AUTHORITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FEDERALLYFUNDED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTERS TOPARTICIPATE IN MERIT—BASED TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHAND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.

SEC. 3136. AUTHORITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FEDERALLYFUNDED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTERS TOPARTICIPATE IN MERIT—BASED TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHAND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. (a) Authority.— Section 217(f)(1) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 (Public Law 103–337; 108 Stat. 2695) is amended— (1) by inserting “(A)” after (1)”; (2) by inserting “or of the Department of Energy” after “the Department of Defense”; and (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: “(B) A federally funded research and development center of the Department of Energy described in subparagraph (A) may respond to solicitations and announcements described in that subparagraph only for activities conducted by the center under contract with or on behalf of the Department of Defense.”. (b) Conforming Amendment.— Section 217(f)(2) of such Act is amended by inserting “(A)” after “(1)”.