UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INITIATIVE SUPPORT PROGRAM.

SEC. 802. UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INITIATIVE SUPPORT PROGRAM. (a) Establishment.—The Secretary of Defense, through the Director of Defense Research and Engineering, shall establish a University Research Initiative Support Program. (b) Purpose.—Under the program, the Director shall award grants and contracts to eligible institutions of higher education to support the conduct of research and development relevant to requirements of the Department of Defense. (c) Eligibility.—An institution of higher education is eligible for a grant or contract under the program if the institution has received less than a total of $2,000,000 in grants and contracts from the Department of Defense in the two fiscal years before the fiscal year in which the institution submits a proposal for such grant or contract. (d) Competition Required.—The Director shall use competitive procedures in awarding grants and contracts under the program. (e) Selection Process.—In awarding grants and contracts under the program, the Director shall use a merit-based selection process that is consistent with the provisions of section 2361(a) of title 10, United States Code. Such selection process shall require that each person selected to participate in such a merit-based selection process be a member of the faculty or staff of an institution of higher education that is a member of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges or the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. (f) Regulations.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall prescribe regulations for carrying out the program. (g) Funding.—Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under section 201, $20,000,000 shall be available for the University Research Initiative Support Program.