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PUBLIC LAW 100-418—AUG. 23, 1988
102 STAT. 1519
"(ii) to assist in developing incubator facilities to encourage new economic initiatives; "(iii) to provide technical assistance linking university Marketing expertise and private sector resources to solve technical, marketing, and manufacturing problems associated with technology-transfer and start-up businesses; and "(iv) to ensure consideration of the economic development Rural areas. Urban areas. needs of rural as well as urban areas within the region. "(B) The Secretary shall reserve not less than $3,000,000 of amounts appropriated pursuant to subparagraph (A) for the purpose of carrying out the Training Technology Transfer Act of 1988. "(2) In carrying out the requirements of this section, regional technology-transfer centers are authorized— "(A) to build on or, where needed, develop telecommuni- Communications cations systems to link the centers and their affiliates with and telecommunications. industrial users; "(B) to build on or develop necessary computer networks and data bases; and "(C) to utilize or help develop regional and national libraries. Libraries. "(b) Financial assistance to each center shall be awarded competitively. Such financial assistance shall be awarded for the establishment or operation of such centers. "(c) Each regional center established shall be operated by an appropriately qualified college or university within the region, a consortium of such schools within the region, or a university-related research park or center, and such regional center shall, where deemed necessary, establish one or more affiliate centers at colleges and universities based in other States within the region. "(d) In establishing such centers, the institutions applying shall show in their application— "(1) how the center will facilitate the economy of the region; "(2) that the center's mission is compatible with the economic development plans of States in the region; and "(3) that appropriate consultation with the relevant State agencies concerned with economic development has taken place, "(e)(1) Such center also may be operated by a consortium composed of an entity or entities described in subsection (c), and an existing campus-based research entity, or other State and local agencies, nonprofit agencies, interstate higher education organizations, or, where appropriate, for-profit agencies. The Secretary, Regulations. through r^ulation, shall determine a mechanism for assessing the percentage of operating costs paid by other members of a technology transfer consortium arrangements. "(2) For purpose of paragraph (1), the term 'existing campus-based research facilities includes agricultural research facilities, mining and minerals research facilities; forestry and wood-products research facilities, solar renewable energy research facilities, high technology facilities, and manufacturing technology research facilities. "(f) Each such center shall establish a Board to advise the center on policy. Such board shall be— "(1) representative of the States involved in the region; and "(2) consist of representatives for urban areas, rural areas, ethnic concerns, business, labor, and education. "(g)(1) Grants for each center shall be awarded for a 5-year period. Grants. Before the end of such period, the Secretary shall conduct a competition for the award of grants for the succeeding 5-year period.
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