To promote the use of cooperative research and development agreements by the Department of Energy National Laboratories, and for other purposes.
Instructs the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to direct DOE national laboratories, including those administered by the National Nuclear Security Administration, to enter into new or increase the federal share of existing cooperative research and development agreements to better carry out DOE missions.
Directs the Secretary to ensure that: (1) special consideration is given to agreements that include small business firms and consortia involving such firms; and (2) the performance evaluation metrics of each national laboratory operating contractor provide incentives for, and measure the effectiveness of, such contractor's cooperative research and development agreement program at maturing laboratory technology and transferring it to the private sector.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.