81_FR_41591 81 FR 41468 - Technology Innovation-Personnel Exchanges

81 FR 41468 - Technology Innovation-Personnel Exchanges

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 123 (June 27, 2016)

Page Range41468-41472
FR Document2016-14723

NIST is seeking comments on proposed regulations intended to foster the exchange of scientific and technical personnel among academia, industry, including particularly small businesses, and Federal laboratories. Such exchanges are an effective means for accelerating the transfer of Federal laboratory technology to benefit the United States economy. An objective of this rulemaking is to clarify the appropriate use of Cooperative Research and Development Agreement authority by a Federal laboratory for personnel exchanges where the Federal laboratory has an existing relationship with the potential partner through another legal mechanism, as well as in the context of joint research projects or the development of existing laboratory technology, and through use of the General Services Administration's Presidential Innovation Fellows program for Federal laboratory Entrepreneur-in-Residence programs. Another objective of this rulemaking is to remove outdated regulations addressing the licensing of inventions owned by the Department of Commerce. When the comment period is concluded, NIST will analyze the comments received, incorporate comments as appropriate, and publish a final regulation.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 123 (Monday, June 27, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 123 (Monday, June 27, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 41468-41472]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14723]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institutes of Standards and Technology

15 CFR Part 17

[Docket No.: 160311228-6228-01]
RIN 0693-AB62


Technology Innovation--Personnel Exchanges

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), United 
States Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: NIST is seeking comments on proposed regulations intended to 
foster the exchange of scientific and technical personnel among 
academia, industry, including particularly small businesses, and 
Federal laboratories. Such exchanges are an effective means for 
accelerating the transfer of Federal laboratory technology to benefit 
the United States economy. An objective of this rulemaking is to 
clarify the appropriate use of Cooperative Research and Development 
Agreement authority by a Federal laboratory for personnel exchanges 
where the Federal laboratory has an existing relationship with the 
potential partner through another legal mechanism, as well as in the 
context of joint research projects or the development of existing 
laboratory technology, and through use of the General Services 
Administration's Presidential Innovation Fellows program for Federal 
laboratory Entrepreneur-in-Residence programs. Another objective of 
this rulemaking is to remove outdated regulations addressing the 
licensing of inventions owned by the Department of Commerce. When the 
comment period is concluded, NIST will analyze the comments received, 
incorporate comments as appropriate, and publish a final regulation.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than July 27, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number: 160311228-6228-01, through the Federal e-Rulemaking 
Portal: http://www.regulations.gov (search using the docket number). 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Identify the 
document by docket ID number and other identifying information (subject 
heading, Federal Register date and page number).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Courtney Silverthorn, via email: 
[email protected], or by telephone: 301-975-4189.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. General Information

Does this action apply to me?

    This proposed rule may be of interest to you if you are an 
educational institution, a company (including a small business firm), 
or a nonprofit institution, that collaborates or would like to 
collaborate with Federal Government employees on technology research 
and development of mutual interest.

II. Background

    The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980, Public Law 
96-480, as amended (codified at title 15 of the United States Code 
(U.S.C.), Section 3701 et seq.) (the Stevenson-Wydler Act), sets forth 
a national policy to promote cooperation among academia, Federal 
laboratories, labor, and industry in order to facilitate the transfer 
of innovative federal technologies to United States and world markets. 
In furtherance of that policy, the Administration's Lab to Market 
initiative seeks to ``significantly accelerate and improve technology 
transfer by streamlining administrative processes, facilitating 
partnerships with industry, evaluating impact, and opening federal 
research and development (R&D) assets as a platform for innovation and 
economic growth.'' (Lab to Market: Cross Agency Priority Goal Quarterly 
Progress Update, Fiscal Year 2015 Quarter 4). One proven method to 
ensure that federal innovations are made available to industry and the 
public is to encourage frequent interactions among Federal 
laboratories, academic institutions, and industry, including small 
businesses.

A. Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

    Pursuant to authority delegated to it by the Secretary of Commerce, 
NIST is providing notice to the public of proposed rulemaking to remove 
outdated provisions in part 17 of title 15 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) regarding the licensing of inventions owned by the 
Department, and to revise part 17 to address the use of personnel 
exchange authorities and programs as authorized under 15 U.S.C. 3712, 
which authorizes the establishment of a program to foster the exchange 
of scientific and technical personnel among academia, industry, and 
Federal laboratories.
    Under the Stevenson-Wydler Act, several mechanisms have been 
developed which are being used by various Federal agencies for 
exchanging personnel with the public and private sectors. The proposed 
rules will facilitate agencies' use of existing mechanisms, as well as 
provide for more integrated programs intended to expand the exchange of 
personnel as authorized under section 3712, in order to accelerate the 
transfer of innovative technologies from Federal laboratories for the 
benefit of the United States and its economy. Some current authorities 
relevant to personnel exchange between Federal laboratories and non-
federal partners are described below.

B. Current Personnel Exchange Mechanisms

    1. Cooperative Research and Development Agreement--The Cooperative 
Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) is one of the principal 
mechanisms used by Federal laboratories to engage in collaborative 
efforts with non-federal partners to achieve the goals of technology 
transfer. It affords discretion to Government Owned Government Operated 
(GOGO) and Government Owned Contractor Operated (GOCO) laboratories to 
enter into collaborative agreements with many types of organizations. 
CRADAs allow one or more Federal laboratories and one or more non-
federal parties (i.e., state or local government units; industrial 
organizations; public and private foundations; universities and other 
non-profit organizations; and other individuals who are licensees of 
Government-owned inventions) to collaborate to conduct specified 
research and development-related activities that are consistent with 
the laboratory's mission. Technical assistance can also be provided to 
small businesses. The legal authority for this personnel exchange 
mechanism via mutual collaboration on research and development projects 
is 15 U.S.C. 3710a. DOE has recently used the CRADA authority to enable 
a pilot program for public-private entrepreneurial partnerships between 
Federal laboratories and the private sector for the placement of 
personnel. The DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory provides a 
virtual home for entrepreneurial clean-energy researchers through 
``Cyclotron Road,'' a new public-private partnership to advance energy 
technologies until they can succeed beyond the laboratory. This new, 
competitive opportunity provides

[[Page 41469]]

