§ 278g–5 — Enterprise Integration Initiative

(a) The Director shall establish an initiative for advancing enterprise integration within the United States. In carrying out this section, the Director shall involve, as appropriate, the various units of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology laboratories (including the Building and Fire Research Laboratory), the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership program established under sections 278k and 278l of this title, and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Program. This initiative shall build upon ongoing efforts of the National Institute of Standards and Technology and of the private sector, shall involve consortia that include government and industry, and shall address the enterprise integration needs of each United States major manufacturing industry at the earliest possible date. (b) For each major manufacturing industry, the Director may work with industry, trade associations, professional societies, and others as appropriate, to identify enterprise integration standardization and implementation activities underway in the United States and abroad that affect that industry and to assess the current state of enterprise integration within that industry. The Director may assist in the development of roadmaps to permit supply chains within the industry to operate as an integrated electronic enterprise. The roadmaps shall be based on voluntary consensus standards. (c) In order to carry out this Act, the Director may work with industry, trade associations, professional societies, and others as appropriate— (1) to raise awareness in the United States, including awareness by businesses that are majority owned by women, minorities, or both, of enterprise integration activities in the United States and abroad, including by the convening of conferences; (2) on the development of enterprise integration roadmaps; (3) to support the development, testing, promulgation, integration, adoption, and upgrading of standards related to enterprise integration including application protocols; and (4) to provide technical assistance and, if necessary, financial support to small- and medium-sized businesses that set up pilot projects in enterprise integration. (d) The Director shall ensure that the Manufacturing Extension Program is prepared to advise small- and medium-sized businesses on how to acquire the expertise, equipment, and training necessary to participate fully in supply chains using enterprise integration.