Return on Investment Model for Air Force Technology Transfer

摘要

Air Force policy states the fundamental reason for participating in technology transfer is to maximize the return on investment (ROI) on research and development (R&D) funds. Public law dictates that federal agencies, including the Air Force, are to spend no less than 0.5% of their overall R&D budget in the pursuit of technology transfer. However, there is currently no ROI model available to the decision maker in the evaluation of alternative transfer opportunities. This research effort develops a model that measures the ROI of individual cooperative research and development agreements (CIWAs) on the basis of the objective and subjective benefits amassed. The model results assist the decision maker by providing a relative ranking of each transfer opportunity in comparison to one another. A sensitivity analysis method and results are included which identity definite regions of alternate optimal choices depending on the weight given to objective and subjective benefits. Consequently, the decision maker is provided with a flexible model for use in maximizing ROI, the Air Force's goal for technology transfer.