clean energy researchers with business mentorship and access to 
resources and potential business partners to advance innovation.
    2. Entrepreneur Leave Program (ELP)--Some Department of Energy 
(DOE) GOCO laboratories have a personnel pathway that permits a limited 
number of contractor employees to take entrepreneurial leave, also 
known as Entrepreneurial Separation to Transfer Technology, for a 
designated period of time. Some laboratories offer the employee 
assurance of appropriate resources upon return to restart a research 
program, while others offer continued benefits while the employee is on 
leave. These programs are designed to facilitate commercialization of 
technologies developed in a DOE laboratory. Because these laboratories 
are GOCO facilities, the programs are subject to the policies and 
procedures of the contractor organization.
    3. Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR)--EIRs are entrepreneurs from 
outside of Government who want to use their skills to benefit the 
public good. They are typically mid- to senior-level professionals and 
may be academics, technology entrepreneurs, software designers, 
policymakers, business experts, or non-profit leaders who have 
demonstrated a significant record of innovative achievement in their 
field. Funding models differ from agency to agency, and some 
flexibility in authorities can be applied in creating these programs. 
Generally, these programs run through state or non-profit organizations 
that recommend or otherwise place the personnel within the technology 
transfer office. NIST operates its EIR program under the Partnership 
Intermediary Agreement (PIA) authority, 15 U.S.C. 3715. The program is 
conducted through a PIA with the Maryland Technology Development 
Corporation, which selects and funds each EIR. The National Institutes 
of Health (NIH) program is currently conducted through a contracting 
mechanism to place EIRs at several of NIH institutes and centers. Both 
programs rely on the expertise of existing State-based programs with a 
shared vision of commercializing federal technologies and providing 
expert support to potentially interested parties working at these 
Federal laboratories. Similarly, the Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS) operates a Loaned Executive Program that is open to all 
interested executive-level talent; DHS makes unpaid temporary 
appointments under 5 U.S.C. 3109 to place private sector consultants at 
various DHS laboratories.
    4. Strategic Partnership Projects (SPP)--This DOE authorization 
enables a DOE GOCO laboratory to advise United States companies or 
other agencies and institutions on problems as to which the laboratory 
has special expertise or equipment. Work is performed under a formal 
agreement on a full cost recovery basis if the assistance requires more 
than an incidental amount of time. Authorization: 48 CFR 970.5217-1--
Work for Others Program. In addition, the Oak Ridge Institute for 
Science and Education (ORISE), a DOE institution operated under 
contract on behalf of DOE, implements a range of education, training, 
and workforce development programs on behalf of DOE and a number of 
other Federal sponsors. Programs provide opportunities for participants 
at a broad range of locations including Federal research laboratories 
(including GOCO), agency headquarters offices, or universities. For 
example, an SPP agreement between the United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) and ORISE authorizes ORISE to provide qualified 
candidates for research positions and to manage the appointment 
process. ORISE-identified candidates may be selected from a variety of 
sources and placed into a variety of research-related positions. 
Appointed candidates placed by ORISE have ``program participant'' 
status and are not Federal employees.
    5. Use of Facilities--Outside entities such as universities, 
technology incubators, private companies, and individual inventors may 
be able to use scientific equipment, specialized rooms, testing 
centers, or other unique experimental property or facilities of the 
Federal laboratories, such as DOE's designated scientific user 
facilities located across the DOE laboratories. Such facility use is 
often at the discretion of the Federal laboratory. While this provides 
the opportunity for outside entities to place personnel at Government 
facilities, it does not typically provide a mechanism for those 
personnel to collaborate with Government personnel (Federal employees). 
DOE's scientific user facilities are open access, through a proposal 
solicitation process, and do enable collaboration with scientists and 
engineers that are employees of the laboratory contractor.
    6. Visiting Scientist Programs--These are arrangements allowing 
industry personnel to work for limited periods of time, usually 6-12 
months, in a GOCO laboratory. Depending on the program, costs can be 
borne by the GOCO laboratory or by the organization sending the 
personnel, and intellectual property arrangements can be addressed in 
exchange agreements. Because these laboratories are GOCO facilities, 
they are subject to the policies and procedures of the contractor 
organization. DOE's national laboratories operated as GOCOs and NIH 
(e.g., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research) currently 
offer visiting scientist opportunities.
    7. Educational Partnership Agreements (EPAs)--These agreements are 
entered into between the Department of Defense (Defense) and 
educational institutions, including colleges, universities, and local 
education agencies, to encourage and enhance the study of scientific 
disciplines. Under an EPA, a Defense laboratory director may make 
laboratory personnel available to teach science courses or to assist in 
the development of science courses and materials for the institution; 
provide for sabbatical opportunities for faculty and internship 
opportunities for students of the institution; involve faculty and 
students of the institution in Defense laboratory projects, cooperate 
with the institution in developing a program under which students may 
be given academic credit for work on Defense laboratory projects; 
provide academic and career advice to students of the institution; loan 
Defense laboratory equipment to the institution for any purpose and 
duration in support of such agreement; and transfer commonly used 
surplus computer or other scientific equipment to the institution. EPAs 
are authorized by 10 U.S.C. 2194.
    8. Co-Locations--The USDA has a number of laboratories that are co-
located on University campuses, which fosters a high level of 
scientific exchange between the USDA scientists and their university 
collaborators.

C. Proposed Regulation Implementing 15 U.S.C. 3712 Personnel Exchanges

    The regulation proposed by NIST to implement 15 U.S.C. 3712, in 
consultation jointly with the Department of Energy and the National 
Science Foundation, is intended to accomplish two main objectives. The 
first objective is to clarify the appropriate use of CRADA authority 
under 15 U.S.C. 3710a for personnel exchanges where a Federal 
laboratory has an existing relationship with the potential partner 
through another legal mechanism, such as a grant or cooperative 
agreement. The second objective is to increase the use of existing 
authorities to implement personnel exchange programs at Federal 
Laboratories: (1) By utilizing the existing CRADA authority to transfer

[[Page 41470]]

personnel to and from a Federal laboratory for joint research projects 
or the development of existing laboratory technology; and (2) by 
utilizing the General Services Administration (GSA)'s Presidential 
Innovation Fellows program to offer Federal laboratories additional 
options for implementing Entrepreneur-in-Residence programs.
    Under the proposed rule, all existing provisions in part 17 of 
title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), ``Licensing of 
Government-Owned Inventions in the Custody of the Department of 
Commerce,'' which are outdated, would be deleted. Outdated subpart A 
implemented for the Department of Commerce licensing rules found at 41 
CFR part 101-4, which were themselves removed at 50 FR 28402, July 12, 
1985. Outdated subpart B was reserved. Outdated subpart C set forth 
appeal procedures addressed to the outdated licensing rules of subpart 
A. All subparts are obsolete, and the rules governing the licensing of 
government-owned inventions are today found in 37 CFR part 404. The 
heading of part 17 would be revised to read ``Personnel Exchanges 
Between Federal Laboratories and Non-Federal Entities,'' and five new 
sections would be added.
    Section 17.1, Scope, sets forth the scope of revised part 17, which 
is to implement 15 U.S.C. 3712 and to clarify the appropriate use of 
personnel exchanges in relation to Federal laboratory CRADAs under the 
authority of 15 U.S.C. 3710a(a)(1), including CRADAs involving as 
parties recipients of Federal funding under grants and contracts, which 
could include National Network for Manufacturing Innovation awardees.
    Section 17.2, Definitions, provides definitions for certain terms 
used in this part.
    Section 17.3, Exchange of Federal Laboratory Personnel with 
Recipients of Federal Funding, provides in paragraph (a) that the 
existence of a funding agreement (as defined in 35 U.S.C. 201(b)) 
between a Federal laboratory and a contractor shall not preclude a 
CRADA with that contractor, where the Federal laboratory director makes 
a determination that the technical subject matter of the funding 
agreement is sufficiently distinct from that of the CRADA. Paragraph 
(a) also provides that a contractor which is a collaborating party 
shall in no event reimburse a Federal agency under a CRADA using funds 
awarded to the contractor by that agency.
    Paragraph (b) of section 17.3 provides that a Federal laboratory 
may exchange personnel with a contractor under a CRADA where the 
determination required under paragraph (a) cannot be made, provided 
that the CRADA includes at least one collaborating party in addition to 
the Federal laboratory and that contractor. In that circumstance, the 
Federal laboratory shall not provide services, property, or other 
resources to that contractor under the CRADA, and if any individual 
terms of that contractor's funding agreement conflict with the terms of 
the multi-party CRADA, then the funding agreement terms will control as 
applied to that contractor and the Federal laboratory only.
    Paragraph (c) of section 17.3 sets forth a number of factors which 
may be taken into account in making the ``sufficiently distinct'' 
determination required under paragraph (a), including whether the 
conduct of specified research or development efforts under the CRADA 
would require the contractor to perform tasks identical to those 
required under the funding agreement; whether existing intellectual 
property to be provided by the Federal laboratory or the contractor 
under the CRADA is the same as that provided under, or referenced in, 
the funding agreement; whether the contractor's employees performing 
the specified research or development efforts under the CRADA are the 
same employees performing the tasks required under the funding 
agreement; and whether services, property or other resources 
contemplated by the Federal Laboratory to be provided to the contractor 
for the specified research or development efforts under the CRADA would 
materially benefit the contractor in the performance of tasks required 
under the funding agreement.
    Section 17.4, Personnel Exchanges from a Federal Agency, provides 
in paragraph (a)(1) that a Federal laboratory may exchange its 
personnel with a collaborating party under a CRADA where no invention 
currently exists. Under paragraph (a)(2), a Federal laboratory may 
exchange personnel with a non-Federal collaborating party for the 
purposes of developing or commercializing an invention in which the 
Federal government has an ownership interest, including an invention 
made by an employee or former employee while in the employment or 
service of the Federal government, and such personnel exchanged may 
include such employee or former employee who is an inventor. Paragraph 
(a)(2) also provides that funding may be provided by the non-federal 
collaborating party to the Federal laboratory for the participation of 
the Federal employee in developing or commercializing an invention, 
including costs for salary and other expenses, such as benefits and 
travel. Consistent with guidance in the Office of Legal Counsel's 
Memorandum for Gary Davis, Acting Director, Office of Government 
Ethics, September 7, 2000, ``Application of 18 U.S.C. 209 to Employee-
Inventors Who Receive Outside Royalty Payments,'' paragraph (a)(2) also 
sets forth that royalties from inventions received through a license 
agreement negotiated with the Federal laboratory and paid by the 
laboratory to an inventor who is a Federal employee are considered 
Federal compensation. Paragraph (a)(3) provides that where an employee 
leaves Federal service in order to receive salary or other compensation 
from a non-Federal organization, a Federal laboratory may use 
reinstatement authority in accordance with 5 CFR 315.401, or other 
applicable authorities, to rehire the former Federal employee at the 
conclusion of the exchange.
    In exchanging personnel with a collaborating party under a CRADA, 
as in any other exercise of the CRADA authority, a Federal Agency 
should take into account the provisions of 15 U.S.C. 3710a(c)(3) 
regarding standards of conduct for its employees for resolving 
potential conflicts of interest.
    Section 17.5, Personnel Exchanges to a Federal Agency, provides 
that a Federal Agency may provide funds for non-federal personnel 
exchanged in order to bring into a Federal laboratory outside personnel 
with expertise in scientific commercialization through the Presidential 
Innovation Fellows program, and that an Agency will engage with the 
General Services Administration (GSA) to transfer funding for exchanged 
personnel and to select and place Entrepreneurs-In-Residence at the 
laboratory for the purposes of evaluating the laboratory's 
technologies, and providing technical consulting to facilitate readying 
a technology for commercialization by an outside entity.

