Bill > S784

This bill, the Microlab Technology Commercialization Act of 2015, authorizes the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to establish a program creating "microlabs," which are small laboratories situated near national laboratories and accessible to the public. The purpose of these microlabs is to foster collaboration with regional research entities like universities and businesses, speed up the process of bringing technologies developed at national laboratories to the market, and boost local workforce development through education and training in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The Secretary will consider factors such as a national laboratory's commitment, the availability of suitable facilities near the lab, the presence of personnel from national labs, academia, industry, and government, and any cost-sharing contributions from state, local, or private entities when deciding where to place these microlabs. The bill also mandates that the DOE begin the process of determining microlab locations within 60 days of enactment and implement the program within 180 days, with reporting requirements to Congress on the program's implementation and progress, and authorizes $50 million for fiscal year 2016 to carry out these provisions.