Funding-Limited Submission - NSF Partnerships for Innovation: Building Innovation Capacity (PFI: BIC) NSF 12-578; August 21, 2012

 

Description: The goal of the Partnerships for Innovation: Building Innovation Capacity (PFI: BIC) program is to build innovation capacity through partnerships between academe and small businesses by moving existing academic research discoveries to potentially market-valued solutions that ultimately could create new wealth and contribute to U.S. competitiveness or provide a solution to a problem of national and/or global importance.

 

The funds will provide support to an academic institution to partner with at least two small technology-based businesses that are not in competition with each other to translate existing science and/or engineering-based research discoveries into knowledge and paradigm shifts enhanced by both the perspectives of academia and business. Each project also may have a broader network of partnerships which may include state and local government entities, international partners or others. 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.

 

PI Limit: 

·         A PI who submits a proposal in response to this program solicitation may not also submit a proposal to the Partnerships for Innovation: Accelerating Innovation Research (PFI: AIR) program (NSF 12-571).

 

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 1

·         Lead academic institutions are limited to participation on one proposal as a lead institution. A lead academic institution may NOT participate as a subawardee on any other proposal submitted under this solicitation. A lead academic institution, however, may be a partner (not receiving funding) on another proposal or may provide consultants to another proposal submitted under this solicitation.


See the full program solicitation for more information:
  http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12578/nsf12578.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click

 

Because NSF limits the number of PFI: BIC proposals to one per lead institution, the University of Kentucky has established an internal selection process.  Researchers interested in submitting a proposal are to submit the following material electronically to the Office of the Vice President for Research at vpr@email.uky.edu and a copy to their Associate Dean for Research by Tuesday, August 21, 2012:

(1)       Names and departments of PI and Senior Project Personnel

(2)       Project description (1-2 page maximum) including: 1) the research discovery/ findings that the project will be based on and its significance; 2) the small technology-based business partners including their mission and expertise; 3) translational research activities that will be undertaken to build the innovation capacity of the partners. 

 

The Vice President for Research will appoint a committee to review the material and make recommendations as to the University’s applicant. Questions about the submission process may be sent to Ms. Annette Evans in the Office of the Vice President for Research (alevan4@email.uky.edu or 257-1663).

 

NSF Deadlines:

Letter of Intent (required): September 26, 2012

Full Proposal: December 12, 2012