In the July 2, 1999 Issue:

Copyright State Science & Technology Institute 2002. Information in this issue of the SSTI Weekly Digest was prepared under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration. Redistribution to all others interested in tech-based economic development is strongly encouraged — please cite the State Science & Technology Institute whenever portions are reproduced or redirected. Any opinions expressed in the Digest do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

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Ohio Investment to Exceed $50 Million in FY 2000
Ohio's investment in technology-based economic development will top $50 million in FY 2000 as a result of the biennial budget passed by the Ohio General Assembly this week. Spending for the programs will grow nearly 35 percent from $40.4 million in FY 1999 to $54.4 million in FY 2000.

Most of the increase is as a result of the Ohio Technology Actions Grants (TAGs) Program, growing from $1.9 million in FY 1999 to $14.75 million each year for FY 2000 and 2001.

The Technology Action Grants (TAGs ) provide funding to companies, universities and collaborative partnerships for projects which:

The TAGs will be administered by the Governor's Office for Science & Technology with staff support from the Department of Development and the Board of Regents.

New this year for the TAGs will be a Technology Action Board comprised of 14 members appointed by the Governor. The board will review proposals and make funding selections for the program.

The Technology Action Board will consist of six regional, technology-related business representatives, and one representative from each of the following organizations: Wright-Patterson Air Force Laboratory, NASA Glenn Research Center, the Ohio Inter-University Council, and the current director of the Edison Centers Technology Council. The remaining board members will be state employees representing the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents and the Departments of Development and Transportation. The final member, the Governor's Science and Technology Advisor, will serve as the Board's chair.

New efforts joining the established portfolio of programs are a $500,000 per year cooperative technology clusters initiative and an Edison Center for Information Technology. The new Edison Center will receive $2 million each year in state matching funds.

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Funding for Sensors & Chemicals Projects Available
The Department of Energy's Office of Industrial Technologies has released two solicitations this month of potential interest to clients of the state S&T community.

Both solicitations can be obtained from the website of the DOE Chicago Operations Office, under the heading "Current Solicitations." http://www.ch.doe.gov/business/ACQ.htm

Chemical Research
A solicitation for applications has been released to fund innovative research and development projects that support Technology Vision 2020: The Chemical Industry, the IOF roadmap developed in cooperation with the chemical industry.

DOE anticipates awarding 12-15 cooperative agreements, with average funding per award between $200,000 and 500,000 each year for up to a three-year period. Total maximum federal funding for the solicitation is approximately $4 million in FY 2000 and $12 million for the three years. A minimum 50 percent cost share per year, phase or budget period is required on all projects.

Teaming arrangements of at least two chemical industry companies are required. Universities, trade associations, DOE labs, and other industries are eligible to participate as team members.

Four topical areas have been identified for this solicitation: computational chemistry, materials of construction, separations, and selected topics related to catalysis, alternative synthetic pathways, and the application and use of alternative chemicals.

Proposals which do not meet the cost-share and teaming requirements will not be evaluated. Proposals are due by August 6, 1999.

Sensor & Control Technologies
A request for proposals (RFP) is open for research, development and demonstration projects on advanced sensor and control technologies. One million dollars is available in FY 2000 for selected projects. A minimum 20 percent non-federal cost share is required of all R&D projects. A 50 percent minimum cost-share is required for demonstration projects.

Each selected project must meet the high priority needs identified in the eight Industries of the Future (IOF) technology roadmaps, have wide applicability across the IOF industries, and must improve energy efficiency and productivity as well as reduce the environmental impact of U.S. manufacturing systems through reduction of pollution and waste generation.

Funding through the solicitation will be available in a phased approach. In FY 2000, DOE will award seed support, on average $100,000 or less, for innovative research and development. A process will occur after completion of the proposed Phase I R&D to determine which projects selected under this solicitation will be continued into the next phase. Out-year funding for successful Phase I projects will not exceed $400,000 per project per year.

Proposals are due August 20, 1999. Any non-profit or for-profit organization, university or other institution of higher education may apply.

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GAO Study of International S&T Agreements Available
International collaboration in science and technology through joint research and development projects and activities offers opportunities for the US and foreign governments to leverage research dollars and increase productivity.

A recent report by the General Accounting Office (GAO), Federal Research: Information on International Science and Technology Agreements (GAO/RCED-99-108), identifies: 1) the number of international S&T agreements active during fiscal year 1997; and, 2) the number of these agreements that resulted in research projects or other activities.

GAO found that in FY 1997, the seven agencies it reviewed participated in 575 international science and technology agreements with 57 countries, 8 international organizations, and 10 groups or organizations and/or countries. More than 90% of the international S&T agreements resulted in research projects or other research-related activities such as consultations among scientists and exchanges of data and personnel.

The distribution of agreements by agency was:

Agency Total
DOE 257
NASA 127
NIST 56
NIH 44
State 33
NOAA 32
NSF 26
Total 575

Bilateral agreements with Japan, Russia and China accounted for 34 percent of the 435 total bilateral agreements. The 140 agreements comprising the balance of the study were multilateral agreements, three-fourths of which were for the International Energy Agency and the European Space Agency.

The report found that while the government maintains these agreements to support and encourage international cooperation in science and technology, the federal government has no system in place to track the resources expended as a result of these agreements.

Copies of Federal Research: Information on International Science and Technology Agreements can be obtained from http://www.gao.gov

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IT Worker Supply Analyzed
The Computing Research Association (CRA) has released an in-depth look at the information technology (IT) worker situation in the United States, The Supply of Information Technology Workers in the United States.

Working with four other professional IT-related societies, CRA conducted a critical review of the information available on the supply of IT workers, the broader definition of an IT worker, traditional and nontraditional sources for IT workers, the long term and short term demand for IT employees, and suggested ways to positively affect the supply of IT workers.

One of the surprises in the report is the conclusion that while a preponderance of secondary or circumstantial evidence may suggest a national IT worker shortage exists, there was no conclusive evidence to quantitatively corroborate a worker shortage over a tight labor market. Job-specific shortages, geographically limited availability or temporary increases in demand (e.g., Y2K problems) may exist but the report concludes great fluctuation and fluidity occurs in local, industrial or regional supply and demand for specific IT skills.

Another conclusion was that if women, Hispanics, African Americans, Native Americans, and other under-represented groups "were represented in the IT workforce in proportion to their representation in the US population, this country would have more than an adequate supply of workers to fill even the most dire estimates of a shortage."

The report identifies 39 recommendations for government, higher education, industry, professional societies, and individuals to take to strengthen and improve the human resource element of the IT industry. Recommendations range from addressing data collection to increasing the number of students and workers with IT skills.

Copies of The Supply of Information Technology Workers in the United States can be downloaded from the Computing Research Association's website, http://www.cra.org

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