Program Office, and all applied program offices. The pur-
poses of this program are to— 
(1) conduct evaluation of demonstration project 
proposals prior to selection of a project for funding; 
(2) conduct independent oversight of the execu-
tion of a demonstration project once funding has 
been awarded for such project; and 
(3) ensure a balanced portfolio of investments 
in clean energy technology demonstration projects. 
(b) DEMONSTRATION PROJECT MANAGEMENT EM-
PLOYEES.— 
(1) AUTHORITY.—In carrying out the program 
under subsection (a), the Under Secretary for 
Science shall appoint at least 4 full time employees 
to achieve the purposes of the program outlined in 
subsection (a) in coordination with relevant staff at 
Department program offices. 
(2) HIRING AUTHORITY.—To carry out the pro-
gram authorized in this section, the Under Secretary 
for Science may hire personnel using the authorities 
in section 305 of this Act. 
(c) DUTIES.—In carrying out the program in sub-
section (a), employees under this section shall work with 
relevant staff from Department program offices to— 
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(1) evaluate demonstration project proposals, 
including the scope, technical specifications, matu-
rity of design, funding profile, estimated costs, pro-
posed schedule, proposed technical and financial 
milestones, and potential for commercial success 
based on economic and policy projections; 
(2) develop independent cost estimates of dem-
onstration project proposals, when appropriate; 
(3) recommend to the director of a program of-
fice whether to fund a demonstration project pro-
posal; 
(4) oversee the execution of the demonstration 
projects that receive funding from the Department 
under this section and conduct reviews of ongoing 
projects, which may include reconciling estimated 
costs as compared to actual costs and evaluating 
progress of the project based on the proposed sched-
ule and technical and financial milestones, and pro-
vide such reviews to the Secretary; and 
(5) assess lessons learned and implement im-
provements to evaluate and oversee demonstration 
projects carried out under this section. 
(d) ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may 
carry out and manage demonstration projects directly 
through the program established in subsection (a). 
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(e) PROJECT TERMINATION.—Should an ongoing 
demonstration project receive an unfavorable review under 
subsection (c)(4), the director of a Department program 
office or their designee may cease funding the demonstra-
tion project and reallocate the remaining funds to new or 
existing demonstration projects carried out by that pro-
gram office. 
(f) COORDINATION.—In establishing and carrying out 
the program, the Secretary shall coordinate with project 
management and acquisition management entities within 
the Department, including the Office of Project Manage-
ment, and relevant professional organizations in project 
management, construction, cost estimation, and other rel-
evant fields. 
(g) REPORTING.—In accordance with section 9007 of 
Division Z of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 
(Public Law 116–260), the Secretary shall report annually 
on the utilization of the authority granted under this sec-
tion, including— 
(1) a summary of any demonstration projects 
currently being carried out under this section; and 
(2) the reviews under subsection (c)(4) of any 
ongoing demonstration projects carried out under 
this section. 
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(h) EVALUATION BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL.—Not 
later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act the Comptroller General shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate an evaluation on the op-
eration of the program established under this section, in-
cluding— 
(1) the processes and procedures used to evalu-
ate demonstration project proposals and oversee 
demonstration projects that receive funding under 
this section; 
(2) any recommended changes to the program, 
including the structure and the processes and proce-
dures used to evaluate and oversee demonstration 
projects that receive funding under this section; and 
(3) any recommended changes to the structure 
of this program to improve the success in meeting 
the program purposes under subsection (a). 
SEC. 303. STREAMLINING PRIZE COMPETITIONS. 
(a) REPORTING.—Section 1008 of the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16396) is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(h) REPORT.—In accordance with section 9007 of 
Division Z of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 
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(Public Law 116–260), the Secretary shall report annually 
on a description of any prize competitions carried out 
using this authority, the total amount of prizes awarded 
along with any private sector contributions, the methods 
used for solicitation and evaluation, and a description of 
how each prize competition advanced the mission of the 
Department.’’. 
SEC. 304. COST-SHARE WAIVER EXTENSION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 988 of the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16351) is amended in subsection 
(b)(4)(B) by striking ‘‘this paragraph’’ and inserting ‘‘the 
Energizing Technology Transfer Act’’. 
(b) REPORT.—Section 108 of the Department of En-
ergy Research and Innovation Act is amended in subpara-
graph (b) by striking ‘‘this Act’’ everywhere it appears and 
replacing with ‘‘the Energizing Technology Transfer Act’’. 
SEC. 305. SPECIAL HIRING AUTHORITY FOR SCIENTIFIC, 
ENGINEERING, AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT 
PERSONNEL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary for Science 
shall have the authority to— 
(1) make appointments of not more than 60 
scientific, engineering, and professional personnel, 
without regard to civil service laws, to assist the De-
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partment in meeting specific project or research 
needs; 
(2) fix the basic pay of any employee appointed 
under this section at a rate to be determined by the 
Under Secretary at rates not in excess of Level II 
of the Executive Schedule (EX–II) under section 
5311 of title 5, United States Code without regard 
to the civil service laws; and 
(3) pay any employee appointed under this sec-
tion payments in addition to basic pay, except that 
the total amount of additional payments paid to an 
employee under this subsection for any 12-month pe-
riod shall not exceed the lesser of the following 
amounts: 
(A) $25,000. 
(B) The amount equal to 25 percent of the 
annual rate of basic pay of that employee. 
(C) The amount of the limitation that is 
applicable for a calendar year under section 
5307(a)(1) of title 5, United States Code. 
(b) TERM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The term of any employee 
appointed under this section shall not exceed 3 years 
unless otherwise authorized in law. 
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(2) TERMINATION.—The Under Secretary for 
Science shall have the authority to terminate any 
employee appointed under this section at any time 
based on performance or changing project or re-
search needs of the Department. 
SEC. 306. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER REPORTS AND EVALUA-
TION. 
(a) REPORTING.—Section 9007 of division Z of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116– 
260) is amended as follows: 
‘‘(a) ANNUAL REPORT.—As part of the updated tech-
nology transfer execution plan required each year under 
section 1001(h)(2) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 16391(g)(2)), the Secretary of Energy (in this sec-
tion referred to as the ‘Secretary’) shall submit to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the 
progress and implementation of programs established 
under sections 9001, 9002, 9003, 9004, and 9005 of this 
Act and under sections 102, 203, 204, 205, 206, and 302 
of the Energizing Technology Transfer Act. 
‘‘(b) EVALUATION.—Not later than 3 years after the 
enactment of this Act and every 3 years thereafter the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, 
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Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the Senate an evaluation on the extent to which programs 
established under sections 9001, 9002, 9003, 9004, and 
9005 of this Act and sections 101, 102, 103, and 202 of 
the Energizing Technology Transfer Act are achieving 
success based on relevant short-term and long-term 
metrics.’’. 
Æ 
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