An FFRDC (Federally Funded Research and Development Corporation)- give me a few minutes and I might be able to find something more concrete for you like project names or individual's names.
University of Texas, Austin has shown up in records I've already located, but for projects like "Stormwater Impacts on Sediment Recontamination" (14ER03-025).
Give me a few…
First info uncovered- they made it a federal building in 1999:
106-72………. To designate the Federal building located at 300 East 8th Oct. 19, 1999…….. 1045
Street in Austin, Texas as the `J.J.Jake' Pickle
Federal Building''.
gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-1999-12-30/html/X99-11230.htm
As a side note which may or may not be related, there are a bunch of notices popping up on tech R&D funding for individuals with disabilities and The New Medium Consortium in Austin, TX.