Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier
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SEC. 2486E. IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIFIC NATIONAL NEEDS AND PROBLEMS RELATING TO SPACE; GRANTS OR CONTRACTS WITH RESPECT TO SUCH NEEDS OR PROBLEMS, AMOUNT, APPLICATION, TERMS AND CONDITIONS
(a) The Administrator shall identify specific national needs and problems relating to space. The Administrator may make grants or enter into contracts under this section with respect to such needs or problems. The amount of any such grant or contract may equal 100 percent, or any lesser percent, of the total cost of the project involved.
(b) Any person may apply to the Administrator for a grant or contract under this section. In addition, the Administrator may invite applications with respect to specific national needs or problems identified under subsection (a) of this section. Application shall be made in such form and manner, and with such content and other submissions, as the Administrator shall by regulation prescribe. Any grant made, or contract entered into, under this section shall be subject to the limitations and provisions set forth in section 206(d) (2) and (4) of this title [42 U.S. C § 2486d(d)(2) and (4)] and to such other terms, conditions, and requirements as the Administrator considers necessary or appropriate.
SEC. 2486F. SPACE GRANT COLLEGE AND SPACE GRANT
REGIONAL CONSORTIUM
(a) Designation qualifications
(1) The Administrator may designate–
(A) any institution of higher education as a space grant college; and
(B) any association or other alliance of two or more persons, other than individuals, as a space grant regional consortium.
(2) No institution of higher education may be designated as a space grant college, unless the Administrator finds that such institution
(A) is maintaining a balanced program of research, education, training, and advisory services in fields related to space;
(B) will act in accordance with such guidelines as are prescribed under subsection (b)(2) of this section; and
(C) meets such other qualifications as the Administrator considers necessary or appropriate.
(3) No association or other alliance of two or more persons may be designated as a space grant regional consortium, unless the Administrator finds that such association or alliance–
(A) is established for the purpose of sharing expertise, research, educational facilities or training facilities, and other capabilities in order to facilitate research, education, training, and advisory services, in any field related to space;
(B) will encourage and follow a regional approach to solving problems or meeting needs relating to space, in cooperation with appropriate space grant colleges, space grant programs, and other persons in the region;
(C) will act in accordance with such guidelines as are prescribed under subsection (b)(2) of this section; and
(D) meets such other qualifications as the Administrator considers necessary or appropriate.
(b) Other necessary qualifications and guidelines on activities and responsibilities; regulations
The Administrator shall by regulation prescribe–
(1) the qualifications required to be met under subsection (a)(2)(C) and (3)(D) of this section; and
(2) guidelines relating to the activities and responsibilities of space grant colleges and space grant regional consortia.
(c) Suspension or termination of designation; hearing
The Administrator may, for cause and after an opportunity for hearing, suspend or terminate any designation under subsection (a) of this section.
SEC. 2486G. SPACE GRANT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
(a) Award of fellowships; guidelines; wide geographic and institutional diversity
The Administrator shall support a space grant fellowship program to provide educational and training assistance to qualified individuals at the graduate level of education in fields related to space. Such fellowships shall be awarded pursuant to guidelines established by the Administrator. Space grant fellowships shall be awarded to individuals at space grant colleges, space grant regional consortia, other colleges and institutions of higher education, professional associations, and institutes in such a manner as to assure wide geographic and institutional diversity in the pursuit of research under the fellowship program.
(b) Limitation on amount to provide grants
The total amount which may be provided for grants under the space grant fellowship program during any fiscal year shall not exceed an amount equal to 50 percent of the total funds appropriated for such year pursuant to this title.
(c) Authority to sponsor other research fellowship programs unaffected
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the Administrator from sponsoring any research fellowship program, including any special emphasis program, which is established under an authority other than this title.
SEC. 2486H. SPACE GRANT REVIEW PANEL
(a) Establishment
The Administrator shall establish an independent committee known as the space grant review panel, which shall not be subject to the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S. C App. 1 et seq.; Public Law 92-463).
(b) Duties
The panel shall take such steps as may be necessary to review, and shall advise the Administrator with respect to–
(1) applications or proposals for, and performance under, grants and contracts awarded pursuant to sections 206 and 207 of this title (42 U.S. C §§ 2486d and 2486e);
(2) the space grant fellowship program;
(3) the designation and operation of space grant colleges and space grant regional consortia, and the operation of space grant and fellowship programs;
(4) the formulation and application of the planning guidelines and priorities pursuant to section 205(a) and (b)(1) of this title [42 US. C § 2486c(a) and (b)(1)]; and
(5) such other matters as the Administrator refers to the panel for review and advice.