III. Request for Comments

    NIST requests comments on this proposed rule to encourage the 
exchange of personnel among Federal laboratories, State, local, and 
tribal governments, academia and industry, including small businesses. 
NIST is requesting ideas and comments about ways in which an integrated 
program might be developed. We have included some questions that you 
might consider as you develop your comments.
    1. Personnel exchanges commonly occur in the course of CRADAs 
involving Federal laboratories and collaborating parties. Are there 
ways to further promote personnel exchanges

[[Page 41471]]

involving CRADAs? Are there ways to use the CRADA authority to develop 
a more integrated personnel exchange program? Are there other 
mechanisms that you find effective and/or easier to use that should be 
included in this regulation?
    2. Do the proposed regulations facilitate the exchange of personnel 
between Federal laboratories and academia and industry? Are there 
additional mechanisms that should be incorporated in this regulation?
    When submitting comments, remember to:
    i. Identify the document by docket ID number and other identifying 
information (subject heading, Federal Register date and page number).
    ii. Please organize your comments by referencing the specific 
question you are responding to or the relevant section number in the 
proposed regulatory text.
    iii. Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives and 
substitute language for your requested changes.
    iv. Describe any assumptions and provide any technical information 
and/or data that you used.
    v. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns and 
suggest alternatives.
    vi. Explain your views as clearly as possible.
    vii. Comments that contain profanity, vulgarity, threats, or other 
inappropriate language will not be considered.
    viii. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period 
deadline identified.

IV. References

1. Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer. (n.d.) 
Technology Transfer Mechanisms. Retrieved from http://www.federallabs.org/education/t2-mechanisms/.
2. Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer. (2011). 
Technology Transfer Desk Reference. Retrieved from: http://globals.federallabs.org/pdf/T2_Desk_Reference.pdf.
3. Kalil, T. and Wong, J. (2015). Lab to Market: Cross Agency 
Priority Goal Quarterly Progress Update, Fiscal Year 2015 Quarter 4. 
Retrieved from: https://www.performance.gov/node/3395/view?view=public#progress-update.
4. Howieson, S.V. et al (2013). Federal Personnel Exchange 
Mechanisms. Retrieved from https://www.ida.org/~/media/Corporate/
Files/Publications/STPIPubs/D-4906.ashx.

V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

Executive Order 12866

    This rulemaking is a significant regulatory action under Sections 
3(f)(3) and 3(f)(4) of Executive Order 12866, as it raises novel policy 
issues. This rulemaking, however, is not an ``economically 
significant'' regulatory action under Section 3(f)(1) of the Executive 
Order, as it does not have an effect on the economy of $100 million or 
more in any one year, and it does not have a material adverse effect on 
the economy, a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, 
the environment, public health or safety, or State, local, or tribal 
governments or communities.

Executive Order 13132

    This proposed rule does not contain policies with Federalism 
implications as defined in Executive Order 13132.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) requires the preparation and 
availability for public comment of ``an initial regulatory flexibility 
analysis'' which will ``describe the impact of the proposed rule on 
small entities.'' (5 U.S.C. 603(a)). Section 605 of the RFA allows an 
agency to certify a rule, in lieu of preparing an analysis, if the 
proposed rulemaking is not expected to have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities.
    The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce 
certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration (SBA) that this rule, if adopted, would not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
The factual basis for this determination is as follows:
    A description of this proposed rule, why it is being considered, 
and the objectives of this proposed rule are contained in the preamble 
and in the SUMMARY section of the preamble. The statutory basis for 
this proposed rule is provided by 15 U.S.C. 3712. This proposed rule, 
if implemented, is not expected to directly affect any small entities. 
Federal agencies that would be directly affected by this rulemaking are 
not small governmental jurisdictions, small organizations, or small 
businesses, as defined by the RFA. 5 U.S.C. 601. Any requirements 
imposed by the proposed rule would be obligatory only upon Federal 
agencies. NIST does not expect the issuance of the proposed rule to 
result in any direct impacts to small entities pursuant to the RFA. 
Small entities could potentially benefit from exchanging personnel with 
Federal agencies.
    The information provided above supports a determination that this 
rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small entities. Because this rulemaking, if adopted, would 
directly affect Federal agencies and not small entities, NIST concludes 
the action would not result in a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities. Therefore, an initial regulatory 
flexibility analysis is not required and none has been prepared.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This proposed rule contains no new collection of information 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

National Environmental Policy Act

    This proposed rule will not significantly affect the quality of the 
human environment. Therefore, an environmental assessment or 
Environmental Impact Statement is not required to be prepared under the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.

List of Subjects in 15 CFR Part 17

    Federal employees, Inventions and patents, Laboratories, Research 
and development, Science and technology, Technology transfer.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology proposes to revise 15 CFR part 17 as follows:

PART 17--PERSONNEL EXCHANGES BETWEEN FEDERAL LABORATORIES AND NON-
FEDERAL ENTITIES

Sec.
17.1 Scope.
17.2 Definitions.
17.3 Exchange of Federal laboratory personnel with recipients of 
Federal funding.
17.4 Personnel exchanges from a Federal agency.
17.5 Personnel exchanges to a Federal agency.

    Authority:  15 U.S.C. 3712.


Sec.  17.1  Scope.

    (a) The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980, Public 
Law 96-480, as amended (codified at title 15 of the United States Code 
(U.S.C.), section 3701 et seq.)(the Stevenson-Wydler Act), sets forth a 
national policy to renew, expand, and strengthen cooperation among 
academia, Federal laboratories, labor, and industry, in forms including 
personnel exchanges (15 U.S.C. 3701(3)). One proven method to ensure 
that federal innovations are passed to industry and the public is to 
encourage frequent interactions among Federal laboratories, academic 
institutions, and industry, including both large and small businesses. 
In accordance with applicable ethics

[[Page 41472]]

regulations and Agency policies, exchanges of personnel between Federal 
laboratories and outside collaborators should be encouraged (15 U.S.C. 
3702(5)). Models that include federal funding, as well as those that 
are executed without federal funding, are encouraged.
    (b) This part implements 15 U.S.C. 3712 and provides clarification 
regarding the appropriate use of personnel exchanges in relation to 
Federal laboratory Cooperative Research and Development Agreements 
(CRADAs) under the authority of 15 U.S.C. 3710a.
    (c) This part is applicable to exchanges of personnel between 
Federal laboratories and parties to a CRADA under 15 U.S.C. 
3710a(a)(1).


Sec.  17.2  Definitions.

    (a) The term funding agreement shall have the meaning according to 
it under 35 U.S.C. 201(b).
    (b) The term contractor shall have the meaning according to it 
under 35 U.S.C. 201(c).
    (c) The term Federal laboratory shall have the meaning according to 
it under 15 U.S.C. 3703(4).


Sec.  17.3  Exchange of Federal laboratory personnel with recipients of 
Federal funding.

