§ 1063d — Strengthening Hbcus Through Federal Agency Plans

(a) The Secretary, in consultation with the Executive Director, shall— (1) identify each Federal agency with which an HBCU— (A) has entered into a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement; or (B) is eligible to participate in the programs and initiatives under the jurisdiction of such Federal agency; and (2) designate each Federal agency so identified as an applicable agency. (b) Not later than February 1 of each year, the head of each applicable agency shall submit to the Secretary, the Executive Director, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives, and the President’s Board of Advisors an annual Agency Plan describing efforts to strengthen the capacity of HBCUs to participate or be eligible to participate in the programs and initiatives under the jurisdiction of such applicable agency as described in subsection (a)(1)(B). (c) The Executive Director shall make all annual Agency Plan submissions publicly available online in a user-friendly format. (d) Where appropriate, each Agency Plan shall include— (1) a description of how the applicable agency intends to increase the capacity of HBCUs to compete effectively for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements; (2) an identification of Federal programs and initiatives under the jurisdiction of the applicable agency in which HBCUs are underrepresented; (3) an outline of proposed efforts to improve HBCUs’ participation in such programs and initiatives; (4) a description of any progress made towards advancing or achieving goals and efforts from previous Agency Plans submitted under this section by such applicable agency; (5) a description of how the applicable agency plans to encourage public-sector, private-sector, and community involvement to improve the capacity of HBCUs to compete effectively for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements, and to participate in programs and initiatives under the jurisdiction of such agency; (6) an identification of programs and initiatives not listed in a previous Agency Plan in which an HBCU may participate; (7) any other information the applicable agency determines is relevant to promoting opportunities to fund, partner, contract, or otherwise interact with HBCUs; and (8) any additional criteria established by the Secretary or the White House Initiative. (e) To help fulfill the objectives of the Agency Plans, the head of each applicable agency— (1) shall provide, as appropriate, technical assistance and information to the Executive Director to enhance communication with HBCUs concerning the applicable agency’s— (A) programs and initiatives described in subsection (d)(2); and (B) the preparation of applications or proposals for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements; and (2) shall appoint a senior official to report directly to the agency head on the applicable agency’s progress under this section.