§ 6501. Annual modal research plans

• (a)
  • (1) Not later than May 1 of each year, the head of each modal administration and joint program office of the Department of Transportation shall submit to the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology of the Department of Transportation (referred to in this chapter as the “Assistant Secretary”) a comprehensive annual modal research plan for the upcoming fiscal year and a detailed outlook for the following fiscal year.
  • (2) Each plan submitted under paragraph (1), after the plan required in 2016, shall be consistent with the strategic plan developed under section 6503.
• (b)
  • (1) Not later than September 1 of each year, the Assistant Secretary, for each plan and outlook submitted pursuant to subsection (a), shall—
    • (A) review the scope of the research; and
    • (B)
      • (i) approve the plan and outlook; or
      • (ii) request that the plan and outlook be revised and resubmitted for approval.
  • (2) Not later than January 30 of each year, the Secretary shall publish on a public website each plan and outlook that has been approved under paragraph (1)(B)(i).
  • (3) The Assistant Secretary may not approve any plan submitted by the head of a modal administration or joint program office pursuant to subsection (a) if any of the projects described in the plan duplicate significant aspects of research efforts of any other modal administration.
• (c) No funds may be expended by the Department of Transportation on research that has been determined by the Assistant Secretary under subsection (b)(3) to be duplicative unless—
  • (1) the research is required by an Act of Congress;
  • (2) the research was part of a contract that was funded before the date of enactment of this chapter;
  • (3) the research updates previously commissioned research; or
  • (4) the Assistant Secretary certifies to Congress that such research is necessary, and provides justification for such certification.
• (d)
  • (1) The Secretary shall annually certify to Congress that—
    • (A) each modal research plan has been reviewed; and
    • (B) there is no duplication of study for research directed, commissioned, or conducted by the Department of Transportation.
  • (2) If the Secretary, after submitting a certification under paragraph (1), identifies duplication of research within the Department of Transportation, the Secretary shall—
    • (A) notify Congress of the duplicative research; and
    • (B) submit to Congress a corrective action plan to eliminate the duplicative research.