National Institute of Standards and Technology, Bldg. 101, Rm. A430, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-0001 A -- PUBLIC MEETING SOL Q- POC Customer Representative 1-800-287-3863 The Advanced Technology Program (ATP) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) invites applications for funding under ATP Program Competitions 94-02 through 94-06 and announces public meetings for all interested parties. The five programs being announced at this time are: Manufacturing Composite Structures (Competition 94-02), Computer-Integrated Manufacturing for Electronics (Competition 94-03), Information Infrastructure for Healthcare (Competition 94-04), Tools for DNA Diagnostics (Competition 94-05), and Component-Based Software (Competition 94-06). The duration of each of these programs is five years. During this time there will be multiple competitions announced. Individual companies may apply for funding up to $2 million over a three year period. Joint ventures of at least two companies can be funded for a maximum of five years, with no dollar limit. This announcement provides general information for program competition applicants. A separate announcement soliciting proposals for each of these competitions will describe the technical scope of the competition, proposal due date, approximate funding available, etc. Those interested in applying for ATP funding for any of the program competitions listed above must contract the ATP at the address shown below or call our toll-free number, 1-800-ATP-FUND, to obtain an application package. The package for each program competition consists of enclosures describing the program competition, a copy of the ATP Proposal Preparation Kit, and other general informational materials. Alternatively, those seeking these application packages can send an electronic mail message to atp@micf.nist.gov, or fax a request to (301) 926-9524. Specify which competition(s) you are interested in. The actual number of awards in any program competition will depend on available funds and the budgets of the highest ranked proposals received in that competition. It is the responsibility of applicants to ensure that their proposals are received at the ATP by the date and time stated. Should the NIST site be closed on the specified due date, ATP proposals will be due at 3:00 p.m. on the next business day that the NIST site is open. Public meetings for parties considering applying for funding under the fiscal year 1994 ATP program competitions will be held on June 2 and 3, 1994, at the Holiday Inn located at 2 Montgomery Village Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20879. A block of rooms has been reserved at the special rate of $65 plus tax per night. Cut-off date is May 25. Call (303) 948-8900 for room reservations and mention the "ATP Bidders' Conference." Please specify competition of interest, name, telephone number, and number of attendees from you organization. On each of the two days, a plenary session from 9:00 a.m. to Noon will provide general information regarding applying to the ATP. An afternoon breakout session (2 p.m. - 4 p.m.) will provide an opportunity for the audience to ask questions regarding the individual programs. The meeting scheduled for Thursday June 2, 1994, will cover three of the program competitions-- Manufacturing Composites, DNA Diagnostics, and Component-basted Software, and on Friday, June 3, the remaining two will be discussed (CIM for Electronics and Information Infrastructure for Healthcare). Attendance is not required of potential proposers. The purpose of the meetings is to provide potential applicants general information regarding the ATP and proposal preparation and to answer questions regarding the individual programs. In certain of the program competitions (as noted in the individual program competition announcements), applicants will have the option of submitting abbreviated proposals. Where abbreviated proposals are permitted, they must be limited to 10 pages plus the title page. The body of the abbreviated proposal will generally include proprietary information and the pages should be so marked. The title page must include only non-proprietary information and must be marked "non-proprietary--title page only." The title page of the abbreviated proposal must include the following information: Competition number (see individual announcement), title of project, specify single applicant or joint venture (JV), submitting organization, list of JV members (if applicable), contact person's name, address, and phone number, key words (90 character limit). Do not include in an abbreviated proposal any of the forms from the Proposal Preparation Kit. Briefly address each of the five ATP evaluation criteria listed in Chapter 1 of the Kit. Using the "Proposed budget summary for project duration" format found in the middle of the back side of the NIST 1262 Form (for single applicants or 1263 Form (for joint ventures), provide a budget profile for the project. JV's must show approximately how much ATP funding will go to each partner each year. Identify major subcontractors and estimate subcontract amounts. Four copies of the abbreviated proposal must be received by the date stated in the individual program announcement. Each applicant submitting an abbreviated proposal will receive a written recommendation (yes/no) from the ATP regarding whether the abbreviated proposal appears sufficiently promising to justify preparation of a full proposal. In competitions where abbreviated proposals are permitted, applicants may submit full proposals whether or not they have submitted abbreviated proposals and whether or not they have received from ATP a "yes" recommendation with regard to a full proposal. Full proposals must be prepared in accordance with the instructions in the Proposal Preparation Kit and submitted by the date and time specified in the competition announcement. Full proposal submissions must consist of one signed original plus ten (10) copies (number 1 through 11), along with an unbound copy of NIST Form 1262 (for Single Applicants) or NIST Form 1263 (for Joint Venture Applicants). Send both abbreviated proposals (where permitted) and full proposals to : Advance Technology Program, (Specify Competition Number), Room A430, Administration Building (Bldg. 101), National Institute Of Standards and Technology, Quince Orchard and Clopper Roads, Gaithersburg, MD 20899. Proposals submitted by facsimile or electronic mail will not be accepted. No audio or video tapes should be submitted as part of a proposal. Program idea "white papers" submitted to the ATP do NOT constitute project abbreviated proposals for any of the competitions described here. Companies that have previously submitted such program idea white papers and who wish to apply for funding must submit project proposals in response to specific published proposal solicitations. Unsuccessful proposers who submit full proposals will be offered a telephone debriefing after the competition ends, but no debriefings, oral or written, will be offered for abbreviated proposals. Those who receive awards in these competitions will be required to share non-proprietary technical information during program workshops. In cases where a joing venture has submitted a proposal that scores very high on all selection criteria except level of commitment and organizational structure because the joint venture is still in an organizational state, the ATP may award a "contingency grant." See page 57, paragraph (e) of the ATP Proposal Preparation Kit for details.