Establishment of rural export centers

(a) Definitions In this section: (1) Assistant Secretary The term Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service appointed pursuant to section 2301(a)(2) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4721(a)(2)). (2) Commercial Service The term Commercial Service means the United States and Foreign Commercial Service established under section 2301(a)(1) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4721(a)(1)). (b) Establishment of the National Rural Export Center (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall establish a National Rural Export Center for the purpose of providing businesses located in rural areas in the United States with resources to help those businesses export their products. (2) Location of the National Rural Export Center (A) In general The National Rural Export Center shall be established at an office of the Commercial Service in the United States in existence before the date of the enactment of this Act. (B) Criteria for selecting location In selecting a location for the National Rural Export Center, the Assistant Secretary shall give preference— (i) based on expertise and operations at Commercial Service offices that support rural businesses exporting to new markets before the date of the enactment of this Act; and (ii) to such offices not located in major metropolitan areas. (C) Location of staff Any researcher or staff directly supporting the operation of the National Rural Export Center shall be primarily based at the National Rural Export Center. (c) Establishment of regional rural export centers (1) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall establish not more than 9 regional rural export centers for the purposes of providing businesses located in rural areas within their regions with resources to help those businesses export their products. (2) Subordination The programs, activities, and expenditures of the regional rural export centers shall be subordinate to and delegated by the National Rural Export Center. (d) Export Center operations (1) In general The National Rural Export Center and regional rural export centers shall— (A) provide in-depth, customized, and actionable market research services that— (i) a business may opt into based on need; and (ii) are— (I) focused on actionable and measurable results for a business; (II) business- and product-specific; (III) based on high-quality data, including data from international trade association subscription databases; and (IV) based on market analysis and export services of the Commercial Service available before the date of the enactment of this Act, including the Rural Export Center Research Program; and (B) conduct strategic planning and export support services for rural businesses as needed. (2) Measure of effectiveness To measure the effectiveness of the National Rural Export Center and regional rural export centers, the centers shall collect and make available data on— (A) the number of businesses that sign up for market research assistance; (B) the number of export assistance services a business engages in following the research assistance, including— (i) trade shows; (ii) trade missions; and (iii) other services facilitated by the Commercial Service; and (C) the total monetary value of exports facilitated by the services provided by the centers. (3) Websites The National Rural Export Center and each regional rural export center shall maintain an internet website that includes— (A) data collected by the center; (B) best practices for rural businesses beginning to evaluate export opportunities; and (C) appropriate contact information for staff at the center.