FEDERAL LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BACKGROUND: America's Federal research and development community represents a reservoir of technologies, expertise, and facilities which can be applied for the benefit of our domestic industry. This reservoir is the raw material of the age of technology, requiring cooperative refinement, application and packaging to become a powerful force for economic growth in America and for strengthening this country's competitive position in the world economy. Materials, techniques, formulas, and methods have been developed within Federal laboratories for which commercial uses have yet to be devised. Instrumentation, hardware, software, and process technologies are all part of these Federal resources. Technology and expertise are available in virtually every area of science and engineering, including: Government agencies and laboratories are striving to insure full value return for the Nation's investment in Federal research and development by offering cooperation and assistance to those who can take advantage of it for expanded use. America's industry - businesses large and small - is in an enviable position to use this resource of knowledge and technology to enable competitive pursuit of both domestic and foreign markets. This resource can be transformed into new and improved products and services with tremendous potential for America's economy. THE FEDERAL LABORATORY CONSORTIUM: The need for more effective use of Federally developed technology led to the establishment in 1974 of the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer. The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 identified the Consortium as an essential component of the total technology transfer and utilization process. The Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 strengthened the Consortium and made it easier for American companies to work with Federal research and development organizations. This new law encourages Federal laboratories to enter into cooperative agreements with the private sector. It gave laboratories wide flexibility regarding the use of staff, facilities, and equipment, and in intellectual property matters, to encourage increased cooperation and teamwork with private enterprise. The Consortium is a service organization dedicated to the goal of facilitating technology transfer between the individual laboratory members and the potential users of government developed technologies. The FLC network includes nearly 400 Federal laboratories and research centers representing twelve different agencies. One strength of the network is the ability to put the potential user in contact with a Federal laboratory professional with expertise in his specific area of interest. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER MECHANISMS: A wide variety of technology transfer mechanisms has proven effective. The arrangements for cooperation are made between the company and the laboratory and typically are tailored to the individual situation. The mechanisms used in cooperating with industry may include the following: A. Cooperative research projects in which industry and laboratory researchers work together on projects of mutual interest; B. Workshops, seminars, and briefings put on by laboratory scientists to disseminate information on new or emerging technologies with possible applications to industry; C. Exclusive or non-exclusive licensing; D. Sponsored research where industry reimburses the laboratory for work done at the facility; E. Consulting by technical and scientific laboratory personnel with unique expertise; F. Employee exchange where researchers from the laboratory and industry trade assignments in areas of mutual interest; G. Use of laboratory facilities where unique capabilities are present that are not commercially available; H. Individual visits to laboratories to share information and discuss technical problems; I. Information dissemination through publications and other printed documentation; and, J. Membership in Industrial Affiliates organizations associated with the Federal laboratories. The above mechanisms do not represent an all inclusive list and may also be employed in various combinations as appropriate to the needs of the particular technology being transferred. LABORATORIES CONTRIBUTING EXAMPLES FOR REPORT: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE: Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE: National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, Maryland DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AIR FORCE Air Force Engineering & Services Center, Tyndall AFB, Florida ARMY Army Benet Laboratory, Watervliet, New Jersey Mr. Francis Heiser, (518) 266-4200 Army Chemical RD&E Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland Mr. Richard Dimmick, (301) 671-2031 Army Electronics Technology & Devices Laboratory, Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey Mr. Richard Stern, (201) 544-4666 Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Mississippi Mr. Phillip Stewart, (601) 634-4113 NAVY Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory, Port Hueneme, California Mr. Jerry Dummer, (805) 982-4070 Naval Underwater Systems Center, New London, Connecticut Ms. M. M. McNamara, (203) 440-4590 Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, California Mr. George F. Linsteadt, (619) 939-1074 SDIO Strategic Defense Initiatives Organization, Washington, D.C. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Ames Laboratory, Ames, Iowa Mr. Daniel Williams, (515) 294-2635 Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York Dr. William Marcuse, (516) 282-2103 Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, Illinois Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Idaho " Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (continued) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California Mr. Charles Miller, (415) 423-3082 Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico Monsanto Research Corporation - MOUND, Miamisburg, Ohio Dr. J.D. Braun, (513) 865-3829 Morgantown Energy Technology Center, Morgantown, West Virginia Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee Mr. Donald Jared, (615) 574-4192 Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington Mr. Marv Clement, (509) 375-2789 Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico Mr. Robert P. Stromberg, (505) 844-5535 Solar Energy Research Institute, Golden, Colorado DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia Dr. Bruce Doe, (703) 648-4450 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NASA Federal Aviation Admin. Technical Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California Mr. Gordon Chapman, (818) 354-8300 Kennedy Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, Florida Mr. Tom Hammond, (305) 867-3017 Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia Mr. John Samos, (804) 865-3281 Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio The above contacts represent a sampling of laboratories active in domestic technology transfer. For a more comprehensive view of the resources available, the DOC National Technical Information Service (NTIS) has published the "Directory of Federal Laboratory and Technology Resources A Guide to Services, Facilities and Expertise 1988-1989". NTIS order number PB88-100011; phone (703) 487-4650; price $36 +$3 handling. LISTING OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS Following are examples of successful cases of technology transfer. They are meant to illustrate the opportunities available and possible transfer methods. This is only a sample to encouragement potential users to tap the large reservoir of scientific and technical resources present in the Federal laboratories. It is hoped that the uses and benefits described will attract other potential users. |