why can't you trade specific techs?

[LGM]

Originally posted by LGM:
There is a way to give a specific tech. Give them a ship with the component on it. Then when they analyze the ship at a shipyard, they can only get tech levels that are on the ship. This is not a very cost effective method of trading. You can loan them an orbital shipyard so they can analyze the ship immediately at your base. You can even build a no engine ship to accomplish this feat.

I am not sure if you can pass on tech using facilities and planets.

I was implying this as a way to limit a tech gift to a certain level that is lower than your highest level. For example, if you have level 5, but want to give level 3, you use a level 3 Version of the component. In a diplomatic trade, if you offer one level to someone who has level 4, but claims level 2, you give them level 5 instead of level 3. My solution was to limit the level given. To give multiple levels, just give the same tech multiple times in diplomacy. I know that works as I have done it many times.