    (a) In accordance with 15 U.S.C. 3710a(b)(3)(A) and 3710a(d)(1), a 
Federal laboratory may provide personnel, services, property, and other 
resources to a collaborating party, with or without reimbursement (but 
not funds to non-Federal parties) for the conduct of specified research 
or development efforts under a CRADA which are consistent with the 
missions of the Federal laboratory. The existence of a funding 
agreement between a Federal laboratory and a contractor shall not 
preclude the Federal laboratory from using its authority under 15 
U.S.C. 3710a to enter into a CRADA with the contractor as a 
collaborating party for the conduct of specified research or 
development efforts, where the director of the Federal laboratory 
determines that the technical subject matter of the funding agreement 
is sufficiently distinct from that of the CRADA. In no event shall a 
contractor which is a collaborating party reimburse a Federal agency 
under a CRADA using funds awarded to the contractor by that agency.
    (b)(1) A Federal laboratory may enter into a CRADA with a 
contractor as a collaborating party for the purpose of exchange of 
personnel for the conduct of specified research or development efforts 
where the determination required under paragraph (a) of this section 
could not be made, provided that:
    (i) The CRADA includes at least one collaborating party in addition 
to the Federal laboratory and that contractor; and
    (ii) The Federal laboratory shall not provide services, property or 
other resources to that contractor under the CRADA.
    (2) Where a Federal laboratory enters into a CRADA with a 
contractor under this paragraph (b), the terms of that contractor's 
funding agreement shall normally supersede the terms of the CRADA, to 
the extent that any individual terms conflict, as applied to that 
contractor and the Federal laboratory only.
    (c) In making the determination required under paragraph (a) of 
this section, the director of a Federal laboratory may consider factors 
including the following:
    (1) Whether the conduct of specified research or development 
efforts under the CRADA would require the contractor to perform tasks 
identical to those required under the funding agreement;
    (2) Whether existing intellectual property to be provided by the 
Federal laboratory or the contractor under the CRADA is the same as 
that provided under, or referenced in, the funding agreement;
    (3) Whether the contractor's employees performing the specified 
research or development efforts under the CRADA are the same employees 
performing the tasks required under the funding agreement; and
    (4) Whether services, property or other resources contemplated by 
the Federal laboratory to be provided to the contractor for the 
specified research or development efforts under the CRADA would 
materially benefit the contractor in the performance of tasks required 
under the funding agreement.


Sec.  17.4  Personnel exchanges from a Federal laboratory.

    (a) For personnel exchanges in which a Federal laboratory maintains 
funding for Federal personnel provided to a collaborating party--
    (1) in accordance with 15 U.S.C. 3710a(b)(3)(A), a Federal 
laboratory may exchange personnel with a collaborating party for the 
purposes of specified scientific or technical research towards a mutual 
goal consistent with the mission of the Agency, where no invention 
currently exists, or
    (2) in accordance with 15 U.S.C. 3710a(b)(3)(C), a Federal 
laboratory may exchange personnel with a non-Federal collaborating 
party for the purposes of developing or commercializing an invention in 
which the Federal government has an ownership interest, including an 
invention made by an employee or former employee while in the 
employment or service of the Federal government, and such personnel 
exchanged may include such employee or former employee who is an 
inventor.
    (i) Funding may be provided by the non-federal collaborating party 
to the Federal laboratory for the participation of the Federal employee 
in developing or commercializing an invention, including costs for 
salary and other expenses, such as benefits and travel.
    (ii) Royalties from inventions received through a license agreement 
negotiated with the Federal laboratory and paid by the Federal 
laboratory to an inventor who is a Federal employee are considered 
Federal compensation.
    (3) Where an employee leaves Federal service in order to receive 
salary or other compensation from a non-Federal organization, a Federal 
laboratory may use reinstatement authority in accordance with 5 CFR 
315.401, or other applicable authorities, to rehire the former Federal 
employee at the conclusion of the exchange.


Sec.  17.5  Personnel exchanges to a Federal agency.

    For exchanges in which a Federal Agency provides funds for the non-
federal personnel--
    (a) Outside personnel with expertise in scientific 
commercialization may be brought in to a Federal laboratory through the 
Presidential Innovation Fellows program (see 5 CFR 213.3102(r)) for 
Entrepreneur-In-Residence programs or similar, related programs.
    (b) An Agency will engage with the General Services Administration 
(GSA) to transfer funding for exchanged personnel, and will work with 
GSA to select and place Entrepreneurs-In-Residence at the laboratory 
for the purposes of evaluating the laboratory's technologies, and 
providing technical consulting to facilitate readying a technology for 
commercialization by an outside entity.

Kent Rochford,
Associate Director for Laboratory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-14723 Filed 6-24-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-13-P



                                                    41468                    Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 123 / Monday, June 27, 2016 / Proposed Rules

                                                     Dated: June 22, 2016.                                  Identify the document by docket ID                     scientific and technical personnel
                                                    Molly J. Moran,                                         number and other identifying                           among academia, industry, and Federal
                                                    Acting General Counsel.                                 information (subject heading, Federal                  laboratories.
                                                    [FR Doc. 2016–15147 Filed 6–24–16; 8:45 am]             Register date and page number).                           Under the Stevenson-Wydler Act,
                                                    BILLING CODE 4910–9X–P                                  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                       several mechanisms have been
                                                                                                            Courtney Silverthorn, via email:                       developed which are being used by
                                                                                                            courtney.silverthorn@nist.gov, or by                   various Federal agencies for exchanging
                                                                                                            telephone: 301–975–4189.                               personnel with the public and private
                                                    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE                                                                                         sectors. The proposed rules will
                                                                                                            SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                                                                                                                                   facilitate agencies’ use of existing
                                                    National Institutes of Standards and                    I. General Information                                 mechanisms, as well as provide for
                                                    Technology
                                                                                                            Does this action apply to me?                          more integrated programs intended to
                                                                                                                                                                   expand the exchange of personnel as
                                                    15 CFR Part 17                                             This proposed rule may be of interest               authorized under section 3712, in order
                                                    [Docket No.: 160311228–6228–01]                         to you if you are an educational                       to accelerate the transfer of innovative
                                                                                                            institution, a company (including a                    technologies from Federal laboratories
                                                    RIN 0693–AB62                                           small business firm), or a nonprofit                   for the benefit of the United States and
                                                                                                            institution, that collaborates or would                its economy. Some current authorities
                                                    Technology Innovation—Personnel                         like to collaborate with Federal                       relevant to personnel exchange between
                                                    Exchanges                                               Government employees on technology                     Federal laboratories and non-federal
                                                    AGENCY: National Institute of Standards                 research and development of mutual                     partners are described below.
                                                    and Technology (NIST), United States                    interest.
                                                                                                                                                                   B. Current Personnel Exchange
                                                    Department of Commerce.                                 II. Background                                         Mechanisms
                                                    ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.                     The Stevenson-Wydler Technology                        1. Cooperative Research and
                                                    SUMMARY:   NIST is seeking comments on                  Innovation Act of 1980, Public Law 96–                 Development Agreement—The
                                                    proposed regulations intended to foster                 480, as amended (codified at title 15 of               Cooperative Research and Development
                                                    the exchange of scientific and technical                the United States Code (U.S.C.), Section               Agreement (CRADA) is one of the
                                                    personnel among academia, industry,                     3701 et seq.) (the Stevenson-Wydler                    principal mechanisms used by Federal
                                                    including particularly small businesses,                Act), sets forth a national policy to                  laboratories to engage in collaborative
                                                    and Federal laboratories. Such                          promote cooperation among academia,                    efforts with non-federal partners to
                                                    exchanges are an effective means for                    Federal laboratories, labor, and industry              achieve the goals of technology transfer.
                                                    accelerating the transfer of Federal                    in order to facilitate the transfer of                 It affords discretion to Government
                                                    laboratory technology to benefit the                    innovative federal technologies to                     Owned Government Operated (GOGO)
                                                    United States economy. An objective of                  United States and world markets. In                    and Government Owned Contractor
                                                    this rulemaking is to clarify the                       furtherance of that policy, the                        Operated (GOCO) laboratories to enter
                                                    appropriate use of Cooperative Research                 Administration’s Lab to Market                         into collaborative agreements with
                                                    and Development Agreement authority                     initiative seeks to ‘‘significantly                    many types of organizations. CRADAs
                                                    by a Federal laboratory for personnel                   accelerate and improve technology                      allow one or more Federal laboratories
                                                    exchanges where the Federal laboratory                  transfer by streamlining administrative                and one or more non-federal parties (i.e.,
                                                    has an existing relationship with the                   processes, facilitating partnerships with              state or local government units;
                                                                                                            industry, evaluating impact, and                       industrial organizations; public and
                                                    potential partner through another legal
                                                                                                            opening federal research and                           private foundations; universities and
                                                    mechanism, as well as in the context of
                                                                                                            development (R&D) assets as a platform                 other non-profit organizations; and
                                                    joint research projects or the
                                                                                                            for innovation and economic growth.’’                  other individuals who are licensees of
                                                    development of existing laboratory
                                                                                                            (Lab to Market: Cross Agency Priority                  Government-owned inventions) to
                                                    technology, and through use of the
                                                                                                            Goal Quarterly Progress Update, Fiscal                 collaborate to conduct specified
                                                    General Services Administration’s
                                                                                                            Year 2015 Quarter 4). One proven                       research and development-related
                                                    Presidential Innovation Fellows
                                                                                                            method to ensure that federal                          activities that are consistent with the
                                                    program for Federal laboratory
                                                                                                            innovations are made available to                      laboratory’s mission. Technical
                                                    Entrepreneur-in-Residence programs.
                                                                                                            industry and the public is to encourage                assistance can also be provided to small
                                                    Another objective of this rulemaking is                                                                        businesses. The legal authority for this
                                                    to remove outdated regulations                          frequent interactions among Federal
                                                                                                            laboratories, academic institutions, and               personnel exchange mechanism via
                                                    addressing the licensing of inventions                                                                         mutual collaboration on research and
                                                    owned by the Department of Commerce.                    industry, including small businesses.
                                                                                                                                                                   development projects is 15 U.S.C.
                                                    When the comment period is                              A. Notice of Proposed Rulemaking                       3710a. DOE has recently used the
                                                    concluded, NIST will analyze the                          Pursuant to authority delegated to it                CRADA authority to enable a pilot
                                                    comments received, incorporate                          by the Secretary of Commerce, NIST is                  program for public-private
                                                    comments as appropriate, and publish a                  providing notice to the public of                      entrepreneurial partnerships between
                                                    final regulation.                                       proposed rulemaking to remove                          Federal laboratories and the private
                                                    DATES: Comments must be received no                     outdated provisions in part 17 of title 15             sector for the placement of personnel.
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                                                    later than July 27, 2016.                               of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)               The DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National
                                                    ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,                        regarding the licensing of inventions                  Laboratory provides a virtual home for
                                                    identified by docket identification (ID)                owned by the Department, and to revise                 entrepreneurial clean-energy researchers
                                                    number: 160311228–6228–01, through                      part 17 to address the use of personnel                through ‘‘Cyclotron Road,’’ a new
                                                    the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://                exchange authorities and programs as                   public-private partnership to advance
                                                    www.regulations.gov (search using the                   authorized under 15 U.S.C. 3712, which                 energy technologies until they can
                                                    docket number). Follow the online                       authorizes the establishment of a                      succeed beyond the laboratory. This
                                                    instructions for submitting comments.                   program to foster the exchange of                      new, competitive opportunity provides


