Opportunities for Currently NSF Supported and Self-Sustaining, Graduated Engineering Research Centers to Partner with Small Businesses (ERC & SBIR)

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Document Type: Grants Notice
Funding Number: 10-617
Agency: National Science Foundation
Opportunity Category: Discretionary
Posted Date: 9/17/2010
Creation Date: Dec 19, 2011
Original Closing Date for Applications: Feb 7, 2011
Current Closing Date for Applications: Waiting for new publication
Archive Date: Dec 19, 2011
Funding Instrument Type: Grant
Category of Funding Activity: Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Expected Number of Awards: 15
Estimated Total Program Funding: $3,400,000
Award Floor: $3,400,000
CFDA Number(s): 47.041 -- Engineering Grants
Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: Yes
Eligible Applicants: Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Additional Information on Eligibility: *Organization Limit: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: - Option 1: Eligibility for ERC Initiated Collaborations: Active or self-sustaining, graduated ERC initiated collaborations - with any already-established small R&D firm that meets the "small business" eligibility requirements as defined by the SBIR program (including active or graduated SBIR/STTR Phase I and Phase II grantees supported by any agency). Institutions with NSF-funded ERCs with active awards in the Classes of 2003-2008, or self-sustaining, graduated ERCs, listed in the Appendix, are eligible to apply directly to the Engineering Research Centers program for Option 1. A self-sustaining, graduated ERCis one that is defined as an ERC in the Classes of 1990 or later that is financially self-sustaining and retains ERC key features. This would include the two ERCs in the Class of 2000, even if they are operating on brief no-cost extensions.A list of self-sustaining, graduated ERCs is provided in the Appendix. Option 2: Eligibility for SBIR/STTR Initiated Collaborations: Active or graduated NSF SBIR/STTR Phase II initiated collaborations - with either an active or a self-sustaining, graduated ERC Only active or graduated NSF SBIR/STTR Phase II and Phase IIB awards are eligible to directly apply to this solicitation under Option 2. An active SBIR/STTR awardee is one with an NSF award, which has not yet expired. The "graduated" NSF supported SBIR/STTR has had an award that was successfully completed within the previous five years of the proposal deadline date. In addition, the company is only eligible to apply when an active or self-sustaining, graduated ERC listed in the Appendix participates in the collaborative research project. A potential list of SBIR/STTR members can be viewed using the NSF award search tool at <a href="http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/tab.do?dispatch=4">http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/tab.do?dispatch=4</a> and confining the search to Element Code 5373 or 1591 for awards. Details about the award and PI are viewable by clicking on the award number.
Description: This opportunity aims to enable currently supported NSF Engineering Research Centers (ERC) that are in the Classes of 2003-2008 and recently graduated, self-sustaining ERCs to benefit from the role of small firms in carrying out research to speed the translation of research results into commercial products and for small businesses to benefit from the innovative and leading-edge research performed at Engineering Research Centers (ERCs). These centers have pushed the boundaries of knowledge across a broad spectrum of technology fields while transferring a continuous stream of cutting-edge enabling and systems technologies to the market place through their industrial partners and spin-off start-up firms. Proposals are invited from the institutions with the 13 ongoing ERCs and the 22 recently graduated, self-sustaining ERCs in the Class of 1990 or later to perform collaborative research with ongoing and graduated SBIR/STTR Phase I and Phase II awardees funded by any agency and other small R&D firms. Proposals may also be submitted by NSF supported ongoing and graduated SBIR/STTR Phase II awardees who will collaborate with an ongoing or recently graduated, self-sustaining ERC for the purposes outlined in the solicitation. A self-sustaining graduated Engineering Research Center (ERC), for the purpose of this solicitation, is one that is defined as an ERC in the class of 1990 or later that is financially self-sustaining and retains ERC key features. Self-sufficiency was determined through a survey of graduated ERCs. This would include any ERC from earlier classes that was reestablished for a new term of NSF support through an ERC competition. The results of that survey, "Post Graduation Status of Engineering Research Centers - 2010," can be found at: http://www.erc-assoc.org/topics/6-nsf-policies.html. A list of currently NSF supported and self-sustaining graduated ERCs eligible to compete can be found in the Appendix. The goals of this effort are to: Speed the translation of ERC-generated research and technology advances to the marketplace and engage students more directly in the innovation process though collaboration between an ERC and a small R&D firm, andStrengthen the research capacity of the small R&D firm or SBIR/STTR awardee to speed the entry of its innovation into the marketplace and broaden its portfolio of marketable products through collaboration with an ERC. The result will be the creation of a mutually beneficial research and commercialization platform that joins ERCs and small R&D firms or SBIR/STTR companies. This platform will establish a partnership upon which the ERC and the firm can collaborate in the future and ERC students can learn about the innovation process.
Link to Additional Information: NSF Publication 10-617
Contact Info: NSF grants.gov support grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov If you have any problems linking to this funding announcement, please contact
Synopsis Modification History: The following files represent the modifications to this synopsis with the changes noted within the documents. The list of files is arranged from newest to oldest with the newest file representing the current synopsis. Changed sections from the previous document are shown in a light grey background. Synopsis Version NameModification DescriptionDate ModifiedCurrent Version Waiting for new publication Dec 19, 2011Version #2Mar 17, 2011Version #1Mar 17, 2011Original VersionSep 17, 2010

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