The types of R&D facilities at the DOE Laboratories available to the public typically fall into three broad classes depending on the mode of access: Designated User Facilities, Shared R&D Facilities and R&D Agreements for Facilities Use.

Designated User Facilities have most often been constructed to meet broad mission need by enabling a range of scientific and technical research, characterization and analysis, with operational costs fully supported by DOE. Access to time on these facilities is most often managed by a peer-reviewed proposal process. To encourage innovative technical proposals and the exploration of new scientific knowledge, user fees are not charged for non-proprietary work if the user intends to publish the research results in the open literature. Full cost recovery is required for proprietary work. Approved projects at these facilities can be accomplished through non-proprietary or proprietary User Agreements. Approved user projects involving proprietary work are sometimes conducted at these facilities through cooperative research and development agreements (CRADAs) or Strategic Partnership Projects  (SPP). Information about the Department's Scientific User Facilities program can be found at:
http://science.energy.gov/user-facilities/

Shared R&D Facilities have most often been constructed to meet specific mission needs, and typically are used primarily by DOE Laboratory staff, but may have additional time available for external users. Access to time on these facilities is most often managed by the development of research agreements with the Facilities Staff. In these facilities, operational costs are supported by DOE for mission activities, but operational costs for external use must be supported by cost recovery. Work at such facilities is most often supported by Technology Partnership Agreements such as CRADAs or SPP.  Shared R&D Facilities include a broad spectrum of DOE Laboratory assets such as technology benchmarking test beds (sometimes called "Test Facilities"), large-scale collaborative R&D centers, and specialized materials processing capabilities, among others. Information on setting up contracts to work with the Laboratories can be found in the TTWG Guide to Partnering with the National Laboratories.

R&D Agreements for Facilities Use: The Facilities at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) are essentially Shared R&D facilities, but the contractual mechanism for accessing them is slightly different than for the other laboratories. A description of the partnership mechanisms for NETL can be found here:

http://www.netl.doe.gov/business/tech-transfer/partnerships-and-licensing

The TTWG primarily includes technology transfer professionals from the National Laboratories, single purpose research facilities and production facilities, and DOE/NNSA field elements. This group works together to improve the technology transfer activities of the laboratories/facilities and the Department. The members promote the implementation of DOE Laboratory technology transfer policy in a mutually beneficial, supportive, and non-adversarial working environment that encourages open communication, teamwork, and professional development.

The objectives of the Working Group are to:

• Coordinate technology transfer activities occurring at National Laboratories and single purpose research and production facilities.
• Exchange information about technology transfer practices, including alternative approaches to resolution of disputes involving intellectual property rights and other technology transfer matters.
• Develop and disseminate to the public and prospective technology partners information about DOE/NNSA technology transfer matters.

• TTWG Licensing Guide
• TTWG Guide to Partnering with the National Laboratories