[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 15, Volume 1, Parts 0 to 299]
[Revised as of January 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 15CFR295.6]

[Page 457-458]
 
                  TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND FOREIGN TRADE
 
 CHAPTER II--NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT 
                               OF COMMERCE
 
PART 295--ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 295.6  Criteria for selection.

    The evaluation criteria to be used in selecting any proposal for 
funding under this program, and their respective weights, are listed in 
this section. No proposal will be funded unless the Program determines 
that it has scientific and technological merit and that the proposed 
technology has strong potential for broad-based economic benefits to the 
nation. Additionally, no proposal will be funded that does not require 
Federal support, that is product development rather than high risk R&D, 
that does not display an appropriate level of commitment from the 
proposer, or does not have an adequate technical and commercialization 
plan.
    (a) Scientific and technological merit (50%). The proposed 
technology must be highly innovative. The research must be challenging, 
with high technical risk. It must be aimed at overcoming an important 
problem(s) or exploiting a promising opportunity. The technical leverage 
of the technology must be adequately explained. The research must have a 
strong potential for

[[Page 458]]

advancing the state of the art and contributing significantly to the 
U.S. scientific and technical knowledge base. The technical plan must be 
clear and concise, and must clearly identify the core innovation, the 
technical approach, major technical hurdles, the attendant risks, and 
clearly establish feasibility through adequately detailed plans linked 
to major technical barriers. The plan must address the questions of 
``what, how, where, when, why, and by whom'' in substantial detail. The 
Program will assess the proposing team's relevant experience for 
pursuing the technical plan. The team carrying out the work must 
demonstrate a high level of scientific/technical expertise to conduct 
the R&D and have access to the necessary research facilities.
    (b) Potential for broad-based economic benefits (50%). The proposed 
technology must have a strong potential to generate substantial benefits 
to the nation that extend significantly beyond the direct returns to the 
proposing organization(s). The proposal must explain why ATP support is 
needed and what difference ATP funding is expected to make in terms of 
what will be accomplished with the ATP funding versus without it. The 
pathways to economic benefit must be described, including the proposer's 
plan for getting the technology into commercial use, as well as 
additional routes that might be taken to achieve broader diffusion of 
the technology. The proposal should identify the expected returns that 
the proposer expects to gain, as well as returns that are expected to 
accrue to others, i.e., spillover effects. The Program will assess the 
proposer's relevant experience and level of commitment to the project 
and project's organizational structure and management plan, including 
the extent to which participation by small businesses is encouraged and 
is a key component in a joint venture proposal, and for large company 
single proposers, the extent to which subcontractor/subrecipient teaming 
arrangements are featured and are a key component of the proposal.

[63 FR 64414, Nov. 20, 1998]