Supplemental Opportunity for SBIR/STTR Memberships in I/UCRCs
MEMORANDUM
To: |
NSF Small Business Innovation Research Grantees
(SBIR/STTR) |
|
Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC)
Directors |
From: |
Dr. Kesh Narayanan, Division Director |
|
Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships |
Re: |
Supplemental Opportunity for SBIR/STTR Memberships in I/UCRCs |
Dear Colleagues:
This supplement aims to accelerate the innovation process by partnering
industry relevant academic research with commercialization focused
small business research. It is designed to open the doors for
small businesses to benefit from the collaborative research performed
at Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs)
by inviting supplemental requests from Small Business Innovation
Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) grantees
to join an I/UCRC. These centers conduct research directed to
the needs of specific industries.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLEMENT OPPORTUNITY
The Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology
Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program stimulates entrepreneurship in this
country through government support for research in small business. These
small firms often need additional research to bring their products
to commercialization. One method of providing this needed research
is by enabling small businesses to obtain memberships in an I/UCRC.
The I/UCRC program develops long-term partnerships among
industry, academe, and government. The centers are
catalyzed by a small investment from the National Science
Foundation (NSF) and are primarily supported by center members,
with NSF taking a supporting role in their development and
evolution. I/UCRCs stimulate highly leveraged industry, university,
and U.S. government cooperation by focusing on research recommended
by Industrial Advisory Boards.
Prospective PIs should contact an I/UCRC (see http://www.nsf.gov/eng/iip/iucrc/directory/index.jsp for
a list) to learn more about that center’s scope of research
and its membership agreement. A major advantage of membership for
a small business is access to royalty-free, non-exclusive rights
to center generated Intellectual Property (IP) developed during
the membership. A letter of endorsement by the center must be included
with the supplement request.
Anticipated Funding Amount: This supplement enables NSF SBIR/STTR
grantee firms to purchase affordable memberships in an I/UCRC. Membership fees
vary at each center from $25,000 to $50,000 per year. The requested duration
for an award is 12 months. The award for supplements in this program is equal
to the membership fee for the I/UCRC center that the company is planning to
join, less $5,000 pending the availability of funds.
Supplement Due Date: May 2, 2007, then annually
on the first Wednesday in May.
Company Eligibility: Only companies with current SBIR Phase
II and Phase IIB awards are eligible to apply.
Estimated Number of Awards: Approximately 20 to 35
awards will be made to SBIR/STTR grantees.
PI Eligibility: The PI from
the primary SBIR company with an active Phase II/IIB award.
Limit on the number of supplements: Each
company may submit only one proposal.
Review: Proposals will be
reviewed internally by NSF staff.
Supplement Preparation Instructions: The
first line for the supplement description must include the
words “I/UCRC:” followed
by the name of the center that the small business wants to join. Proposals
for supplemental funding must be submitted through FastLane as
a supplement. The supplement must contain a letter of endorsement
from the site director of an I/UCRC that the small business wishes
to join. Contact information for centers can be found in the I/UCRC
directory at http://www.nsf.gov/eng/iip/iucrc/directory/index.jsp.
Proposals not following these instructions will be returned
without review. Call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188
or e-mail fastlane@nsf.gov for user support. The FastLane
Help Desk answers general technical questions related to
the use of the FastLane system. When contacting FastLane,
inform the technician that you are required to apply for
this opportunity as a supplement.
For More Information: Please
contact one of the following program officials if you
have questions about the SBIR - I/UCRC Membership Supplement.
- Error Arkilic, SBIR Program
Director, Room 590 N, telephone: (703) 292-8095, e-mail: earkilic@nsf.gov
- Edward Clancy, I/UCRC Program Director,
585 N, telephone: (703) 292-8383, e-mail: eclancy@nsf.gov
- Rathindra DasGupta, SBIR Program Director,
590 N, telephone: (703) 292-8353, e-mail: rdasgupt@nsf.gov
- Glenn Larsen, I/UCRC Program Director,
505 N, telephone: (703) 292-8383, e-mail: glarsen@nsf.gov
- Murali Nair, SBIR Program Director,
590 N, telephone: (703) 292-7059, e-mail: mnair@nsf.gov
- Alex Schwarzkopf, Senior I/UCRC
Program Manager, 585 N, telephone: (703) 292-8383,
e-mail: aschwarz@nsf.gov
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