended to read as follows:
  
  ``SEC. 27. REGIONAL INNOVATION PROGRAM.
  
      ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a regional 
  innovation program to encourage and support the development of regional 
  innovation strategies, including regional innovation clusters.
      ``(b) Cluster Grants.--
              ``(1) In general.--As part of the program established under 
          subsection (a), the Secretary may award grants on a competitive 
          basis to eligible recipients for activities relating to the 
          formation and development of regional innovation clusters.
              ``(2) Permissible activities.--Grants awarded under this 
          subsection may be used for activities determined appropriate by 
          the Secretary, including the following:
                      ``(A) Feasibility studies.
                      ``(B) Planning activities.
                      ``(C) Technical assistance.
                      ``(D) Developing or strengthening communication and 
                  collaboration between and among participants of a 
                  regional innovation cluster.
                      ``(E) Attracting additional participants to a 
                  regional innovation cluster.
                      ``(F) Facilitating market development of products 
                  and services developed by a regional innovation 
                  cluster, including through demonstration, deployment, 
                  technology transfer, and commercialization activities.
                      ``(G) Developing relationships between a regional 
                  innovation cluster and entities or clusters in other 
                  regions.
                      ``(H) Interacting with the public and State and 
                  local governments to meet the goals of the cluster.
              ``(3) Eligible recipient defined.--In this subsection, the 
          term `eligible recipient' means--
                      ``(A) a State;
                      ``(B) an Indian tribe;
                      ``(C) a city or other political subdivision of a 
                  State;
                      ``(D) an entity that--
                              ``(i) is a nonprofit organization, an 
                          institution of higher education, a public-
                          private partnership, a science or research 
                          park, a Federal laboratory, or an economic 
                          development organization or similar entity; and
                              ``(ii) has an application that is supported 
                          by a State or a political subdivision of a 
                          State; or
                      ``(E) a consortium of any of the entities described 
                  in subparagraphs (A) through (D).
              ``(4) Application.--
                      ``(A) In general.--An eligible recipient shall 
                  submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
                  such manner, and containing such information and 
                  assurances as the Secretary may require.
                      ``(B) Components.--The application shall include, 
                  at a minimum, a description of the regional innovation 
                  cluster supported by the proposed activity, including a 
                  description of--
                              ``(i) whether the regional innovation 
                          cluster is supported by the private sector, 
                          State and local governments, and other relevant 
                          stakeholders;
                              ``(ii) how the existing participants in the 
                          regional innovation cluster will encourage and 
                          solicit participation by all types of entities 
                          that might benefit from participation, 
                          including newly formed entities and those rival 
                          existing participants;
                              ``(iii) the extent to which the regional 
                          innovation cluster is likely to stimulate 
                          innovation and have a positive impact on 
                          regional economic growth and development;
                              ``(iv) whether the participants in the 
                          regional innovation cluster have access to, or 
                          contribute to, a well-trained workforce;
                              ``(v) whether the participants in the 
                          regional innovation cluster are capable of 
                          attracting additional funds from non-Federal 
                          sources; and
                              ``(vi) the likelihood that the participants 
                          in the regional innovation cluster will be able 
                          to sustain activities once grant funds under 
                          this subsection have been expended.
                      ``(C) Special consideration.--The Secretary shall 
                  give special consideration to applications from regions 
                  that contain communities negatively impacted by trade.
              ``(5) Special consideration.--The Secretary shall give 
          special consideration to an eligible recipient who agrees to 
          collaborate with local workforce investment area boards.
              ``(6) Cost share.--The Secretary may not provide more than 
          50 percent of the total cost of any activity funded under this 
          subsection.
              ``(7) Outreach to rural communities.--The Secretary shall 
          conduct outreach to public and private sector entities in rural 
          communities to encourage those entities to participate in 
          regional innovation cluster activities under this subsection.
              ``(8) Funding.--The Secretary may accept funds from other 
          Federal agencies to support grants and activities under this 
          subsection.
