Organizational and management reforms are needed in
NASA’s technology transfer effort, according to a panel
of the National Academy of Public Administration, which
recommended greater leadership commitment as well as
reformulated network and performance standards.
According to the panel’s report, “Technology Transfer:
Bringing Innovation to NASA”–available at
www.napa.org — a shift from commercializing NASA
technology to importing private sector technology into
the agency requires a set of tools not currently available.
“Technology transfer should be a core element of NASA’s
mission, but organizational changes, budget difficulties,
lack of program focus and a significant increase in
privately-funded research and development require the
agency to rethink how it organizes and administers the
function,” NAPA said.
The panel said major changes are needed, among them
relocating the technology transfer office to the office
of the administrator to help prioritize the process and
gain focus from top agency officials, program leaders
and major contractors, a move that would also increase
accountability.
It also said the agency should develop an evaluation
system with output measures that can gauge long-term
economic and social impact, and that can establish
Individual performance standards for officials.
Currently NASA has a network of six regional technology
transfer centers, and a national technology transfer
center, but the panel said they should be reformulated
and streamlined into “a more effective vehicle.”
