Call for Proposals for Projects to Develop New Technologies Date: Fri, 09 Oct 1998 14:09:30 -0400 To: "USGS Employees" From: Rosemarie Graves Subject: Call for Proposals In Reply Refer To: Mail Stop 211 MEMORANDUM To: All USGS Employees From: The Department of the Interior Technology Transfer Committee Subject: Call for Proposals for Projects to Develop New Technologies The Department of the Interior (DOI) or Technology Transfer Committee is issuing a call for proposals for technology development projects. The Technology Transfer Committee's prime objective is to use these funds as seed money for projects that have an excellent probability of generating new technology with high utility for the private sector and which will eventually generate additional royalty revenue to replace the present source. The majority share of new royalty income generated through this program will go to the bureau or bureaus where the inventions and/or licenses originated. The remaining funds will be put back into this "New Technologies" program to continue its sponsorship of technology development projects. This memorandum is a call for proposals for such projects. Proposals for the next year of funding (March 1999 - February 2000) on continuing projects are necessary as well as proposals for new projects. Proposals for new grants must be for projects that: develop technologies and/or intellectual property that has a high probability of transfer to the private sector. The technologies and/or intellectual property should reach maturity and be ready for transfer to the private sector in no more than 2 years. These funds also may augment existing projects that meet the aforementioned criteria, as long as the funds are used specifically to expedite the technology or product that is transferable to the private sector. Projects can be more than one year in length. The key factor is that there will be a product ready for transfer to the private sector in 2 years or sooner. Proposals for projects having the following characteristics will have the highest chance of success. These characteristics are, in priority order: 1. Projects with high visibility, high positive impact on the DOI, and a high probability of generating royalty income for the Department. 2. A clearly defined end product - there must be a technology and/or product developed by the project that is transferable to the private sector in a manner that may generate royalty income to the Department (patent or license). 3. Multi-bureau projects - personnel from at least two bureaus are involved in the work. Involvement of personnel from more than two bureaus is encouraged. Both ongoing (but not funded by this program) and new projects will be considered for new grants under this program. Instructions for preparing proposals for new grants as well as proposals for continued funding of existing grants can be found at: http://www.usgs.gov:8888/tech-transfer/grant.html Included with the instructions are the names and numbers of the divisional representatives to whom your proposal should be sent. Proposals are due to these representatives no later than November 23, 1998. Consider March 1999 as the start date for your project.