The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in consultation with the Director of the National Science Foundation and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, shall establish a coordinated program of ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, and atmospheric research and development, in collaboration with academic institutions and other nongovernmental entities, that shall focus on the development of advanced technologies and analytical methods that will promote United States leadership in ocean and atmospheric science and competitiveness in the applied uses of such knowledge.

The Administrator shall implement programs and activities—

(1) to identify emerging and innovative research and development priorities to enhance United States competitiveness, support development of new economic opportunities based on NOAA research, observations, monitoring modeling, and predictions that sustain ecosystem services;

(2) to promote United States leadership in oceanic and atmospheric science and competitiveness in the applied uses of such knowledge, including for the development and expansion of economic opportunities; and

(3) to advance ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, and atmospheric research and development, including potentially transformational research, in collaboration with other relevant Federal agencies, academic institutions, the private sector, and nongovernmental programs, consistent with NOAA’s mission to understand, observe, and model the Earth’s atmosphere and biosphere, including the oceans, in an integrated manner.

No later than 12 months after January 4, 2011, the Administrator, in consultation with the National Science Foundation or other such agencies with mature transformational research portfolios, shall develop and submit a report to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology that describes NOAA’s strategy for enhancing transformational research in its research and development portfolio to increase United States competitiveness in oceanic and atmospheric science and technology. The report shall—

(1) define “transformational research”;

(2) identify emerging and innovative areas of research and development where transformational research has the potential to make significant and revolutionary – [1] advancements in both understanding and U.S. science leadership;

(3) describe how transformational research priorities are identified and appropriately – 1 balanced in the context of NOAA’s broader research portfolio;

(4) describe NOAA’s plan for developing a competitive peer review and priority-setting – 1 process, funding mechanisms, performance and evaluation measures, and transition-to-operation guidelines for transformational research; and

(5) describe partnerships with other agencies involved in transformational research.

(Pub. L. 110–69, title IV, § 4001, Aug. 9, 2007, 121 Stat. 599; Pub. L. 111–358, title III, § 301, Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3996.)