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                                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 123 / Monday, June 27, 2016 / Proposed Rules                                           41469

                                                    clean energy researchers with business                     4. Strategic Partnership Projects                   property arrangements can be addressed
                                                    mentorship and access to resources and                  (SPP)—This DOE authorization enables                   in exchange agreements. Because these
                                                    potential business partners to advance                  a DOE GOCO laboratory to advise                        laboratories are GOCO facilities, they
                                                    innovation.                                             United States companies or other                       are subject to the policies and
                                                       2. Entrepreneur Leave Program                        agencies and institutions on problems as               procedures of the contractor
                                                    (ELP)—Some Department of Energy                         to which the laboratory has special                    organization. DOE’s national
                                                    (DOE) GOCO laboratories have a                          expertise or equipment. Work is                        laboratories operated as GOCOs and
                                                    personnel pathway that permits a                        performed under a formal agreement on                  NIH (e.g., Frederick National Laboratory
                                                    limited number of contractor employees                  a full cost recovery basis if the                      for Cancer Research) currently offer
                                                    to take entrepreneurial leave, also                     assistance requires more than an                       visiting scientist opportunities.
                                                    known as Entrepreneurial Separation to                  incidental amount of time.                               7. Educational Partnership
                                                    Transfer Technology, for a designated                   Authorization: 48 CFR 970.5217–1—                      Agreements (EPAs)—These agreements
                                                    period of time. Some laboratories offer                 Work for Others Program. In addition,                  are entered into between the
                                                    the employee assurance of appropriate                   the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and                Department of Defense (Defense) and
                                                    resources upon return to restart a                      Education (ORISE), a DOE institution                   educational institutions, including
                                                    research program, while others offer                    operated under contract on behalf of                   colleges, universities, and local
                                                    continued benefits while the employee                   DOE, implements a range of education,                  education agencies, to encourage and
                                                    is on leave. These programs are                         training, and workforce development                    enhance the study of scientific
                                                    designed to facilitate commercialization                programs on behalf of DOE and a                        disciplines. Under an EPA, a Defense
                                                    of technologies developed in a DOE                      number of other Federal sponsors.                      laboratory director may make laboratory
                                                    laboratory. Because these laboratories                  Programs provide opportunities for                     personnel available to teach science
                                                    are GOCO facilities, the programs are                   participants at a broad range of locations             courses or to assist in the development
                                                    subject to the policies and procedures of               including Federal research laboratories                of science courses and materials for the
                                                    the contractor organization.                            (including GOCO), agency headquarters                  institution; provide for sabbatical
                                                                                                            offices, or universities. For example, an              opportunities for faculty and internship
                                                       3. Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR)—
                                                                                                            SPP agreement between the United                       opportunities for students of the
                                                    EIRs are entrepreneurs from outside of
                                                                                                            States Department of Agriculture                       institution; involve faculty and students
                                                    Government who want to use their skills
                                                                                                            (USDA) and ORISE authorizes ORISE to                   of the institution in Defense laboratory
                                                    to benefit the public good. They are                                                                           projects, cooperate with the institution
                                                                                                            provide qualified candidates for
                                                    typically mid- to senior-level                                                                                 in developing a program under which
                                                                                                            research positions and to manage the
                                                    professionals and may be academics,                                                                            students may be given academic credit
                                                                                                            appointment process. ORISE-identified
                                                    technology entrepreneurs, software                                                                             for work on Defense laboratory projects;
                                                                                                            candidates may be selected from a
                                                    designers, policymakers, business                                                                              provide academic and career advice to
                                                                                                            variety of sources and placed into a
                                                    experts, or non-profit leaders who have                                                                        students of the institution; loan Defense
                                                                                                            variety of research-related positions.
                                                    demonstrated a significant record of                                                                           laboratory equipment to the institution
                                                                                                            Appointed candidates placed by ORISE
                                                    innovative achievement in their field.                  have ‘‘program participant’’ status and                for any purpose and duration in support
                                                    Funding models differ from agency to                    are not Federal employees.                             of such agreement; and transfer
                                                    agency, and some flexibility in                            5. Use of Facilities—Outside entities               commonly used surplus computer or
                                                    authorities can be applied in creating                  such as universities, technology                       other scientific equipment to the
                                                    these programs. Generally, these                        incubators, private companies, and                     institution. EPAs are authorized by 10
                                                    programs run through state or non-profit                individual inventors may be able to use                U.S.C. 2194.
                                                    organizations that recommend or                         scientific equipment, specialized rooms,                 8. Co-Locations—The USDA has a
                                                    otherwise place the personnel within                    testing centers, or other unique                       number of laboratories that are co-
                                                    the technology transfer office. NIST                    experimental property or facilities of the             located on University campuses, which
                                                    operates its EIR program under the                      Federal laboratories, such as DOE’s                    fosters a high level of scientific
                                                    Partnership Intermediary Agreement                      designated scientific user facilities                  exchange between the USDA scientists
                                                    (PIA) authority, 15 U.S.C. 3715. The                    located across the DOE laboratories.                   and their university collaborators.
                                                    program is conducted through a PIA                      Such facility use is often at the
                                                    with the Maryland Technology                                                                                   C. Proposed Regulation Implementing
                                                                                                            discretion of the Federal laboratory.                  15 U.S.C. 3712 Personnel Exchanges
                                                    Development Corporation, which selects                  While this provides the opportunity for
                                                    and funds each EIR. The National                        outside entities to place personnel at                    The regulation proposed by NIST to
                                                    Institutes of Health (NIH) program is                   Government facilities, it does not                     implement 15 U.S.C. 3712, in
                                                    currently conducted through a                           typically provide a mechanism for those                consultation jointly with the
                                                    contracting mechanism to place EIRs at                  personnel to collaborate with                          Department of Energy and the National
                                                    several of NIH institutes and centers.                  Government personnel (Federal                          Science Foundation, is intended to
                                                    Both programs rely on the expertise of                  employees). DOE’s scientific user                      accomplish two main objectives. The
                                                    existing State-based programs with a                    facilities are open access, through a                  first objective is to clarify the
                                                    shared vision of commercializing                        proposal solicitation process, and do                  appropriate use of CRADA authority
                                                    federal technologies and providing                      enable collaboration with scientists and               under 15 U.S.C. 3710a for personnel
                                                    expert support to potentially interested                engineers that are employees of the                    exchanges where a Federal laboratory
                                                    parties working at these Federal                        laboratory contractor.                                 has an existing relationship with the
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                                                    laboratories. Similarly, the Department                    6. Visiting Scientist Programs—These                potential partner through another legal
                                                    of Homeland Security (DHS) operates a                   are arrangements allowing industry                     mechanism, such as a grant or
                                                    Loaned Executive Program that is open                   personnel to work for limited periods of               cooperative agreement. The second
                                                    to all interested executive-level talent;               time, usually 6–12 months, in a GOCO                   objective is to increase the use of
                                                    DHS makes unpaid temporary                              laboratory. Depending on the program,                  existing authorities to implement
                                                    appointments under 5 U.S.C. 3109 to                     costs can be borne by the GOCO                         personnel exchange programs at Federal
                                                    place private sector consultants at                     laboratory or by the organization                      Laboratories: (1) By utilizing the
                                                    various DHS laboratories.                               sending the personnel, and intellectual                existing CRADA authority to transfer


