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Public Law 108-136

House Conference Report 108-354

SEC. 823. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RELATING TO MACHINE TOOLS.

(a) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE- The Secretary of Defense shall publish in the Federal Register information on Government contracting for purposes of assisting machine tool companies in the United States and entities that use machine tools. The information shall contain, at a minimum, the following:

(1) An identification of resources with respect to Government contracting regulations, including compliance procedures and information on the availability of counseling.

(2) An identification of resources for locating opportunities for contracting with the Department of Defense, including information about defense contracts that are expected to be carried out that may require the use of machine tools.

(b) SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES- The Secretary of Defense shall incorporate into the Department of Defense science and technology initiatives on manufacturing technology an objective of developing advanced machine tool capabilities. Such technologies shall be used to improve the technological capabilities of the United States domestic machine tool industrial base in meeting national security objectives.

The House bill contained a provision (sec. 827) that would require the Secretary of Defense to collect data identifying all contractors and subcontractors with defense contracts over $5 million that use machine tools to perform the contracts. The section would also require the Secretary to establish a center to assist machine tool companies and firms that use machine tools with understanding government contracting regulations and contracting opportunities.

The Senate amendment contained no similar provision.

The Senate recedes with an amendment that would require the Secretary of Defense to publish information on resources available to assist machine tool companies and users of machine tools in Government contracting. The Secretary would be required to incorporate into the Department of Defense's science and technology initiatives on manufacturing technology an objective of developing advanced machine tool capabilities.