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Request for Information Regarding Federal Technology Transfer Authorities and Processes

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The Federal government invests approximately $150 billion annually in research and development (R&D). For the results of this investment to produce economic gain and maintain a strong national security innovation base, the results must be transferred to private companies to create new products and services. In order to advance the President's Management Agenda to modernize government for the 21st century, including the associated Lab-to-Market cross-agency priority (CAP) Goal in coordination with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is initiating an effort to refocus Federal technology transfer on sound business principles based on private investment.

NIST requests information from the public regarding the current state of Federal technology transfer and the public's ability to engage with Federal laboratories and access federally funded R&D through collaborations, licensing, and other mechanisms. Responses to this RFI will inform NIST's evaluation of Federal technology transfer practices, policies, regulations, and/or laws that promote the transfer of Federal technologies and the practical application of those technologies, including through commercialization by the private sector. NIST will hold public meetings regarding the initiative and the stakeholder engagement process at the times and locations indicated below.

DATES:

For Comments:

Comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on July 30, 2018. Written comments in response to the RFI should be submitted according to the instructions in the ADDRESSES section below. Submissions received after that date may not be considered. View complete Federal Register notice.

For Public Meetings/Webcast:

  • A meeting will be held on May 17, 2018 from 9 a.m. to noon Pacific Time at the Silicon Valley USPTO Regional Office in San Jose, CA. Requests to participate must be received via the meeting website no later than May 15, 2018.
  • A meeting will be held on May 21, 2018 from 9 a.m. to noon Mountain Time at the Renaissance Denver Downtown City Center Hotel in Denver, CO. Requests to participate must be received via the meeting website no later than May 17, 2018.
  • A meeting will be held on May 31, 2018 from 9 a.m. to noon Central Time at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Lawn in Oak Lawn, IL. Requests to participate must be received via the meeting website no later than May 29, 2018.
  • A meeting and simultaneous webcast will be held on June 14, 2018 from 9 a.m. to noon Eastern Time at the NIST Campus in Gaithersburg, MD. Requests to participate must be received via the meeting website no later than June 8, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

For Comments:

Responses can be submitted by either of the following methods:

  • Agency Website: https://www.nist.gov/ tpo/ roi-rfi-response. Follow the instructions for sending comments on the agency website.
  • Email: roi@nist.gov. Include “RFI Response: Federal Technology Transfer Authorities and Processes” in the subject line of the message.

Instructions: Attachments will be accepted in plain text, Microsoft Word, or Adobe PDF formats. Comments containing references, studies, research, and other empirical data that are not widely published should include copies or electronic links of the referenced materials.

All submissions, including attachments and other supporting materials, will become part of the public record and subject to public disclosure. NIST reserves the right to publish comments publicly, unedited and in their entirety. Sensitive personal information, such as account numbers or Social Security numbers, or names of other individuals, should not be included. Submissions will not be edited to remove any identifying or contact information. Do not submit confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive or protected information. Comments that contain profanity, vulgarity, threats, or other inappropriate language or content will not be considered.

For Public Meetings/Webcast:

  • A May 17, 2018 public meeting will be held in the Silicon Valley USPTO Regional Office, California Room, 26 S. Fourth Street, San Jose, CA.
  • A May 21, 2018 public meeting will be held in the Renaissance Denver Downtown City Center Hotel, Beauty Ballroom, 918 17th Street, Denver, CO.
  • A May 31, 2018 public meeting will be held in the Hilton Chicago/Oak Lawn, Oak Room, 9333 S Cicero Ave, Oak Lawn, IL.
  • A June 14, 2018 public meeting and simultaneous webcast will be held in Building 101, West Square on the NIST Start Printed Page 19053Campus, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD.

Details about attending the meetings and accessing the June 14 webcast are available at https://www.nist.gov/ tpo/ return-investment-public-forums.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Courtney Silverthorn, Deputy Director, Technology Partnerships Office, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive MS 2201, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, 301-975-4189, or by email to courtney.silverthorn@nist.gov.