In the April 7, 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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President Issues National Call to Action on the Digital Divide
Earlier this week, President Clinton announced 400 companies and non-profit organizations have signed on to a "National Call to Action to Close the Digital Divide." The document outlines two goals, each with four specific actions to bring the digital opportunity presented by the New Economy to youths, families, and communities around the country. The goals are :

"GOAL ONE: 21st Century Learning Tools for Every Child in Every School
For children to succeed, they need to master basic skills at an early age. A critical element of this is the need for information and technological literacy. To help achieve these aims, we must focus on a comprehensive approach to integrating technology into teaching and learning while recognizing that -- as powerful as technology is -- it is no substitute for an inspiring teacher or a loving parent.

"Together, we must:

  1. Connect every classroom to the Internet 
  2. Ensure that all students have modern multi-media computer access, ideally at a ratio of one computer for every 4-5 students
  3. Ensure that teachers are technologically literate and can integrate technology into the curriculum
  4. Make available high quality educational software and online learning resources

"GOAL TWO: Digital Opportunity for Every American Family and Community

"To ensure that no family or community is left behind, we must:

  1. Set the long-term goal of making home access to the Internet universal
  2. Bring technology to every community -- urban, rural, and Native American -- through Community Technology Centers and high-speed networks
  3. Give adults the skills they need to use information technology and compete for jobs in the IT sector
  4. Motivate and inspire more people to appreciate the value of 'getting connected'"

The Call to Action was released in association with the White House Conference on the New Economy. While most of the action items in the Call to Action require participation and involvement from state and local governments, absent from the list of attendees for the conference were any representatives from the states.

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New Mexico Legislature Approves Technology Tax Credit Legislation
In the last days of a special legislative session, the New Mexico Legislature unanimously passed two technology tax credit bills. Entitled the “Technology Jobs Tax Credit Act” and the “Laboratory Partnership with Small Business Tax Credit Act,” these measures are intended to assist New Mexico’s technology-based businesses with the development of increased research investments and laboratory partnerships, especially in rural areas.

The Technology Jobs Tax Credit Act provides a four-percent basic tax credit against expenditures of technology-based companies participating in research, development, and experimentation at qualified research facilities in the state. An additional four-percent tax credit is provided to businesses that participate in research and development in the state and increase their payroll by $75,000 for every $1,000,000 expended for R&D. If these activities take place in the designated rural areas of the state, the tax credits are doubled. According to the fiscal analysis, the credits are expected to cost the state $6.6 million in FY 2001 and $7.1 million in FY 2002.

The Laboratory Partnership with Small Business Tax Credit Act is designed to link the expertise and technology of national laboratories with small businesses in the state of New Mexico to promote economic development. In order to qualify for a credit of up to $1.8 million on its obligations for the Gross Receipts and Compensating Tax, a national lab must establish a small business assistance program and a revolving fund, consult with the Secretary of Economic Development to seek advice on improvements in the operation of the program, and establish a methodology to use qualified small business assistance contractors. Tax credits are equal to the qualified expenditures of the laboratories, not to exceed $5,000 for each small business. In rural areas, the maximum expenditure amount is $10,000 per small business.

Both bills await Governor Johnson’s signature or veto.

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NSF Releases $8 M Partnerships for Innovation RFP
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released the first request for proposals under the new Partnerships for Innovation Program (PFI). The program intends to support 15-25 collaborative efforts, totaling $8 million, that emphasize "productive links among relevant parties to enable innovation." Anticipated participants may include colleges and universities, not-for-profit institutions, state and local governments, trade and professional associations, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, federal laboratories, and other relevant organizations and businesses.

The PFI program strives to forge connections between new knowledge created in the discovery process to learning and innovation. "Partnerships for Innovation might include the planning and/or implementation of new models for innovation that connect discovery to use through knowledge transfer; education and training activities that explicitly address the workforce needs of the innovation enterprise; and, the development and deployment of new tools or mechanisms that support the innovation infrastructure. They may focus on creating a critical level of innovation activity in a technology area, in an industry sector, or in a geographical region.

"In all Partnerships, NSF seeks to optimize the participation of the private sector both to ensure appropriate workforce development activities, as well as to foster innovation-driven growth per se. Since innovation occurs first as a localized phenomenon, partnerships involving regional, state or local governments are strongly encouraged. At a minimum, proposed Partnerships must include academic institution(s) and private sector organizations and/or academic institution(s) and state/local government entities."

The lead organization must be a degree-granting institution of higher learning. The Principal Investigator for each Partnership proposal must be a senior institutional administrator (Dean or higher) in the lead organization.

