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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

11.614:  Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Technology

Popular Name:  EPSCoT

Objectives:  To support technology-based economic growth in eligible jurisdictions by promoting partnerships between State and local governments, universities, community colleges, non-profit organizations and the private sector.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

11.614 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  Eligible organizations shall be headquartered in Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Puerto Rico. Within these States, State, local, or Indian tribal governments, community colleges, universities, non-profit organizations, private (for-profit) organizations, technology business centers, business incubators, industry councils or any combination of these entities may submit proposals.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  This program benefits the nation as a whole by increasing the capacity to create high value-added jobs.

Credentials/Documentation:  Applicants must respond to the annual Notice of Availability of Funding, which is published in the Federal Register, with an Executive Summary (125 words), Project Narrative, Task-Based Budget Narrative, and the following standard forms: Standard Form 424 (Application for Federal Assistance), Standard Form 424A, Standard Form 424B (Assurances), Standard Form LLL (Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, if applicable).

11.614 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  This program is eligible for coverage under Executive Order 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." Applicants should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure:  Applicants must submit proposals in accordance with deadlines and other details as published in the Federal Register including Standard Forms 424,424A,424B and CD-511.

Award Procedure:  Eligible applications are first evaluated by outside reviewers, who make non-binding recommendations to the EPSCoT Program Office. This program Office makes award recommendations to the Selecting Official, the Under Secretary for Technology. These recommendations and the Selecting Official's approval take into account the evaluations of the outside reviewers and award criteria that are developed in accordance with annual program priorities. Proposals selected for funding are forwarded to the NIST Grants Office.

Deadlines:  Contact the headquarters for application deadlines. Notice of availability of funds and deadlines are published in the Federal Register.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  120 to 180 days.

Appeals:  None.

Renewals:  Not applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Outside reviewers evaluate the proposals according to criteria published in the Federal Register Notice, which speak to project scope and management, coordination within the State, budget, and evaluation. The Committee's recommendations and the Under Secretary's review and approval take into account the evaluations of the outside reviewers, the program's stated purpose, the variety of the proposed activities, the availability of funds, the geographic distribution of the proposed grant awards, and the avoidance of redundancy and conflict with the initiatives of other federal agencies.

Examples of Funded Projects:  Puerto Rico Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Technology: University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 23334 San Juan, PR 00931-3334. Contact: Brad R. Weiner (787) 764-8369. Award Amount: $300,000. This application is a natural outgrowth of a planning process in Puerto Rico. In 1996, the Governor's Science and Technology Board developed a Science and Technology Policy, whose objectives include: establishing and strengthening the academic and industrial infrastructure for S&T, improving the abilities of business enterprises to develop and adopt new technologies, and integrating S&T activities with economic development and competitiveness efforts. The project to be carried out under the EPSCoT grant seeks to improve small businesses' access to technological expertise in the university and increase the Commonwealth's participation in Federal R&D programs. The application exhibited strong and diverse partnerships, involving the University of Puerto Rico, the Department of Economic Development, the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association and the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce in an effort to diversify the island's economy. Additional examples are also available at: www.ta.doc.gov/epscot/Funded_Projects.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  Variable; awards have ranged from $70,000 to $300,000.

11.614 RELATED PROGRAMS:

None.

11.614 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

An evaluation is currently being conducted to determine program accomplishments.

11.614 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (DOC)

Type of Assistance:  Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements).

Obligations:  (Grants) FY 99 $3,600,037; FY 00 est $0; and FY 01 est $0.

Budget Account Number:  13-1100-0-1-376.

Authorization:  15 U.S.C. 3704 and 3706.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  The Federal Technology Transfer Act (15 U.S.C 3704(c) (11), (12) and 3706) as amended by Public Law 105-309, and applicable uniform administrative requirements and cost principles.

11.614 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  None.

Headquarters Office:  Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Technology, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 4418, Washington, DC 20230. Phone: (202) 482-1320, Fax: (202) 219-8667. E-mail: epscot@ta.doc.gov. Information on the EPSCoT is also available at: www.ta.doc.gov/epscot.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

11.614 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  EPSCoT requires a 50 percent match of single-State applicants and a 25 percent match of multi-State applicants.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Applicants may seek funding for no more than 36 months.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Grantees may use EPSCoT funds for activities that (1) build state-wide institutional capacity to support technology commercialization; and (2) create the business climate that is conducive to technology development, deployment and diffusion.

11.614 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  Quarterly progress and financial reports are required. Each request for advance or reimbursement must be accompanied by a report of applicant's cost-share contribution.

Audits:  In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997) recipients that are States, Local Governments, Non-Profit Organizations (to include hospitals), and Institutions of Higher Learning shall be subject to the audit requirements contained in the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 U.S.C. 7501-7507). Commercial organizations shall be subject to the audit requirements as stipulated in the award document.

Records:  None.