The Federated Laboratory operational concept

The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has implemented an innovative program for partnering with the private sector called the Federated Laboratory (FedLab). Driven by the requirement to develop technology in areas where the private sector has both the technical lead and a substantial investment, ARL decided to use a relatively new instrument, the Cooperative Agreement, to fund consortia of industry and universities to work in partnership with government researchers. This innovative program has been under way for four years. Strong collaborative relationships have been established with these consortia of industry and university partners, and they are pursuing high-quality science and technology. The collaborative nature of these partnerships has greatly facilitated not only the transfer of knowledge within FedLab, but also the transfer of innovative technologies to Army and other customer applications. The program has been recognized by the Office of the Vice President with a Hammer Award as an example of reinventing the way the government does business. The Army and ARL intend to build on these programs and initiate a new expanded FedLab that will produce key technologies to enable the new Army Vision.