(c) Personnel and administrative services
The Administrator shall make available to the panel any information, personnel and administrative services and assistance which is reasonable to carry out the duties of the panel.
(d) Appointment of voting members; Chairman and Vice Chairman; reimbursement of non-Federal employee members; meetings; powers
(1) The Administrator shall appoint the voting members of the panel. A majority of the voting members shall be individuals who, by reason of knowledge, experience, or training, are especially qualified in one or more of the disciplines and fields related to space. The other voting members shall be individuals who, by reason of knowledge, experience or training, are especially qualified in, or representative of, education, extension services, State government, industry, economics, planning, or any other activity related to efforts to enhance the understanding, assessment, development, or utilization of space resources. The Administrator shall consider the potential conflict of interest of any individual in making appointments to the panel.
(2) The Administrator shall select one voting member to serve as the Chairman and another voting member to serve as the Vice Chairman. The Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman in the absence or incapacity of the Chairman.
(3) Voting members of the panel who are not Federal employees shall be reimbursed for actual and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of such duties.
(4) The panel shall meet on a biannual basis and, at any other time, at the call of the Chairman or upon the request of a majority of the voting members or of the Administrator.
(5) The panel may exercise such powers as are reasonably necessary in order to carry out the duties enumerated in subsection (b) of this section.
SEC. 2486I. AVAILABILITY OF OTHER FEDERAL PERSONNEL AND DATA; COOPERATION WITH ADMINISTRATION
Each department, agency or other instrumentality of the Federal Government which is engaged in or concerned with, or which has authority over, matters relating to space
(1) may, upon a written request from the Administrator, make available, on a reimbursable basis or otherwise, any personnel (with their consent
and without prejudice to their position and rating), service, or facility which the Administrator considers necessary to carry out any provision of this title;
(2) may, upon a written request from the Administrator, furnish any available data or other information which the Administrator considers necessary to carry out any provision of this title; and
(3) may cooperate with the Administration.
SEC. 2486J. REPORTS TO CONGRESS AND PRESIDENT;
COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
[Repealed by Pub. L. No. 105-362, Title XL § 1101 (a), 112 Stat. 3280, 3292 (Nov. 10, 1998).]
SEC. 2486K. DESIGNATION OR AWARD TO BE ON
COMPETITIVE BASIS
The Administrator shall not under this title designate any space grant college or space grant regional consortium or award any fellowship, grant, or contract unless such designation or award is made in accordance with the competitive, merit-based review process employed by the Administration on the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 2486L. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
(a) There are authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this title sums not to exceed–
(1) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1988 and 1989; and
(2) $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1990 and 1991.
(b) Such sums as may be appropriated under this section shall remain available until expended.
15 U.S.C. § 3710
Utilization of Federal Technology-Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRDAs)
(a) Policy
(1) It is the continuing responsibility of the Federal Government to ensure the full use of the results of the Nation’s Federal investment in research and development. To this end the Federal Government shall strive where appropriate to transfer federally owned or originated technology to State and local governments and to the private sector.
(2) Technology transfer, consistent with mission responsibilities, is a responsibility of each laboratory science and engineering professional.
(3) Each laboratory director shall ensure that efforts to transfer technology are considered positively in laboratory job descriptions, employee promotion policies, and evaluation of the job performance of scientists and engineers in the laboratory.
(b) Establishment of Research and Technology Applications Offices
Each Federal laboratory shall establish an Office of Research and Technology Applications. Laboratories having existing organizational structures which perform the functions of this section may elect to combine the Office of Research and Technology Applications within the existing organization. The staffing and funding levels for these offices shall be determined between each Federal laboratory and the Federal agency operating or directing the laboratory, except that (1) each laboratory having 200 or more full-time equivalent scientific, engineering, and related technical positions shall provide one or more full-time equivalent positions as staff for its Office of Research and Technology Applications, and (2) each Federal agency which operates or directs one or more Federal laboratories shall make available sufficient funding, either as a separate line item or from the agency’s research and development budget, to support the technology transfer function at the agency and at its laboratories, including support of the Offices of Research and Technology Applications.
