- § 4121. Science and technology reinvention laboratories: authority and designation
- § 4123. Mechanisms to provide funds for defense laboratories for research and development of technologies for military missions
- § 4124. Centers for Science, Technology, and Engineering Partnership
- § 4125. Functions of Defense research facilities
- § 4126. Use of federally funded research and development centers
- § 4127. Defense innovation unit
§ 4121. Science and technology reinvention laboratories: authority and designation
(a)In General.—
(1) The Secretary of Defense may carry out personnel demonstration projects at Department of Defense laboratories designated by the Secretary as Department of Defense science and technology reinvention laboratories.
(2)
(A) Each personnel demonstration project carried out under the authority of paragraph (1) shall be generally similar in nature to the China Lake demonstration project.
(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the China Lake demonstration project is the demonstration project that is authorized by section 6 of the Civil Service Miscellaneous Amendments Act of 1983 (Public Law 98–224) to be continued at the Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, California, and at the Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, California.
(3) If the Secretary carries out a demonstration project at a laboratory pursuant to paragraph (1), section 4703 of title 5 shall apply to the demonstration project, except that—
(A) subsection (d) of such section 4703 shall not apply to the demonstration project;
(B) the authority of the Secretary to carry out the demonstration project is that which is provided in paragraph (1) rather than the authority which is provided in such section 4703; and
(C) the Secretary shall exercise the authorities granted to the Office of Personnel Management under such section 4703 through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (who shall place an emphasis in the exercise of such authorities on enhancing efficient operations of the laboratory and who may, in exercising such authorities, request administrative support from science and technology reinvention laboratories to review, research, and adjudicate personnel demonstration project proposals).
(4) The employees of a laboratory covered by a personnel demonstration project carried out under this section shall be exempt from, and may not be counted for the purposes of, any constraint or limitation in a statute or regulation in terms of supervisory ratios or maximum number of employees in any specific category or categories of employment that may otherwise be applicable to the employees. The employees shall be managed by the director of the laboratory subject to the supervision of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.
(5) The limitations in section 5373 of title 5 do not apply to the authority of the Secretary under this subsection to prescribe salary schedules and other related benefits.
(b)Designation of Laboratories.—Each of the following is hereby designated as a Department of Defense science and technology reinvention laboratory as described in subsection (a):
(1) The Air Force Research Laboratory.
(2) The Joint Warfare Analysis Center.
(3) The Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.
(4) The Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center.
(5) The Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory.
(6) The Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation and Missile Center.
(7) The Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center.
(8) The Combat Capabilities Development Command Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Center.
(9) The Combat Capabilities Development Command Ground Vehicle Systems Center.
(10) The Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center.
(11) The Engineer Research and Development Center.
(12) The Medical Research and Development Command.
(13) The Technical Center, US Army Space and Missile Defense Command.
(14) The Naval Air Systems Command Warfare Centers.
(15) The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center.
(16) The Naval Information Warfare Centers, Atlantic and Pacific.
(17) The Naval Medical Research Center.
(18) The Naval Research Laboratory.
(19) The Naval Sea Systems Command Warfare Centers.
(20) The Office of Naval Research.
(c)Conversion Procedures.—The Secretary of Defense shall implement procedures to convert the civilian personnel of each Department of Defense science and technology reinvention laboratory, as so designated by subsection (b), to the personnel system under an appropriate demonstration project (as referred to in subsection (a)). Any conversion under this subsection—
(1) shall not adversely affect any employee with respect to pay or any other term or condition of employment;
(2) shall be consistent with section 4703(f) of title 5;
(3) shall be completed within 18 months after designation; and
(4) shall not apply to prevailing rate employees (as defined by section 5342(a)(2) of title 5) or senior executives (as defined by section 3132(a)(3) of such title).
(d)Limitation.—The science and technology reinvention laboratories, as so designated by subsection (a), may not implement any personnel system, other than a personnel system under an appropriate demonstration project (as referred to subsection (a)), without prior congressional authorization.
(Added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title II, § 215(a), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1591.)
