105 STAT. 1428 PUBLIC LAW 102-190—DEC. 5, 1991 than competitive procedures may be used in any case in which an exception set out in section 2304(c) of this title applies. "(t) SELECTION CRITERIA.— The criteria for the selection of proposed partnerships for establishment under this section shall include the following: "(1) The extent to which the program proposed to be conducted by the partnership advances and enhances the national security interests of the United States. "(2) The technical excellence of the program proposed to be conducted by the partnership. "(3) The qualifications of the personnel proposed to participate in the partnership's research activities. "(4) A likelihood that there will not be timely private sector investment in activities to achieve the goals and objectives of the proposed partnership other than through the partnership. "(5) The potential effectiveness of the partnership in the further development and application of technology proposed to be developed by the partnership for the defense industrial base. "(6) The extent of the financial commitment of eligible firms to the proposed partnership. "(7) Such other criteria that the Secretary prescribes. "§2524. Critical technology application centers assistance program "(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Defense, in consultation and coordination with the Secretary of Commerce, shall conduct a program to provide assistance for the activities of eligible regional critical technology application centers in the United States, "(b) ELIGIBLE CENTERS.— A regional critical technology application center is eligible for assistance under the program if— "(1) the purpose of the center is to facilitate the use of one or more defense critical technologies for defense and commercial purposes by an industry in the region served by that center in order to maintain within the United States industrial capabilities that are vital to the national security of the United States; and "(2) the center meets the other requirements of this section. "(c) PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. —(1) The participants in a critical technology application center— "(A) shall include— "(i) eligible firms that conduct business in the region of the United States served or to be served by the center; and "(ii) a sponsoring agency in such region; and "(B) may include other organizations considered appropriate by the Secretary of Defense. "(2)(A) A sponsoring agency of a center may be any agency described in subparagraph (B) that, as determined by the Secretary, provides adequate assurances that it will— "(i) meet the financial requirement in subsection (e); and "(ii) provide assistance in the management of the center. "(B) An agency referred to in subparagraph (A) is any of the following: "(i) An agency of a State or local government, "(ii) A nonprofit organization established, or performing functions, pursuant to an agreement entered into by two or more States or local governments.
�
