The term “ARPA–E” means the Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy established by subsection (b).
There is established the Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy within the Department to overcome the long-term and high-risk technological barriers in the development of energy technologies.
There shall be in the Department of Energy a Director of ARPA-E, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
No other programs within the Department shall report to the Director.
In carrying out this section, the Director may provide awards in the form of grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, cash prizes, and other transactions.
The Director shall establish and maintain within ARPA–E a staff with sufficient qualifications and expertise to enable ARPA–E to carry out the responsibilities of ARPA–E under this section in conjunction with other operations of the Department.
The Secretary, or the Director serving as an agent of the Secretary, may contract with private recruiting firms for the hiring of qualified technical staff to carry out this section.
As part of the annual budget request submitted for each fiscal year, the Director shall provide to the relevant authorizing and appropriations committees of Congress a report describing projects supported by ARPA-E during the previous fiscal year.
Not later than October 1, 2010, and October 1, 2013, the Director shall provide to the relevant authorizing and appropriations committees of Congress a roadmap describing the strategic vision that ARPA-E will use to guide the choices of ARPA-E for future technology investments over the following 3 fiscal years.
To the maximum extent practicable, the Director shall ensure that the activities of ARPA-E are coordinated with, and do not duplicate the efforts of, programs and laboratories within the Department and other relevant research agencies.
To the extent appropriate, the Director may coordinate technology transfer efforts with the Technology Transfer Coordinator appointed under section 16391 of this title.
After ARPA-E has been in operation for 6 years, the Secretary shall offer to enter into a contract with the National Academy of Sciences under which the National Academy shall conduct an evaluation of how well ARPA-E is achieving the goals and mission of ARPA-E.
The budget request for ARPA-E shall be separate from the rest of the budget of the Department.
Appropriations to the Fund shall be separate and distinct from the rest of the budget for the Department.