Sec. 5127. PHASE 0 PROOF OF CONCEPT PARTNERSHIP PILOT PROGRAM
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## SEC. 5127 PHASE 0 PROOF OF CONCEPT PARTNERSHIP PILOT PROGRAM Section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638), as amended by this title, is further amended by adding at the end the following: > > ###### “(jj) Phase 0 Proof of Concept Partnership Pilot Program > > > #### “(1) In general > > The Director of the National Institutes of Health may use $5,000,000 of the funds allocated under subsection (n)(1) for a Proof of Concept Partnership pilot program to accelerate the creation of small businesses and the commercialization of research innovations from qualifying institutions.
To implement this program, the Director shall award, through a competitive, merit-based process, grants to qualifying institutions. These grants shall only be used to administer Proof of Concept Partnership awards in conformity with this subsection. > > > #### “(2) Definitions > > In this subsection— > > > ##### “(A) > > the term ‘Director’ means the Director of the National Institutes of Health; > > > ##### “(B) > > the term ‘pilot program’ refers to the Proof of Concept Partnership pilot program; and > > > ##### “(C) > > the terms ‘qualifying institution’ and ‘institution’ mean a university or other research institution that participates in the National Institutes of Health’s STTR program. > > > #### “(3) Proof of concept partnerships > > > ##### “(A) In general > > A Proof of Concept Partnership shall be set up by a qualifying institution to award grants to individual researchers.
These grants should provide researchers with the initial investment and the resources to support the proof of concept work and commercialization mentoring needed to translate promising research projects and technologies into a viable company. This work may include technical validations, market research, clarifying intellectual property rights position and strategy, and investigating commercial or business opportunities. > > > ##### “(B) Award guidelines > > The administrator of a Proof of Concept Partnership program shall award grants in accordance with the following guidelines: > > > ###### “(i) > > The Proof of Concept Partnership shall use a market-focused project management oversight process, including— > > > ###### “(I) > > a rigorous, diverse review board comprised of local experts in translational and proof of concept research, including industry, start-up, venture capital, technical, financial, and business experts and university technology transfer officials; > > > ###### “(II) > > technology validation milestones focused on market feasibility; > > > ###### “(III) > > simple reporting effective at redirecting projects; and > > > ###### “(IV) > > the willingness to reallocate funding from failing projects to those with more potential. > > > ###### “(ii) > > Not more than $100,000 shall be awarded towards an individual proposal. > > > ##### “(C) Educational resources and guidance > > The administrator of a Proof of Concept Partnership program shall make educational resources and guidance available to researchers attempting to commercialize their innovations. > > > #### “(4) Awards > > > ##### “(A) Size of award > > The Director may make awards to a qualifying institution for up to $1,000,000 per year for up to 3 years. > > > ##### “(B) Award criteria > > In determining which qualifying institutions receive pilot program grants, the Director shall consider, in addition to any other criteria the Director determines necessary, the extent to which qualifying institutions— > > > ###### “(i) > > have an established and proven technology transfer or commercialization office and have a plan for engaging that office in the program’s implementation; > > > ###### “(ii) > > have demonstrated a commitment to local and regional economic development; > > > ###### “(iii) > > are located in diverse geographies and are of diverse sizes; > > > ###### “(iv) > > can assemble project management boards comprised of industry, start-up, venture capital, technical, financial, and business experts; > > > ###### “(v) > > have an intellectual property rights strategy or office; and > > > ###### “(vi) > > demonstrate a plan for sustainability beyond the duration of the funding award. > > > #### “(5) Limitations > > The funds for the pilot program shall not be used— > > > ##### “(A) > > for basic research, but to evaluate the commercial potential of existing discoveries, including— > > > ###### “(i) > > proof of concept research or prototype development; and > > > ###### “(ii) > > activities that contribute to determining a project’s commercialization path, to include technical validations, market research, clarifying intellectual property rights, and investigating commercial and business opportunities; or > > > ##### “(B) > > to fund the acquisition of research equipment or supplies unrelated to commercialization activities. > > > #### “(6) Evaluative report > > The Director shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate an evaluative report regarding the activities of the pilot program.
The report shall include— > > > ##### “(A) > > a detailed description of the institutional and proposal selection process; > > > ##### “(B) > > an accounting of the funds used in the pilot program; > > > ##### “(C) > > a detailed description of the pilot program, including incentives and activities undertaken by review board experts; > > > ##### “(D) > > a detailed compilation of results achieved by the pilot program, including the number of small business concerns included and the number of business packages developed, and the number of projects that progressed into subsequent STTR phases; and > > > ##### “(E) > > an analysis of the program’s effectiveness with supporting data. > > > #### “(7) Sunset > > The pilot program under this subsection shall terminate at the end of fiscal year 2017.” > . ## Subtitle C Oversight and Evaluation
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Sec. 5127
PHASE 0 PROOF OF CONCEPT PARTNERSHIP PILOT PROGRAM
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