PHS Technology Transfer Policy Board

The purpose of the PHS Technology Transfer Policy Board (TTPB) is to serve as the principal advisory board to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as lead agency in the PHS technology transfer program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in establishing PHS technology transfer policies and modifying existing policies, as applicable.

The function of the TTPB is:

• to serve as an internal advisory board to the NIH, CDC, and FDA on all matters related to the Federal Technology Transfer Act (FTTA) and the PHS technology transfer program;
• to recommend to the Director, NIH, PHS policies and agency procedures concerning the establishment, review, administration, and monitoring of Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) by PHS agencies, via the CRADA Review Subcommittee;
• the CRADA Review Subcommittee reviews agreements and submits them to the Technology Transfer Policy Board for final approval recommendation. Generally, all CRADAs containing exclusive licensing-related clauses must be reviewed by the agency’s CRADA Review Subcommittee;
• to recommend to the Director, NIH, PHS policies and agency procedures concerning all aspects of patenting PHS inventions and discoveries;
• to recommend to the Director, NIH, PHS policies and agency procedures concerning all aspects of licensing of intellectual property held by the PHS including the management and use of royalty fees received;
• to provide, in conjunction with the NIH Office of Technology Transfer, on-going training and education of scientific and management staff of the NIH, CDC, and FDA on the laws, regulations, policies, and agency procedures as they relate to the FTTA and PHS technology transfer program.

Meetings

The TTPB shall meet once a quarter, but may meet more frequently at the call of the Chair. In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall chair the meetings. The Vice-Chair shall appoint an Executive Secretary, who shall draft agendas for approval by the Chair and Vice-Chair and shall record the minutes of the meetings.

Membership

The TTPB shall consist of 13 full-time Federal employees, including the Chair. The members shall be:

• Deputy Director for Intramural Research (Chair)
• Director, Office of Technology Transfer, NIH (Vice-Chair)
• One representative from the Office of Extramural Research, NIH
• The NIH Legal Advisor, nonvoting ex officio
• Two representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• One representative from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Chair, Technology Development Coordinators (TDCs) Group
• Five representatives from the NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs), including:
  • Three intramural scientists familiar with technology transfer issues
  • Two administrative/management staff familiar with technology transfer issues

The Deputy Director for Intramural Research, the Director of the Office of Technology Transfer, the Chair of the Technology Development Coordinators, and the NIH Legal Advisor, nonvoting ex officio, shall be permanent members. All other TTPB members shall serve three-year terms on a staggered basis.

The Director, NIH; the Director, CDC; and the Commissioner of Foods and Drugs, shall each name principal and alternate members for their respective organizations. Each TTPB member shall have an alternate, who shall attend in the absence of the principal member. No other substitutions shall be permitted. The alternate shall be a full-time Federal employee. The members shall represent their respective organizations with the exception of the NIH Legal Advisor, who acts as counsel to the TTPB, and the five representatives of the NIH ICs, who shall represent the entire NIH intramural and extramural research programs.

A quorum shall consist of eight (8) voting members, which will be required for the conduct of business. Each member will be entitled to one vote with decisions determined by a majority of the members present and voting. When serving in lieu of the principal member, the alternate shall have full voting rights.