§3715 — Title 15 Commerce and Trade | U.S. Code

Summary

With approval from the agency head or Secretary, a federal laboratory director—or for certain federally funded research centers that are not labs, the contract officer—may sign a contract or agreement with a partnership intermediary. That intermediary will do work to help joint projects between the federal lab and small businesses, colleges, or other educational institutions succeed. The federal costs for that contract can be paid from technology-transfer funds under section 3710(b). A partnership intermediary is a state or local government agency or a nonprofit tied to a state or local government that helps small businesses, institutions of higher education (section 1141(a) of title 20), or educational institutions (section 2194 of title 10) use technology from a federal lab. It includes state programs funded under section 5121(b) of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 278l note).

Title 15, §3715

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Subject to the approval of the Secretary or head of the affected department or agency, the Director of a Federal laboratory, or in the case of a federally funded research and development center that is not a laboratory (as defined in section 3710a(d)(2) of this title), the Federal employee who is the contract officer, may—

(1)enter into a contract or memorandum of understanding with a partnership intermediary that provides for the partnership intermediary to perform services for the Federal laboratory that increase the likelihood of success in the conduct of cooperative or joint activities of such Federal laboratory with small business firms, institutions of higher education as defined in section 1141(a) 11 See References in Text note below. of title 20, or educational institutions within the meaning of section 2194 of title 10; and

(2)pay the Federal costs of such contract or memorandum of understanding out of funds available for the support of the technology transfer function pursuant to section 3710(b) of this title.

(b)

(c)For purposes of this section, the term “partnership intermediary” means an agency of a State or local government, or a nonprofit entity owned in whole or in part by, chartered by, funded in whole or in part by, or operated in whole or in part by or on behalf of a State or local government, that assists, counsels, advises, evaluates, or otherwise cooperates with small business firms, institutions of higher education as defined in section 1141(a) 1 of title 20, or educational institutions within the meaning of section 2194 of title 10, that need or can make demonstrably productive use of technology-related assistance from a Federal laboratory, including State programs receiving funds under cooperative agreements entered into under section 5121(b) of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 278l note).

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 1141(a) of title 20, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1) and (c), was repealed by Pub. L. 105–244, § 3, title I, § 101(b), title VII, § 702, Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1585, 1616, 1803, effective Oct. 1, 1998. However, the term “institution of higher education” is defined in section 1001 of Title 20, Education. Codification Subsec. (b) of this section, which required the Secretary to include in each triennial report required under section 3704d of this title a discussion and evaluation of activities carried out pursuant to this section, was omitted because of the termination of the triennial reporting requirement. See Codification note set out after section 3704a of this title.

Amendments

2000—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 106–404, § 9(1), inserted “, institutions of higher education as defined in section 1141(a) of title 20, or educational institutions within the meaning of section 2194 of title 10” after “small business firms”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 106–404, § 9(2), inserted “, institutions of higher education as defined in section 1141(a) of title 20, or educational institutions within the meaning of section 2194 of title 10,” after “small business firms”. 1991—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–190 inserted “that is not a laboratory (as defined in section 3710a(d)(2) of this title)” after “center” in introductory provisions.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Participation in Programs Promoting Research, Development, Demonstration, or Transfer of Technology Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title II, § 217(f), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2695, as amended by Pub. L. 105–261, div. C, title XXXI, § 3136, Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2248; Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title II, § 254, Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2243, provided that: “(1)(A) A federally funded research and development center of the Department of Defense, of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or of the Department of Energy that functions primarily as a research laboratory may respond to solicitations and announcements under programs authorized by the Federal Government for the purpose of promoting the research, development, demonstration, or transfer of technology in a manner consistent with the terms and conditions of such program. “(B) A federally funded research and development center of the Department of Energy described in subparagraph (A) may respond to solicitations and announcements described in that subparagraph only for activities conducted by the center under contract with or on behalf of the Department of Defense. “(C) A federally funded research and development center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration that functions primarily as a research laboratory may respond to broad agency announcements under programs authorized by the Federal Government for the purpose of promoting the research, development, demonstration, or transfer of technology in a manner consistent with the terms and conditions of such program. “(2) A federally funded research and development center described in paragraph (1)(A) that responds to a solicitation or announcement described in such paragraph shall not be considered to be engaging in a competitive procedure and may use, among other authorities, cooperative research and development agreements provided for under section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a)) [sic] as the instruments of participation in the solicitation or announcement.”

§3715 Use of partnership intermediaries