; (2) new, innovative financial and procurement mechanisms under development or used experimentally that may be available, in the near term, to public and private entities to fund smart city or community activities and associated demonstration projects; (3) barriers to creative financing solutions for those activities and projects, including procurement barriers faced by State and local governments; and (4) ways to leverage private sector investments in smart cities and communities. 205. Technical assistance, voucher pilot program, and technologist in residence pilot program (a) Technical assistance program The Secretary of Energy shall establish a program to provide technical assistance to cities seeking to incorporate smart city technologies. (b) Smart city voucher pilot program (1) In general The Secretary of Energy shall develop and implement a pilot program to improve the access of cities to the expertise, competencies, and infrastructure of National Laboratories for the purposes of promoting smart city technologies. (2) Partnerships In carrying out the program under this subsection, the Secretary of Energy shall provide to a city that has partnered with a small business concern access to the expertise of National Laboratories. (c) Technologist in residence pilot program (1) In general The Secretary of Energy shall expand the Technologist in Residence pilot program of the Department of Energy to include partnerships between National Laboratories and cities with respect to research and development relating to smart cities. (2) Requirements For purposes of the partnerships entered into under paragraph (1), technologists in residence shall work with an assigned city to develop an assessment of smart city technologies available and appropriate to meet the smart city objectives of the city. (d) Guidance The Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary, shall issue guidance with respect to— (1) the scope of the programs established under subsections (a) through (c)