1. Short title This Act may be cited as the National Centers of Excellence in Coastal Flood Research and Education Act . 2. National Centers of Excellence in Coastal Flood Research and Education (a) In general The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall designate public colleges and universities as National Centers of Excellence in Coastal Flood Research and Education (in this section referred to as National Centers of Excellence ). The Administrator shall make the first such designations by not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. (b) Purposes The purposes of such designation are the following: (1) To recognize those institutions of higher education that have exhibited national leadership in research and education in coastal flooding. (2) To identify such National Centers of Excellence as sources for expert advice and guidance for Federal agencies engaged in coastal flooding research and education issues and projects. (c) Criteria for designation The Administrator shall designate as National Centers of Excellence only those public universities and colleges that— (1) have demonstrated proven expertise in physical and environmental science, flooding, and socioeconomic impacts of flooding research; (2) are located in a State that frequently experiences coastal flooding; (3) have previously partnered with, or received funds from, Federal agencies for coastal flooding and watershed issues, including the Corps of Engineers, the United States Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; (4) have been designated by State legislation as technical and scientific advisory entities with respect to coastal flooding for State agencies and localities