In the March 24, 2000 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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Washington Tech. Center Releases Innovation and Technology Index 
The Washington Technology Center has released its first annual Index of Innovation and Technology. The report examines 34 performance indicators in six broad areas: Innovation, Competitiveness, Growth, Financial Capacity, Human Potential, Quality of Life, and Internet Infrastructure. For each indicator, Washington is compared to several other states or to national averages. 

Six summary findings or recommendations are made in major areas that government, education, and industry must focus upon to ensure the state's continued economic success. They include: 

Washington becomes at least the fifth state to prepare a state innovation index; other states that have include Kansas, Maine, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Regional and national indices also have been prepared.

Included in the Washington Index is the definition of "technology industries" the Washington Technology Center used for several indicators and a matrix displaying the technology industry SIC codes used by four other studies, including the Milken Institute's America's High-Tech Economy: Growth, Development and Risks for Metropolitan Areas, and the American Electronics Association's CyberStates V3.0. 

Copies of the 2000 Index of Innovation and Technology are available from the Washington Technology Center's website at http://www.watechcenter.org or by calling 206/685-1920. 

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GAO Looks at Challenges of Measuring Program Performance 
Reliably measuring performance in federal programs, particularly programs involving state-federal partnership is difficult, according to the U. S. General Accounting Office (GAO). Managing for Results: Challenges Agencies Face in Producing Credible Performance Information (GAO/GGD-00-52) and the two supporting written testimonies, Challenges in Producing Credible Performance Information (T-GGD/RCED-00-134) and Using GPRA to Help Congressional Decision making and Strengthen Oversight (T-GGD-00-95), identify several of the same issues state technology-based economic development programs have encountered for years as they attempt to define their own success for state legislatures and constituencies. 

On March 31, federal agencies will submit their first annual progress reports as required by the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). GPRA is intended to shift the focus of federal management and decision making from the number of tasks completed or services provided to a more direct consideration of the results or impacts of the programs. GPRA required agencies to create strategic plans with multi-year goals and annual performance measures toward achieving those goals. 

In its report, the GAO concludes that 20 of 24 agencies are not likely to have the information needed to measure their progress toward meeting their performance goals nor to be able to determine specifically how performance can be improved. The limitations in the agencies' ability to produce credible data are "substantial, long-standing, and will not be quickly or easily removed," according to the GAO. 

Limitations GAO identified include: 

The importance of strong strategic plans and planning processes are not overlooked in the findings. The GAO recommends that agencies articulate more fully how strategies and resources will lead to improved performance, and to establish greater confidence that performance information will be credible and useful in decision making. 

The report, two written testimonies and other GPRA and strategic planning related reports can be found under "Reports" on the GAO website: http://www.gao.gov/ 

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North Carolina SBTDC Offering Technology Training for SBDCS
article prepared by Kay Etzler, SBIR Specialist for the North Carolina Small Business Technology Development Center 

The North Carolina Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) is hosting its second National Institute for Technology Development and Commercialization on May 3-6 at Wake Forest University. The institute is a national project of the Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) held in cooperation with the Society of Research Administrators (SRA). The four-day program is specifically designed to build the capacity of SBDCs in technology development and commercialization. Targeted participants include SBDC state and regional directors, staff with technology responsibility, and SBDC host representatives (typically high-level university administrators or state economic development agency officials). 

The institute provides training and support for SBDCs interested in establishing technology specialty programs to serve the small and growing business community and foster technology-based economic development. Participants learn about the university technology transfer process, the unique development needs of start-up R&D companies, techniques to maximize SBDC's role with SBIR/STTR initiatives and opportunities, and options for partnering with both public and private-sector organizations to promote technology development and commercialization. 

For more information, contact Scott Daugherty, Executive Director, NC SBTDC, at 919/715-7272 or sdaugherty@sbtdc.org  

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Federal R&D Opportunities

Department of Education 
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services seeks applications for New Model Spinal Cord Injury Centers and New Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers for Fiscal Year 2000. It is estimated that 15 proposals will be awarded with a range of $300,000-375,000 per award. Eligible applicants include states, public or private agencies, public or private organizations, institutions of higher education, and Indian tribes and tribal organizations.  Applications are due by May 12, 2000. To view the complete notice and other opportunities offered by the Department of Education, visit: http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm and click on "Announcements" 

Department of Energy 
The Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER) Medical Applications Program requests applications to support Imaging Gene Expression in Health and Disease. Approximately $3 million will be available with awards ranging from $200,000-400,000 each. Eligible applicants include colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, for-profit commercial organizations, state and local governments, and unaffiliated individuals.  Pre-applications should be submitted by April 14, 2000. Formal proposals are due by May 30, 2000. For more information, contact: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html 

The Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER) is also seeking applications for research on Terrestrial Carbon Processes (TCP). The goal is to advance the scientific understanding of terrestrial processes regulation carbon balance of ecosystems, and the role of ecosystems in the exchange of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and terrestrial biosphere. It is anticipated that $2 million will be available for grants with awards ranging from $100,000-300,000. Eligible applicants include colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, for-profit commercial organizations, state and local governments, and unaffiliated individuals. The application deadline is April 27, 2000. To view the complete notice, visit: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html

The Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER) also requests applications for the participation in the Atmospheric Chemistry Program (ACP) Science Team. The goal of the program is to understand atmospheric chemistry associated with air quality and climate change. Up to $2 million in first year funding is anticipated. Awards will range from $60,000-200,000 each. Eligible applicants include colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, for-profit commercial organizations, state and local governments, and unaffiliated individuals. Applications are due by May 3, 2000. Applications that are collaborative with or complementary to DOE laboratory proposals are strongly encouraged. For more information, visit:
http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html 

The Office of Naval Research 
The Navy Manufacturing Technology (MANTECH) program seeks proposals to continue its electronics initiatives in electronics manufacturing technology. The award recipient will be responsible for the development, evaluation, and demonstration of electronics manufacturing technologies for current and future Navy and other DOD needs with a major emphasis on affordability and life cycle cost. One cooperative agreement will be funded. The Navy encourages proposals demonstrating collaborative efforts among industry, academia, and government. It is anticipated that the award will cover a 5-year period with a maximum value of $120 million. Proposals are due by May 10, 2000. To view the entire document, visit: http://www.onr.navy.mil/02/baa/baa00011info.htm 

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State S&T Round Up 

Arizona 
The Ways & Means Committee of the Arizona House of Representatives has passed a bill to eliminate $250 million in sales tax exemptions for a number of products and services, including telecommunications equipment and solar devices. If the bill passes, proceeds would be used to raise teachers' salaries. 

Also in Arizona, the Arizona Telecommunications and Information Council, a subpart of the Governor's Strategic Partnership for Economic Development (GSPED) issued The Multitenant Building Telecommunications Assessment Study, which makes recommendations to the Arizona government to deal with telecommunications issues in multitenant buildings. Actions suggested include: regulations to prohibit exclusive multitenant facility access agreements by building managers and owners with single or selected telecommunication providers; regulations to better define the Point-of-Demarcation (POD) and ownership of internal wiring to help avoid disputes and litigation among stakeholders; and act to incorporate wireless telecommunications providers into the Arizona Universal Service Fund (USF) program to encourage wireless deployment in Arizona's underserved rural and tribal areas. The study can be found at: http://www.researchedge.com/MBTAS/  

Colorado 
This month, Governor Bill Owens announced the formation of the Colorado Institute of Technology (CIT), a new research and education institution intended to partner the state's technology business community with the higher education system. Founding CIT industrial partners Qwest, Sun Microsystems, Hitachi Data Systems, Level 3 Communications and USWest have committed $41 million toward the Institute's endowment and operating funds. The state would like to see CIT reach a funding level of $250 million over several years. Marc Holtzman, Colorado Secretary of Technology, will chair the CIT board of directors. 

Delaware 
To increase the number of technically trained workers in the state, HB 92 has been introduced to provide free tuition at Delaware Technology & Community College for any Delaware high school student who maintains an 85 percent average during their high school years. Estimates are the program would cost $500,000 by the third year of implementation. A similar effort languished in the state's General Assembly last year. 

Georgia 
A resolution has been introduced in the state legislature to establish an 11-member Joint Task Force on Technology Disparities in Telecommunications. SR 626 would require the task force to the task force to develop recommendations to ensure that telecommunications industry decisions on the distribution and availability of telecommunications technologies and services are determined by fair and appropriate criteria concerning the needs, expectations, and economic or sociologic condition of certain communities and regional centers. 

Nebraska 
A bill to grant tax breaks to selected businesses that locate or expand in rural Nebraska and pay higher-than-average wages, including R&D firms, has passed the Revenue Committee of the state legislature. The bill, LB936, is estimated to cost the state $17 million in tax revenues over ten years, while creating 380 new jobs. The bill is supported by Governor Mike Johanns. 

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People
President Clinton has nominated Arthur C. Campbell as Assistant Secretary for Economic Development at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Mr. Campbell, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, currently serves as the Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development at the United States Department of Agriculture. 

Lura Powell, former Director of the Advanced Technology Program within the Department of Commerce, has accepted the position as Director of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington. 

Steven Zylstra, chair of the Technology Transfer Committee of the Arizona Governor's Strategic Partnership for Economic Development, has accepted the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of the Pittsburgh Technology Council and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center. 

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