Technology Unit’s Contributions
I wish to take issue with your article of Nov. 19 dealing with the Clinton Administration’s technology plans in which you refer to the Technology Administration as “obscure” and claim it has fallen short of expectations. Considering the fact that this is a new agency (created by legislation in 1988) with limited resources, it has made remarkable contributions.
This agency drew the line when Japan attempted to establish selective R & D arrangements with U.S. corporations and universities in the area of manufacturing technology. We now have an equitable international program involving many U.S. corporations and universities.
This agency created and spearheaded the National Technology Initiative, a program to stimulate the transfer of technology from the federal laboratories to U.S. industry. The President, vice president, several Cabinet members and more than 5,000 decision-makers from industry, academia and government took part in the 15 conferences. Today there are more than 1,400 R & D agreements between federal labs and private sector organizations.
This agency is changing the manufacturing culture in the U.S. by promoting quality through the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and by introducing manufacturing technologies to small manufacturers through our regional manufacturing centers. This agency has coordinated the development of standards that will facilitate the exchange of product design and manufacturing data from one computer system to another. This agency supports industry in the development of critical technologies through its Advanced Technology Program. In the first two years of the program, we have awarded $140 million to 38 projects involving 122 companies and 14 consortiums. Industry has more than matched these funds with a commitment of an additional $160 million.
This agency has the lead in coordinating the federal government’s annual $1.8-billion R & D investment in advanced materials.
It is this agency that has the responsibility to ensure that international science and technology agreements contain adequate protection for American patents and other intellectual property. Ten such agreements have been established.
It was this agency that brought together public and private sector representatives in critical technologies to explore forming strategic partnerships to accelerate their development.
ROBERT M. WHITE
Undersecretary of Commerce
for Technology
Washington
