(a) Short title
This section may be cited as the "Spectrum Challenge Prize Act".

(b) Definition of prize competition
In this section, the term "prize competition" means a prize competition conducted by the Secretary under subsection (c)(1).

(c) Spectrum Challenge Prize

(1) In general
The Secretary, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, shall, subject to the availability of funds for prize competitions under this section—

(A) conduct prize competitions to dramatically accelerate the development and commercialization of technology that improves spectrum efficiency and is capable of cost-effective deployment; and

(B) define a measurable set of performance goals for participants in the prize competitions to demonstrate their solutions on a level playing field while making a significant advancement over the current state of the art.

(2) Authority of Secretary
In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary may—

(A) enter into a grant, contract, cooperative agreement, or other agreement with a private sector for-profit or nonprofit entity to administer the prize competitions;

(B) invite the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Commission, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, or any other Federal agency to provide advice and assistance in the design or administration of the prize competitions; and

(C) award not more than $5,000,000, in the aggregate, to the winner or winners of the prize competitions.

(d) Criteria
Not later than 180 days after the date on which funds for prize competitions are made available pursuant to this section, the Commission shall publish a technical paper on spectrum efficiency providing criteria that may be used for the design of the prize competitions.

(e) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.