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Advanced Technology Program: Inherent Factors in Selection Process Are Likely to Limit Identification of Similar Research

GAO-05-759T Published: May 26, 2005. Publicly Released: May 26, 2005.
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Highlights

The Advanced Technology Program (ATP) supports research that accelerates the development of high-risk technologies with the potential for broad-based economic benefits for the nation. Under the program, administrators at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are to ensure that they do not fund research that would be conducted in the same period without ATP funding. Between 1990 and September 2004, ATP funded 768 projects at a cost of about $2.3 billion. There is a continuing debate over whether the private sector has sufficient incentives to undertake research on high-risk, high-payoff emerging technologies without government support, such as ATP. This testimony discusses the results of GAO's April 2000 report, Advanced Technology Program: Inherent Factors in the Selection Process Could Limit Identification of Similar Research (GAO/RCED-00-114) and provides updated information. GAO determined (1) whether ATP had funded projects with research goals that were similar to projects funded by the private sector and (2) if ATP did, whether its award selection process ensures that such research would not be funded in the future.

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Conflict of interestsFederal fundsInformation technologyPrivate sectorProgram evaluationResearch and developmentResearch grantsResearch program managementResearch programsStrategic planningTechnology assessmentBiotechnologyCritical technologiesEmerging technologiesbusiness relations