Coordination of research and development activities relating to improvement of advanced weather models

(a) In general The Secretary and the Administrator shall carry out collaborative research and development activities using advanced computing techniques that are focused on the improvement of advanced weather models relevant to the missions of the Department and the Administration. (b) Memorandum of understanding (1) In general The Secretary and the Administrator shall carry out the activities under subsection (a) through the establishment of a memorandum of understanding or other appropriate interagency agreement. (2) Use of process The memorandum or agreement, as the case may be, required under paragraph (1) shall require the use of a competitive, merit-reviewed process that considers applications from Federal agencies, National Laboratories, institutions of higher education, nonprofit institutions, and other appropriate entities (or a consortia thereof). (c) Activities In carrying out the activities under subsection (a), the Secretary and the Administrator may— (1) conduct collaborative research to develop new methods and optimization of advanced computing techniques; (2) explore options for performance portability of optimized advanced weather model codes between the operational computing systems of the Administration and the high-performance computers of the Department; (3) advance methods to accommodate, analyze, and extract information from large data sets of weather and climate information; (4) to the maximum extent practicable, and in compliance with national security policies, promote collaboration, open community-based software development, and data sharing between Federal agencies, National Laboratories, institutions of higher education, nonprofit institutions, and other appropriate entities by providing necessary access and secure data transfer capabilities; and (5) support maintenance of and improvements to scientific computing infrastructure that the Secretary and the Administrator determine appropriate. (d) Coordination In carrying out the activities under subsection (a), the Secretary and the Administrator may— (1) carry out reimbursable agreements between the Department, the Administration, and other entities to maximize the effectiveness of research and development; and (2) collaborate with other Federal agencies as appropriate. (e) Report Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report detailing the following: (1) Interagency coordination between each Federal agency involved in the activities carried out under this section, including activities described in subsection (c). (2) Potential opportunities to expand the technical capabilities of the Department and the Administration with respect to those activities. (3) Collaborative research achievements with respect to those activities. (4) Areas of future mutually beneficial gains as a result of those activities. (5) Continuation of coordination between the Department and the Administration on those activities.