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                                                    41470                    Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 123 / Monday, June 27, 2016 / Proposed Rules

                                                    personnel to and from a Federal                         required under paragraph (a) cannot be                 expenses, such as benefits and travel.
                                                    laboratory for joint research projects or               made, provided that the CRADA                          Consistent with guidance in the Office
                                                    the development of existing laboratory                  includes at least one collaborating party              of Legal Counsel’s Memorandum for
                                                    technology; and (2) by utilizing the                    in addition to the Federal laboratory and              Gary Davis, Acting Director, Office of
                                                    General Services Administration                         that contractor. In that circumstance, the             Government Ethics, September 7, 2000,
                                                    (GSA)’s Presidential Innovation Fellows                 Federal laboratory shall not provide                   ‘‘Application of 18 U.S.C. 209 to
                                                    program to offer Federal laboratories                   services, property, or other resources to              Employee-Inventors Who Receive
                                                    additional options for implementing                     that contractor under the CRADA, and                   Outside Royalty Payments,’’ paragraph
                                                    Entrepreneur-in-Residence programs.                     if any individual terms of that                        (a)(2) also sets forth that royalties from
                                                       Under the proposed rule, all existing                contractor’s funding agreement conflict                inventions received through a license
                                                    provisions in part 17 of title 15 of the                with the terms of the multi-party                      agreement negotiated with the Federal
                                                    Code of Federal Regulations (CFR),                      CRADA, then the funding agreement                      laboratory and paid by the laboratory to
                                                    ‘‘Licensing of Government-Owned                         terms will control as applied to that                  an inventor who is a Federal employee
                                                    Inventions in the Custody of the                        contractor and the Federal laboratory                  are considered Federal compensation.
                                                    Department of Commerce,’’ which are                     only.                                                  Paragraph (a)(3) provides that where an
                                                    outdated, would be deleted. Outdated                       Paragraph (c) of section 17.3 sets forth            employee leaves Federal service in
                                                    subpart A implemented for the                           a number of factors which may be taken                 order to receive salary or other
                                                    Department of Commerce licensing                        into account in making the ‘‘sufficiently              compensation from a non-Federal
                                                    rules found at 41 CFR part 101–4, which                 distinct’’ determination required under                organization, a Federal laboratory may
                                                    were themselves removed at 50 FR                        paragraph (a), including whether the                   use reinstatement authority in
                                                    28402, July 12, 1985. Outdated subpart                  conduct of specified research or                       accordance with 5 CFR 315.401, or other
                                                    B was reserved. Outdated subpart C set                  development efforts under the CRADA                    applicable authorities, to rehire the
                                                    forth appeal procedures addressed to                    would require the contractor to perform                former Federal employee at the
                                                    the outdated licensing rules of subpart                 tasks identical to those required under                conclusion of the exchange.
                                                    A. All subparts are obsolete, and the                   the funding agreement; whether existing                   In exchanging personnel with a
                                                    rules governing the licensing of                        intellectual property to be provided by                collaborating party under a CRADA, as
                                                    government-owned inventions are today                   the Federal laboratory or the contractor               in any other exercise of the CRADA
                                                    found in 37 CFR part 404. The heading                   under the CRADA is the same as that                    authority, a Federal Agency should take
                                                    of part 17 would be revised to read                     provided under, or referenced in, the                  into account the provisions of 15 U.S.C.
                                                    ‘‘Personnel Exchanges Between Federal                   funding agreement; whether the                         3710a(c)(3) regarding standards of
                                                    Laboratories and Non-Federal Entities,’’                contractor’s employees performing the                  conduct for its employees for resolving
                                                    and five new sections would be added.                   specified research or development                      potential conflicts of interest.
                                                       Section 17.1, Scope, sets forth the                  efforts under the CRADA are the same                      Section 17.5, Personnel Exchanges to
                                                    scope of revised part 17, which is to                   employees performing the tasks                         a Federal Agency, provides that a
                                                    implement 15 U.S.C. 3712 and to clarify                 required under the funding agreement;                  Federal Agency may provide funds for
                                                    the appropriate use of personnel                        and whether services, property or other                non-federal personnel exchanged in
                                                    exchanges in relation to Federal                        resources contemplated by the Federal                  order to bring into a Federal laboratory
                                                    laboratory CRADAs under the authority                   Laboratory to be provided to the                       outside personnel with expertise in
                                                    of 15 U.S.C. 3710a(a)(1), including                     contractor for the specified research or               scientific commercialization through the
                                                    CRADAs involving as parties recipients                  development efforts under the CRADA                    Presidential Innovation Fellows
                                                    of Federal funding under grants and                     would materially benefit the contractor                program, and that an Agency will
                                                    contracts, which could include National                 in the performance of tasks required                   engage with the General Services
                                                    Network for Manufacturing Innovation                    under the funding agreement.                           Administration (GSA) to transfer
                                                    awardees.                                                  Section 17.4, Personnel Exchanges                   funding for exchanged personnel and to
                                                       Section 17.2, Definitions, provides                  from a Federal Agency, provides in                     select and place Entrepreneurs-In-
                                                    definitions for certain terms used in this              paragraph (a)(1) that a Federal                        Residence at the laboratory for the
                                                    part.                                                   laboratory may exchange its personnel                  purposes of evaluating the laboratory’s
                                                       Section 17.3, Exchange of Federal                    with a collaborating party under a                     technologies, and providing technical
                                                    Laboratory Personnel with Recipients of                 CRADA where no invention currently                     consulting to facilitate readying a
                                                    Federal Funding, provides in paragraph                  exists. Under paragraph (a)(2), a Federal              technology for commercialization by an
                                                    (a) that the existence of a funding                     laboratory may exchange personnel with                 outside entity.
                                                    agreement (as defined in 35 U.S.C.                      a non-Federal collaborating party for the
                                                    201(b)) between a Federal laboratory                    purposes of developing or                              III. Request for Comments
                                                    and a contractor shall not preclude a                   commercializing an invention in which                     NIST requests comments on this
                                                    CRADA with that contractor, where the                   the Federal government has an                          proposed rule to encourage the
                                                    Federal laboratory director makes a                     ownership interest, including an                       exchange of personnel among Federal
                                                    determination that the technical subject                invention made by an employee or                       laboratories, State, local, and tribal
                                                    matter of the funding agreement is                      former employee while in the                           governments, academia and industry,
                                                    sufficiently distinct from that of the                  employment or service of the Federal                   including small businesses. NIST is
                                                    CRADA. Paragraph (a) also provides that                 government, and such personnel                         requesting ideas and comments about
                                                    a contractor which is a collaborating                   exchanged may include such employee                    ways in which an integrated program
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                                                    party shall in no event reimburse a                     or former employee who is an inventor.                 might be developed. We have included
                                                    Federal agency under a CRADA using                      Paragraph (a)(2) also provides that                    some questions that you might consider
                                                    funds awarded to the contractor by that                 funding may be provided by the non-                    as you develop your comments.
                                                    agency.                                                 federal collaborating party to the                        1. Personnel exchanges commonly
                                                       Paragraph (b) of section 17.3 provides               Federal laboratory for the participation               occur in the course of CRADAs
                                                    that a Federal laboratory may exchange                  of the Federal employee in developing                  involving Federal laboratories and
                                                    personnel with a contractor under a                     or commercializing an invention,                       collaborating parties. Are there ways to
                                                    CRADA where the determination                           including costs for salary and other                   further promote personnel exchanges


