---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 5512"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "5512"
heading: "Grand Challenges in areas of national importance"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/5512"
units:
  - "Chapter 81 — High-Performance Computing"
  - "Subchapter I — Networking and Information Technology Research and Development"
---

# §5512. Grand Challenges in areas of national importance

- (a) **In general—** The [Program](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8) shall encourage the [participating agencies](/usc/15/5503.md?p=7) to support foundational, large-scale, long-term, interdisciplinary, and interagency information technology research and development activities in [networking and information technology](/usc/15/5503.md?p=6) directed toward agency mission areas that have the potential for significant contributions to national economic competitiveness and for other significant societal benefits. Such activities, ranging from basic research to the demonstration of technical solutions, shall be designed to advance the development of fundamental discoveries. The advisory committee established under [section 5511(b) of this title](/usc/15/5511.md?p=b) shall make recommendations to the [Program](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8) for candidate research and development areas for support under this section.
- (b) **Characteristics—**
  - (1) **In general—** Research and development activities under this section shall—
    - (A) include projects selected on the basis of applications for support through a competitive, merit-based process;
    - (B) to the extent practicable, involve collaborations among researchers in institutions of higher education and industry, and may involve nonprofit research institutions and Federal laboratories, as appropriate;
    - (C) to the extent practicable, leverage Federal investments through collaboration with related [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) and private sector initiatives; and
    - (D) include a plan for fostering the transfer of research discoveries and the results of technology demonstration activities, including from institutions of higher education and Federal laboratories, to industry for commercial development.
  - (2) **Cost-sharing—** In selecting applications for support, the agencies may give special consideration to projects that include cost sharing from non-Federal sources.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 102–194, title I, § 102, as added Pub. L. 114–329, title I, § 105(i), Jan. 6, 2017, 130 Stat. 2982.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 5512, Pub. L. 102–194, title I, § 102, Dec. 9, 1991, 105 Stat. 1598, related to the National Research and Education Network, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 114–329, title I, § 105(g), Jan. 6, 2017, 130 Stat. 2982.