---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 5506"
title: "49"
title_heading: "Transportation"
number: "5506"
heading: "Advanced transportation research initiative"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/5506"
units:
  - "Subtitle III — General and Intermodal Programs"
  - "Chapter 55 — Intermodal Transportation"
  - "Subchapter I — General"
---

# §5506. Advanced transportation research initiative

- (a) **Definition of Eligible Entity.—** In this section, the term “eligible entity” means—
  - (1) a [State](/usc/49/5102.md?p=12) agency;
  - (2) a local government agency;
  - (3) an institution of higher education (as defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ([20 U.S.C. 1002](/usc/20/1002.md))), including a university transportation center established under [section 5505](/usc/49/5505.md);
  - (4) a nonprofit organization, including a nonprofit research organization; and
  - (5) a private sector organization working in collaboration with an entity described in any of paragraphs [(1)](#a-1) through [(4)](#a-4).
- (b) **Pilot Program.—** The [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) of Transportation (referred to in this section as the “[Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11)”) shall establish an advanced transportation research pilot program under which the [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11)—
  - (1) shall establish a process for eligible entities to submit to the [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) unsolicited research proposals; and
  - (2) may enter into arrangements with 1 or more eligible entities to fund research proposed under [paragraph (1)](#b-1), in accordance with this section.
- (c) **Eligible Research.—** The [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) may enter into an arrangement with an eligible entity under this section to fund research that—
  - (1) addresses—
    - (A) a research need identified by—
      - (i) the [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11); or
      - (ii) the Administrator of a modal administration of the [Department](/usc/49/6301.md?p=2) of Transportation; or
    - (B) an issue that the [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) determines to be important; and
  - (2) is not duplicative of—
    - (A) any other Federal research project; or
    - (B) any project for which funding is provided by another Federal agency.
- (d) **Project Review.—** The [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) shall—
  - (1) review each research proposal submitted under the pilot program established under [subsection (b)](#b); and
  - (2)
    - (A) if funding is denied for the research proposal—
      - (i) provide to the eligible entity that submitted the proposal a written notice of the denial that, as applicable—
        - (I) explains why the research proposal was not selected, including whether the research proposal fails to cover an area of need; and
        - (II) recommends that the research proposal be submitted to another research program; and
      - (ii) if the [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) recommends that the research proposal be submitted to another research program under [clause (i)(II)](#d-2-A-i-II), provide guidance and direction to—
        - (I) the eligible entity; and
        - (II) the proposed research program office; or
    - (B) if the research proposal is selected for funding—
      - (i) provide to the eligible entity that submitted the proposal a written notice of the selection; and
      - (ii) seek to enter into an arrangement with the eligible entity to provide funding for the proposed research.
- (e) **Coordination.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** The [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) shall ensure that the activities carried out under [subsection (c)](#c) are coordinated with, and do not duplicate the efforts of, programs of the [Department](/usc/49/6301.md?p=2) of Transportation and other Federal agencies.
  - (2) **Intraagency coordination.—** The [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) shall coordinate the research carried out under this section with—
    - (A) the research, education, and technology transfer activities carried out by grant recipients under [section 5505](/usc/49/5505.md); and
    - (B) the research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities of other relevant programs of the [Department](/usc/49/6301.md?p=2) of Transportation, including all modal administrations of the [Department](/usc/49/6301.md?p=2).
  - (3) **Interagency collaboration.—** The [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) shall coordinate, as appropriate, regarding fundamental research with the potential for application in the transportation sector with—
    - (A) the [Director](/usc/49/6301.md?p=3) of the Office of Science and Technology Policy;
    - (B) the [Director](/usc/49/6301.md?p=3) of the National Science Foundation;
    - (C) the [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) of Energy;
    - (D) the [Director](/usc/49/6301.md?p=3) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology;
    - (E) the [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) of Homeland Security;
    - (F) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;
    - (G) the [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) of Defense; and
    - (H) the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11).
- (f) **Review, Evaluation, and Report.—** Not less frequently than biennially, in accordance with the plan developed under [section 6503](/usc/49/6503.md), the [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) shall—
  - (1) review and evaluate the pilot program established under [subsection (b)](#b), including the research carried out under that pilot program; and
  - (2) make public on a website of the [Department](/usc/49/6301.md?p=2) of Transportation a report describing the review and evaluation under [paragraph (1)](#f-1).
- (g) **Federal Share.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** The Federal share of the cost of an activity carried out under this section shall not exceed 80 percent.
  - (2) **Non-federal share.—** All costs directly incurred by the non-Federal partners (including personnel, travel, facility, and hardware development costs) shall be credited toward the non-Federal share of the cost of an activity carried out under this section.
- (h) **Limitation on Certain Expenses.—** Of any amounts made available to carry out this section for a fiscal year, the [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) may use not more than 1.5 percent for coordination, evaluation, and oversight activities under this section.
- (i) **Authorization of Appropriations.—** There is authorized to be appropriated to the [Secretary](/usc/49/5102.md?p=11) to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 117–58, div. B, title V, § 25013(a), Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 867.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 5506, added Pub. L. 105–178, title V, § 5111(a), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 444; amended Pub. L. 109–59, title V, § 5402(a), Aug. 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 1815; Pub. L. 110–244, title I, §§ 111(g)(3), 116, June 6, 2008, 122 Stat. 1605, 1607, related to grants for university transportation research, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title II, § 52010(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 887, effective Oct. 1, 2012.