The Commerce Department’s Advanced Technology Program (ATP, www.atp.nist.gov) opened a new competition for cost-sharing awards to support high-risk industrial research and development projects. The program offers funding for specific research projects by individual companies or industry-led joint ventures in order to accelerate the development of challenging, high-risk technologies.
The ATP is managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, www.nist.gov).
The ATP expects to have approximately $60 million for awards from this competition. Projects are selected in a competitive, peer-reviewed process. Project proposals must be submitted to the ATP by 3 p.m. EST on Monday, May 21, 2007.
The ATP provides multiyear funding on a cost-shared basis for technically challenging, high-risk research that has the potential for broad national benefit. The program encourages path-breaking research on emerging or enabling technologies that lead to revolutionary new products and industrial processes and services that address national priorities and generate large societal benefits.
As examples, the ATP cites four multidisciplinary technological areas that would affect a multitude of industry sectors and applications, and represent technology frontiers with many technical challenges. These areas have been identified by multiple industrial roadmaps and policy documents and reflect well-known technology priorities for the nation:
• Technologies for Advanced and Complex Systems
• Challenges in Advanced Materials and Devices
• 21st Century Manufacturing, and
• Nanotechnology
The competition, however, is open to technology research projects from any area of technology. Proposals are evaluated on the basis of detailed selection criteria reflecting scientific and technological merit and potential for broad-based economic benefits.
ATP projects typically are multiyear. A single company can receive up to a total of $2 million for R&D activities for up to three years. For single-company recipients ATP funds may only be used to pay direct costs. A joint venture can receive funds for R&D activities for up to five years with no funding limitation other than available funds.
To provide potential applicants with general information regarding the program, tips on preparing proposals, and the opportunity for questions and answers, the ATP is holding five public Proposer Conferences on April 13, 2007, in Gaithersburg, Md.; on April 16, 2007, in Detroit, Mich.; and on April 18, 2007, in Boston, Mass., and Los Angeles, Calif.; and on April 20, 2007, in Austin, Texas. There is no registration fee, and applicants are not required to attend one of these conferences. The April 13 Proposer Conference in Gaithersburg, Md., will be webcast.
Full information on the 2007 Advanced Technology Program competition and the Proposer Conferences is available at www.atp.nist.gov/atp/apply.htm. To request a copy of the April 2007 ATP Proposal Preparation Kit, submit an electronic request at www.atp.nist.gov/atp/atpform.htm or call ATP at 1-800-ATP-FUND (1-800-287-3863).
Courtesy of Flow Research
