Federal Technology Transfer Act
 (FTTA) Activities

This act promotes negotiated agreements between external organizations and specific EPA offices, laboratories, and centers to undertake joint research projects, exchange materials, and license EPA-developed technologies.

The FTTA provides a way forward for cooperative research and development partnerships. Through the FTTA program, federal agencies can conduct joint research with nonfederal partners and protect intellectual property that may be developed. The alliance that is formed through the FTTA program supports and improves the United States’ competitive positions worldwide, helps remove barriers to collaboration, and encourages cooperative research and development with the goal of commercialization.

Cooperative Research and Development Agreements allow nonfederal parties to collaborate on projects with EPA and share in-kind resources. Nonfederal parties can provide direct funds as well, but EPA cannot. EPA can license internally developed technologies to external parties and accept royalties. Royalties are split between the EPA laboratory where the technology was developed and the inventor.

Stages on R&D Continuum: Research or Proof of Concept, Development, Demonstration, Verification, Diffusion and Utilization

EPA Goal: All media, cross media

Type of Support Provided: Use of EPA facilities, equipment, and other in-kind services

Funding: Programs with $1 million to $10 million per year

Responsible EPA Office: Office of Research and Development

See Also

Partners in Science: Federal Technology Transfer Act (FTTA)

Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs)