By Kevin E. Noonan --
Despite achieving a legislative accomplishment that had been frustrated for over a generation (i.e., healthcare reform), the Obama Administration's technology policies have left even the President's supporters perplexed by a fundamental paradox. Specifically, how could the President (an intelligent man) and his advisors (comprising this generation's "best and brightest") be so seemingly clueless about technology policy? From promoting the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act as a way to stimulate the economy and create jobs (see "Commerce Secretary Provides Administration's Views on America Invents Act" and "Obama Administration Supports S. 23"), to supporting the Federal Trade Commission's single-minded pursuit of an end to reverse payment agreements between innovator and generic drug companies (despite copious evidence that such agreements actually promote generic drugs to market), to his dogged persistence on trying to limit the data exclusivity provisions of the follow-on biologics portion of the healthcare reform bill from 12 to 7 years (see "President's Deficit Reduction Plan Seeks to Reduce Exclusivity Period for Biologics and Prohibit Pay-for-Delay Deals"), to the spectacularly "simple-minded" nonsense of the "magic microscope" standard for patent eligibility of DNA claims in the Myriad case (see "AMP v. USPTO: Oral Argument at the Federal Circuit"), the President's policies seem disconnected from the reality of promoting innovation in America (and the resulting economic benefits thereof).
Thus, it may be a sign that the clouds of confusion are clearing in Washington that the President issued the following Memorandum for the heads of all Executive departments and agencies in Friday, October 28th:
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release October 28, 2011
October 28, 2011
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
SUBJECT: Accelerating Technology Transfer and Commercialization of Federal Research in Support of High-Growth Businesses
Section 1. Policy. Innovation fuels economic growth, the creation of new industries, companies, jobs, products and services, and the global competitiveness of U.S. industries. One driver of successful innovation is technology transfer, in which the private sector adapts Federal research for use in the marketplace. One of the goals of my Administration's "Startup America" initiative, which supports high-growth entrepreneurship, is to foster innovation by increasing the rate of technology transfer and the economic and societal impact from Federal research and development (R&D) investments. This will be accomplished by committing each executive department and agency (agency) that conducts R&D to improve the results from its technology transfer and commercialization activities. The aim is to increase the successful outcomes of these activities significantly over the next 5 years, while simultaneously achieving excellence in our basic and mission-focused research activities.
I direct that the following actions be taken to establish goals and measure performance, streamline administrative processes, and facilitate local and regional partnerships in order to accelerate technology transfer and support private sector commercialization.
Sec. 2. Establish Goals and Measure Progress. Establishing performance goals, metrics, and evaluation methods, as well as implementing and tracking progress relative to those goals, is critical to improving the returns from Federal R&D investments. Therefore, I direct that:
(a) Agencies with Federal laboratories shall develop plans that establish performance goals to increase the number and pace of effective technology transfer and commercialization activities in partnership with non-federal entities, including private firms, research organizations, and non-profit entities. These plans shall cover the 5-year period from 2013 through 2017 and shall contain goals, metrics, and methods to evaluate progress relative to the performance goals. These goals, metrics, and evaluation methods may vary by agency as appropriate to that agency's mission and types of research activities, and may include the number and quality of, among other things, invention disclosures, licenses issued on existing patents, Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), industry partnerships, new products, and successful self-sustaining spinoff companies created for such products. Within 180 days of the date of this memorandum, these plans shall be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) which, in consultation with the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Department of Commerce, shall review and monitor implementation of the plans.
(b) The Interagency Workgroup on Technology Transfer, established pursuant to Executive Order 12591 of April 10, 1987, shall recommend to the Department of Commerce opportunities for improving technology transfer from Federal laboratories, including: (i) current technology transfer programs and standards for assessing the effectiveness of these programs; (ii) new or creative approaches to technology transfer that might serve as model programs for Federal laboratories; (iii) criteria to assess the effectiveness and impact on the Nation's economy of planned or future technology transfer efforts; and (iv) an assessment of cooperative research and development venture programs.
(c) The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with other agencies, including the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, shall improve and expand, where appropriate, its collection of metrics in the Department of Commerce's annual technology transfer summary report, submitted pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 3710(g)(2).
(d) The heads of agencies with Federal laboratories are encouraged to include technology transfer efforts in overall laboratory evaluation.
