50 U.S.C. § 2586a Other Programs Relating to Technology Development

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-34 (published on www.congress.gov on 12/26/2023), except for [P. L. 118-31]
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 50 U.S.C. § 2586a

(a) Incremental Technology Development Program

(1) Establishment

The Secretary may establish a program, to be known as the "Incremental Technology Development Program", to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the defense environmental cleanup processes of the Office.

(2) Focus

(A) Improvements

In carrying out the Incremental Technology Development Program, the Secretary shall focus on the continuous improvement of new or available technologies, including-

(i) decontamination chemicals and techniques;

(ii) remote sensing and wireless communication to reduce manpower and laboratory efforts;

(iii) detection, assay, and certification instrumentation; and

(iv) packaging materials, methods, and shipping systems.

(B) Other areas

The Secretary may include in the Incremental Technology Development Program mission-relevant development, demonstration, and deployment activities unrelated to the focus areas described in subparagraph (A).

(3) Use of new and emerging technologies

(A) Development and demonstration

In carrying out the Incremental Technology Development Program, the Secretary shall ensure that site offices of the Office conduct technology development, demonstration, testing, permitting, and deployment of new and emerging technologies to establish a sound technical basis for the selection of technologies for defense environmental cleanup or infrastructure operations.

(B) Collaboration required

The Secretary shall collaborate, to the extent practicable, with the heads of other departments and agencies of the Federal Government, the National Laboratories, other Federal laboratories, appropriate State regulators and agencies, and the Department of Labor in the development, demonstration, testing, permitting, and deployment of new technologies under the Incremental Technology Development Program.

(4) Agreements to carry out projects

(A) Authority

In carrying out the Incremental Technology Development Program, the Secretary may enter into agreements with nongovernmental entities for technology development, demonstration, testing, permitting, and deployment projects to improve technologies in accordance with paragraph (2).

(B) Selection

The Secretary shall select projects under subparagraph (A) through a rigorous process that involves-

(i) transparent and open competition; and

(ii) a review process that, if practicable, is conducted in an independent manner consistent with Department guidance on selecting and funding public-private partnerships.