((a)) ** .—** The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall enter into a cost-sharing cooperative agreement, using a competitive process, with institutions, entities, or consortiums to carry out a program for the development, maturation, and testing of certifiable CLEEN aircraft, engine technologies, and jet fuels for civil airplanes.

((b)) ** .—** In this section, the term “CLEEN aircraft and engine technology” means continuous lower energy, emissions, and noise aircraft and engine technology.

((c)) ** .—** The Administrator shall establish the performance objectives for the program in terms of the specific objectives to reduce fuel burn, emissions and noise.

((d)) ** .—** In carrying out the program, the Administrator may provide that not less than 2 of the cooperative agreements entered into under this section involve the participation of an entity that is a small business concern (as defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act ()), provided that the submitted technology proposal of the entity meets, at a minimum, FAA Acquisition Management System requirements and requisite technology readiness levels for entry into the agreement, as determined by the Administrator.