Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 102 Part 2.djvu/432

 102 STAT. 1436

Contracts. 15 USC 278/ note.

Contracts.

PUBLIC LAW 100-418—AUG. 23, 1988

"(b) Such assistance from the Institute to State technology programs shall include, but not be limited to— "(1) technical information and advice from Institute personnel; "(2) workshops and seminars for State officials interested in transferring Federal technology to businesses; and "(3) entering into cooperative agreements when authorized to do so under this or any other Act.. (b) TECHNOLOGY EXTENSION SERVICES.—(1) The Secretary shall conduct a nationwide study of current State technology extension services. The study shall include— (A) a thorough description of each State program, including its duration, its annual budget, and the number and types of businesses it has aided; (B) a description of any anticipated expansion of each State program and its associated costs; (C) an evaluation of the success of the services in transferring technology, modernizing manufacturing processes, and improving the productivity and profitability 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, Technology, and Innovation, and the Small Business Administration; (E) a survey of what additional Federal information and technical assistance the services could utilize; and (F) an assessment of how the services could be more effective agents for the transfer of Federal scientific and technical information, including the results and application of Federal and federally funded research. The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, at the time of submission of the organization plan for the Institute under section 5112(d)(l), the results of the study and an initial implementation plan for the programs under section 26 of the Act of March 3, 1901, and under this section. The implementation plan shall include methods of providing technical assistance to States and criteria for awarding financial assistance under this section. The Secretary may make use of contractors 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 Regional Centers for the Transfer of Manufacturing Technology created under section 25 of the Act of March 3, 1901. (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 accordance with procedures established by the Secretary. To qualify for a cooperative agreement under this subsec-

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