Document Actions
NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers Program (I/UCRC)
WHAT: Limited Submission Proposal for the National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers Program (I/UCRC)
WHO: Texas A&M University faculty, including TAES, TEES and TTI personnel.
WHY: NSF anticipates awarding $10,000 per institution for a planning grant award with an 18 month duration. Center awards have a potential duration of five years.
WHEN: Internal proposal deadline of April 14, 2008.
HOW: Faculty should submit internal proposal via email for review by the internal selection committee.
THE FINE PRINT:
The funding agency below has limited the number of preliminary proposals to two per institution. If the number of faculty wishing to submit a proposal exceeds the number allowed by the agency, we will conduct an internal selection process. Below are due dates for the program, including the due date of the internal proposal for review by the internal selection committee, the date for announcement of the internal selection and the due date for submission to the agency.
AGENCY: National Science Foundation (NSF)
AGENCY PROGRAM TITLE: NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers Program (I/UCRC)
BRIEF PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: The Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers Program (I/UCRC) is designed to develop long term partnerships among industry, academe and government. Centers are catalyzed by a small investment from NSF and they are primarily supported by center members, with NSF taking a supporting role in their development and evolution.
An I/UCRC Center must: develop a partnership among academe, industry and other organizations participating in the center; set a defined research agenda; limit the scope of research not within the scope of other I/UCRC centers; share intellectual property equally among center members; have center members that monitor and advise on the progress of the research and contribute toward technology transfer between universities and industry; have a strong industry and university interaction program of university, industry and other partners that are the primary financial resource for the center; have a formal structure and policies for center members as outlined in an I/UCRC membership agreement; rely on graduate student involvement in high quality research projects; have an interdisciplinary team of faculty and students that is diverse in gender, race and ethnicity; have a center director, based at the lead university, who is responsible for all center activities; provide reliable, accurate and timely information about their center for the I/UCRC Directory; have a marketing plan; have a financial plan; have a research team capable of developing and operating a center; and have formal evaluation of the partnership conducted by an independent evaluator.
In addition, a center must obtain a minimum of ten memberships, as members are generally comprised of industrial firms, organizations and non-NSF Federal agencies. A small business, as defined by the small business administration, counts as ½ member. A center must have policies that address their ability to meet NSF guidelines in accordance with the sample membership agreement with respect to: property rights, industry member rights, publication delays and membership fees and rights. The marketing plan must include viable strategies that build industry relationships that attract companies to invest in the center’s research. Part of the center management includes an Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) that reviews and recommends ongoing and completed activities and new projects. NSF encourages multi-institution centers because they provide a broader research base that readily addresses industry’s research needs.
I/UCRC program funding involves four required phases, including: a letter of intent, a planning grant proposal, a center proposal and collaborations with additional institutions. The letter of intent must be approved by an I/UCRC program director before a proposal for a planning grant award will be accepted, as proposed centers are considered potentially viable when they: fit within the industry and university collaborative scope; are economically important to the research area; do not significantly duplicate the research focus of other I/UCRCs and; former I/UCRC sites may not reform into a new I/UCRC with the same research focus or scope. A proposal planning grant supplies funds to study the feasibility of developing the industry and university interaction necessary to establish and support a center. An initial I/UCRC award may be extended for an additional five years following a successful peer review and recommendation by the NSF program director. Further, support is available for additional institutions to join an existing or proposed I/UCRC center.
More information can be found here.
AGENCIES ELIGIBLE TO SUBMIT: The Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers Program (I/UCRC) is open to U. S. academic institutions with graduate research programs.
AWARD INFORMATION: NSF anticipates awarding $10,000 per institution for a planning grant award with an 18 month duration. Center awards have a potential duration of five years.
ELIGIBLE PROJECT COSTS: Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: NONE.
COST SHARING: NONE.
Internal Selection Procedures and Deadlines
April 11, 2008: Deadline for an email of intent, including the names of the PI and co-PIs, title of internal proposal and a 1-3 sentence description of the project. Send email of intent.
April 14, 2008: Deadline to obtain signatures of approval from your department head and college dean to submit an internal proposal to the Office of Sponsored Projects for review by the internal selection committee. The internal proposal should include:
- An executive summary, up to three pages, based on the proposal description as outlined in the NSF program announcement;
- Summary budget;
- Project and Management Plans (including team members);
The form for completing the internal proposal is here.
This completed form should be submitted electronically for review by the internal selection committee.
Please read the RFP carefully for specific requirements of the program here.
Selection of a proposal will be based on NSF guidelines. The needs of the university’s reinvestment plan will also be taken into account.
During the selection process, the internal selection committee may contact departments and colleges for their opinions and commitments. They may also request additional information from PIs.
April 25, 2008: The Internal Selection Committee will notify PIs of the result of the internal competition.
June 27, 2008: Deadline for required letter of intent.
September 26, 2008: Deadline for full proposal: (due by 5 p.m. proposer’s local time).