Provisions in the final bill

• Establishes an Infrastructure Modernization Initiative for NNSA labs and facilities
• Directs the under secretary of defense for research and engineering (USD(R&E)) to initiate reviews of DOD policies that inhibit the mission of the department’s innovation, research, and engineering enterprise
• Establishes USD(R&E) as the official with principal responsibility for directed energy weapons and authorizes $100 million to perform a program of prototyping and demonstration of those weapons
• Establishes new mechanisms through which DOD can establish cooperative arrangements “to facilitate expedited access to university technical expertise”
• Directs a series of reforms to Air Force and DOD space activities
• For further information, see “Congress Passes National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018"

Provisions in the House bill

• Establishes a Space Corps within the Department of the Air Force
• Directs DOD and DOE to conduct a pilot program to facilitate the licensure, transfer, and commercialization of innovative technologies
• Directs DOD to assess the status of its STEM, maintenance, and manufacturing workforce, and to develop a plan of action to address future needs
• Makes permanent DOD’s authority to award prizes for achievements in advanced technology and allows for the issuance of non-monetary awards
• Directs DOD to conduct a nuclear weapon design competition
• For further information, see “House and Senate Bringing Differing R&D Policies to Defense Bill Conference”

Provisions in the Senate bill

• Directs the under secretary of defense for research and engineering (USD(R&E)) to initiate reviews of DOD policies that inhibit the mission of the department’s innovation, research, and engineering enterprise
• Establishes USD(R&E) as the official with principal responsibility for directed energy weapons and authorizes $200 million to perform a program of prototyping and demonstration of those weapons
• Designates additional “Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratories,” extending to them special authorities, such as hiring authorities, that are already granted to other such DOD research facilities
• Establishes new mechanisms through which DOD can establish cooperative arrangements “to facilitate expedited access to university technical expertise”
• Differentiates R&D activities from “service” activities to facilitate the implementation of contracting procedures designed to accommodate the peculiarities of R&D work
• Modifies statutory language to expand competitive selection for awards from “basic research” to include all “research and development”
• For further information, see “House and Senate Bringing Differing R&D Policies to Defense Bill Conference”