§7261c Technology partnerships ombudsman

Summary

The Secretary of Energy must make each DOE national laboratory appoint a technology partnership ombudsman, and can require other DOE facilities to do the same. The ombudsman will handle complaints from outside groups about technology partnerships (including cooperative research and development agreements), patents, and technology licensing. The ombudsman must be a senior official who is not involved in daily partnership, patent, or licensing work, or must act like one if hired from outside. They are the main contact to help resolve disputes, encourage quick, low-cost options like mediation when appropriate, and must send quarterly reports on how many complaints there were, what they were about, and how they were handled, while protecting confidential information. Reports go to four people/groups: the Secretary; the Administrator for Nuclear Security; the Director of the DOE Office of Dispute Resolution; and the DOE staff who manage the lab or facility contracts.