2009 RFP (English)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
Release Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2009
(in PDF)

Texas A&M University-CONACYT: Collaborative Research Grant Program

Deadlines:

Letter of Intent (Required): Thursday, March 5, 2009, 5:00 p.m. (CST)

Full Proposal: Thursday, April 16, 2009, 5:00 p.m. (CST)

Introduction
Priority Areas of Funding
Available Funding
Eligibility
Deadlines
Letter of Intent Instructions
Full Proposal Instructions
On-line Submission Process
Field of Science
Evaluation of Proposals
Budget
Reporting Requirements
Program Coordinators

Introduction: Texas A&M University and the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología ( CONACYT) entered a five-year agreement of cooperation in for higher education and research in April 2001. This collaboration was extremely beneficial, leading to a new 2-year agreement in September 2008. The program grew from mutually recognized interests in topics important to the U.S. and Mexico. The overall objective is to stimulate significant international research cooperation by providing seed money for collaborative research between Texas A&M University and higher education institutions in Mexico or CONACYT research centers.

The agreement provides unique opportunities for scientists and scholars from Mexico and Texas A&M University to work together in addressing issues that span our common border. Both CONACYT and Texas A&M University are dedicated to long-term, collaborative approaches to issues facing the United States and Mexico. Under this agreement, Texas A&M University and CONACYT have each dedicated US$200,000 per year for the Collaborative Research Grant Program. These monies fund inter-institutional research proposals between Texas A&M University and higher education institutions in Mexico or CONACYT research centers. The purpose of this competitive, peer-reviewed Collaborative Research Grant Program is to advance inter-institutional cooperation in science, technology, and scholarly activities that have a direct application to industry or government through the complementary efforts of scientists and scholars from Texas and Mexico.

The two main objectives for the Collaborative Research Grant Program are to provide seed funding to:

1. Support the completion of 12-month inter-institutional projects, and

2. Support the development and submission of proposals for external funding of research from competitive granting agencies, both domestic and international (e.g., NSF, NIH, DOE, CONACYT, World Bank, NATO, UNESCO, etc.), and from industry.

Upon completion of the 12-month project, the principal investigators are required to present evidence that they are seeking additional funding from another source. If the PIs have an existing funded project and are applying to this program for additional funding, they will be required to provide an interim progress report as part of the application process.

Priority Areas of Funding: Texas A&M University and CONACYT have agreed upon several research priority areas, listed below. The proposal should demonstrate practical applications of research for broad public benefit and have direct relevance to solving an industrial, governmental, or societal problem. A major portion of the available funds will be directed to proposals in these priority areas:

1. Biotechnology and Bioinformatics
2. Health
3. Telecommunications/Information Technologies
4. Environment
5. Advanced Materials and Manufacturing
6. Energy
7. Urban Development and Sustainability

A portion of the available funds has been allocated to facilitate funding of other relevant topics that may not directly pertain to the above priority areas. Researchers are advised to contact program coordinators (see page 8) to ensure the appropriateness of a topic for potential funding before submitting a letter of intent.

Funding priorities are jointly established by Texas A&M University and CONACYT and may change from year to year.

Available Funding: The joint fund, totaling US$400,000, is awarded annually for grants up to US$24,000. The one-year grant awards will be made to support collaborations between researchers at Texas A&M University, a higher education institution in Mexico and/or CONACYT research centers.

Eligibility: A principal investigator (PI) is required from both Texas A&M University and a higher education institution from Mexico or a CONACYT research center. The PI from the United States must be a tenured or tenure-track faculty member at Texas A&M University. The PI from Mexico must: (1) be part of the National System for Researchers (SNI), and (2) be a full-time faculty member from any institution of higher education in Mexico that is registered in the National Registry of Scientific and Technological Institutes and Companies (RENIECYT) . Other investigators may include faculty from a higher education institute in Mexico or from The Texas A&M University System, and projects may include postdoctoral students, graduate students, or research staff. In addition to the two lead PIs, up to six other investigators are allowed for each proposal.

PIs are limited to one submission each per year; however, it is possible to seek funding for successive years. PIs submitting a proposal for successive years will be required to submit a report describing results from the first grant award and demonstrating how additional funding will be utilized. Funds through the Collaborative Research Grant Program are designed to seed research collaborations and are not intended as a long-term funding source. New proposal submissions will receive higher funding priority than proposals submitted for successive years.

Deadlines:

Letter of Intent: Thursday, March 5, 2009. A Letter of Intent must be received by 5:00 p.m. Central Standard Time. It must be e-mailed to conacyt@tamu.edu. A letter of intent (in English) is a requirement for eligibility to submit a full proposal. Only one LOI is required, and it may be signed by only one PI.

Invitation to Submit Full Proposal: Thursday, March 12, 2009. PIs will be notified via email if they are invited to submit a full proposal.

Full Proposals: Thursday, April 16, 2009. Full proposals (in English) must be submitted, routed electronically for appropriate signatures, and received by 5:00 p.m. Central Standard Time. No late applications will be accepted. See “Online Submission Process” instructions on page 6.

Notification of Awards: Thursday, July 2, 2009. Notification of awards will be made electronically.

Availability of Funds: Thursday, August 6, 2009. Funds will be made available by this date. Any compliance issues must be cleared and investigators from Mexico must provide wire transfer information before transfer of funds can occur. It is helpful for Mexican investigators to have their financial information ready to submit if awarded. If we do not receive this information when requested, there may be a delay in the transfer of funds.

Formatting Guidelines:The letter of intent, abstract, and project narrative should be prepared using Times New Roman 12-pt font, single spaced, with one-inch margins. Please insert the page number as a footer at ½-inch from the bottom of the page.

Letter of Intent (LOI) Instructions: To be eligible to submit a full proposal, a letter of intent (LOI) is required (in English). Only one LOI is required, and it may be signed by only one PI. LOIs help the program administrators verify eligibility of the PIs and identify the required numbers and qualifications of reviewers. PIs should submit LOIs as early as possible in advance of the due date.

The LOI shall consist of the following (all in English):

• Abstract – A brief one-page summary describing the project’s objectives with an emphasis on relevance to industry, governmental, and societal problems; proposed methodology; and anticipated results in layman’s terms.
• Title – Proposed title of project.
• PI Information – Detailed contact information for the two (2) lead PIs, including:
  • Names
  • Titles and Positions (National System for Researchers (SNI) for Mexican PI only)
  • University/ CONACYT Research Center Affiliation—full name of the higher education institution in Mexico or CONACYT research center, followed by acronym, and the REINECYT registration number of the Mexican institution.
  • Department
  • Mailing Address
  • Phone
  • Fax
  • E-mail
  • Names of other investigators and institutions
• Partners – List of potential industrial partners or end users and level of involvement in the project (note that early engagement or involvement is encouraged)
• Priority Area (see information above on page 2)
• Methods – Describe the work to be performed, the tasks of each person, and the timeline for the project.
• Link to Industry/End User – Describe the project’s importance to solving industrial, governmental, or societal problems.
• Field of Science Code (see information below on pages 6)
• Suggested Reviewers (see information below on page 7)

Full Proposal Instructions: All proposals submitted for the Collaborative Research Grant Program must be submitted electronically using the online application system at http://igps.tamu.edu. A proposal will consist of the information listed below and should be in English. The abstract, project description, investigator resumes, current and pending support, and letters of support should be uploaded in PDF format in the designated location of the application. Failure to follow the guidelines will automatically disqualify a proposal without a scientific review.

General Information (online): Contact information for each investigator (limit 6), compliance reporting, key words for project, and report codes must be included.

• Abstract (upload): A brief one-page summary describing the project’s objectives with emphasis on application to industry, proposed methodology, and anticipated results in layman’s terms is to be included. The abstract will be used for various purposes, including posting on program web sites and promotion materials. Please include the title of the proposal.
• Project Description (upload): The project narrative is limited to eight pages (note: the average submission is 5-6 pages). The narrative should include any illustrations, figures, data, or other information and should address the following details in the order listed. Literature cited or references are not included within the 8-page limit.

Use the following bold headings within the proposal text.

1. Project Overview
   1. Scientific or Scholarly Merit and Impact . State the specific objectives of the project. Explain the scientific or technological significance of the work and its possible importance in economic, social, or other terms.
   2. Bi -national Problems. Provide evidence that project has direct application to solving bi-national problems.
   3. Anticipated Results . Describe the anticipated results of the project.
2. Qualifications and Balance of PIs and Research Team/Existing Inter-Institutional Relationships . Identify the role of both PIs and any other members of the research teams involved in the project. If applicable, the PIs should demonstrate evidence of an existing inter-institutional relationship. If graduate or post-doctoral students are involved, list their names and university/program affiliations. Also describe how the project is relevant to their graduate study and what provisions have been made to supervise their participation. Students already funded by CONACYT are not eligible for additional funding through this program.
3. Methods . Describe the work to be performed, the tasks of each person, and the timeline for the project.
4. Link to Industry/End User . Describe the project’s importance to solving industrial, governmental, or societal problems.
5. Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer. Unless otherwise agreed, Texas A&M University and CONACYT will each have the nonexclusive right to use research findings and related intellectual property developed under this grant for research and educational purposes. If applicable, describe relevant plans.
6. Future Funding Potential . Include a plan for continued cooperation for research and plans to seek additional funding from other sources.
7. Matching Support . Matching funds are not required, but investigators should provide any such information regarding the availability of institutional and industrial support, as well as leveraging potential.
8. Previous CONACYT Funding: PIs who have previously been funded through CONACYT must include the award year, grant title, names of other PIs and investigators, and a brief description of the results.
• References Cited : Please list publications or literature cited. This is not included within the project narrative 8-page limit.
• Investigator Resumes (upload): Resumes (two-page maximum) for all investigators should be attached to the application. Resumes should not exceed the two-page limit.
• Funding: Current and Pending (upload): List the source, title, date, and amount of internal and external funding support received or pending during the previous three years (for all investigators) relevant to the project.
• Industry Partner or End User (online): List contact information for all industry partners and/or end users whose letters of support will be uploaded with application. It is important to describe the level of involvement of the industry partner(s) and/or end user(s).
• Budget (online): Not to exceed US$24,000 (see budget criteria below).
• Budget Justification (online): Specifically itemize each budgeted item. The PIs must agree upon and specify how funding will be spent at their respective institutions. If there are matching funds, please include details in this section.
• Budget Contacts (online): I nclude the contact name, phone number, and email address for budget contacts at Texas A&M (departmental) and the Mexican higher education institution or CONACYT research center. Mexican investigators must provide wire transfer information before transfer of funds can occur. It is helpful for the Mexican investigators to have their financial information ready to submit if awarded. If we do not receive this information when requested, we cannot guarantee funds will be transferred by posted date.
• Letters of Support (upload): Letters of support are encouraged but not required. Submit no more than six (6) letters of support. Some examples of supporting organizations include:

• Mexican higher education institution or CONACYT research center.
• Texas A&M University
• Industry partner(s) and/or end user(s).

All letters of support should be addressed to the following and uploaded with the full proposal using the online application system:

Review Committee
Texas A&M- CONACYT: Collaborative Research Grant Program
c/o Texas A&M University
1112 TAMU
312 Jack K. Williams Administration Building
College Station, Texas 77843-1112

Field of Science: Identification of a Field of Science is useful in the selection of reviewers. From the list below, please provide the Field of Science most closely related to the proposed project.

A- Engineering

1- Aeronautical and Astronautical
2- Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
3- Civil Engineering
4- Electrical Engineering
5- Mechanical Engineering
6- Metallurgical and Materials Sciences
7- Bioengineering
8- Industrial Engineering
9- Other

B- Physical Sciences

1- Astronomy

2- Chemistry

3- Physics

C- Environmental Sciences

1- Atmospheric

2- Earth Sciences

3- Oceanography

4- Advanced Ocean Drilling Program

D- Mathematical Sciences

E- Computer Science

F- Medical Sciences

G- Agricultural Sciences

H- Biological and Other Life Sciences

I- Psychology

J- Social Sciences

1- Economics

2- Political Science

3- Sociology

K- Other Sciences- Inter Disciplinary

L- Arts and Humanities

M- Business Administration

N- Education

O- Law and Public Administration

P- Other Non-Science Activities

Evaluation of Proposals: A joint review committee will evaluate all proposals according to the following review criteria:

