### §4125. Functions of Defense research facilities

(a) Functions of Defense Research Facilities.—The Secretary of Defense shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable—

(1) that Defense research facilities are assigned broad mission requirements rather than specific hardware needs;

(2) that appropriate personnel of such facilities are assigned to serve as consultants on component and support system standardization;

(3) that the managers of such facilities have broad latitude to choose research and development projects based on awareness of activities throughout the technology domain, including within the Federal Government, the Department of Defense, public and private research institutions and universities, and the global commercial marketplace;

(4) that technology position and issue papers prepared by Defense research facilities are readily available to all components of the Department of Defense and to contractors who submit bids or proposals for Department of Defense contracts;

(5) that, in order to promote increased consideration of technological issues early in the development process, any technological assessment made by a Defense research facility shall be provided to the Defense Technical Information Center repository to support acquisition decisions; and

(6) that, in light of Defense research facilities being funded by the public, Defense research facilities are broadly authorized and encouraged to support national technological development goals and support technological missions of other departments and agencies of the Federal Government, when such support is determined by the Secretary of Defense to be in the best interests of the Federal Government.

(b) Definitions.—In this section, the term "Defense research facility" means a Department of Defense facility which performs or contracts for the performance of—

(1) basic research; or

(2) applied research known as exploratory development.

(Added and amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, §1843(b)(2), as added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, §1701(u)(4)(A), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2153.)

#### Codification

The text of subsecs. (b) and (c) of section 2364 of this title, which were transferred to this section and redesignated as subsecs. (a) and (b), respectively, by Pub. L. 116–283, §1843(b)(2), was based on Pub. L. 99–661, div. A, title II, §234(c)(1), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3848; Pub. L. 100–26, §§3(1)(A), 7(a)(9), Apr. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 273, 278; Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title XII, §1231(10)(A), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1160; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title VIII, §805, Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 390; Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title II, §213, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3325; Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title II, §214(a)(2), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 768; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, §1844(d), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4246; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, §1701(u)(5)(B), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2154.

#### Amendments

2021—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 116–283, §1843(b)(2), as added by Pub. L. 117–81, §1701(u)(4)(A), transferred subsecs. (b) and (c) of section 2364 of this title to this section and redesignated them as subsecs. (a) and (b), respectively.

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Effective Date of 2021 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 117–81 applicable as if included in the enactment of title XVIII of Pub. L. 116–283 as enacted, see section 1701(a)(2) of Pub. L. 117–81, set out in a note preceding section 3001 of this title and Effective Date note below.

#### Effective Date

Section and amendment by Pub. L. 116–283 effective Jan. 1, 2022, with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see section 1801(d) of Pub. L. 116–283, set out as an Effective Date of 2021 Amendment note preceding section 3001 of this title.

#### Specification of Certain Duties of the Defense Technical Information Center

Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title IX, §905, Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1922, as amended by Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, §1842(c)(2), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4244, provided that:

"(a) In General.—In addition to any other duties specified for the Defense Technical Information Center by law, regulation, or Department of Defense directive or instruction, the duties of the Center shall include the following:

"(1) To execute the Global Research Watch Program under section 4066 of title 10, United States Code.

"(2) To develop and maintain datasets and other data repositories on research and engineering activities being conducted within the Department.

"(b) Action Plan.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 13, 2018], the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a plan of action for the commencement by the Defense Technical Information Center of the duties specified in subsection (a)."

#### Coordination of High-Temperature Superconductivity Research and Development

Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title II, §218(b)(2), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1053, as amended by Pub. L. 100–418, title V, §5115(c), Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1433; Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title IX, §904(f), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1729; Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title IX, §911(a)(1), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 717, provided that: "The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, shall—

"(A) coordinate the research and development activities of the Department of Defense relating to high-temperature superconductivity; and

"(B) ensure that such research and development—

"(i) is carried out in coordination with the high-temperature superconductivity research and development activities of the Department of Energy (including the national laboratories of the Department of Energy), the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and

"(ii) complements rather than duplicates such activities."