LABORATORY QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM.

SEC. 211. LABORATORY QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM.(a) In General.—The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, shall carry out a program to be known as the “Laboratory Quality Enhancement Program” under which the Secretary shall establish the panels described in subsection (b) and direct such panels—(1) to review and make recommendations to the Secretary with respect to—(A) existing policies and practices affecting the science and technology reinvention laboratories to improve the mission effectiveness of such laboratories; and(B) new initiatives proposed by the science and technology reinvention laboratories;(2) to support implementation of current and future initiatives affecting the science and technology reinvention laboratories; and(3) to conduct assessments or data analysis on such other issues as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.(b) Panels.—The panels described in this subsection are:(1) A panel on personnel, workforce development, and talent management.(2) A panel on facilities, equipment, and infrastructure.(3) A panel on research strategy, technology transfer, and industry and university partnerships.(4) A panel on governance and oversight processes.(c) Composition of Panels.—(1) Each panel described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (b) may be composed of subject matter and technical management experts from—(A) laboratories and research centers of the Army, Navy, and Air Force;(B) appropriate Defense Agencies;(C) the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; and(D) such other entities as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.(2) The panel described in subsection (b)(4) shall be composed of—(A) the Director of the Army Research Laboratory;130 STAT. 2047(B) the Director of the Air Force Research Laboratory;(C) the Director of the Naval Research Laboratory;(D) the Director of the Engineer Research and Development Center of the Army Corps of Engineers; and(E) such other members as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.(d) Governance of Panels.—(1) The chairperson of each panel shall be selected by its members.(2) Each panel, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, shall transmit to the Science and Technology Executive Committee of the Department of Defense such information or findings on topics requiring decision or approval as the panel considers appropriate.(e) Discharge of Certain Authorities to Conduct Personnel Demonstration Projects.—Subparagraph (C) of section 342(b)(3) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 (Public Law 103–337; 108 Stat. 2721), as added by section 1114(a) of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (as enacted into law by Public Law 106–398; 114 Stat. 1654A–315), is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following: “through the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (who shall place an emphasis in the exercise of such authorities on enhancing efficient operations of the laboratory and who may, in exercising such authorities, request administrative support from science and technology reinvention laboratories to review, research, and adjudicate personnel demonstration project proposals)”.(f) Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory Defined.—In this section, the term “science and technology reinvention laboratory” means a science and technology reinvention laboratory designated under section 1105 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 10 U.S.C. 2358 note), as amended.