Examples of the types of projects NSF will fund through the PFI program include:

The PFI program will support the planning and early implementation of new activities designed to support and sustain innovation in the long-term activities undertaken by promising partnerships among academe, government and the private sector. NSF hopes, by supporting a diverse set of PFI awards, to identify the best practices for enabling innovation that in the future might be replicated on a national scale.

A minimum ten percent cost share, cash or in-kind, is required. NSF anticipates making 15-25 awards ranging from $300,000 to $600,000. Projects are to last two to three years. Notice of Intent to submit a proposal is due to NSF by June 1, 2000. Full proposals are due on July 6.

For more information, contact John C. Hurt, Program Director, telephone: (703) 306-1625 extension 6811, email: jhurt@nsf.gov. He will refer topic-specific matters to the appropriate member of the NSF-wide working group for the program. The RFP (NSF 00-82) can be downloaded from the NSF web site: http://www.nsf.gov 

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Missouri Targets Life Sciences Industry to Boost Economic Development
In a recently issued Executive Order, Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan officially named the life sciences industry as one of the state’s lead industries for promoting economic development. The order requires all executive branch departments to review their programs and evaluate each program’s impact on the life sciences industry for purposes of economic growth. The Department of Economic Development must prepare a report based upon these reviews that is due to the Governor by May 1, 2000.

The order also created an interagency task force to increase interagency support of the life sciences industry. The task force is chaired by the Department of Economic Development and also includes members from the following departments: Education, Higher Education, Conservation, Natural Resources, Health, and others that can potentially promote the industry in Missouri. Home to more than 100 life sciences companies, Missouri currently ranks in the top one-third of states in the number of resident life sciences businesses.

In an additional effort to promote the life sciences, 20 percent of the state’s tobacco settlement funds are earmarked for health sciences research. For more information, please visit: http://www.lifescigate.org 

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NOAA Opportunities for Ocean Science and Fisheries Research
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the following four solicitations open for research and development projects.

Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessments to Encourage Research Projects for Improvement in the Stock Conditions of the Chesapeake Bay Fisheries Deadline: April 21, 2000. Funds available: $540,000. Award Size/Duration: unspecified. Eligibility: State fishery agencies and academic and not-for-profit institutions. Contact for more information: Derek Orner at 410/267-5660 or derek.orner@noaa.gov

Global Ocean Ecosystems Dynamics Program: Coastal Gulf of Alaska Ecosystem Deadline: May 1, 2000. Funds available: $3-6 million (estimated). Award Duration: five years. Eligibility: institutions of higher education, state and local governments, private nonprofit organizations, commercial entities, and federal researchers, including NOAA staff. Coastal Ocean Program Web site: http://www.cop.noaa.gov  Contact for more information: Elizabeth Turner at 301/713-3338, ext. 135 or elizabeth.turner@noaa.gov 

National Marine Aquaculture Initiative Deadline: May 15, 2000. Funds available: $600,000. Award Size/Duration: no maximum size, but 18-month projects under $100,000 are encouraged. Eligibility: all non-federal scientists and federal and state agencies and institutions. Collaborative proposals are encouraged. Contact for more information: James McVey in the National Marine Fisheries Service at 301/713-2451 

National Sea Grant College Program seeks proposals to strengthen the capacity of Minority Serving Institutions to foster student careers, research and workforce competitiveness in marine and related sciences. Deadline: May 15, 2000. Award Size: 4-6 awards of up to $75,000 each. Matching funds equal to at least one-third of the total project cost must be identified from non-federal sources. For more information, visit: http://www.nsgo.seagrant.org/research/index.html 

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NSF Job Opportunity
The National Science Foundation seeks applications to fill the position of Legislative Specialist (GS 301-11/12). The Legislative Specialist's work is closely related to the often-time critical flow of information about NSF programs and activities to the Congress, Congressional staff, state officials, industrial leaders, and the general public. Among other duties, the position is responsible for integrating state-related information available and coordinating state-related activities when appropriate. Also the incumbent shares in the responsibility for the establishment and maintenance of contacts with state policy makers in charge of science and engineering research and education programs, and organizations representing these individuals.

A more complete position description is available on the S&T Job Corner of the SSTI web site: http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm 

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140 Navy Inventions Available for Licensing
The Department of the Navy has published a list of 140 inventions that are owned by the federal government and are available for exclusive or partially exclusive licenses. The list and contact information are available for review on the SSTI web site at: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/040700t.htm

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