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Overview of the 

Technology

Innovation Program

Frank Barros

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

Project Management Office

(301) 975-2617

frank.barros@nist.gov

www.nist.gov/tip/

TIP is Part of NIST

$931 5 illi FY 2008 i

NIST assets include:

$931.5 million FY 2008 operating 

budget

2,800 employees

2,600 associates & facility users

NIST laboratories: measurement and 

standards

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

Technology Innovation Program: $70 million FY 2008 

including management of ongoing ATP awards

Manufacturing Extension Partnership: centers in 440 

locations nationwide to help small manufacturers

Baldrige National Quality Program
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“Assisting United States businesses and 

institutions of higher education or other

TIP Purpose ...

institutions of higher education or other

organizations, such as national laboratories 

and nonprofit research institutions, to support, 

promote, and accelerate innovation in the 

United States through high-risk, high-reward 

research in areas of critical national need.”

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

America COMPETES Act

(PL 110-69)

August 9, 2007

Critical National Need Framework

• TIP uses a Critical National Need identification 

and selection process to shape the scope of and selection process to shape the scope of

competitions and collaborative programs

• What is a Critical National Need?

– An area that justifies government attention because the 

magnitude of the problem is large and the societal

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

magnitude of the problem is large and the societal

challenges that need to be overcome are not being 

addressed, but could be addressed through high-risk, 

high-reward research
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White Paper Elements

• TIP evaluates topics for areas of critical national need using 

suggestions from industry and academia. 

• We encourage you to send us a “white paper” in which you 

outli id f f i i l i l d line your idea for an area of critical national need:

– What are considered to be large problems that are 

potentially inhibiting the growth and well-being of 

our nation today?

– A white paper is NOT a proprietary project idea

• Explain how your idea is consistent with the criteria for 

selecting CNN areas described in the brochure: 

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

1) Maps to Administration Guidance

2) Justifies Government Attention

3) Essentials for TIP Funding

For Brochure: www.nist.gov/tip/

TIP Societal Challenges

• What is a TIP Societal Challenge?

– A problem or issue confronted by society that when not 

addressed could negatively affect the overall function addressed could negatively affect the overall function

and quality of life of the nation, and as such justify 

government attention

• A Societal Challenge

– Represents a problem or issue, not a solution or answer

– Requires a technical solution

– Is sufficiently difficult to overcome that advancements

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

Is sufficiently difficult to overcome that advancements

across a multitude of areas is warranted

Competition topic areas are selected based on 

the need for meeting societal challenges
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Potential CNN Topic Areas

• Civil Infrastructure

These seven areas 

represent the potential 

• Complex Networks

• Energy

• Green Technologies

• Manufacturing

p p

broad CNN topic areas 

that TIP has identified to 

date. However, this list is 

not exhaustive; TIP may 

select a different or more 

specific CNN.

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

Manufacturing

• Personalized Medicine

• Water 

Civil Infrastructure...

• Poor road conditions 

cost U.S. motorists $54 

billion a year in repairs billion a year in repairs

and operating costs.

• More than 33% of the 

nation’s 600,000 bridges 

are rated structurally 

deficient or functionally

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

obsolete.

Failure to reverse a trend of increasing highway infrastructure deterioration 

will lead to reductions in national and economic security, 

lower worker productivity, and a overall reduction in the quality of life.
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Water...

Six billion gallons per day of clean, treated 

drinking water disappears, mostly due to old, 

leaking pipes and water mains...

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

Enough to serve the 

population of California!

Key Features of TIP

• Novel Process: address societal challenges not being 

addressed in areas of Critical National Need (CNN) with 

benefits that extend sig y y pp nificantly beyond proposers

• Promote Teaming: businesses, academia, national labs, 

nonprofit research institutions and other organizations

• Scientific & Technical Merit: high-risk high-reward 

research

• Transformational Results: strong potential for advancing 

state-of-the-art and contributing to U S science and

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

state of the art and contributing to U.S. science and

technology base

• Societal Challenges: justifies government attention

• Clear Government Need: no other funding sources are 

reasonably available
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Key Features of TIP (cont’d)

