42 U.S.C. § 19084 — Advanced computing

(a) Computing needs. To learn what computing resources Foundation-funded projects actually need, the Director^* must require award proposals that need advanced computing, as appropriate, to estimate their computational needs. The Director must encourage the use of, and provide access to, tools that make this easier, including tools identified in a 2016 National Academies report called "Future Directions for NSF Advanced Computing Infrastructure to Support U.S. Science and Engineering in 2017-2020."

(b) Reports. Every two years, the Director must write and publish a summary of how much advanced computing capability, and what kinds, the Foundation needs to fully meet its project^* needs identified under subsection (a).

(c) Roadmap. To guide decisions about investing in advanced computing, the Director must build, publish, and regularly update a five-year roadmap. This roadmap must: describe the advanced computing resources that would fully meet expected project needs, including through the Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure program and the Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction account; draw on input from the community, information in research proposals and allocation requests, insight from operators of Foundation-funded cyberinfrastructure, and Foundation-wide information gathering; take into account the computing needs of planned major facilities; reflect expected technology trends; inform users and potential partners about future facilities and services; address the needs of groups historically underrepresented in STEM and of regions where advanced computing is scarce but in high demand; consider how Foundation-supported advanced computing can be used by the Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships; and update Congress on the funding level needed to fully meet the research community's computing needs.

(d) Securing American research from cyber theft. [Paragraph (1) was omitted from the law as printed.] Paragraph (2) sets up a computing enclave pilot program. (A) In general: Working with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Secretary^* of Energy, and other relevant federal agencies, the Director must set up a pilot program that makes awards to keep federally supported research data secure and to help regional colleges and their researchers comply with rules for safeguarding sensitive information. (B) Structure: The Director must pick three colleges — each with an established graduate program and a track record of handling secure information safely — to develop, install, maintain, and keep running secure computing enclaves. (C) Regionalization: In choosing these colleges, the Director must favor ones that can also serve other colleges in their region, and must spread the enclaves out geographically so they meet different regions' needs. (D) Program elements: The Director must work with the chosen colleges to develop an approved blueprint for meeting federal data protection rules; a detailed, confidential list of every software, firmware, and product component needed to build more secure computing enclaves; template policies and procedures for running a secure computing enclave in a research setting; a template system security plan; and a process for managing an action plan and milestones for the enclave. (E) Sustainability: When reviewing applications, the Director must consider whether the applicant has a realistic plan to keep the computing enclave running long-term, even after federal funding ends. (F) Duration: As long as funding is available, the pilot program must run for at least three years. (G) Report: Within six months after the pilot ends, the Director must report to Congress. That report must assess the pilot, including the security benefits the enclaves provided; recommend whether to expand the network of secure computing enclaves; and recommend whether other federal agencies should use secure computing enclaves as part of a wider effort to secure federal research. (H) Authorization of appropriations: Congress authorized $38,000,000 for fiscal years 2023 through 2025 to carry out this computing enclave pilot program.