§ 4123. Mechanisms to provide funds for defense laboratories for research and development of technologies for military missions
(a)Mechanisms to Provide Funds.—
(1) The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall establish mechanisms under which the director of a defense laboratory may use an amount of funds equal to not less than two percent and not more than four percent of all funds available to the defense laboratory for the following purposes:
(A) To fund innovative basic and applied research that is conducted at the defense laboratory and supports military missions.
(B) To fund development programs that support the transition of technologies developed by the defense laboratory into operational use.
(C) To fund workforce development activities that improve the capacity of the defense laboratory to recruit and retain personnel with necessary scientific and engineering expertise that support military missions.
(D) To fund the repair or minor military construction of the laboratory infrastructure and equipment, in accordance with subsection (b).
(2) The mechanisms established under paragraph (1) shall provide that funding shall be used under paragraph (1) at the discretion of the director of a defense laboratory in consultation with the science and technology executive of the military department concerned.
(3) The science and technology executive of a military department may develop policies and guidance to leverage funding and promote cross-laboratory collaboration, including with laboratories of other military departments.
(4) After consultation with the science and technology executive of the military department concerned, the director of a defense laboratory may charge customer activities a fixed percentage fee, in addition to normal costs of performance, in order to obtain funds to carry out activities authorized by this subsection. The fixed fee may not exceed four percent of costs.
(b)Availability of Funds for Infrastructure Projects.—Funds shall be available in accordance with subsection (a)(1)(D) only if—
(1) the Secretary notifies the congressional defense committees of the total cost of the project before the date on which the Secretary uses the mechanism under such subsection for such project; and
(2) the Secretary ensures that the project complies with the applicable cost limitations in—
(A)section 2805(d) of this title, with respect to revitalization and recapitalization projects; and
(B)section 2811 of this title, with respect to repair projects.
(c)Release and Dissemination of Information on Contributions From Use of Authority to Military Missions.—
(1)Collection of information.—The Secretary shall establish and maintain mechanisms for the continuous collection of information on achievements, best practices identified, lessons learned, and challenges arising in the exercise of the authority in this section.
(2)Release of information.—The Secretary shall establish and maintain mechanisms as follows:
(A) Mechanisms for the release to the public of information on achievements and best practices described in paragraph (1) in unclassified form.
(B) Mechanisms for dissemination to appropriate civilian and military officials of information on achievements and best practices described in paragraph (1) in classified form.
(Added Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title II, § 220(a), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1332, § 2363; amended Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title II, § 250, Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1702; renumbered § 4123, Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, § 1843(b)(1), as added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, § 1701(u)(4)(A), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2153.)
§ 4124. Centers for Science, Technology, and Engineering Partnership
(a)Designation.—
(1) The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall designate each science and technology reinvention laboratory as a Center for Science, Technology, and Engineering Partnership (in this section referred to as “Centers”) in the recognized core competencies of the designee.
(2) The Secretary of Defense shall establish a policy to encourage the Secretary of each military department to reengineer management and business processes and adopt best-business and personnel practices at the Centers of the Secretary concerned in connection with the capability requirements of the Centers, so as to serve as recognized leaders in such capabilities throughout the Department of Defense and in the national technology and industrial base.
(3) The Secretary of Defense, acting through the directors of the Centers, may conduct one or more pilot programs, consistent with applicable requirements of law, to test any practices referred to in paragraph (2) that the Directors determine could—
(A) improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operations at Centers;
(B) improve the support provided by the Centers for the elements of the Department of Defense who use the services of the Centers; and
(C) enhance capabilities by reducing the cost and improving the performance and efficiency of executing laboratory missions.
(b)Public-private Partnerships.—
(1) To achieve one or more objectives set forth in paragraph (2), the Secretary may authorize and establish incentives for the Director of a Center to enter into public-private cooperative arrangements (in this section referred to as a “public-private partnership”) to provide for any of the following:
(A) For employees of the Center, academia, private industry, State and local governments, or other entities outside the Department of Defense to perform (under contract, subcontract, or otherwise) work related to the capabilities of the Center, including any work that—
(i) involves one or more capabilities of the Center; and
(ii) may be applicable to both the Department and commercial entities.