• Funding

– Single company projects up to $3M over a maximum 

of h t ree years

– Joint Venture (JV) projects may be funded up to $9M 

over a maximum of five years

– Note: TIP funds are for direct project costs only

• Cost share

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

– At least 50% of the yearly total project costs – direct 

plus indirect

– Composed of both cash and in-kind

Key Features of TIP (cont’d)

• Allows institutions of higher education to lead a joint 

venture R&D p j ro ect

• Intellectual property

– Reside with U.S. company or any joint venture 

member (including a university joint venture member)

• Opportunities for state involvement with R&D 

planning

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

• Program assessment and annual reports from 

Program and Advisory Board to Congress required
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Eligibility

• Single Company – a small or medium-sized for-profit 

company doing a majority of its business in the US company doing a majority of its business in the US

• Joint Venture – A business arrangement that includes 

either

A. At least 2 separately owned small or medium-sized 

for-profit companies; or

B. At least 1 small or medium-sized for profit company

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

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and one institution of higher education or other 

organization such as a national laboratory, 

governmental laboratory (not NIST) or nonprofit 

research institute

Eligibility:

Large Company Participation in TIP

• Large company: Fortune 1000 companies 

( l i f $1 63B) (total revenues in excess of $1.63B)

• Large companies MAY

– Participate and receive funding as a contractor 

(with certain requirements/limitations)

– Participate as a JV member and provide cost share

• L pi MAY NOT

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

Large companies MAY NOT

– Receive Federal funds as a JV member
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TIP Award and Evaluation 

Criteria

• Proposals are selected for funding based on:

– TIP Award Criteria (15 C.F.R. §296.22 ), and

– TIP Evaluation Criteria (15 C.F.R. § 296.21)

Peer Review is the Foundation

for all Proposal Evaluations and Decisions

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

TIP Award Criteria:

The First Three

First Three Award Criteria explain the need First Three Award Criteria explain the need

for TIP financial support

• Why is TIP support needed?

• Efforts to secure alternative funding

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

Efforts to secure alternative funding

• Novelty of the proposed research (technology)
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TIP Award Criteria:

The Remaining Three

The remaining three Award Criteria

• Scientific and technical merit and may result in intellectual 

property vesti i US i ing in a U.S. entity

• Strong potential to advance the state-of-the-art and contribute 

to the U.S. science and technology knowledge base

• Strong potential to address areas of critical national need

– Transforming the Nation’s capacity to deal with 

major societal challenges

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

– Generate substantial benefits to the Nation that extend 

significantly beyond the proposer

These three TIP Award Criteria are expanded upon 

within the TIP Evaluation Criteria

TIP Evaluation Criteria 

• Two Evaluation Criteria

1) Scientific and Technical (S&T) Merit (50%)

2) Potential for S&T and National Impacts (50%)

• Subject to multidisciplinary peer review

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce
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Evaluation Criterion 

1) Scientific and Technical (S&T) Merit (50%) 

• The research is novel

• Results have the potential to address the technical 

needs associated with a major societal challenge

• The research is high-risk, high reward

• The project has the key expertise and resources (e.g., 

data, equipment & facilities) necessary to accomplish 

th j t

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

the project

• The research plan is scientifically sound with tasks, 

milestones, timeline, decision points and alternate 

strategies

Evaluation Criterion

2)Potential for Science, Technology and National 

Impacts (50%)

• Establishes that the proposed research has 

strong potential

− For advancing the state-of-the-art and contributing 

significantly to the United States science and 

technology base, and 

− To address areas of Critical National Need through 

t f i th N ti ’ it t d l ith

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

transforming the Nation’s capacity to deal with a 

major societal challenge(s) that is not currently being 

addressed

− To generate substantial benefits to the Nation that 

extend beyond the direct return to the proposer
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• Visit TIP’s website

/

For Info on TIP . . 

– www.nist.gov tip

• Register for the TIP mailing list

– http://tipmailing.nist.gov/forms/mailing_list.cfm

• Archived TIP webcasts & 2008 Competition Info

– http://www.nist.gov/tip/comp08_apply.html

National Institute of Standards and Technology • U.S. Department of Commerce

p // g / p/ p _ pp y

• Helpful Resources

– http://www.nist.gov/tip/helpful.html