Sec. 2. Bioeconomy research and technology transfer
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The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the Secretary ), in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, shall expand research relating to the use of wood— to facilitate the establishment of new markets, including nontraditional markets, for material produced from forest management projects that typically has little or no commercial value; to increase the economic viability of manufacturing products using material described in paragraph (1); and as a feedstock for the production of renewable fuel, including sustainable aviation fuel.
There is established within the Forest Service an Office of Technology Transfer (referred to this subsection as the Office ). The mission of the Office shall be— to expand the commercial impact of the research investments of the Forest Service; and to provide for the commercialization of technologies that support the mission of the Forest Service. The Office shall be headed by an officer, who shall— be known as the Chief Commercialization Officer ; and report to the Deputy Chief of the Forest Service for Research and Development.
An individual appointed to the position of Chief Commercialization Officer shall be an individual who, by reason of professional background and experience, is specially qualified to advise the Chief of the Forest Service and the Deputy Chief of the Forest Service for Research and Development on technology transfer at the Forest Service. The Chief Commercialization Officer shall— oversee the expenditure of funds allocated for technology transfer within the Forest Service; represent the Forest Service on— the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer established by section 11(e) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 ( 15 U.S.C. 3710(e) ); and other similar interagency coordinating entities; coordinate with— other technology transfer and commercialization offices within the Department of Agriculture; and other similar Federal entities, as appropriate; oversee efforts to engage with private sector entities, including venture capital companies, on issues relating to technology transfer and commercialization; and coordinate efforts to patent or otherwise protect under title 35, United States Code, any inventions arising from a Forest Service laboratory.
The Secretary shall establish within the Forest Service a Technology Transfer Working Group, which shall consist of— the Deputy Chief of the Forest Service for Research and Development; the Chief Commercialization Officer appointed under paragraph (3); representatives from each research station within the Forest Service; and representatives from other Forest Service entities with relevant expertise, as appropriate. The Technology Transfer Working Group established under subparagraph
(A)shall— assist with the coordination of technology transfer and commercialization opportunities occurring at Forest Service laboratories; develop and disseminate guidance to researchers at Forest Service laboratories on technology transfer and commercialization requirements under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 ( 15 U.S.C. 3701 et seq. ) and associated agreements to implement those requirements; and develop and disseminate to the public and prospective technology partners information about opportunities and procedures for technology transfer with the Forest Service. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Technology Transfer Working Group established under subparagraph
(A)shall submit to Congress a report that describes— the number of cooperative research and development agreements entered into by the Forest Service under section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 ( 15 U.S.C. 3710a ) during the preceding 5 years; the number of agreements with partnership intermediaries entered into by the Forest Service under section 23 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 ( 15 U.S.C. 3715 ) during the preceding 5 years; the number of licenses and other use authorizations issued by the Forest Service for patents held by the Forest Service during the preceding 5 years; and recommendations for legislative, programmatic, or regulatory changes to support the mission of the Office. Beginning with the first year after the report under paragraph (4)(C) is submitted, and each year thereafter, the President shall include in the budget of the United States Government submitted to Congress under section 1105 of title 31, United States Code— the number of cooperative research and development agreements entered into by the Forest Service under section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 ( 15 U.S.C. 3710a ) during the preceding year; the number of agreements with partnership intermediaries entered into by the Forest Service under section 23 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 ( 15 U.S.C. 3715 ) during the preceding year; and the number of licenses or other use authorizations issued by the Forest Service for patents held by the Forest Service during the preceding year. There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 for each fiscal year. Section 402(b)(3) of the National Forest Foundation Act ( 16 U.S.C. 583j(b)(3) ) is amended by striking cooperative forestry and inserting technology transfer, commercialization, cooperative forestry, . The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, shall establish an innovation voucher pilot program to accelerate product development, demonstration, and commercialization in the forest products sector. Under the pilot program established under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide vouchers to small business concerns (as defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 632 )) to be used at research facilities of the Forest Service for research, development, demonstration, technology transfer, skills training and workforce development, or commercial application activities. The Secretary may require up to 20 percent of the cost of a voucher provided under paragraph
(2)for a research or development activity that is of a basic or fundamental nature, at the discretion of the Secretary, to be provided by a non-Federal source. Except as provided in subparagraph (D), the Secretary shall require not less than 20 percent of the cost of a voucher provided under paragraph
(2)for a research or development activity that is not of a basic or fundamental nature, at the discretion of the Secretary, to be provided by a non-Federal source. Except as provided in subparagraph (D), the Secretary shall require not less than 50 percent of the cost of a voucher provided under paragraph
(2)for a demonstration or commercial application activity to be provided by a non-Federal source. The Secretary may reduce a non-Federal share required under subparagraph
(B)or
(C)if the Secretary determines the reduction to be necessary and appropriate, taking into account any technological risk relating to the activity. The authorities provided under this subsection (except for paragraph (5)) shall expire on September 30, 2031. Not later than 180 days after the termination of the pilot program under paragraph (4), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the outcomes of the pilot program, including any recommendations to improve the pilot program.
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Sec. 2
Bioeconomy research and technology transfer
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