49 U.S.C. § 119: Advanced Research Projects Agency–Infrastructure

The term “ARPA–I” means the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Infrastructure established by subsection (b). The term “Department” means the Department of Transportation. The term “Director” means the Director of ARPA–I appointed under subsection (d). a unit of State or local government; an institution of higher education; a commercial entity; a research foundation; a trade or industry research collaborative; a federally funded research and development center; a research facility owned or funded by the Department; a collaborative that includes relevant international entities; and a consortia of 2 or more entities described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (H). The term “infrastructure” means any transportation method or facility that facilitates the transit of goods or people within the United States (including territories). roads; highways; bridges; airports; rail lines; harbors; and pipelines. The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Transportation. to overcome long-term challenges; and to advance the state of the art for United States transportation infrastructure. lower the long-term costs of infrastructure development, including costs of planning, construction, and maintenance; reduce the lifecycle impacts of transportation infrastructure on the environment, including through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; contribute significantly to improving the safe, secure, and efficient movement of goods and people; and promote the resilience of infrastructure from physical and cyber threats; and to ensure that the United States is a global leader in developing and deploying advanced transportation infrastructure technologies and materials. advance novel, early-stage research with practicable application to transportation infrastructure; translate techniques, processes, and technologies, from the conceptual phase to prototype, testing, or demonstration; develop advanced manufacturing processes and technologies for the domestic manufacturing of novel transportation-related technologies; and accelerate transformational technological advances in areas in which industry entities are unlikely to carry out projects due to technical and financial uncertainty. ARPA–I shall be headed by a Director, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Director shall be an individual who, by reason of professional background and experience, is especially qualified to advise the Secretary regarding, and manage research programs addressing, matters relating to the development of science and technology solutions to advance United States transportation infrastructure. be located within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology; and report to the Secretary. No other program within the Department shall report to the Director. approving new programs within ARPA–I; developing funding criteria, and assessing the success of programs, to achieve the goals described in subsection (c)(1) through the establishment of technical milestones; administering available funding by providing to eligible entities assistance to achieve the goals described in subsection (c)(1); terminating programs carried out under this section that are not achieving the goals of the programs; and establishing a process through which eligible entities can submit to ARPA–I unsolicited research proposals for assistance under this section in accordance with subsection (f). The Director shall establish and maintain within ARPA–I a staff with sufficient qualifications and expertise to enable ARPA–I to carry out the responsibilities under this section, in conjunction with other operations of the Department. The Director shall designate employees to serve as program directors for ARPA–I. establishing research and development goals for the applicable program, including by convening workshops and conferring with outside experts; publicizing the goals of the applicable program; soliciting applications for specific areas of particular promise, especially in areas that the private sector or the Federal Government are not likely to carry out absent assistance from ARPA–I; establishing research collaborations for carrying out the applicable program; the novelty and scientific and technical merit of proposed projects; the demonstrated capabilities of eligible entities to successfully carry out proposed projects; the extent to which an eligible entity took into consideration future commercial applications of a proposed project, including the feasibility of partnering with 1 or more commercial entities; and such other criteria as the Director may establish; identifying innovative cost-sharing arrangements for projects carried out or funded by ARPA–I; monitoring the progress of projects supported under the applicable program; identifying mechanisms for commercial application of successful technology development projects, including through establishment of partnerships between eligible entities and commercial entities; and program restructuring; or termination of applicable research partnerships or projects. shall serve for a term of 3 years; and may be reappointed for any subsequent term of service. make appointments of scientific, engineering, and professional personnel, without regard to the civil service laws; fix the basic pay of such personnel at such rate as the Director may determine, but not to exceed level II of the Executive Schedule, without regard to the civil service laws; and $25,000; an amount equal to 25 percent of the annual rate of basic pay of the employee; and the amount of the applicable limitation for a calendar year under section 5307(a)(1) of title 5 . The Director may enter into a contract with a private recruiting firm for the hiring of qualified technical staff to carry out this section. The Director may use all authorities available to the Secretary to hire administrative, financial, and clerical staff, as the Director determines to be necessary to carry out this section. the