A bill to improve the administration of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and for other purposes.

This bill strengthens the oversight and administration of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which provides technical assistance to small and medium-sized manufacturers. It mandates stricter financial management reviews to detect fraud and requires centers under probation to show significant improvement within 180 days or face consequences. The legislation also speeds up the process for replacing underperforming centers by setting strict deadlines for competitions and the selection of new operators. Additionally, it clarifies that the government can only take punitive actions against a center after a formal evaluation determines the center is not performing adequately.