Deadlines for this
fiscal year's second round of competition for OCAST applied research awards
were announced with approximately $2.5 million in state funds to be made
available to the successful applicants.
OCAST is the Oklahoma
Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, the state's
technology-based economic development agency.
Steve Biggers, OCAST
R&D division director, said past awardees report they have returned more
than $682 million to the Oklahoma economy in the 13 years since the program
began. Since 1992, OCAST has invested $48.1 million in applied research. The
most recent round of awards announced in December funded eight projects for a
total of $2.18 million. The projects included research in sensor technology,
information technology and biotechnology.
Biggers announced
additional features for the current OARS solicitation. Added is the
Proof-of-Concept R&D category for proposals from researchers who need to establish
the feasibility of a concept with a probability for commercialization. The
Proof-of-Concept proposal can be funded up to $45,000 for each of two years.
To satisfy program
requirements, anyone applying for the Oklahoma Applied Research Support (OARS)
program must have their letters of intent submitted at OCAST headquarters by
5:30 p.m. March 23. Complete applications must be received by 5:30 p.m. April
20.
Peer review by
out-of-state qualified technology professionals, the internationally accepted method
for allocating public monies for research, will be used to properly rank the
research projects. Projects funded under this competitive process can expect to
begin operating under contract with OCAST in August.
The OCAST applied
research program requires a dollar in matching support for each state dollar
awarded. The minimum funding for an accelerated project is $10,000 per year and
the maximum is capped at $300,000 per project. Funding can be received for up
to three years.
Workshops designed to
help Oklahoma researchers develop their applications for the applied research
competition are scheduled February 1 in Oklahoma City, February 10 in
Stillwater, February 16 in Tulsa, February 22 in Lawton, February 1 in Norman,
March 3 in Tulsa and March 7 in Oklahoma City.
The OCAST Oklahoma Applied Research Support
solicitation submission deadlines and proposal preparation workshop times and
locations are available on OCAST's web page at http://www.ocast.state.ok.us.