EDA Calls on Public To Provide Input on Tech Hubs

Creating jobs and boosting U.S. innovation ― definitely sounds like a patriotic endeavor. That’s what the Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) is striving for as it seeks public comment on how to plan and design the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub) program.

EDA recently issued a Request for Information (RFI) notice explaining the program and noting several specific areas where it wants public input. Comments must be emailed to techhubs@eda.gov by 5 p.m. Eastern time on March 16.

Under the program, EDA would designate geographically distributed regional technology and innovation hubs and to award strategy development grants and strategy implementation grants to eligible consortia. Tech Hubs will focus on technology development, job creation, entrepreneurial development and expanding U.S. innovation capacity. Of the $10 billion authorized for the Tech Hubs program from federal fiscal year (FY) 2023 through FY 2027, $500 million has been made available for the Tech Hubs program as of Feb. 14.

“The Tech Hubs program is an economic development initiative to drive technology- and innovation-centric growth that leverages existing research and development strengths and technology demonstration and deployment capacities (public and private) within a region to catalyze the creation of good jobs for American workers at all skill levels equitably and inclusively,” EDA states in the RFI notice. "EDA intends to run a rigorous, fair and evidence-driven competition informed by the vision and experiences of all stakeholders, technology practitioners and relevant policy research to guide program design, structure and evaluation, and to aim for the strongest geographic and demographic diversity among hubs.”

The RFI includes various questions for public comment on certain aspects of the Tech Hub program, including program design and program administration. It also adds the following questions about program funding and support:

• What best-in-class ideas for inclusive and accessible competition processes for the Tech Hubs program can you share, including examples of best-in-class regional competitions in the U.S. or internationally?
• How should EDA evaluate the extent to which certain technology and innovation sectors are critical to national and economic security? How should EDA take into account whether a consortium would help promote increased geographic diversity of innovation?
• How can federal designations and federal grants be structured to maximize the desired impacts of the Tech Hubs program?
• What other existing federal programs can complement Tech Hubs?
• In addition to existing federal programs, what types of benefits or support could be helpful for “designated” regional Tech Hubs?
• What should EDA consider in designing the program for its current appropriation of $500 million given the $10 billion vision in the program’s statutory authorization? How should those considerations affect EDA’s design of the program now and potentially into future years?
• How should EDA evaluate the effectiveness and return on public-private partnerships or other collaborative arrangements that may emerge from the Tech Hubs?
• What criteria should EDA use to shift investments within or between Tech Hubs to maximize the impact of the program?
• What else should EDA consider when building this program, including but not limited to alignment with other federal programs?

Interested parties are encouraged to check out the RFI and add their thoughts about this program.

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