; and (2) provide opportunity for public comment on guidelines and best practices, as appropriate. (c) Drone research challenges (1) Prize competition Pursuant to section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 ( 15 U.S.C. 3719 ), the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall carry out a program to award prizes competitively to stimulate research and development of innovative advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems technologies to expand upon and improve emergency response operations. (2) Plan for emergency response operations Each prize competition entry submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include a plan for advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems implementation in emergency response operations. (3) Prize amount In carrying out the program under paragraph (1), the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology may award not more than a total of $2,250,000 to one or more winners of the prize competition. (4) Report Not later than 60 days after the date on which a prize is awarded under the prize competition, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that describes the winning entry of the prize competition. (5) Consultation In carrying out the program under paragraph (1), the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology may consult with the heads of relevant departments and agencies of the Federal Government. (d) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Institute of Standards and Technology to carry out this section— (1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; (2) $21,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; (3) $22,050,000 for fiscal year 2026; (4) $23,152,500 for fiscal year 2027