Sec. 3. Streamline the Federal Government's Technology Transfer and Commercialization Process. Streamlining licensing procedures, improving public availability of federally owned inventions from across the Federal Government, and improving the executive branch's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBTT) programs based on best practices will accelerate technology transfer from Federal laboratories and other facilities and spur entrepreneurship. Some agencies have already implemented administrative changes to their SBIR and SBTT programs on a pilot basis and achieved significant results, such as reducing award times by 50 percent or more. Over the past year, some agencies have also initiated pilot programs to streamline the SBIR award timeline and licensing process for small businesses. In addition, some agencies have developed new short-term exclusive license agreements for startups to facilitate licensing of inventions to small companies. Therefore:
(a) Agencies with Federal laboratories shall review their licensing procedures and practices for establishing CRADAs with the goal of reducing the time required to license their technologies and establish CRADAs to the maximum practicable extent.
(b) The Federal Chief Information Officer and the Assistant to the President and Chief Technology Officer shall, in coordination with other agencies: (i) list all publicly available federally owned inventions and, when available, licensing agreements on a public Government database; (ii) develop strategies to increase the usefulness and accessibility of this data, such as competitions, awards or prizes; and (iii) report their initial progress to OMB and OSTP within 180 days of the date of this memorandum.
(c) The heads of agencies participating in the SBIR and SBTT programs shall implement administrative practices that reduce the time from grant application to award by the maximum practicable extent; publish performance timelines to increase transparency and accountability; explore award flexibility to encourage high quality submissions; engage private sector scientists and engineers in reviewing grant proposals; encourage private sector co-investment in SBIR grantees; partner with external organizations such as mentoring programs, university proof of concept centers, and regional innovation clusters; and track scientific and economic outcomes. The OMB, OSTP, and the Small Business Administration shall work with agencies to facilitate, to the extent practicable, a common reporting of these performance measures.
Sec. 4. Facilitate Commercialization through Local and Regional Partnerships. Agencies must take steps to enhance successful technology-innovation networks by fostering increased Federal laboratory engagement with external partners, including universities, industry consortia, economic development entities, and State and local governments. Accordingly:
(a) I encourage agencies with Federal laboratories to collaborate, consistent with their missions and authorities, with external partners to share the expertise of Federal laboratories with businesses and to participate in regional technology innovation clusters that are in place across the country.
(b) I encourage agencies, where appropriate and in accordance with OMB Circular A-11, to use existing authorities, such as Enhanced Use Leasing or Facility Use Agreements, to locate applied research and business support programs, such as incubators and research parks, on or near Federal laboratories and other research facilities to further technology transfer and commercialization.
(c) I encourage agencies with Federal laboratories and other research facilities to engage in public-private partnerships in those technical areas of importance to the agency's mission with external partners to strengthen the commercialization activities in their local region.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) For purposes of this memorandum, the term "Federal laboratories" shall have the meaning set forth for that term in 15 U.S.C. 3703(4).
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect the functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, and legislative proposals.
(d) Independent agencies are strongly encouraged to comply with this memorandum.
(e) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
BARACK OBAMA
It must be acknowledged that this is merely a statement of intentions and policy goals, and that the extent to which it influences or changes the pace and scope of technology transfer from Federal laboratories is uncertain (and perhaps more dependent on the personalities in charge of those laboratories, both administration and scientific). However, it is refreshing to see the Administration take this tack on innovation policy, particularly in view of the contrary (and contradictory) signals that has characterized the past few years.
Kevin,
After the AIA debacle, never assume with President Obama or his administration that there is any "clarity" in simply stating technology policy. Wait to see if he and his administration DO ANYTHING TO IMPLEMENT IT!
Posted by: EG | November 01, 2011 at 11:44 AM
Ha ---.
US finally followed China's planned economy on state sponsored technology innovation. Socialists Win!
Posted by: socialist | November 01, 2011 at 03:04 PM
The natives are restless:
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/response/promoting-innovation-and-competitive-markets-through-quality-patents
Note it was one of the first few responses. Gathering thousands of sigs in a day and got a response before it even hit 25k.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/responses
New one is already up.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/pursue-software-patent-abolition/fHkD8wYM
I seem to recall a leader that once replied similarly to a question put to her.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Antoinette
It would seem prudent for all who love the patent system to sign all petitions I just posted.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/take-petitions-seriously/bHPkPddj
Posted by: 6 | November 01, 2011 at 09:29 PM
"US finally followed China's planned economy on state sponsored technology innovation."
Just what is wrong with the US offering some state sponsored tech inovation sir? That is a good thing and we've been doing it since the 40's at least. Just adding some cash prizes in can't hurt.
Posted by: 6 | November 01, 2011 at 09:31 PM
This seems more as a politics rather than a business. The experts are the overtly Republican kind of business owner, which are plenty, whereas the democrat leaning enterprise management who were scary before, they had guaranteed the incorrect man are returning on area.
Posted by: Patent post grant review | November 01, 2011 at 11:42 PM