Made in America Manufacturing Communities Act of 2017

Made in America Manufacturing Communities Act of 2017

(Sec. 3) This bill requires the Department of Commerce to establish a Manufacturing Community Support Program to improve the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing by: (1) designating consortiums as manufacturing communities, and (2) authorizing federal agencies electing to participate in the program to provide such communities preferential consideration in awarding financial and technical assistance.

A consortium, to be eligible for such designation and assistance, must:

• represent a region that is large enough to contain critical elements of the key technologies or supply chain prioritized by the consortium and small enough to enable close collaboration among the consortium's members;
• include at least one institution of higher education, a private sector entity, and a government entity; and
• have a lead applicant that is a district organization, an Indian tribe, a state or political subdivision of a state, an institution of higher education, a nonprofit organization or association with an application supported by a state, a political subdivision of a state, or a native community.

Commerce shall make such designations for a two-year period, and may renew a designation for additional two-year periods, based on specified criteria.

Recipients may use such financial or technical assistance to support investments in ecosystems that will improve the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing, including:

• infrastructure;
• access to capital;
• promotion of exports and foreign direct investment;
• equipment or facility upgrades;
• workforce training, retraining, or recruitment and retention, including that of women and underrepresented minorities;
• energy or process efficiency;
• business incubators;
• site preparation;
• advanced research;
• supply chain development; and
• small business assistance.