The General Accounting Office (GAO) has found that despite federal efforts to the contrary, constraints remain on the transfer of technology from federal laboratories to the private sector. These constraints include limits on conducting proprietary research at federal labs, difficulties in copyrighting or licensing certain types of research, and overly bureaucratic procedures.
Since 1980 Congress and the Administration have been trying to increase U.S. industries' access to technology developed in federal labs, which collectively spent more than $20 billion on R&D in fiscal 1987. Because of these efforts, government- operated labs can now enter into collaborative research ventures with private companies and grant exclusive licenses for commercialization of government inventions. Contractors who operate government-owned labs are permitted to retain title rights to inventions and technical data without having to first request that the government waive its rights to this intellectual property.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Problems in technology transfer at federal labs - Chemical & Engineering News (ACS Publications)
Author: JANICE LONG
