Cuyamaca College
Environmental Technology Program
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
The strategic plan for the Department of Energy (DOE) is to fuel a competitive economy. It calls for an integration of existing science and technology, energy resources, defense programs, and environmental restoration into five business lines:
1. Energy resources
2. National security
3. Environmental quality
4. Science and technology
5. Industrial competitivenessDOE's mission includes commercialization planning as part of the innovation process, understanding markets and private sector drivers, regulatory and policy provisions, technology transfer mechanisms, and measuring the results of technology transfer.
Over the years, contractors and DOE have negotiated intellectual property provisions, computer software licensing, handling of proprietary information, and cooperative research and development agreement approval, all of which help facilitate the transfer of technology.
To address domestic and global environmental cleanup markets, three sectors--government, R&D laboratories, and the private sector--are integrated to operate as one system.
DOE's Office of Environmental Management (EM) was established in 1989 with a mission of cleaning up contaminated weapons manufacturing sites by the year 2020. Today's technology is not sufficient to clean up the sites. Their mission is to develop innovative environmental technological systems for cleaning up contaminated sites and, when applicable, for commercialization.
In the EM program, successful technology transfer can accomplish the integration of science and technology, environmental quality, and economic productivity. Such integration assumes that appropriate science and technology are cooperatively used from research and continued into EM's R&D program. Such a focus and integration will move the Department toward its long-term vision of using its leadership in energy, science, and technology to help industry sustain the long-term economic growth that will create better jobs and a cleaner environment.
DOE's Office of Technology Development (TD) is responsible for developing innovative technology for environmental cleanup applications and improving or enhancing existing technology. Within the Office of Technology Development, a technology transfer function was established to address transferring EM-developed technology to EM restoration and waste management organizations, industry, and other Federal agencies, as well as facilitate acquiring industrial technology for testing and evaluation in EM's permitted test beds.
Environmental Management's definition of technology fits into six categories. They are as follows:
- Technology is available as a new product for application
- Technology is added as a new capability to an existing technology line
- An existing technology is modified, or enhanced, for an additional, or secondary, application
- Technology is repositioned in a market or costs of using it are decreased
- Through a partnership, technology is exchanged anywhere along the technology transfer process
- New venture startup business is established based on the technology
The DOE strategic plan identifies five business lines that most effectively use and integrate the Department's technological and scientific assets, engineering expertise, and facilities to benefit the nation. The business lines are (1) economic productivity, (2) energy resources, (3) national security, (4) environmental quality, and (5) science and technology.
DOE's vision for the year 2020 is to use its leadership in energy, science, and technology to help industry sustain long-term economic growth to create jobs and a cleaner environment.
Working together, DOE, industry, and other Federal agencies can make the U.S. economy the most productive in the world in its use of energy, material, and human resources.
Each DOE laboratory or facility with over 200 scientists and engineers has an Office of Research and Technology Applications (ORTA). The function of the ORTA is to support laboratory and facility employees in transferring technologies. In addition, most laboratories and facilities have legal staff to provide support for managing, protecting, and transferring intellectual property.
Los Alamos National Laboratory
The Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the DOE. Los Alamos implemented programs to meet the special needs of small business partners.
Los Alamos National Laboratory actively seeks technology development and commercialization partnerships with industry. Such partnerships enhances its ability to fulfill the national security mission, improve the competitiveness of industrial partners, and strengthen the nation's economic security.
The Industrial Partnership Office (IPO) serves as the single point-of-contact for collaborations between U.S. companies and Los Alamos National Laboratory. It coordinates all industrial interactions and handle the financial and contractual arrangements that lead to successful partnerships.
Small businesses with needs that cannot be met by their conventional technical assistance programs are offered partnerships to support cooperative research and development projects.
The partnership is cost-shared; the small business may contribute in-kind resources. Information generated from the research is protected and intellectual property rights are negotiated. Several types of agreements are available to establish these partnerships; when special conditions are met, a streamlined CRADA is available for small businesses.
Los Alamos provides technical assistance to trade associations whose members are predominantly small businesses. The association submits descriptions of up to three technical problems that are widely shared by its membership. A Laboratory technical review board selects the problem to be addressed. The Laboratory provides the technical assistance; the trade association is responsible for disseminating the results to its membership. Projects are funded for up to one year, with a limit of one project per trade association per year.
Los Alamos can work with SBIR winners by entering into CRADAs and by providing technical consulting and access to our experimental facilities and instruments. A number of mechanisms are designed to provide non-Federal parties with access to DOE laboratory/facility expertise and property. Among these mechanisms are user facilities, technical assistance, consulting arrangements, and work for non-Federal partners.
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 Last update 05/12/98 by Cuyamaca Web Team |