(B) For private industry or other entities outside the Department of Defense to use for either Government or commercial purposes any capabilities of the Center that are not fully used for Department of Defense activities for any period determined to be consistent with the needs of the Department of Defense.
(2) The objectives for exercising the authority provided in paragraph (1) are as follows:
(A) To maximize the use of the capacity of a Center.
(B) To reduce or eliminate the cost of ownership of a Center by the Department of Defense.
(C) To reduce the cost of science, technology, and engineering activities of the Department of Defense.
(D) To leverage private sector investment in—
(i) such efforts as research and equipment recapitalization for a Center; and
(ii) the promotion of the undertaking of commercial business ventures based on the capabilities of a Center, as determined by the director of the Center.
(E) To foster cooperation and technology transfer between the armed forces, academia, private industry, and State and local governments.
(F) To increase access by a Center to a skilled technical workforce that can contribute to the effective and efficient execution of the missions of the Department of Defense.
(G) To increase the ability of a Center to access and use non-Department of Defense methods to develop and innovate and access capabilities that contribute to the effective and efficient execution of the missions of the Department of Defense.
(3)
(A) Public-private partnerships entered into under paragraph (1) may be used for purposes relating to technology transfer and other authorities described in subparagraph (B).
(B) The authorities described in this subparagraph are provisions of law that provide for cooperation and partnership by the Department of Defense with academia, private industry, and State and local governments, including the following:
(i) Sections 3371 through 3375 of title 5.
(ii) Sections 2194, 2563, 4001, 4021, 4831, and 4062 of this title.
(iii)Section 209 of title 35.
(iv) Sections 8, 12, and 23 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3706, 3710a, and 3715).
(c)Private Sector Use of Excess Capacity.—Any capability of a Center made available to the private sector may be used to perform research and testing activities in order to make more efficient and economical use of Government-owned capabilities and encourage the creation and preservation of jobs to ensure the availability of a workforce with the necessary research and technical skills to meet the needs of the armed forces.
(d)Crediting of Amounts for Performance.—Amounts received by a Center for work performed under a public-private partnership may—
(1) be credited to the appropriation or fund, including a working-capital or revolving fund, that incurs the cost of performing the work; or
(2) be used by the Director of the Center as the Director considers appropriate and consistent with section 219 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 10 U.S.C. 2358 note).1
1 See References in Text note below.
(e)Availability of Excess Capacities to Private-sector Partners.—Capacities of a Center may be made available for use by a private-sector entity under this section only if—
(1) the use of the capacities will not have a significant adverse effect on the performance of the Center or the ability of the Center to achieve the mission of the Center, as determined by the Director of the Center; and
(2) the private-sector entity agrees—
(A) to reimburse the Department of Defense when required in accordance with the guidance of the Department for the direct and indirect costs (including any rental costs) that are attributable to the use of the capabilities by the private-sector entity, as determined by the Secretary of the military departments; and
(B) to hold harmless and indemnify the United States from—
(i) any claim for damages or injury to any person or property arising out of the use of the capabilities, except under the circumstances described in section 2563(c)(3) of this title; and
(ii) any liability or claim for damages or injury to any person or property arising out of a decision by the Secretary to suspend or terminate that use of capabilities during a war or national emergency.
(f)Use of Partnership Intermediaries to Promote Defense Research and Education.—
(1) Subject to the approval of the Secretary or the head of the another department or agency of the Federal Government concerned, the Director of a Center may enter into a contract, memorandum of understanding or other transaction with a partnership intermediary that provides for the partnership intermediary to perform services for the Department of Defense that increase the likelihood of success in the conduct of cooperative or joint activities of the Center with industry or academic institutions.
(2) In this subsection, the term “partnership intermediary” means an agency of a State or local government, or a nonprofit entity owned in whole or in part by, chartered by, funded in whole or in part by, or operated in whole or in part by or on behalf of a State or local government, that—
(A) assists, counsels, advises, evaluates, or otherwise cooperates with industry or academic institutions that need or can make demonstrably productive use of technology-related assistance from a Center;
(B) facilitates technology transfer from industry or academic institutions to a Center; or
(C) assists and facilitates workforce development in critical technology areas for technology transition activities to fulfill unmet needs of a Center.
