Sandia National Laboratories Impacts

Technology transfer (T2) from government laboratories to private sector partners is an activity encouraged by the federal government through policy mandates. This study evaluates the economic outcomes of T2 contracts between Sandia National Laboratories and outside partners between 2000 and 2010 to quantify the economic contribution of these agreements to the U. S. economy and identify their practical value to the federal government. The research team surveyed T2 partners by asking questions regarding sales of new products and services resulting from the T2 agreements. They asked additional questions of companies whose agreements focused on nuclear weapons, stockpiles, and non-proliferation. The team obtained full or partial information from 93% of the Cooperative Research and Development agreements and license agreements. The IMPLAN economic impact assessment model was used to estimate the economic impact of the related technologies. Major findings from the study included $53.7 billion in total sales of new products and services from these agreements, including $21.9 billion in sales of products to the government. The total economic impact nationwide was $95.9 billion. Other findings included $9.9 billion in new tax revenues, nearly $1.7 billion in estimated cost savings, and 434,464 jobs supported, with an average compensation of approximately $69,000 per year.

Back to Home page