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                                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 123 / Monday, June 27, 2016 / Proposed Rules                                             41471

                                                    involving CRADAs? Are there ways to                     it raises novel policy issues. This                    adopted, would directly affect Federal
                                                    use the CRADA authority to develop a                    rulemaking, however, is not an                         agencies and not small entities, NIST
                                                    more integrated personnel exchange                      ‘‘economically significant’’ regulatory                concludes the action would not result in
                                                    program? Are there other mechanisms                     action under Section 3(f)(1) of the                    a significant economic impact on a
                                                    that you find effective and/or easier to                Executive Order, as it does not have an                substantial number of small entities.
                                                    use that should be included in this                     effect on the economy of $100 million                  Therefore, an initial regulatory
                                                    regulation?                                             or more in any one year, and it does not               flexibility analysis is not required and
                                                       2. Do the proposed regulations                       have a material adverse effect on the                  none has been prepared.
                                                    facilitate the exchange of personnel                    economy, a sector of the economy,
                                                                                                            productivity, competition, jobs, the                   Paperwork Reduction Act
                                                    between Federal laboratories and
                                                    academia and industry? Are there                        environment, public health or safety, or                 This proposed rule contains no new
                                                    additional mechanisms that should be                    State, local, or tribal governments or                 collection of information subject to the
                                                    incorporated in this regulation?                        communities.                                           Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C.
                                                       When submitting comments,                                                                                   3501 et seq.
                                                                                                            Executive Order 13132
                                                    remember to:                                                                                                   National Environmental Policy Act
                                                       i. Identify the document by docket ID                  This proposed rule does not contain
                                                    number and other identifying                            policies with Federalism implications as                 This proposed rule will not
                                                    information (subject heading, Federal                   defined in Executive Order 13132.                      significantly affect the quality of the
                                                    Register date and page number).                                                                                human environment. Therefore, an
                                                                                                            Regulatory Flexibility Act
                                                       ii. Please organize your comments by                                                                        environmental assessment or
                                                                                                               The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)                Environmental Impact Statement is not
                                                    referencing the specific question you are
                                                                                                            requires the preparation and availability              required to be prepared under the
                                                    responding to or the relevant section
                                                                                                            for public comment of ‘‘an initial                     National Environmental Policy Act of
                                                    number in the proposed regulatory text.
                                                                                                            regulatory flexibility analysis’’ which                1969.
                                                       iii. Explain why you agree or disagree;
                                                                                                            will ‘‘describe the impact of the
                                                    suggest alternatives and substitute                                                                            List of Subjects in 15 CFR Part 17
                                                                                                            proposed rule on small entities.’’ (5
                                                    language for your requested changes.
                                                                                                            U.S.C. 603(a)). Section 605 of the RFA                   Federal employees, Inventions and
                                                       iv. Describe any assumptions and
                                                                                                            allows an agency to certify a rule, in lieu            patents, Laboratories, Research and
                                                    provide any technical information and/
                                                                                                            of preparing an analysis, if the proposed              development, Science and technology,
                                                    or data that you used.
                                                                                                            rulemaking is not expected to have a                   Technology transfer.
                                                       v. Provide specific examples to
                                                                                                            significant economic impact on a                         For the reasons stated in the
                                                    illustrate your concerns and suggest
                                                                                                            substantial number of small entities.                  preamble, the National Institute of
                                                    alternatives.                                              The Chief Counsel for Regulation of
                                                       vi. Explain your views as clearly as                                                                        Standards and Technology proposes to
                                                                                                            the Department of Commerce certified                   revise 15 CFR part 17 as follows:
                                                    possible.                                               to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the
                                                       vii. Comments that contain profanity,
                                                                                                            Small Business Administration (SBA)                    PART 17—PERSONNEL EXCHANGES
                                                    vulgarity, threats, or other inappropriate
                                                                                                            that this rule, if adopted, would not                  BETWEEN FEDERAL LABORATORIES
                                                    language will not be considered.
                                                                                                            have a significant economic impact on                  AND NON-FEDERAL ENTITIES
                                                       viii. Make sure to submit your
                                                                                                            a substantial number of small entities.
                                                    comments by the comment period                                                                                 Sec.
                                                                                                            The factual basis for this determination
                                                    deadline identified.                                                                                           17.1  Scope.
                                                                                                            is as follows:
                                                                                                                                                                   17.2  Definitions.
                                                    IV. References                                             A description of this proposed rule,
                                                                                                                                                                   17.3  Exchange of Federal laboratory
                                                                                                            why it is being considered, and the                        personnel with recipients of Federal
                                                    1. Federal Laboratory Consortium for
                                                         Technology Transfer. (n.d.) Technology
                                                                                                            objectives of this proposed rule are                       funding.
                                                         Transfer Mechanisms. Retrieved from                contained in the preamble and in the                   17.4 Personnel exchanges from a Federal
                                                         http://www.federallabs.org/education/t2-           SUMMARY section of the preamble. The                       agency.
                                                         mechanisms/.                                       statutory basis for this proposed rule is              17.5 Personnel exchanges to a Federal
                                                    2. Federal Laboratory Consortium for                    provided by 15 U.S.C. 3712. This                           agency.
                                                         Technology Transfer. (2011). Technology            proposed rule, if implemented, is not                    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 3712.
                                                         Transfer Desk Reference. Retrieved from:           expected to directly affect any small
                                                         http://globals.federallabs.org/pdf/T2_             entities. Federal agencies that would be               § 17.1    Scope.
                                                         Desk_Reference.pdf.                                directly affected by this rulemaking are                 (a) The Stevenson-Wydler Technology
                                                    3. Kalil, T. and Wong, J. (2015). Lab to                                                                       Innovation Act of 1980, Public Law 96–
                                                         Market: Cross Agency Priority Goal
                                                                                                            not small governmental jurisdictions,
                                                         Quarterly Progress Update, Fiscal Year             small organizations, or small businesses,              480, as amended (codified at title 15 of
                                                         2015 Quarter 4. Retrieved from: https://           as defined by the RFA. 5 U.S.C. 601.                   the United States Code (U.S.C.), section
                                                         www.performance.gov/node/3395/view?                Any requirements imposed by the                        3701 et seq.)(the Stevenson-Wydler
                                                         view=public#progress-update.                       proposed rule would be obligatory only                 Act), sets forth a national policy to
                                                    4. Howieson, S.V. et al (2013). Federal                 upon Federal agencies. NIST does not                   renew, expand, and strengthen
                                                         Personnel Exchange Mechanisms.                     expect the issuance of the proposed rule               cooperation among academia, Federal
                                                         Retrieved from https://www.ida.org/∼/              to result in any direct impacts to small               laboratories, labor, and industry, in
                                                         media/Corporate/Files/Publications/                entities pursuant to the RFA. Small                    forms including personnel exchanges
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                                                         STPIPubs/D-4906.ashx.                                                                                     (15 U.S.C. 3701(3)). One proven method
                                                                                                            entities could potentially benefit from
                                                    V. Statutory and Executive Order                        exchanging personnel with Federal                      to ensure that federal innovations are
                                                    Reviews                                                 agencies.                                              passed to industry and the public is to
                                                                                                               The information provided above                      encourage frequent interactions among
                                                    Executive Order 12866                                   supports a determination that this rule                Federal laboratories, academic
                                                      This rulemaking is a significant                      would not have a significant economic                  institutions, and industry, including
                                                    regulatory action under Sections 3(f)(3)                impact on a substantial number of small                both large and small businesses. In
                                                    and 3(f)(4) of Executive Order 12866, as                entities. Because this rulemaking, if                  accordance with applicable ethics