(g)Construction of Provision.—Nothing in this section may be construed to authorize a change, otherwise prohibited by law, from the performance of work at a Center by personnel of the Department of Defense to performance by a contractor.
(h)Definitions.—In this section:
(1) The term “capabilities”, with respect to a Center for Science, Technology, and Engineering Partnership, means the facilities, equipment, personnel, intellectual property, and other assets that support the core competencies of the Center.
(2) The term “national technology and industrial base” has the meaning given that term in section 4801 of this title.
(3) The term “science and technology reinvention laboratory” means a science and technology reinvention laboratory designated under section 4121(b) of this title.
(Added Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title II, § 211(a), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 764, § 2368; amended Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title II, § 231, Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1690; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title XVII, § 1731(a)(45), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1814; renumbered § 4124 and amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, § 1843(b)(1), (d), as added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, § 1701(u)(4)(A), (C), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2153; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, §§ 1844(b)(1), (c), 1883(b)(2), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4245, 4246, 4294; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title II, § 215(d)(12), title XVII, § 1701(u)(5)(B), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1594, 2154; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title II, § 214, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 184.)
§ 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.)
§ 4126. Use of federally funded research and development centers
(a)Limitation on Use of Centers.—Except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense may not place work with a federally funded research and development center unless such work is within the purpose, mission, and general scope of effort of such center as established in the sponsoring agreement of the Department of Defense with such center.
(b)Exception for Applied Scientific Research.—This section does not apply to a federally funded research and development center that performs applied scientific research under laboratory conditions.
(c)Limitation on Creation of New Centers.—
(1) The head of an agency may not obligate or expend amounts appropriated to the Department of Defense for purposes of operating a federally funded research center that was not in existence before June 2, 1986, until—
(A) the head of the agency submits to Congress a report with respect to such center that describes the purpose, mission, and general scope of effort of the center; and
(B) a period of 60 days beginning on the date such report is received by Congress has elapsed.
(2) In this subsection, the term “head of an agency” has the meaning given such term in section 3004 of this title.
(d)Identification to Congress of FFRDC Workload Effort.—After the close of a fiscal year, and not later than January 1 of the next year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report setting forth the actual obligations and the actual man-years of effort expended at each federally funded research and development center during that fiscal year.
(Added Pub. L. 99–500, § 101(c) [title X, § 912(a)(1)], Oct. 18, 1986, 100 Stat. 1783–82, 1783–146, and Pub. L. 99–591, § 101(c) [title X, § 912(a)(1)], Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3341–82, 3341–146, § 2367; Pub. L. 99–661, div. A, title IX, formerly title IV, § 912(a)(1), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3925, renumbered title IX, Pub. L. 100–26, § 3(5), Apr. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 273; amended Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title II, § 256(a)(1), Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1330; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XV, § 1502(a)(9), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 503; Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title X, § 1067(1), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 774; Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title X, § 1041(a)(12), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2645; renumbered § 4126, Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, § 1843(b)(1), as added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, § 1701(u)(4)(A), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2153; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, §§ 1844(b)(1), 1883(b)(2), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4245, 4294; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, § 1701(u)(5)(B), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2154.)
§ 4127. Defense innovation unit 1
1 So in original. Probably should be “Defense Innovation Unit”.
(a)Establishment.—There is established in the Department of Defense a Defense Innovation Unit (referred to in this section as the “Unit”).
(b)Director and Deputy Director.—There is a Director of the Unit who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense from among persons with substantial experience in innovation and commercial technology, as determined by the Secretary.
(c)Authority of Director.—The Director is the head of the Unit. The Director—
(1) shall serve as a principal staff assistant to the Secretary of Defense on matters within the responsibility of the Unit;
(2) shall report directly to the Secretary without intervening authority; and
(3) may communicate views on matters within the responsibility of the Unit directly to the Secretary without obtaining the approval or concurrence of any other official within the Department of Defense.
(d)Responsibilities.—The Unit shall have the following responsibilities:
(1) Seek out, identify, and support development of and experimentation with commercial technologies that have the potential to be implemented within the Department of Defense.
(2) Accelerate the adoption or integration of commercial technologies within the Department of Defense to transform military capacity and capabilities.
(3) Serve as the principal liaison between the Department of Defense and individuals and entities in the national security innovation base, including entrepreneurs, startups, commercial technology companies, and venture capital sources.
(4) Carry out programs, projects, and other activities to strengthen the national security innovation base.
(5) Coordinate and harmonize the activities of other organizations and elements of the Department of Defense on matters relating to commercial technologies, dual use technologies, and the innovation of such technologies.
(6) Coordinate and advise efforts among elements of the Department of Defense on matters relating to the development, procurement, and fielding of nontraditional capabilities.
(7) Coordinate with the Joint Staff and the commanders of the combatant commands to identify operational challenges that have the potential to be addressed through the use of nontraditional capabilities, including dual-use technologies, that are being developed and financed in the commercial sector.
(8) Using funds made available to the Unit—
(A) select projects to be carried out by one or more of the service-level innovation organizations;
(B) allocate funds to service-level innovation organizations to carry out such projects; and
(C) monitor the execution of such projects by the service-level innovation organizations.
(9) Serve as the principal liaison between the Department of Defense, nontraditional defense contractors, investors in nontraditional defense companies, and departments and agencies of the Federal Government pursing 2
2 So in original. Probably should be “pursuing”.
nontraditional capabilities similar to those pursued by the Department.(10) Lead engagement with industry, academia, and other nongovernment entities to develop—
(A) domestic capacity with respect to innovative, commercial, and dual-use technologies and the use of nontraditional defense contractors; and
(B) the capacity of international allies and partners of the United States with respect to such technologies and the use of such contractors.
(11) Carry out such other activities as the Secretary of Defense determines appropriate.
(e)Support for Multi-stakeholder Partnerships.—
(1) The Director shall identify and support multi-stakeholder research and innovation partnerships that—
(A) have the potential to generate technologies, processes, products, or other solutions that address national defense or security needs; and
(B) have as an objective the technology transfer or commercialization of the work product generated by the partnership, which may include work product that incorporates Government-developed intellectual property licensed to the partnership in accordance with paragraph (3).
(2)
(A) providing funding or other resources to the partnership;
(B) participating in the partnership;
(C) providing technical and technological advice and guidance to the partnership;
(D) suggesting and introducing other participants for inclusion in the partnership;
(E) providing the partnership with insight into desired solutions for defense and security needs; and
(F) such other forms of support as the Director determines appropriate.
(3) To the extent the Director determines appropriate, the Director shall seek to actively inform potential participants in multi-stakeholder research and innovation partnerships of the availability of Government-developed intellectual property that may be licensed to the partnership.
(4) On an annual basis, the Director shall submit to the Secretary of Defense and the congressional defense committees a report on the activities, advances, outcomes, and work product of the multi-stakeholder research and innovation partnerships supported under this subsection.
(f)Definitions.—In this section:
(1) The term “multi-stakeholder research and innovation partnership” means a partnership composed of any combination of two or more of the following:
(A) Universities, colleges, or other institutions of higher education with research and innovation capability.
(B) Non-profit organizations that provide policy, research, outreach, operations, organizational, management, testing, evaluation, technology transfer, legal, financial, or advocacy expertise.
(C) For-profit commercial enterprises that may be publicly or privately owned, early stage or mature, and incorporated or operating by another ownership structure.
(D) Departments or agencies of the Federal Government with expertise, operations, or resources related to the objectives of the multi-stakeholder research and innovation partnership.
(2) The term “nontraditional capability” means a solution to an operational challenge that can significantly leverage commercial innovation or external capital with minimal dependencies on fielded systems.
(3) The term “nontraditional defense contractor” has the meaning given that term in section 3014 of this title.
(Added Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title IX, § 913(a)(1), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 365.)