To provide funding to enable institutions of higher education to establish a grant program to bridge the gap between laboratory discovery and commercially viable research.

Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to direct the National Science Foundation to make grants to institutions of higher education to establish precompetitive technology transfer centers.

Authorizes specified activities at such centers to advance discoveries or inventions, which have been made in such institutions' laboratories and have market potential, to the point where they can attract funding from other private or public sources for commercially viable research.

Sets forth required preferences in grantee selection. Requires equal access to be given to historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions.

[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3331 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3331

   To provide funding to enable institutions of higher education to 
    establish a grant program to bridge the gap between laboratory 
              discovery and commercially viable research.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 19, 2005

 Mr. Miller of North Carolina (for himself and Mr. Bishop of New York) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                                Science

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide funding to enable institutions of higher education to 
    establish a grant program to bridge the gap between laboratory 
              discovery and commercially viable research.

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

SECTION 1. PRECOMPETITIVE INNOVATION INVESTMENT.

    The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
3701 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:

``SEC. 24. PRECOMPETITIVE INNOVATION INVESTMENT.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        `institution of higher education' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            ``(2) Precompetitive.--The term `precompetitive' means the 
        period after completion of basic research but before completion 
        of proof of concept.
    ``(b) Grant Program.--The National Science Foundation shall 
establish a program of grants to institutions of higher education to 
enable them to bridge the gap between laboratory discovery and 
commercially viable research.
    ``(c) Use of Grant Amounts.--Amounts provided in a grant under this 
section may be used for the establishment of precompetitive technology 
transfer centers, which can be used to advance inventions made at the 
institution of higher education that have market potential to the point 
where they can attract other private or public funding, through--
            ``(1) enlisting the assistance of commercialization 
        specialists to assist the institution of higher education in 
        areas such as the formation of a small business, licensing, or 
        other method of commercialization;
            ``(2) establishing proof-of-concept;
            ``(3) technology feasibility studies;
            ``(4) concept analysis;
            ``(5) market assessment or study;
            ``(6) development and testing of a basic prototype;
            ``(7) patenting and licensing expenses; or
            ``(8) development of a business plan.
    ``(d) Application Requirement.--An applicant for a grant under this 
section shall establish to the satisfaction of the National Science 
Foundation its ability to carry out the activities described in 
subsection (c) for which the grant will be used.
    ``(e) Selection Preferences.--The National Science Foundation shall 
give preference in the selection of grantees under this section to--
            ``(1) institutions of higher education that work with 
        outside agencies such as State and local government, 
        businesses, and economic development organizations;
            ``(2) institutions of higher education that match Federal 
        funds used in grants made under the program; and
            ``(3) institutions of higher education that work with other 
        institutions of higher education, including institutions too 
        small to have their own technology licensing office.
    ``(f) Equal Access to Grants.--The National Science Foundation 
shall strive to ensure equal access to grants under this section for 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Minority Serving 
Institutions.
    ``(g) Limit on Number of Grants.--No institution of higher 
education shall receive a grant under this section for more than 4 
years.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Science Foundation for carrying out this 
section--
            ``(1) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; and
            ``(2) such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2007 
        through 2010.''.
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