20 U.S.C. § 1145f
Section 1145f · Technology transfer centers
Amended 2 times on record
(1)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), there are authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 for fiscal year 1988 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 3 succeeding fiscal years to develop, construct, and operate regional technology transfer centers. The Secretary shall establish such regional centers—
(i) to promote the study and development of programs and depositories necessary to further the transfer of technology relevant to a respective region's economy;
(ii) to assist in developing incubator facilities to encourage new economic initiatives;
(iii) to provide technical assistance linking university expertise and private sector resources to solve technical, marketing, and manufacturing problems associated with technology-transfer and start-up businesses; and
(iv) to ensure consideration of the economic development needs of rural as well as urban areas within the region.
(B) The Secretary shall reserve not less than $3,000,000 of amounts appropriated pursuant to subparagraph (A) for the purpose of carrying out the Training Technology Transfer Act of 1988.
(2) In carrying out the requirements of this section, regional technology-transfer centers are authorized—
(A) to build on or, where needed, develop telecommunications systems to link the centers and their affiliates with industrial users;
(B) to build on or develop necessary computer networks and data bases; and
(C) to utilize or help develop regional and national libraries.
Financial assistance to each center shall be awarded competitively. Such financial assistance shall be awarded for the establishment or operation of such centers.
Each regional center established shall be operated by an appropriately qualified college or university within the region, a consortium of such schools within the region, or a university-related research park or center, and such regional center shall, where deemed necessary, establish one or more affiliate centers at colleges and universities based in other States within the region.
In establishing such centers, the institutions applying shall show in their application—
(1) how the center will facilitate the economy of the region;
(2) that the center's mission is compatible with the economic development plans of States in the region; and
(3) that appropriate consultation with the relevant State agencies concerned with economic development has taken place.
(1) Such center also may be operated by a consortium composed of an entity or entities described in subsection (c) of this section, and an existing campus-based research entity, or other State and local agencies, nonprofit agencies, interstate higher education organizations, or, where appropriate, for-profit agencies. The Secretary, through regulation, shall determine a mechanism for assessing the percentage of operating costs paid by other members of a technology transfer consortium arrangements.
(2) For purpose of paragraph (1), the term “existing campus-based research facilities” includes agricultural research facilities, mining and minerals research facilities; forestry and wood-products research facilities, solar renewable energy research facilities, high technology facilities, and manufacturing technology research facilities.
Each such center shall establish a Board1 to advise the center on policy. Such board shall be—
(1) representative of the States involved in the region; and
(2) consist of representatives for urban areas, rural areas, ethnic concerns, business, labor, and education.
(1) Grants for each center shall be awarded for a 5-year period. Before the end of such period, the Secretary shall conduct a competition for the award of grants for the succeeding 5-year period.
(2) For the fourth and fifth year of each such 5-year period, and during any renewal of the grant for succeeding 5-year periods, 50 percent of the cost of the activities for which assistance is awarded shall be provided from non-Federal sources.
Funding for affiliate centers authorized in subsection (c) of this section shall be provided by the regional center and the college or university operating the affiliate center, with funding levels to be reached by the 2 entities in a scope-of-work agreement negotiated between the 2 entities. Should the affiliate center wish, its operations and funding support can be a consortia, as specified in subsection (e) of this section.
(1) The Secretary, after consultation with the Departments of Agriculture, Energy, Commerce, and Interior shall publish, for public comment, a proposed list of priorities for the establishment of regional technology transfer centers and shall propose the regional composition of such centers, keeping in mind that satellite and telecommunications technology enables regions to contain noncontiguous States.
(2) The Secretary shall publish the final list of regions and priorities along with the public's comments. In establishing such regions, the Secretary may designate a State or a portion of a State as a region.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
References in Text
The Training Technology Transfer Act of 1988, referred to in subsec. (a)(1)(B), is chapter 1 of subtitle B of title VI of Pub. L. 100 418, Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1500, which was classified generally to part A (§5091 et seq.) of subchapter II of chapter 62 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103 382, title III, §391(i), Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 4023. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. For provisions relating to technology for education, see section 6801 et seq. of this title.
Amendments
1993—Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 103 208, §2(j)(56), inserted closing quotation marks after first reference to “facilities”.
Effective Date of 1993 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 103 208 effective as if included in the Higher Education Amendments of 1992, Pub. L. 102 325, except as otherwise provided, see section 5(a) of Pub. L. 103 208, set out as a note under section 1003 of this title.