Technology Maturation Projects In Reply Refer To: December 18, 1995 Mail Stop-104 MEMORANDUM To: All Employees From: Anton L. Inderbitzen Chief, Technology Transfer Office of the Director Subject: Technology Maturation Projects The following announcement is being distributed throughout the Department of the Interior (DOI). It provides all employees with a opportunity to compete for funding for certain, focussed project activities. The intent of this program is to support selected technologies developed by DOI employees that may be transferred to the private sector. Contacts are listed at the end of the announcement. For a paper copy of the proposal format and rating system, call the USGS contact. Please share this message with those USGS employees who do not have access to electronic mail. TECHNOLOGY MATURATION PROJECTS PURPOSE: To support DOI technology projects that are within a year of reaching the point of being ready for transfer to the private sector. The objective of this program is to take the end product, or a by-product, of an existing project, develop it to the point where it has utility to the private sector, and demonstrate that utility. These Technology Maturation (TM) funds also can be used to promote the technology to the private sector for transfer through a CRADA, license, or other mechanism. "These TM funds are not for the initiation of new projects or ideas." Projects supported by these funds must be completed within 12 months with the technology ready for transfer by the end of the year. Funds can be used for: o completion of a nearly finished project, product, or result that has potential utility to the private sector (Note: A finished project, product, or result can be hardware, software, a process, technology, or information that is packaged in another transferrable form), o development and demonstration of the utility of a technology, product, or result for the private sector, o promotion of a technology, product, or result available to the private sector through a technology transfer mechanism, or o any combination of the above activities. TM funding of approximately $100,000 or less per project is available. Funding needs of more than $100,000 will be considered, but strong justification is required. TM project duration should not exceed twelve months. Any DOI employee is eligible to apply for these TM funds as long as their subject project, product, or technology was developed within their Bureau as part of its mission responsibilities. HOW TO APPLY: Prepare a brief proposal (no more than 7 pages) and send it to your Bureau's representative on the DOI Technology Transfer Working Group. These people are listed at the end of this announcement. Each proposal must contain the following information in order to be considered for funding. o Name, DOI Bureau affiliation, address, phone number, FAX number and E-mail address of principal investigator and all other participants. o A brief history and more detailed description of the technology, product or result under consideration for the TM funds including its state of readiness for transfer to the private sector. o A discussion of the potential utility of the technology, product or result to the private sector. This discussion should include evidence and justification for the utility in the private sector, and what the use would be. Letter(s) of support from commercial or external entities validating the perceived value of the technology or product will significantly help sell the proposal. o A basic marketing plan, considering the following: ...who are your customers including the primary, secondary and tertiary segments of the market? ...what is the size of each segment, expected growth, economics? Think in terms of direct AND indirect users of your technology. In addition, include a list of existing market segments for this product; and your assessment of the likely frequency of use of the product or process in the market; what the demand level may be in each segment; recent trends affecting the market; how the product or process measures up in the "real world" from the customer's perspective. Think about: ... how you will get the product to market? ... how will you generate interest from your sources of business? ... how will you identify manufacturers, users, and marketers of the product? ... how will you show these customers that your product is beneficial to them? ... Note and explain any political, regulatory, or economic impediments to adoption of your technology? o A detailed plan of what will be done with the funds relative to the subject technology or product. This plan must state the objective of the TM project, how that objective will be accomplished, and what the state of the technology or product will be at the completion of the TM project. Specific tasks should be described to reach the objective, who will perform each task, and the time involved. o A schedule for the entire project delineating the planned tasks and definitive milestones. o A detailed budget for the entire project. Funds can be used for all legitimate expenses including, but not limited to, salaries (see below), travel, fabrication, testing, demonstration, and promotion costs. The budget should include all appropriate Bureau assessments/overhead charges. SALARIES The intent of this program is to gain maximum leverage with these limited new dollars for activities that would otherwise not occur. Although normal salaries can be included, they are better covered by the mission-related project or program that generated the subject "product". EVALUATION In the evaluation of the proposals, the criteria for success will be how closely the proposed project meets the objectives stated above. The Evaluation Sheet which will be used by the evaluators is attached for your information only (no action required). External (non-DOI) Federal government officials will review and evaluate the completed proposals and recommend proposals for funding. The DOI Technology Transfer Working Group will then select proposals, award funds and oversee the program. SCHEDULE Proposals should be submitted directly to your DOI Technology Transfer Working Group Representative, as listed below. Proposals should be submitted to the representative by February 2, 1996. The representatives will then review the proposals and have responses to the submitters by April 8, 1996, with an anticipated TM project start date of April 15, 1996. INFORMATION SOURCES For more information contact your Bureau's DOI Technology Transfer Working Group Representative listed below. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Dwight Hempel phone: (202)452-7778 FAX: (202)452-7708 BUREAU OF RECLAMATION Donald Ralston phone: (202)208-5671 FAX: (202)208-6252 FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Freeman Walker phone: (703)358-1938 FAX: (703)358-2269 NATIONAL BIOLOGICAL SERVICE Donald Minnich phone: (202)482-4838 FAX: (202)273-0825 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Warren Brown phone: (202)208-4285 FAX: (202)208-3762 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Tony Inderbitzen phone: (703)648-4450 FAX: (703)648-5470 OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING AND ENFORCEMENT Dennis Hunter phone: (202)208-2678 FAX: (202)219-3100 TECHNOLOGY MATURATION PROJECTS EVALUATION SHEET Proposal Title: Proposal # (i.e. agency designation - #): PASS/FAIL CRITERIA P F 1) There is a product, or result that can be transferred at completion of the proposed project. Note: A finished product or result can be hardware,software, a process, technology, or information that is packaged in another transferrable form. 2) The proposed project will be completed and the product ready for transfer in 12 months or less from project start date. Point Criteria: Importance This Proposal Score (a) (b) (a)*(b)= 3) The proposal substantiates 10 the value of the product to the user community. 4) The proposed budget: Is realistic and complete 6 Leverages existing 4 in-house funds or efforts 5) The proposed schedule is 9 realistic and complete. 6) The market plan is: Realistic (can be accomplished) 5 Comprehensive (will reach the majority of 3 potential customers) HIGHEST POSSIBLE SCORE 37 370 THIS PROPOSAL Reviewer (print name): Date: