Section 3 Diversification of defense-dependent firms; enhancing manufacturing sector competitiveness
Section 3. The purposes of Technology 2000 shall include, but shall not be limited to the following:
(1) Encouraging and assisting in the diversification of defense-dependent firms and enhancing the competitiveness of the commonwealth’s manufacturing sector by providing technical assistance to such firms seeking to expand into new product areas and new production processes, and markets, including but not limited to, technology assistance provided pursuant to subsection (p) of section four of chapter forty I, section seven F of chapter forty I, and subsection (a) of section four of chapter twenty-three A.
(2) Supporting the creation and organization of manufacturing extension services, alternative deployment pilot projects, technology access services, alternative use committees, or other related deployment programs to regional consortia of, but not limited to, private companies, especially small- and medium-sized companies, universities, colleges and community colleges, labor organizations, non-profit agencies, and other interested individuals and organizations through: (i) direct support of services through the Economic Conversion Fund as established in section seven or through other means, or (ii) matching funds through the Economic Conversion Fund for funds provided by the Technology Reinvestment Program within the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the Department of Defense, created and funded pursuant to the Defense Conversion, Reinvestment and Transition Act of Fiscal Year 1993 and Title IV of the Fiscal Year 1993 Defense Appropriations Act, or by other related federal programs; provided, however, that the program shall require recipients of Economic Conversion support to provide other non-federal and non-state matching funds as a condition of support.
(3) Providing statewide support services to regional consortia or providers that include but are not limited to training and capacity building of extension service providers, assessment and evaluation of services, federal grant administration services, and interregional communications; provided, however, in no case shall the program administrator make evaluations or assessments of any services it directly provides to consortia, providers, or firms.
(4) Collecting and disseminating information on financial, technical, marketing, management, and other services available to technology-intensive small- and medium-sized and emerging businesses, including potential sources of debt and equity capital, in cooperation with the department of economic development, the Industrial Services Program, and the quasi-public corporation planning council established pursuant to section fifty-six of chapter twenty-three A.
(5) In response to a potential or actual dislocation as a result of a major plant closing or base closing, supporting development of a regional defense conversion plan by a regional planning agency, the government land bank, any combination of municipalities, or any other entity designated by the governor.