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                                                    41472                    Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 123 / Monday, June 27, 2016 / Proposed Rules

                                                    regulations and Agency policies,                        under paragraph (a) of this section could              developing or commercializing an
                                                    exchanges of personnel between Federal                  not be made, provided that:                            invention in which the Federal
                                                    laboratories and outside collaborators                    (i) The CRADA includes at least one                  government has an ownership interest,
                                                    should be encouraged (15 U.S.C.                         collaborating party in addition to the                 including an invention made by an
                                                    3702(5)). Models that include federal                   Federal laboratory and that contractor;                employee or former employee while in
                                                    funding, as well as those that are                      and                                                    the employment or service of the
                                                    executed without federal funding, are                     (ii) The Federal laboratory shall not                Federal government, and such
                                                    encouraged.                                             provide services, property or other                    personnel exchanged may include such
                                                      (b) This part implements 15 U.S.C.                    resources to that contractor under the                 employee or former employee who is an
                                                    3712 and provides clarification                         CRADA.
                                                                                                                                                                   inventor.
                                                    regarding the appropriate use of                          (2) Where a Federal laboratory enters
                                                    personnel exchanges in relation to                      into a CRADA with a contractor under                     (i) Funding may be provided by the
                                                    Federal laboratory Cooperative Research                 this paragraph (b), the terms of that                  non-federal collaborating party to the
                                                    and Development Agreements                              contractor’s funding agreement shall                   Federal laboratory for the participation
                                                    (CRADAs) under the authority of 15                      normally supersede the terms of the                    of the Federal employee in developing
                                                    U.S.C. 3710a.                                           CRADA, to the extent that any                          or commercializing an invention,
                                                      (c) This part is applicable to                        individual terms conflict, as applied to               including costs for salary and other
                                                    exchanges of personnel between Federal                  that contractor and the Federal                        expenses, such as benefits and travel.
                                                    laboratories and parties to a CRADA                     laboratory only.                                         (ii) Royalties from inventions received
                                                    under 15 U.S.C. 3710a(a)(1).                              (c) In making the determination
                                                                                                                                                                   through a license agreement negotiated
                                                                                                            required under paragraph (a) of this
                                                    § 17.2   Definitions.                                                                                          with the Federal laboratory and paid by
                                                                                                            section, the director of a Federal
                                                      (a) The term funding agreement shall                  laboratory may consider factors                        the Federal laboratory to an inventor
                                                    have the meaning according to it under                  including the following:                               who is a Federal employee are
                                                    35 U.S.C. 201(b).                                         (1) Whether the conduct of specified                 considered Federal compensation.
                                                      (b) The term contractor shall have the                research or development efforts under                    (3) Where an employee leaves Federal
                                                    meaning according to it under 35 U.S.C.                 the CRADA would require the                            service in order to receive salary or
                                                    201(c).                                                 contractor to perform tasks identical to               other compensation from a non-Federal
                                                      (c) The term Federal laboratory shall                 those required under the funding                       organization, a Federal laboratory may
                                                    have the meaning according to it under                  agreement;                                             use reinstatement authority in
                                                    15 U.S.C. 3703(4).                                        (2) Whether existing intellectual                    accordance with 5 CFR 315.401, or other
                                                                                                            property to be provided by the Federal                 applicable authorities, to rehire the
                                                    § 17.3 Exchange of Federal laboratory
                                                                                                            laboratory or the contractor under the                 former Federal employee at the
                                                    personnel with recipients of Federal
                                                    funding.                                                CRADA is the same as that provided                     conclusion of the exchange.
                                                                                                            under, or referenced in, the funding
                                                       (a) In accordance with 15 U.S.C.
                                                                                                            agreement;                                             § 17.5 Personnel exchanges to a Federal
                                                    3710a(b)(3)(A) and 3710a(d)(1), a                         (3) Whether the contractor’s                         agency.
                                                    Federal laboratory may provide                          employees performing the specified
                                                    personnel, services, property, and other                research or development efforts under                    For exchanges in which a Federal
                                                    resources to a collaborating party, with                the CRADA are the same employees                       Agency provides funds for the non-
                                                    or without reimbursement (but not                       performing the tasks required under the                federal personnel—
                                                    funds to non-Federal parties) for the                   funding agreement; and                                   (a) Outside personnel with expertise
                                                    conduct of specified research or                          (4) Whether services, property or                    in scientific commercialization may be
                                                    development efforts under a CRADA                       other resources contemplated by the                    brought in to a Federal laboratory
                                                    which are consistent with the missions                  Federal laboratory to be provided to the               through the Presidential Innovation
                                                    of the Federal laboratory. The existence                contractor for the specified research or
                                                    of a funding agreement between a                                                                               Fellows program (see 5 CFR 213.3102(r))
                                                                                                            development efforts under the CRADA                    for Entrepreneur-In-Residence programs
                                                    Federal laboratory and a contractor shall               would materially benefit the contractor
                                                    not preclude the Federal laboratory from                                                                       or similar, related programs.
                                                                                                            in the performance of tasks required
                                                    using its authority under 15 U.S.C.                     under the funding agreement.                             (b) An Agency will engage with the
                                                    3710a to enter into a CRADA with the                                                                           General Services Administration (GSA)
                                                    contractor as a collaborating party for                 § 17.4 Personnel exchanges from a                      to transfer funding for exchanged
                                                    the conduct of specified research or                    Federal laboratory.                                    personnel, and will work with GSA to
                                                    development efforts, where the director                   (a) For personnel exchanges in which                 select and place Entrepreneurs-In-
                                                    of the Federal laboratory determines                    a Federal laboratory maintains funding                 Residence at the laboratory for the
                                                    that the technical subject matter of the                for Federal personnel provided to a                    purposes of evaluating the laboratory’s
                                                    funding agreement is sufficiently                       collaborating party—                                   technologies, and providing technical
                                                    distinct from that of the CRADA. In no                    (1) in accordance with 15 U.S.C.                     consulting to facilitate readying a
                                                    event shall a contractor which is a                     3710a(b)(3)(A), a Federal laboratory may               technology for commercialization by an
                                                    collaborating party reimburse a Federal                 exchange personnel with a collaborating                outside entity.
                                                    agency under a CRADA using funds                        party for the purposes of specified
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                                                    awarded to the contractor by that                       scientific or technical research towards               Kent Rochford,
                                                    agency.                                                 a mutual goal consistent with the                      Associate Director for Laboratory Programs.
                                                       (b)(1) A Federal laboratory may enter                mission of the Agency, where no                        [FR Doc. 2016–14723 Filed 6–24–16; 8:45 am]
                                                    into a CRADA with a contractor as a                     invention currently exists, or                         BILLING CODE 3510–13–P
                                                    collaborating party for the purpose of                    (2) in accordance with 15 U.S.C.
                                                    exchange of personnel for the conduct                   3710a(b)(3)(C), a Federal laboratory may
                                                    of specified research or development                    exchange personnel with a non-Federal
                                                    efforts where the determination required                collaborating party for the purposes of


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Document Created: 2016-06-25 02:06:53
Document Modified: 2016-06-25 02:06:53
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionProposed Rules
ActionNotice of proposed rulemaking.
DatesComments must be received no later than July 27, 2016.
ContactCourtney Silverthorn, via email: [email protected], or by telephone: 301-975-4189.
FR Citation81 FR 41468 
RIN Number0693-AB62
CFR AssociatedFederal Employees; Inventions and Patents; Laboratories; Research and Development; Science and Technology and Technology Transfer

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