§2374a. Prizes for advanced technology achievements

(a) Authority.-The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, may carry out a program to award cash prizes in recognition of outstanding achievements in basic, advanced, and applied research, technology development, and prototype development that have the potential for application to the performance of the military missions of the Department of Defense.

(b) Competition Requirements.-The program under subsection (a) shall use a competitive process for the selection of recipients of cash prizes. The process shall include the widely-advertised solicitation of submissions of research results, technology developments, and prototypes.

(c) Limitations.-(1) The total amount made available for award of cash prizes in a fiscal year may not exceed $10,000,000.

(2) No prize competition may result in the award of more than $1,000,000 in cash prizes without the approval of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics.

(d) Relationship to Other Authority.-The program under subsection (a) may be carried out in conjunction with or in addition to the exercise of any other authority of the Director to acquire, support, or stimulate basic, advanced and applied research, technology development, or prototype projects.

(e) Annual Report.-Promptly after the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the administration of the program for that fiscal year. The report shall include the following:

(1) The military applications of the research, technology, or prototypes for which prizes were awarded.

(2) The total amount of the prizes awarded.

(3) The methods used for solicitation and evaluation of submissions, together with an assessment of the effectiveness of those methods.

(f) Period of Authority.-The authority to award prizes under subsection (a) shall terminate at the end of September 30, 2003.

(Added Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title II, §244(a), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 552 .)