§ 2500. Definitions

In this chapter:

(1) The term “national technology and industrial base” means the persons and organizations that are engaged in research, development, production, integration, services, or information technology activities conducted within the United States and Canada.

(2) The term “dual-use” with respect to products, services, standards, processes, or acquisition practices, means products, services, standards, processes, or acquisition practices, respectively, that are capable of meeting requirements for military and nonmilitary applications.

(3) The term “dual-use critical technology” means a critical technology that has military applications and nonmilitary applications.

(4) The term “technology and industrial base sector” means a group of public or private persons and organizations that engage in, or are capable of engaging in, similar research, development, production, integration, services, or information technology activities.

(5) The terms “Federal laboratory” and “laboratory” have the meaning given the term “laboratory” in section 12(d)(2) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a (d)(2)), except that such terms include a federally funded research and development center sponsored by a Federal agency.

(6) The term “critical technology” means a technology that is—

(A) a national critical technology; or

(B) a defense critical technology.

(7) The term “national critical technology” means a technology that appears on the list of national critical technologies contained in the most recent biennial report on national critical technologies submitted to Congress by the President pursuant to section 603(d) ^[1] of the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6683 (d)).

(8) The term “defense critical technology” means a technology that is identified under section 2505 of this title as critical for attaining the national security objectives set forth in section 2501 (a) of this title.

(9) The term “eligible firm” means a company or other business entity that, as determined by the Secretary of Commerce—

(A) conducts a significant level of its research, development, engineering, manufacturing, integration, services, and information technology activities in the United States; and

(B) is a company or other business entity the majority ownership or control of which is by United States citizens or is a company or other business of a parent company that is incorporated in a country the government of which—

(i) encourages the participation of firms so owned or controlled in research and development consortia to which the government of that country provides funding directly or provides funding indirectly through international organizations or agreements; and

(ii) affords adequate and effective protection for the intellectual property rights of companies incorporated in the United States.

Such term includes a consortium of such companies or other business entities, as determined by the Secretary of Commerce.

(10) The term “manufacturing technology” means techniques and processes designed to improve manufacturing quality, productivity, and practices, including quality control, shop floor management, inventory management, and worker training, as well as manufacturing equipment and software.

(11) The term “Small Business Innovation Research Program” means the program established under the following provisions of section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638):

(A) Paragraphs (4) through (7) of subsection (b).

(B) Subsections (e) through (l).

(12) The term “Small Business Technology Transfer Program” means the program established under the following provisions of such section:

(A) Paragraphs (4) through (7) of subsection (b).

(B) Subsections (e) and (n) through (p).

(13) The term “significant equity percentage” means—

(A) a level of contribution and participation sufficient, when compared to the other non-Federal participants in the partnership or other cooperative arrangement involved, to demonstrate a comparable long-term financial commitment to the product or process development involved; and

(B) any other criteria the Secretary may consider necessary to ensure an appropriate equity mix among the participants.

(14) The term “person of a foreign country” has the meaning given such term in section 3502(d) of the Primary Dealers Act of 1988 (22 U.S.C. 5342 (d)).

(15) The term “integration” means the process of providing systems engineering and technical direction for a system for the purpose of achieving capabilities that satisfy program requirements.

[1] See References in Text note below.

U.S. Code

§ 2500. Definitions