# Presentation: 712988

## Space Act Awards

- Inventions and Contributions Board
- icb.nasa.gov
- 2003
- Walter Hussey, 202-358-0591, whussey@hq.nasa.gov

**Notes:**
Good Afternoon and welcome to the ICB meeting.  Thanks for your help as our quorum evaporated last month and we rescheduled to today.  It looks like we have many members that were not available on the original date, so the delay was beneficial in that sense.

## Space Act Awards(What are they)

**Notes:**
Good Afternoon and welcome to the ICB meeting.  As your new Staff Director, I have spoken briefly to some of you.  My background includes work on the Navy’s Trident Missile with my most recent assignment as Deputy Director for Undersea Technology coordinating and managing the 6.1 – 6.4 S&T/ R&D programs as well as significant work with DARPA and the acquisition program managers.  I am excited to be here at NASA and I welcome your input on how the staff can better serve you. I intend to visit you and the Centers and meet with our ALOs and others involved in what the Board does.

## Science and Technology in NASA

- 	“...the real values and purposes are not the mere accomplishment of man setting foot on the moon but rather in the great cooperative national effort in the development of science and technology which is stimulated by this goal.”
- 						Hugh L. Dryden
- 						Deputy Administrator
- 						NASA,  June 1961

**Notes:**
The ICB Staff will be up to full strength shortly with a new secretary reporting aboard.  We already have at least seven cases for the next meeting.  We are doing well on this year’s funds, if the board agrees to the staff recommended amounts today then we will be at approximately 50% of our annual budget, with two meetings down and two to go for this year.  We just got the FY04 request for our budget and if the Board would want to change the budget two years from now, we should submit the request which is due before the next Board meeting.  The past two years we have spent about $1.01M and this year’s budget is $1.2M when we have upped the award level.

## Science and Technology in NASA

- 	“When people look back and ask what was important about the International Space Station, it will be the scientific achievements that will be remembered."

- Sean O'Keefe
- Administrator
- NASA, March 2002

**Notes:**
We have three issues to discuss after Paul presents the cases:

## Science and Technology in NASA

- 	“We will go where the science dictates that we will go.   NASA’s mission...must be driven by the science...science must be the preeminent factor.”

- Sean O'Keefe
- Administrator
- NASA, April 2002

**Notes:**
We have three issues to discuss after Paul presents the cases:

## Space Act Awards  National Aeronautics and Space ActPL No. 85-568 Title III Sec.306

- “...a monetary award,..., to any person...for any scientific or technical contribution to the Administration which is determined to have significant value in the conduct of aeronautical and space activities.  Each application for such award shall be referred to the Inventions and Contributions Board...shall take into account—
- the value of the contribution to the United States;
- The aggregate amount of any sums which have been expended by the applicant for the development of such contribution;
- The amount of compensation...previously received by the applicant for or on account of the use of the contribution by the United States;
- ...No award shall be made ...
- (1)     Unless the applicant surrenders...all claims which such applicant may have to receive any compensation...for the use of such contribution by or on behalf of the United States...

**Notes:**
From the CFR laying out Board responsibilities: part 2) relates to incentive awards.
Note that these sections...both what we have been calling the space act awards, part 1) and the incentive awards part 2) come under “scientific and technical awards” I’ll say more about this later.

## Space Act Awards  14CFR1209.402( c )

- (c) *Monetary awards for scientific and technical contributions*. (1)
- Under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 2458 and pursuant to 14 CFR part 1240,
- the Board will receive and evaluate each application for award for any
- scientific or technical contribution to the Administration which is
- determined to have significant value in the conduct of aeronautical and
- space activities, will accord each applicant an opportunity for a
- hearing upon such application, and will then transmit to the
- Administrator its recommendation as to the amount of the monetary award
- and terms of the award, if any, to be made for such contribution.

**Notes:**
From the CFR laying out Board responsibilities: part 2) relates to incentive awards.
Note that these sections...both what we have been calling the space act awards, part 1) and the incentive awards part 2) come under “scientific and technical awards” I’ll say more about this later.

## Space Act Awards

- Why Space Act awards?
- Incentive for scientists and engineers to work civilian space efforts
- Promote contributions to space
- Provide for Government use
- Incentive for technical achievement
- Incentive for reporting technology developments
- Recognition, both peer and public
- Inspire more innovation

**Notes:**
Some background on the Incentive Awards issue at the Board:
Board historically has awarded technical and scientific contributions.
When recent cases recommending awards for commercialization of technologies were presented, the board looked at Incentive Award  authority as a possible means to grant these awards.
Staff was asked to research and recommend

## Space Act Awards(cont’d)

- What are Space Act awards?
- Individual monetary awards
- Up to $100,000
- Who is eligible?
- NASA employee
- NASA contractor
- Any individual
-  What are the criteria?
- Scientific or technical contribution
- Aeronautical or space activities
- Sponsored or used by NASA
- Government use rights vested in government

**Notes:**
Some background on the Incentive Awards issue at the Board:
Board historically has awarded technical and scientific contributions.
When recent cases recommending awards for commercialization of technologies were presented, the board looked at Incentive Award  authority as a possible means to grant these awards.
Staff was asked to research and recommend

## Space Act Awards(cont’d)

- How to get a Space Act award?
- Do any of the following:
- Publish an article in NASA Tech Briefs,
- Apply for a patent,
- Obtain release authority approval for your software,
-  and/or
- Apply to the NASA Inventions and Contributions Board
- Forward documentation thru your Center Award Liaison Officer
- See website at icb.nasa.gov for more detail on criteria, forms, process and POCs

**Notes:**
Some background on the Incentive Awards issue at the Board:
Board historically has awarded technical and scientific contributions.
When recent cases recommending awards for commercialization of technologies were presented, the board looked at Incentive Award  authority as a possible means to grant these awards.
Staff was asked to research and recommend

## 	FY2000	FY2001	FY2002	FY2003

- 	FY2000	FY2001	FY2002	FY2003
- Board 	       64	      69             122	       122
- Pat App          226	    176             188	       105          S/W                132           107             159	       142
- Tch Brf           629	    454             300	       276
- Total              1051          806             769	       645

- 07/02/2003

**Notes:**
This year, our numbers are down overall, due to patent applications and tech briefs.  Software has recovered in the past two weeks with the requirement that 1688s are required for SOY nominees.  Patent applications may be affected by two factors: push for patent apps for commercial potential only, and increased review cycles.  Tech Briefs are harder to explain...some of the earlier numbers for 2000 may have reflected a laxer policy to award before approved for publication or this may be due to some personnel changes in the awards offices at the Centers.  We are seeing a positive affect from our Center visits which is helping our numbers move in the right direction.

## Technology Maturation Cycle

- V
- A
- L
- U
- E

- TIME

- Initial
- Development

- Use

- Innovation

## Technology Incentive Cycle

- V
- A
- L
- U
- E

- TIME

- Value - Patent
-  App, SW
-  Rel, Tech Brief

- Value –
- Technology
-  Utilization

- Future Value
- Identified

- Disclosure

- Initial Award

- Board Award

- Goal: Increase the number and value of technologies to NASA
- using Space Act Awards as incentives

## Innovation...As Only NASA Can 2003 Goals – Space Act Awards

- Add value to NASA, using incentives provided by these awards to:
- Increase number of technologies reported
- Increase pool of technologies available to NASA
- Increase number of technologies publicized
- Increase cross NASA technology awareness and utilization
- Increase NASA Enterprise/ program relevance
- Increase value of technologies for our Enterprise Program partners
- Sponsor events for science and technical innovations
- Seek out ideas about how to increase the value that the Space Act Awards bring to NASA