I 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4905 

To establish in the United States Agency for International Development 

an entity to be known as the United States Global Development Lab, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 19, 2014 

Mr. CASTRO of Texas (for himself and Mr. MCCAUL) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period 

to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

A BILL 

To establish in the United States Agency for International 

Development an entity to be known as the United States 

Global Development Lab, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Global Development 

5 Lab Act of 2014’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 


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1 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis2 trator’’ means the Administrator of the United 

3 States Agency for International Development. 

4 (2) LAB.—The term ‘‘Lab’’ means the United 

5 States Global Development Lab established under 

6 section 4. 

7 (3) USAID.—The term ‘‘USAID’’ means the 

8 United States Agency for International Develop9 ment. 

10 SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 

11 Congress finds the following: 

12 (1) Leveraging academic research and private 

13 sector expertise to effectively apply science and tech14 nology to United States foreign aid can increase the 

15 effectiveness of United States aid dollars and lead to 

16 better outcomes. 

17 (2) In the last 20 years, human ingenuity and 

18 entrepreneurship around the world has reduced child 

19 mortality rates by 42 percent and poverty rates by 

20 52 percent, lifting hundreds of millions of people out 

21 of poverty. 

22 (3) Over the next 40 years, the developing 

23 world is expected to be the largest source of product 

24 and services growth. Breakthroughs pioneered for 


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1 the developing world can translate into jobs and eco2 nomic growth in the United States. 

3 (4) In 2014 the Office of Science and Tech4 nology and the Office of Innovation and Develop5 ment Alliances at the United States Agency for 

6 International Development were abolished to pave 

7 the way to bring their staffing and other resources 

8 into the United States Global Development Lab. 

9 (5) The Lab represents a new approach to in10 vest, test, and apply more effective solutions to hu11 manity’s greatest challenges. 

12 (6) The Lab will partner with entrepreneurs, 

13 experts, nongovernmental organizations, universities, 

14 and science and research institutions to solve devel15 opment challenges in a faster, more cost-efficient, 

16 and more sustainable way. 

17 (7) The Lab will utilize a pay-for-success model, 

18 which uses science, technology, and innovation-driv19 en competitions to expand the number and diversity 

20 of solutions to development challenges. 

21 (8) In contrast with traditional grants or con22 tracts, where USAID pays for a proposal to be im23 plemented, pay-for-success awards are given to a 

24 winner only after the objectives of the competition 

25 have been achieved. 


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1 (9) Expanding pay-for-success authority to 

2 allow the Lab to use these awards globally will in3 crease the number of high value solutions to choose 

4 from at a significantly reduced cost. 

5 SEC. 4. UNITED STATES GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT LAB. 

6 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in 

7 USAID an entity to be known as the United States Global 

8 Development Lab. 

9 (b) DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—The duties 

10 and responsibilities of the Lab should include— 

11 (1) increasing the application of science, tech12 nology, innovation and partnerships to develop and 

13 scale new solutions to end extreme poverty; 

14 (2) discovering, testing, and scaling develop15 ment innovations to solve development challenges to 

16 increase cost effectiveness and support United 

17 States foreign policy and development goals; 

18 (3) leveraging the expertise, resources, and in19 vestment of businesses, nongovernmental organiza20 tions, science and research organizations, and uni21 versities to increase program impact and sustain22 ability; 

23 (4) utilizing innovation-driven competitions to 

24 expand the number and diversity of solutions to de25 velopment challenges; and 


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1 (5) supporting USAID Missions and Bureaus in 

2 applying science, technology, innovation, and part3 nership approaches to decisionmaking, procurement, 

4 and program design. 

5 (c) AUTHORITIES.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the duties 

7 and responsibilities of the Lab under subsection (b), 

8 the Administrator may, in addition to such other au9 thorities as may be available to the Administrator— 

10 (A) use not more than $15,000,000 of 

11 funds appropriated or otherwise made available 

12 by an Act making appropriations for the De13 partment of State, foreign operations, and re14 lated programs under the heading ‘‘Develop15 ment Assistance’’ for any fiscal year for the 

16 provision of grants that are focused on science, 

17 technology, or innovation and designed to im18 prove health outcomes; 

19 (B) make awards in accordance with sec20 tion 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology In21 novation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719), except 

22 that foreign citizens and foreign private entities 

23 may be eligible for such prizes notwithstanding 

24 the eligibility requirements of subsection (g) of 

25 such section; and 


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1 (C) if the authority to appoint individuals 

2 on a limited term basis pursuant to schedule A 

3 or B of subpart C of part 213 of title 5, Code 

4 of Federal Regulations, is authorized for the 

5 Lab by the Office of Personnel Management, 

6 use funds appropriated to carry out part I of 

7 the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 

8 2151 et seq.) for the employment of not more 

9 than 30 of such individuals. 

10 (2) RECOVERY OF FUNDS.— 

11 (A) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the du12 ties and responsibilities of the Lab under sub13 section (b), the Administrator may provide that 

14 a cooperative agreement or other transaction 

15 for performance of basic, applied, or advanced 

16 research entered into between USAID and a 

17 person or other entity include a clause that re18 quires the person or other entity to return to 

19 USAID program income generated under the 

20 agreement or other transaction. 

21 (B) TREATMENT OF PAYMENTS.— 

22 (i) IN GENERAL.—The amount of any 

23 program income returned to USAID pur24 suant to subparagraph (A) shall be cred25 ited to the account from which the obligaVerDate Mar 15 2010 21:25 Jun 24, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4905.IH H4905

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1 tion and expenditure of funds under the 

2 cooperative agreement or other transaction 

3 described in subparagraph (A) was made. 

4 (ii) AVAILABILITY.— 

5 (I) IN GENERAL.—Except as pro6 vided in subclause (II), amounts re7 turned and credited to an account 

8 under clause (i)— 

9 (aa) shall be merged with 

10 other funds in the account; and 

11 (bb) shall be available for 

12 the same purposes and period of 

13 time for which other funds in the 

14 account are available for pro15 grams and activities of the Lab. 

16 (II) EXCEPTION.—Amounts re17 turned and credited to an account 

18 under clause (i) may not be used to 

19 pay for the employment of individuals 

20 described in paragraph (1)(C). 

Æ 


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