extent of current and prior efforts with respect to the project proposed to be carried out using the assistance, if applicable; and any current or prior investments in the technology area for which funding is requested, including as described in subsection (c)(2)(D). the novelty and scientific and technical merit of the research proposal; the demonstrated capabilities of the applicant to successfully carry out the research proposal; the extent to which the applicant took into consideration future commercial applications of the proposed research project, including the feasibility of partnering with 1 or more commercial entities; and such other criteria as the Director may establish; the goals described in subsection (c)(1); or an applicable transportation research and development strategic plan developed under section 6503; and would not duplicate any other Federal research being conducted or funded by another Federal agency; and explains why the research proposal was not selected, including whether the research proposal fails to cover an area of need; and recommends that the research proposal be submitted to another research program; or a written notice of the approval; and assistance in accordance with subsection (g) for the proposed research. a grant; a contract; a cooperative agreement; a cash prize; or another, similar form of funding. each such project that was funded as a result of an unsolicited research proposal; and each such project that examines topics or technologies closely related to other activities funded by the Department, including an analysis of whether the Director achieved compliance with subsection (i)(1) in supporting the project; and the instances of, and reasons for, the provision of assistance under this section for any projects being carried out by industry entities. Not later than October 1, 2022 , and not less frequently than once every 4 years thereafter, the Director shall submit to the relevant authorizing and appropriations committees of Congress a roadmap describing the strategic vision that ARPA–I will use to guide the selection of future projects for technology investment during the 4 fiscal-year period beginning on the date of submission of the report. the Department; and other relevant research agencies; and demonstrates sufficient attempts to secure private financing; or indicates that the project is not independently commercially viable. The Director shall seek opportunities to partner with purchasing and procurement programs of Federal agencies to demonstrate technologies resulting from activities funded through ARPA–I. to accomplish the goals of ARPA–I; to develop institutional capacity in advanced transportation infrastructure technologies and materials; to engage underserved populations in developing, demonstrating, and deploying those technologies and materials; and to otherwise address the needs of ARPA–I. partner with university transportation centers under section 5505 to accomplish the goals, and address the needs, of ARPA–I; and sponsor and select for funding, in accordance with section 5505, competitively selected university transportation center grants, in addition to the assistance provided under section 5505, to address targeted technology and material goals of ARPA–I. an existing advisory committee, office, or other group within the Department; and specific program tasks; or the overall direction of ARPA–I. the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology; the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy; and any professional or scientific organization with expertise relating to specific processes or technologies under development by ARPA–I. Not later than December 27, 2024 , the Secretary may enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences under which the National Academy shall conduct an evaluation of the achievement by ARPA–I of the goals described in subsection (c)(1). a recommendation regarding whether ARPA–I should be continued; a recommendation regarding whether ARPA–I, or the Department generally, should continue to allow entities to submit unsolicited research proposals; and the lessons learned from the operation of ARPA–I; and the manner in which those lessons may apply to the operation of other programs of the Department. Congress; and the public. commercial and financial information obtained from a person; privileged or confidential; and not subject to disclosure under section 552(b)(4) of title 5 . information relating to plans for commercialization of technologies developed using assistance provided under this section, including business plans, technology-to-market plans, market studies, and cost and performance models; information relating to investments provided to an eligible entity from a third party (such as a venture capital firm, a hedge fund, and a private equity firm), including any percentage of ownership of an eligible entity provided in return for such an investment; plans to invest, or has invested, in the technology developed using assistance provided under this section; or is seeking from a third party; and information relating to revenue from the licensing or sale of a new product or service resulting from research conducted using assistance provided under this section. shall be in addition to any existing authority provided to the Secretary; and shall not supersede or modify any other existing authority. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this section. The budget request for ARPA–I shall be separate from the budget request of the remainder of the Department. The funding appropriated for ARPA–I shall be separate and distinct from the funding appropriated for the remainder of the Department. in accordance with the goal described in subsection (c)(2)(D); and within the responsibilities of the program directors described in subsection (e)(2)(B)(viii); and none may be used for the construction of any new building or facility during the 5-year period beginning on the date of enactment of the Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021.