article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``National Quality Commitment Award Act of 1993''. SEC. 2. PURPOSE. It is the purpose of this Act to provide for the establishment and conduct of a national commitment to quality award program under which awards are given to institutions of higher education that-- (1) teach effective total quality management; (2) reorient their education programs to emphasize the value and prestige of pursuing careers in process manufacturing engineering; (3) apply total quality management to the operations of their institution of higher education; and (4) apply total quality management in their joint research and development contracts with private industry. SEC. 3. AWARD PROGRAM. The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ``SEC. 22. NATIONAL COMMITMENT TO QUALITY AWARD PROGRAM. ``(a) Program Established.-- ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out an award program to be known as the National Commitment to Quality Award Program. ``(2) Contents.--In carrying out the award program described in paragraph (1), the Secretary-- ``(A) shall conduct a competition and make monetary awards in accordance with subsection (b)(1); ``(B) may make special awards in accordance with subsection (b)(2); and ``(C) shall provide each recipient of such a monetary or special award with a medal described in paragraph (3). ``(3) Medal.--Each recipient of an award under this section shall receive a medal bearing the inscriptions `National Commitment to Quality Award' and `The Quest for Excellence'. The medal shall be of such design and materials and bear such additional inscriptions as the Secretary may prescribe. ``(4) Designation.--Awards under this section shall be known as National Commitment to Quality Awards. ``(b) Awards.-- ``(1) Competition for monetary awards.--(A) From amounts appropriated pursuant to the authority of subsection (j), the Secretary shall periodically conduct a competition and make at least 3 monetary awards to institutions of higher education in accordance with the provisions of this section. ``(B) The monetary awards described in subparagraph (A) shall be in an amount equal to-- ``(i) $3,000,000 for the institution of higher education receiving first place in the competition described in subparagraph (A); ``(ii) $2,000,000 for the institution receiving second place in such competition; ``(iii) $1,000,000 for the institution receiving third place in such competition; and ``(iv) not more than $1,000,000 for any other such institution receiving an award pursuant to such competition. ``(2) Specialized awards.--(A) From amounts appropriated pursuant to the authority of subsection (j), the Secretary may award to any institution of higher education that excels in teaching or practicing either total quality management or process manufacturing engineering services productivity improvement a specialized award. ``(B) The specialized award described in subparagraph (A) shall be in an amount which is not more than $500,000. ``(3) Application fee prohibited.--The Secretary shall not charge an institution of higher education a fee in order to apply for or receive an award under this section. ``(c) Making and Presentation of Awards.-- ``(1) In general.--The President (on the basis of recommendations received from the Secretary), or the Secretary, shall periodically make awards to institutions of higher education which in the judgment of the President or the Secretary have substantially benefited the economic and social well being of the United States through activities that-- ``(A) teach effective total quality management techniques and approaches; ``(B) demonstrate continuous improvement in the institution's total quality management curriculum; ``(C) emphasize the value and prestige of pursuing careers in process manufacturing engineering; ``(D) demonstrate continuous improvement in the institution's education program through application of total quality management principles within the institution; and ``(E) demonstrate commitment and application of total quality management principles in joint research relationships that the institution maintains with private industry. ``(2) Presentation ceremony.--The presentation of the awards under this section shall be made by the President or the Secretary with such ceremonies as the President or the Secretary may deem proper. ``(3) Publication and ineligibility.--An institution of higher education to which an award is made under this section, and which agrees to help other institutions of higher education improve their total quality management curriculum may publicize its receipt of such award, but such institution shall be ineligible to receive another such award for a period of 5 years. ``(4) Use of award.--An institution of higher education receiving an award under this section shall use the proceeds of such award to further improve the total quality management and process manufacturing engineering curriculum of such institution. ``(d) Award Criteria.-- ``(1) In general.--Awards under this section shall be made to qualifying institutions of higher education that place an emphasis on-- ``(A) total quality management, including-- ``(i) leadership in teaching how to create a quality culture; ``(ii) leadership in teaching information and analysis such as statistical process contracts for quality improvement; ``(iii) the effectiveness of the institution's quality improvement program to teach integration of quality requirements into businesses' plans; ``(iv) the success of the institution's efforts to teach students how to realize the full potential of the work force for quality; ``(v) teaching quality awareness; ``(vi) emphasis on customer satisfaction; ``(vii) leadership in teaching how to integrate the total quality management philosophy; and ``(viii) demonstrated success in teaching students how to instill the full potential total quality management philosophy in the work force; ``(B) the importance of process manufacturing, including-- ``(i) leadership in teaching a better understanding of market forces and industry