NSF-Partnerships for Innovation: Building Innovation Capacity (PFI: BIC)
To: Chairs, Departments in the Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences
From: Heather Daniels, Graduate School
Date: July 17, 2012
Subject: NSF-Partnerships for Innovation: Building Innovation Capacity (PFI: BIC)
Deadlines:
Nominations are due at the Graduate School on Tuesday, July 31; Deadline for internal competition will be determined if needed.
Project Description:
This program solicitation, Partnerships for Innovation: Building Innovation Capacity (PFI: BIC) starts with an existing sound scientific and/or engineering-based research discovery that can be translated to market-valued solutions through a partnership between academe and small technology-based businesses. The funds will provide support to an academic institution to partner with at least two small technology-based businesses that are not in direct competition with each other to carry out early translational-research activities The primary aims of the activities of this partnership are three-fold: (1) to build the innovation capacity of the individual participants from academe and from business; (2) to increase the viability of the small business concerns; and (3) to develop the next-generation workforce by providing opportunities for students at different levels to effectively learn from, participate in, and be profoundly changed by exposure to the process of building innovation capacity that occurs in BIC projects. The active collaboration between academe and business could result in solutions with potential for an impact on more than one market.
Awards may be up to $600,000 with award durations of two years.
Eligibility:
The number of proposals UW–Madison may submit is limited to one. This includings UW-Madison as a lead academic institution as well as a subawardee. PIs who are submitting a proposal to the Partnerships for Innovation: Accelerating Innovation Research may not submit a proposal for this competition.
Website:
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12578/nsf12578.htm
This contains additional information on the program and specific application instructions, etc.
Internal Competition Application Instructions:
Notice of intent: Send an email message to gsgrants@grad.wisc.edu with "NSF PFI" by Tuesday, July 31, 2012 to inform us of your intention to submit a proposal. Please include the following in your email message:
--name and full contact information for the PI
--names and departments of the Co-PIs
--names and location of possible participating companies
--a brief description (two to three sentences) of the proposed project.
PIs will be notified if an internal competition is necessary.
The NSF-PFI program solicitation will provide detailed proposal preparation and submission instructions. For the project selected, a complete proposal must be submitted using FastLane or Grants.gov. Information about campus procedures for FastLane or Grants.gov is posted on the RSP Web site. The NSF required Letter of Intent deadline is Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 5 pm CDT. For those invited, full proposals are due by Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 5 pm CST.
If you have any questions about this procedure, please contact Heather Daniels (608) 263-7274 or Petra Schroeder (608) 265-4868 or email gsgrants@grad.wisc.edu