Overview

In his “President’s Management Agenda,” President Trump designated Improve Transfer of Federally-Funded Technologies from Lab-To-Market as a Cross Agency Priority (CAP) Goal.

DOT’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology leads cross-modal efforts to collaborate with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in support of its Lab to Market (L2M) CAP Goal. L2M’s goal is “improve the transition of federally funded innovations from the laboratory to the marketplace by reducing the administrative and regulatory burdens for technology transfer and increasing private sector investment in later-stage R&D; develop and implement more effective partnering models and technology transfer mechanisms for Federal agencies; and enhance the effectiveness of technology transfer by improving the methods for evaluating the ROI and economic and national security impacts of federally funded R&D, and using that information to focus efforts on approaches proven to work.

Agencies will develop and implement stakeholder- informed action plans which may include improved Federal practices and policies, regulatory reform, and legislative proposals; increase interactions with private sector experts; identify, share, and adopt best practices for technology transfer; and increase the transfer of federally funded innovations from lab to market."

DOT consists of multiple modal Operating Administrations (OA), which carry out mission-related Research, Development and Technology (RD&T) programs. DOT’s current approach to technology transfer is diverse and unique to each mode of transportation. Each modal OA conducts mission specific deployment activities tailored to its mode and type of research.

Tech Transfer Legislation

The success of tech transfer relies on the inclusion and engagement of stakeholders throughout the entire federal research and development lifecycle. To ensure this takes place across the government, federal Tech Transfer duties and activities were formally mandated by:

• the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 and
• Executive Order 12591, “Facilitating Access to Science and Technology”
• Presidential Memorandum—Accelerating Technology Transfer and Commercialization of Federal Research in Support of High-Growth Businesses, 2011
• Additional information for T2 Legislation may be found here.

T2 is a priority throughout the Federal government:

• “FY 2020 Administration Research and Development Budget Priorities,” OMB memo M-18-22, explicitly prioritizes T2.
• USDOT’s Strategic Plan for FY2018-2022 includes goals and objectives on the development and deployment of innovations.