needs, industrial processes, and manufacturing and quality practices that are driven by market pull, not science push; ``(ii) leadership in developing and teaching a more accelerated approach to research, development, and manufacturing in order to teach students how to move products more quickly from the basic research phase to the commercialization phase with an emphasis on teamwork; ``(iii) leadership in teaching better integration of design and production, including teaching students how to design with manufacturability in mind, and to focus on cost-effectiveness, quality reliability, simplicity, flexibility, and modularity; and ``(iv) leadership in teaching students to give greater consideration to potential commercial applications in the planning and conduct of research and development through input from potential users, and closer working relationship between the national research laboratories, industry, and universities. ``(e) Criteria for Qualification.-- ``(1) In general.--(A) An institution of higher education may qualify for an award under this section only if such institution-- ``(i) applies to the Secretary in writing, for the award; ``(ii) permits a rigorous evaluation in accordance with subparagraphs (B) and (C) of the success of the institution's curriculum for total quality management and process manufacturing engineering; and ``(iii) meets such requirements and specifications as the Secretary, after receiving recommendations from the board of overseers, determines to be appropriate to achieve the purposes of this section. ``(B) In carrying out the provisions of clause (ii) of subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall develop evaluation criteria and procedures. ``(C) In applying the provisions of clause (iii) of subparagraph (A) with respect to any institution of higher education, the Secretary shall rely upon intensive evaluation by the board of overseers which shall-- ``(i) review the information submitted by the institution of higher education, and through a site visit verify the achievements of-- ``(I) the total quality management curriculum and process manufacturing engineering programs of such institution; and ``(II) such institution in practicing total quality management; ``(ii) encompass all aspects of the institution of higher education's total quality management and process manufacturing engineering program, as well as such institution's future goals for its total quality management and process manufacturing engineering curriculum; and ``(iii) include an analysis of whether the institution of higher education in practicing or applying total quality management to its relationships with industry and in its day-to-day administration of the institution. ``(2) Contractual arrangements.--The Secretary may, under appropriate contractual arrangements, carry out the Secretary's responsibilities under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) through one or more broadbased nonprofit entities which are leaders in the field of quality improvement programs and which have a history of service to society. ``(3) Responsibilities of the board of overseers.--The board of overseers shall meet annually to review the work of the Secretary or the contractor and make such suggestions for the improvement of the award process as such board deems necessary. The board of overseers shall report the results of the award activities to the Secretary each fiscal year, along with its recommendations for improvement of the award process. ``(f) Information and Evaluation.--The Secretary shall ensure that each applicant for an award under this section receives the complete results of the evaluation of such institution conducted pursuant to subsection (e)(1)(ii) as well as detailed explanations of all suggestions for improvements. The Secretary shall also provide information about the awards and successful total quality management and process manufacturing engineering curriculum of the award-winning institutions of higher education to each applicant for an award under this section and other appropriate groups. ``(g) Funding.--The Secretary is authorized to seek and accept gifts and donations of property or services from public and private sources to carry out the award program assisted under this section. ``(h) Report.--The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the President and the Congress, within 3 years after the date of the enactment of this section, a report on the progress, findings, and conclusions of activities conducted pursuant to this section along with a recommendation for possible modifications thereof. ``(i) Definitions.--For the purpose of this section-- ``(1) the term `board of overseers' means the board of overseers established pursuant to section 17(d)(2)(B) of this Act for the year in which the determination is made; ``(2) the term `manufacturing process technology' means engineering training which specializes in understanding and implementing a manufacturing process under which a high quality product is produced in a timely fashion, including simulative engineering and the skills necessary for rapid representative prototyping; ``(3) the term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Commerce; and ``(4) the term `total quality management' means a management approach which includes-- ``(A) systems thinking; and ``(B) statistical proces control, theories of human behavior, leadership, and planning that is quality- driven, customer-oriented, and committed to teamwork. ``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year to carry out this section.''.
summary: National Quality Commitment Award Act of 1993 - Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to establish the National Commitment to Quality Award Program involving the awarding of a medal and at least three monetary competitive awards to institutions of higher education. Authorizes specialized monetary awards to any institution of higher education that excels in teaching or practicing either total quality management (TQM) or process manufacturing engineering services productivity improvement.