Furthermore, individuals filling positions in an Office of Research and Technology Applications shall be included in the overall laboratory/agency management development program so as to ensure that highly competent technical managers are full participants in the technology transfer process.
The agency head shall submit to Congress at the time the President submits the budget to Congress an explanation of the agency’s technology transfer program for the preceding year and the agency’s plans for conducting its technology transfer function for the upcoming year, including plans for securing intellectual property rights in laboratory innovations with commercial promise and plans for managing such innovations so as to benefit the competitiveness of United States industry.
(c) Functions of Research and Technology Applications Offices
It shall be the function of each Office of Research and Technology Applications
(1) to prepare application assessments for selected research and development projects in which that laboratory is engaged and which in the opinion of the laboratory may have potential commercial applications;
(2) to provide and disseminate information on federally owned or originated products, processes, and services having potential application to State and local governments and to private industry;
(3) to cooperate with and assist the National Technical Information Service, the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer, and other organizations which link the research and development resources of that laboratory and the Federal Government as a whole to potential users in State and local government and private industry;
(4) to provide technical assistance to State and local government officials; and (5) to participate, where feasible, in regional, State, and local programs designed to facilitate or stimulate the transfer of technology for the benefit of the region, State, or local jurisdiction in which the Federal laboratory is located. Agencies which have established organizational structures outside their Federal laboratories, which have as their principal purpose the transfer of federally owned or originated technology to State and local government and to the private sector may elect to perform the functions of this subsection in such organizational structures. No Office of Research and Technology Applications or other organizational structures performing the functions of this subsection shall substantially compete with similar services available in the private sector.
(d) Dissemination of technical information
The National Technical Information Service shall
(1) serve as a central clearinghouse for the collection, dissemination and transfer of information on federally owned or originated technologies having potential application to State and local governments and to private industry;
(2) utilize the expertise and services of the National Science Foundation and the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer, particularly in dealing with State and local governments;
(3) receive requests for technical assistance from State and local governments, respond to such requests with published information available to the Service, and refer such requests to the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer to the extent that such requests require a response involving more than the published information available to the Service;
(4) provide funding, at the discretion of the Secretary, for Federal laboratories to provide the assistance specified in subsection (c) (3) of this section;
(5) use appropriate technology transfer mechanisms such as personnel exchanges and computer-based systems; and
(6) maintain a permanent archival repository and clearinghouse for the collection and dissemination of nonclassified scientific, technical, and engineering information.
(e) Establishment of Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer
(1) There is hereby established the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (hereinafter referred to as the “Consortium’) which, in cooperation with Federal laboratories and the private sector, shall
(A) develop and (with the consent of the Federal laboratory concerned) administer techniques, training courses, and materials concerning technology transfer to increase the awareness of Federal laboratory employees regarding the commercial potential of laboratory technology and innovations;
(B) furnish advice and assistance requested by Federal agencies and laboratories for use in their technology transfer programs (including the planning of seminars for small business and other industry);
(C) provide a clearinghouse for requests, received at the laboratory level, for technical assistance from States and units of local governments, businesses, industrial development organizations, not-for-pro
fit organizations including universities, Federal agencies and laboratories, and other persons, and (i) to the extent that such requests can be responded to with published information available to the National Technical Information Service, refer such requests to that Service, and (ii) otherwise refer these requests to the appropriate Federal laboratories and agencies;
(D) facilitate communication and coordination between Offices of Research and Technology Applications of Federal laboratories;
(E) utilize (with the consent of the agency involved) the expertise and services of the National Science Foundation, the Department of Commerce, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and other Federal agencies, as necessary;
(F) with the consent of any Federal laboratory, facilitate the use by such laboratory of appropriate technology transfer mechanisms such as personnel exchanges and computer-based systems;
(G) with the consent of any Federal laboratory, assist such laboratory to establish programs using technical volunteers to provide technical assistance to communities related to such laboratory;
(H) facilitate communication and cooperation between Offices of Research and Technology Applications of Federal laboratories and regional, State, and local technology transfer organizations;
(I) when requested, assist colleges or universities, businesses, nonprofit organizations, State or local governments, or regional organizations to establish programs to stimulate research and to encourage technology transfer in such areas as technology program development, curriculum design, long-term research planning, personnel needs projections, and productivity assessments;