The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a program to further the national security objectives set forth in section 2501(a) of this title by encouraging and providing for research, development, and application of dual-use critical technologies. The Secretary may make grants, enter into contracts, or enter into cooperative agreements and other transactions pursuant to section 2371 of this title in furtherance of the program. The Secretary shall identify projects to be conducted as part of the program.

The Secretary of Defense may provide technical and other assistance to facilitate the achievement of the purposes of projects conducted under the program. In providing such assistance, the Secretary shall make available, as appropriate for the work to be performed, equipment and facilities of Department of Defense laboratories (including the scientists and engineers at those laboratories) for purposes of projects selected by the Secretary.

The total amount of funds provided by the Federal Government for a project conducted under the program may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the project. However, the Secretary of Defense may agree to a project in which the total amount of funds provided by the Federal Government exceeds 50 percent if the Secretary determines the project is particularly meritorious, but the project would not otherwise have sufficient non-Federal funding or in-kind contributions.

(1) The total amount of funds provided by the Federal Government for a project conducted under the program may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the project. However, the Secretary of Defense may agree to a project in which the total amount of funds provided by the Federal Government exceeds 50 percent if the Secretary determines the project is particularly meritorious, but the project would not otherwise have sufficient non-Federal funding or in-kind contributions.

(2) The Secretary may prescribe regulations to provide for consideration of in-kind contributions by non-Federal Government participants in a project conducted under the program for the purpose of calculating the share of the project costs that has been or is being undertaken by such participants. In such regulations, the Secretary may authorize a participant that is a small business concern to use funds received under the Small Business Innovation Research Program or the Small Business Technology Transfer Program to help pay the costs of project activities. Any such funds so used may be considered in calculating the amount of the financial commitment undertaken by the non-Federal Government participants unless the Secretary determines that the small business concern has not made a significant equity percentage contribution in the project from non-Federal sources.

(3) The Secretary shall consider a project proposal submitted by a small business concern without regard to the ability of the small business concern to immediately meet its share of the anticipated project costs. Upon the selection of a project proposal submitted by a small business concern, the small business concern shall have a period of not less than 120 days in which to arrange to meet its financial commitment requirements under the project from sources other than a person of a foreign country. If the Secretary determines upon the expiration of that period that the small business concern will be unable to meet its share of the anticipated project costs, the Secretary shall revoke the selection of the project proposal submitted by the small business concern.

Competitive procedures shall be used in the conduct of the program.

The criteria for the selection of projects under the program shall include the following:

(1) The extent to which the proposed project advances and enhances the national security objectives set forth in section 2501(a) of this title.

(2) The technical excellence of the proposed project.

(3) The qualifications of the personnel proposed to participate in the research activities of the proposed project.

(4) An assessment of timely private sector investment in activities to achieve the goals and objectives of the proposed project other than through the project.

(5) The potential effectiveness of the project in the further development and application of each technology proposed to be developed by the project for the national technology and industrial base.

(6) The extent of the financial commitment of eligible firms to the proposed project.

(7) The extent to which the project does not unnecessarily duplicate projects undertaken by other agencies.

The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations for the purposes of this section.

(Added Pub. L. 102–484, div. D, title XLII, § 4221(a), Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2677; amended Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title XIII, §§ 1315(a), 1317(c), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1787, 1789; Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XI, § 1115(a), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2868; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title X, § 1081(c), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 452.)