Small business advocacy and assistance

The Secretary shall require the Director of each National Laboratory (as defined in section 15801 of this title) and the Director of each single-purpose research facility to designate a small business advocate to— The Secretary shall require the Director of each National Laboratory, and may require the Director of a single-purpose research facility, to establish a program to provide small business concerns with— In this subsection: The term “Director” means— The term “National Laboratory” has the meaning given the term in section 15801 of this title. The term “program” means the program established under paragraph (2). The term “small business concern” has the meaning given such term in section 632 of title 15. The Secretary, acting through the Chief Commercialization Officer appointed under section 16391(a) of this title, and in consultation with the Directors, shall establish a program to provide small business concerns with vouchers under paragraph (3)— Under the program, the Directors are authorized to provide to small business concerns vouchers to be used at National Laboratories and single-purpose research facilities for— The Secretary, working with the Directors, shall establish a stream-lined approval process for financial assistance agreements signed between— In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall require cost-sharing in accordance with section 16352 of this title. In accordance with section 16391a of this title, the Secretary shall report annually on the progress and implementation of the small business voucher program established under this section, including the number and locations of small businesses that received grants under this program. None of the funds expended under subsection (b) may be used for direct grants to small business concerns. There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for activities under subsection (b) $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2008 and for activities under subsection (c) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.