‘‘(A) that utilize innovative or collaborative 
approaches to solving the problem described in 
the competition; 
‘‘(B) that will improve the competitiveness 
of industries in the region in which the Center 
or Centers are located; and 
‘‘(C) that will contribute to the long-term 
economic stability of that region. 
‘‘(6) PROGRAM
CONTRIBUTION.—Recipients of 
awards under this subsection shall not be required to 
provide a matching contribution.’’. 
SEC. 204. TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION PROGRAM. 
Section 28 of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278n) is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION PROGRAM 
‘‘SEC. 28. (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established 
in the Institute a Technology Innovation Program for the 
purpose of assisting United States businesses and institu-
tions of higher education or other organizations, such as 
national laboratories and nonprofit research institutes, to 
accelerate the development and application of challenging, 
high-risk technologies that promise widespread economic 
benefits for the Nation. 
‘‘(b) GRANTS.— 
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‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Director shall make 
grants under this section to eligible companies for re-
search and development on high-risk, high-payoff 
emerging and enabling technologies that offer signifi-
cant potential benefits to the United States economy 
and a wide breadth of potential application, and 
form an important technical basis for future innova-
tions. Such grants shall be made to eligible companies 
that are— 
‘‘(A) small or medium-sized businesses that 
are substantially involved in the research and 
development, including having a leadership role 
in programmatically steering the project and de-
fining the research agenda; or 
‘‘(B) joint ventures. 
‘‘(2) SINGLE COMPANY GRANTS.—No grant made 
under paragraph (1)(A) shall exceed $3,000,000 over 
3 years. The Federal share of a project funded by such 
a grant shall not be more than 50 percent of total 
project costs. An award under paragraph (1)(A) may 
be extended beyond 3 years only if the Director trans-
mits to the Committee on Science and Technology of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
a full and complete explanation of such award, in-
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cluding reasons for exceeding 3 years. Federal funds 
granted under paragraph (1)(A) may be used only for 
direct costs and not for indirect costs, profits, or man-
agement fees of a contractor. 
‘‘(3) JOINT VENTURE GRANTS.—No grant made 
under paragraph (1)(B) shall exceed $9,000,000 over 
5 years. The Federal share of a project funded by such 
a grant shall not be more than 50 percent of total 
project costs. 
‘‘(c) AWARD CRITERIA.—The Director shall award 
grants under this section only to an eligible company— 
‘‘(1) whose proposal has scientific and techno-
logical merit; 
‘‘(2) whose application establishes that the pro-
posed technology has strong potential to generate sub-
stantial benefits to the Nation that extend signifi-
cantly beyond the direct return to the applicant; 
‘‘(3) whose application establishes that the re-
search has strong potential for advancing the state-of- 
the-art and contributing significantly to the United 
States scientific and technical knowledge base; 
‘‘(4) whose application establishes that the re-
search is aimed at overcoming a scientific or techno-
logical barrier; 
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‘‘(5) who has provided a technical plan that 
clearly identifies the core innovation, the technical 
approach, major technical hurdles, and the attendant 
risks, and that clearly establishes the feasibility of the 
technology through adequately detailed plans linked to 
major technical barriers; 
‘‘(6) whose application establishes that the team 
proposed to carry out the work has a high level of sci-
entific and technical expertise to conduct research and 
development, has a high level of commitment to the 
project, and has access to appropriate research facili-
ties; 
‘‘(7) whose proposal explains why Technology In-
novation Program support is necessary; 
‘‘(8) whose application includes a plan for ad-
vancing the technology into commercial use; and 
‘‘(9) whose application assesses the project’s or-
ganizational structure and management plan. 
‘‘(d) EXTERNAL REVIEW OF PROPOSALS.—In order to 
analyze the need for or the value of any proposal made by 
a joint venture or company requesting the Director’s assist-
ance under this section, or to monitor the progress of any 
project which receives funds under this section, the Director 
shall consult with industry or other expert sources that do 
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not have a proprietary or financial interest in the proposal 
or project. 
‘‘(e) INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY
RIGHTS
OWNER-
SHIP.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Title to any intellectual 
property developed by a joint venture from assistance 
provided under this section may vest in any partici-
pant in the joint venture, as agreed by the members 
of the joint venture, notwithstanding section 202(a) 
and (b) of title 35, United States Code. The United 
States may reserve a nonexclusive, nontransferable, 
irrevocable paid-up license, to have practiced for or 
on behalf of the United States in connection with any 
such intellectual property, but shall not in the exercise 
of such license publicly disclose proprietary informa-
tion related to the license. Title to any such intellec-
tual property shall not be transferred or passed, ex-
cept to a participant in the joint venture, until the 
expiration of the first patent obtained in connection 
with such intellectual property. 
‘‘(2) LICENSING.—Nothing in this subsection 
shall be construed to prohibit the licensing to any 
company of intellectual property rights arising from 
assistance provided under this section. 
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