      ``(c) Regional Innovation Research and Information Program.--
              ``(1) In general.--As part of the program established under 
          subsection (a), the Secretary shall establish a regional 
          innovation research and information program--
                      ``(A) to gather, analyze, and disseminate 
                  information on best practices for regional innovation 
                  strategies (including regional innovation clusters), 
                  including information relating to how innovation, 
                  productivity, and economic development can be maximized 
                  through such strategies;
                      ``(B) to provide technical assistance, including 
                  through the development of technical assistance guides, 
                  for the development and implementation of regional 
                  innovation strategies (including regional innovation 
                  clusters);
                      ``(C) to support the development of relevant 
                  metrics and measurement standards to evaluate regional 
                  innovation strategies (including regional innovation 
                  clusters), including the extent to which such 
                  strategies stimulate innovation, productivity, and 
                  economic development; and
                      ``(D) to collect and make available data on 
                  regional innovation cluster activity in the United 
                  States, including data on--
                              ``(i) the size, specialization, and 
                          competitiveness of regional innovation 
                          clusters;
                              ``(ii) the regional domestic product 
                          contribution, total jobs and earnings by key 
                          occupations, establishment size, nature of 
                          specialization, patents, Federal research and 
                          development spending, and other relevant 
                          information for regional innovation clusters; 
                          and
                              ``(iii) supply chain product and service 
                          flows within and between regional innovation 
                          clusters.
              ``(2) Research grants.--The Secretary may award research 
          grants on a competitive basis to support and further the goals 
          of the program established under this subsection.
              ``(3) Dissemination of information.--Data and analysis 
          compiled by the Secretary under the program established in this 
          subsection shall be made available to other Federal agencies, 
          State and local governments, and nonprofit and for-profit 
          entities.
              ``(4) Regional innovation grant program.--The Secretary 
          shall incorporate data and analysis relating to any grant under 
          subsection (b) into the program established under this 
          subsection.
      ``(d) Interagency Coordination.--
              ``(1) In general.--To the maximum extent practicable, the 
          Secretary shall ensure that the activities carried out under 
          this section are coordinated with, and do not duplicate the 
          efforts of, other programs at the Department of Commerce or 
          other Federal agencies.
              ``(2) Collaboration.--
                      ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall explore and 
                  pursue collaboration with other Federal agencies, 
                  including through multiagency funding opportunities, on 
                  regional innovation strategies.
                      ``(B) Small businesses.--The Secretary shall ensure 
                  that such collaboration with Federal agencies 
                  prioritizes the needs and challenges of small 
                  businesses.
      ``(e) Evaluation.--
              ``(1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
          enactment of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, 
          the Secretary shall enter into a contract with an independent 
          entity, such as the National Academy of Sciences, to conduct an 
          evaluation of the program established under subsection (a).
              ``(2) Requirements.--The evaluation shall include--
                      ``(A) whether the program is achieving its goals;
                      ``(B) any recommendations for how the program may 
                  be improved; and
                      ``(C) a recommendation as to whether the program 
                  should be continued or terminated.
      ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
              ``(1) Regional innovation cluster.--The term `regional 
          innovation cluster' means a geographically bounded network of 
          similar, synergistic, or complementary entities that--
                      ``(A) are engaged in or with a particular industry 
                  sector;
                      ``(B) have active channels for business 
                  transactions and communication;
                      ``(C) share specialized infrastructure, labor 
                  markets, and services; and
                      ``(D) leverage the region's unique competitive 
                  strengths to stimulate innovation and create jobs.
              ``(2) State.--The term `State' means one of the several 
          States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
          Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the 
          Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or any other 
          territory or possession of the United States.
      ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
  appropriated $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018 to 
  carry out this section.''.
target: Regional Innovation and Entrepreneurship Enhancement Act of 2014 - Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to: (1) expand the duties and reporting requirements of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, including by requiring the development of a strategic plan to guide the activities of the Office; (2) authorize appropriations for such Office for FY2014-FY2018; and (3) modify the Regional Innovation Program established by such Act to eliminate provisions relating to science and research parks and require outreach to public and private sector entities in rural communities to encourage participation in Program activities.
feat_title: Regional Innovation and Entrepreneurship Enhancement Act of 2014