When federal resources are combined with the profit motive, great things can happen.
Many activities can benefit from the synergy of government-industry partnerships.
DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory , formerly the Federal Energy Technology Center, shows how it's done in the areas of energy and environmental research. The newest Department of Energy national laboratory has years of experience partnering with the private sector in energy programs. That experience is reaping benefits for the department's Environmental Management program through the Office of Science and Technology . Its predecessor organization was involved in coal and natural gas research for the past 50 years. Perhaps more importantly, it gave the prestigious research organization a leg up in competing for funding, both from within DOE and from outside the department.