15 U.S.C. § 3709 — Repealed. Pub. L. 99–502, § 9(a), Oct. 20,

Page 2041 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 3710 other the opportunity to comment on any pro- posed program of activity under section 3705, 3707, 3710, 3710d, 3711a, or 3712 of this title before funds are committed to such program in order to mount complementary efforts and avoid du- plication. (Pub. L. 96–480, § 10, formerly § 9, Oct. 21, 1980, 94 Stat. 2316; Pub. L. 99–502, § 9(e)(2)(C), Oct. 20, 1986, 100 Stat. 1797; Pub. L. 100–107, § 3(b), Aug. 20, 1987, 101 Stat. 727; renumbered § 10 and amended Pub. L. 100–418, title V, § 5122(a)(1), (c), Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1438, 1439; Pub. L. 102–240, title VI, § 6019, Dec. 18, 1991, 105 Stat. 2183.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 10 of Pub. L. 96–480 was renumbered section 11 and is classified to section 3710 of this title. Another prior section 10 of Pub. L. 96–480 related to National Industrial Technology Board and was classi- fied to section 3709 of this title, prior to repeal by sec- tion 9(a) of Pub. L. 99–502. AMENDMENTS 1991—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 102–240 made technical amendment to reference to section 3712 of this title to reflect renumbering of corresponding section of origi- nal act. 1988—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 100–418, § 5122(c), made tech- nical amendment to references to sections 3705, 3707, 3710, 3710d, 3711a, and 3712 of this title to reflect renum- bering of corresponding sections of original act. 1987—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 100–107 inserted reference to section 3711a of this title. 1986—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 99–502 inserted references to sections 3710 and 3710d of this title. § 3709. Repealed. Pub. L. 99–502, § 9(a), Oct. 20, 1986, 100 Stat. 1795 Section, Pub. L. 96–480, § 10, Oct. 21, 1980, 94 Stat. 2317, related to establishment, duties, membership, and terms of National Industrial Technology Board. § 3710. Utilization of Federal technology (a) Policy (1) It is the continuing responsibility of the Federal Government to ensure the full use of the results of the Nation’s Federal investment in re- search and development. To this end the Federal Government shall strive where appropriate to transfer federally owned or originated tech- nology to State and local governments and to the private sector. (2) Technology transfer, consistent with mis- sion responsibilities, is a responsibility of each laboratory science and engineering professional. (3) Each laboratory director shall ensure that efforts to transfer technology are considered positively in laboratory job descriptions, em- ployee promotion policies, and evaluation of the job performance of scientists and engineers in the laboratory. (b) Establishment of Research and Technology Applications Offices Each Federal laboratory shall establish an Of- fice of Research and technology Applications. Laboratories having existing organizational structures which perform the functions of this section may elect to combine the Office of Re- search and Technology Applications within the existing organization. The staffing and funding levels for these offices shall be determined be- tween each Federal laboratory and the Federal agency operating or directing the laboratory, except that (1) each laboratory having 200 or more full-time equivalent scientific, engineer- ing, and related technical positions shall provide one or more full-time equivalent positions as staff for its Office of Research and Technology Applications, and (2) each Federal agency which operates or directs one or more Federal labora- tories shall make available sufficient funding, either as a separate line item or from the agen- cy’s research and development budget, to sup- port the technology transfer function at the agency and at its laboratories, including support of the Offices of Research and Technology Appli- cations. Furthermore, individuals filling posi- tions in an Office of Research and Technology Applications shall be included in the overall lab- oratory/agency management development pro- gram so as to ensure that highly competent technical managers are full participants in the technology transfer process. (c) Functions of Research and Technology Appli- cations Offices It shall be the function of each Office of Re- search and Technology Applications— (1) to prepare application assessments for se- lected research and development projects in which that laboratory is engaged and which in the opinion of the laboratory may have poten- tial commercial applications; (2) to provide and disseminate information on federally owned or originated products, processes, and services having potential appli- cation to State and local governments and to private industry; (3) to cooperate with and assist the National Technical Information Service, the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Trans- fer, and other organizations which link the re- search and development resources of that lab- oratory and the Federal Government as a whole to potential users in State and local government and private industry; (4) to provide technical assistance to State and local government officials; and (5) to participate, where feasible, in regional, State, and local programs designed to facili- tate or stimulate the transfer of technology for the benefit of the region, State, or local ju- risdiction in which the Federal laboratory is located. Agencies which have established organizational structures outside their Federal laboratories which have as their principal purpose the trans- fer of federally owned or originated technology to State and local government and to the pri- vate sector may elect to perform the functions of this subsection in such organizational struc- tures. No Office of Research and Technology Ap- plications or other organizational structures performing the functions of this subsection shall substantially compete with similar services available in the private sector. (d) Dissemination of technical information The National Technical Information Service shall—