How to Engage With Us

DOT Research Facilities

The goal of technology transfer is the sharing among federal laboratories, private industry, and academia of not only technologies, but also of personnel, facilities, methods, expertise, and technical information in general, like those included in this list of DOT research facilities. Each OA coordinates access to its research facilities, equipment and personnel and reserves the right to restrict access to resources at their discretion (based on their individual and Departmental priorities, current use, and/or need). Below is a list of DOT's research centers:

• FAA – William J. Hughes Technical Center
• FAA – Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI)
• FHWA – Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center
• OST – Volpe National Transportation Systems Center

Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC)

If you are wondering how to get started with a T2 program look no further than the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC). More than 300 federal laboratories, facilities and research centers and their parent agencies make up the FLC community. Members of the FLC community include world–renowned scientists, engineers, inventors, entrepreneurs, academia, laboratory personnel, and T2 professionals. This group has mastered the art of tech transfer and they have multiple successful technology commercialization stories that have generated industry and economic impacts for our nation.

Partner With Us

Learn About Current and Recent Research at DOT: Curious about research undertakings at DOT or what new innovations are currently being developed? Check out the USDOT Research Hub which is a searchable database of the latest DOT-sponsored research, development and technology projects.

Collaborate with DOT Licensing and Research Facilities: The goal of technology transfer is the sharing among federal laboratories, private industry, and academia of not only technologies, but also of personnel, facilities, methods, expertise, and technical information in general, like those included in this list of DOT research facilities. Each OA coordinates access to its research facilities, equipment and personnel and reserves the right to restrict access to resources at their discretion (based on their individual and Departmental priorities, current use, and/or need).

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Contracts and Grants

CRADA:  A CRADA is an agreement that commemorates the collaborative partnership between the federal laboratory/agency and academia, local and state governments, and private entities. These agreements provide agencies with a means to offer intellectual property rights and other federal resources that would otherwise not be available to a collaborating partner. Funds may come into the federal agency but no funds may be obligated by the federal agency under a CRADA. CRADAs must be collaborative and must be within the mission of the federal agency.

Cooperative Agreements: The principal purpose of these agreement is to carry out the United States Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Short Term Lending Program (STLP), a loan guarantee program to enhance the lending opportunities for disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) and other certified small and disadvantaged businesses (SDBs) in order to increase the number of DBEs and SDBs that engage in transportation-related contracts and to strengthen the competitive and productive capabilities of the DBEs and SDBs that currently do business with DOT, its grantees, recipients, their contractors and subcontractors.  

Grants:  Livability is one of five strategic priorities for the Department of Transportation. The Secretary's vision is "transportation policies that focus on people and communities who use the transportation system." A major way DOT helps communities pursue these aims is by issuing grants to eligible recipients for planning, vehicle purchases, facility construction, operations, and other purposes. DOT administers this financial assistance according to federal transportation authorization, MAP-21, which was enacted on October 1, 2012. There are a large number of programs and grants within the Department of Transportation that support projects that enhance or relate to livability.

Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) Program: DOT's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program awards contracts to small businesses to pursue research on and develop innovative solutions to our nation’s transportation challenges.

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Technologies Available for Licensing (IP)