15 U.S.C. § 278m — Repealed. Pub. L. 110–69, title III,

Page 693 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 278n–1 processes, and improving the productivity and profit- ability of businesses; ‘‘(D) an assessment of the degree to which State services make use of Federal programs, including the Small Business Innovative Research program and the programs of the Federal Laboratory Consortium, the National Technical Information Service, the National Science Foundation, the Office of Productivity, Tech- nology, and Innovation, and the Small Business Ad- ministration; ‘‘(E) a survey of what additional Federal informa- tion and technical assistance the services could uti- lize; and ‘‘(F) an assessment of how the services could be more effective agents for the transfer of Federal sci- entific and technical information, including the re- sults and application of Federal and federally funded research. The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Rep- resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, at the time of sub- mission of the organization plan for the Institute under section 5112(d)(1) [of Pub. L. 100–418, set out as a note under section 272 of this title], the results of the study and an initial implementation plan for the programs under section 26 of the Act of March 3, 1901 [15 U.S.C. 278l], and under this section [enacting sections 278k to 278m of this title]. The implementation plan shall in- clude methods of providing technical assistance to States and criteria for awarding financial assistance under this section. The Secretary may make use of con- tractors and experts for any or all of the studies and findings called for in this section. ‘‘(2)(A) The Institute shall enter into cooperative agreements with State technology extension services to— ‘‘(i) demonstrate methods by which the States can, in cooperation with Federal agencies, increase the use of Federal technology by businesses within their States to improve industrial competitiveness; or ‘‘(ii) help businesses in their States take advantage of the services and information offered by the Re- gional Centers for the Transfer of Manufacturing Technology created under [former] section 25 of the Act of March 3, 1901 [former 15 U.S.C. 278k]. ‘‘(B) Any State, for itself or for a consortium of States, may submit to the Secretary an application for a cooperative agreement under this subsection, in ac- cordance with procedures established by the Secretary. To qualify for a cooperative agreement under this sub- section, a State shall provide adequate assurances that it will increase its spending on technology extension services by an amount at least equal to the amount of Federal assistance. ‘‘(C) In evaluating each application, the Secretary shall consider— ‘‘(i) the number and types of additional businesses that will be assisted under the cooperative agree- ment; ‘‘(ii) the extent to which the State extension serv- ice will demonstrate new methods to increase the use of Federal technology; ‘‘(iii) geographic diversity; and ‘‘(iv) the ability of the State to maintain the exten- sion service after the cooperative agreement has ex- pired. ‘‘(D) States which are party to cooperative agree- ments under this subsection may provide services di- rectly or may arrange for the provision of any or all of such services by institutions of higher education or other non-profit institutions or organizations. ‘‘(3) In carrying out section 26 of the Act of March 3, 1901 [15 U.S.C. 278l], and this subsection, the Secretary shall coordinate the activities with the Federal Lab- oratory Consortium; the National Technical Informa- tion Service; the National Science Foundation; the Of- fice of Productivity, Technology, and Innovation; the Small Business Administration; and other appropriate Federal agencies. ‘‘(4) There are authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of this subsection $2,000,000 for each of the fis- cal years 1989, 1990, and 1991. ‘‘(c) FEDERAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER ACT OF 1986.— Nothing in sections [sic] 25 or 26 of the Act of March 3, 1901 [15 U.S.C. 278k, 278l], or in subsection (b) of this section shall be construed as limiting the authorities contained in the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 (Public Law 99–502) [see Short Title of 1986 Amend- ments note set out under section 3701 of this title].’’ § 278m. Repealed. Pub. L. 110–69, title III, § 3013(d), Aug. 9, 2007, 121 Stat. 599 Section, act Mar. 3, 1901, ch. 872, § 27, as added Pub. L. 100–418, title V, § 5121(d), Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1437, re- lated to the establishment of a program for the evalua- tion of non-energy inventions. § 278n. Repealed. Pub. L. 114–329, title II, § 205(a)(1), Jan. 6, 2017, 130 Stat. 3000 Section, act Mar. 3, 1901, ch. 872, § 28, as added Pub. L. 110–69, title III, § 3012(b), Aug. 9, 2007, 121 Stat. 593; amended Pub. L. 113–188, title II, § 201(d), (e), Nov. 26, 2014, 128 Stat. 2018, related to the Technology Innova- tion Program. A prior section 278n, act Mar. 3, 1901, ch. 872, § 28, as added Pub. L. 100–418, title V, § 5131(a), Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1439; amended Pub. L. 102–245, title II, § 201(c), Feb. 14, 1992, 106 Stat. 16, related to the Advanced Tech- nology Program, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 110–69, title III, § 3012(a), Aug. 9, 2007, 121 Stat. 593. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION PROGRAM Pub. L. 111–240, title IV, § 4226(b), Sept. 27, 2010, 124 Stat. 2598, which allowed the Director of NIST to con- sider the potential for enhancing the competitiveness of small- and medium-sized U.S. businesses in the glob- al marketplace when awarding grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts under this section, was re- pealed by Pub. L. 114–329, title II, § 205(a)(2)(A), Jan. 6, 2017, 130 Stat. 3000. § 278n–1. Emergency communication and track- ing technologies research initiative (a) Establishment The Director shall establish a research initia- tive to support the development of emergency communication and tracking technologies for use in locating trapped individuals in confined spaces, such as underground mines, and other shielded environments, such as high-rise build- ings or collapsed structures, where conventional radio communication is limited. (b) Activities In order to carry out this section, the Director shall work with the private sector and appro- priate Federal agencies to— (1) perform a needs assessment to identify and evaluate the measurement, technical standards, and conformity assessment needs required to improve the operation and reli- ability of such emergency communication and tracking technologies; (2) support the development of technical standards and conformance architecture to improve the operation and reliability of such emergency communication and tracking tech- nologies; and (3) incorporate and build upon existing re- ports and studies on improving emergency communications.