Evidence of scientific or scholarly merit and impact (25%)

• Evidence that projects have direct application to solving bi-national problems (20%)
• Qualifications of and balance between the PIs and/or research teams (15%)
• Evidence of existing inter-institutional relationship between PIs and/or research teams (5%)
• Evidence that projects are linked to the private sector and/or end user (10%)
• Demonstration of future funding potential (10%)
• Evidence of institutional or industrial matching support or leveraging potential (5%)
• Evidence that the budget is in line with the proposed objectives (10%)

Please understand that failure to meet any of the above criteria may result in disqualification.

The Review Committee: The Review Committee will consist of representatives from both Texas A&M University and CONACYT. Reviewers representing CONACYT will be drawn from the “Registro CONACYT de Evaluadores Acreditados” officials, who are selected by the Deputy Director General for Science. Texas A&M University administrators and faculty are selected for the Review Committee by the Vice President for Research. The Review Committee is scheduled to meet in May/June 2009.

Suggested Reviewers: PIs are invited to suggest names of persons they believe are especially well qualified to review their proposal, as well as names of persons they would prefer not review the proposal. These suggestions may serve as one source in the reviewer selection process at the Review Committee’s discretion. Submission of such names, however, is optional. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts of interest with the PIs. Suggested reviewers may be included in the letter of intent.

Notification of Award: Recipients will be notified via e-mail on Thursday, July 2, 2009.

Transfer of Funds: The transfer of funds, awarded in U.S. dollars, will be made by Thursday, August 6, 2009, assuming all financial information is provided by the PIs and all compliance issues have been cleared by the appropriate compliance committee(s). Failure to provide timely and accurate financial contact information will result in delayed transfer of funds.

Budget: Grants issued under this agreement will fund research projects up to US$24,000 with a project duration of up to 12 months. The budget should clearly indicate how the funds will be distributed between Texas A&M University and the Mexican higher education institution or CONACYT research center in the budget justification section. Eligible costs are limited to:

• Travel: This includes travel-related expenses for PIs and/or other members of the research teams to visit partner institutions or potential funding sources and registration fees for professional conferences and meetings. As one of the underlying aspects of this cooperative program, bi-directional travel by the PIs, or senior members of the research team, is expected. Each home institution is responsible for providing medical insurance during travel. Expenses incurred on behalf of the State and submitted for payment should be reasonable, necessary and appropriate. Employees or prospective employees may be reimbursed for the actual cost of meals and lodging on overnight travel. Other allowable expenses include: transportation costs (both ground and air). Expenses for incidental lodging costs should be excluded, such as for laundry care or movie rentals.  
• Graduate student support: The award money can be used to fund graduate students’ salaries and tuition payments; however, this project will not fund salaries for investigators, undergraduate students, or postdoctoral students. The funds for these grants are not fringe-bearing. Fringe benefits must be included for all U.S. graduate student salaries listed in the budget. Instructions for calculating fringe benefits are located at: https://www.tamus.edu/offices/budgets-acct/acct/IDC/Fringe-benefit-FY2009.pdf . Students already funded by CONACYT are not eligible for additional funding through this program.
• Symposia/Workshops: Expenses related to hosting focused symposia and workshops on topics fall within the scope of this initiative.
• Scientific equipment and supplies: This category must not exceed 20 percent of the total award. Personal computers cannot be purchased with this award.
• Facilities and Administrative Costs (F&A Costs/Indirect Costs) are not allowed.
• Matching support is not required, but it is strongly encouraged.

Reporting Requirements: At the end of the 12-month funding period, award recipients are required to submit a report describing project activities and identifying the granting agencies, industry sponsors, or end users to which a future proposal has been or will be submitted. The Final Report form is available at: http://osp.tamu.edu/forms/finalreportwtableques.doc. PIs who fail to submit a final report showing evidence that they have submitted a proposal to an external granting agency or sponsor may not be eligible to participate in future applications to the Collaborative Research Grant Program.

Additionally, PIs are required to attend one symposium after the 12-month funding period to present the results of their research. Funding for this meeting will come from the Texas A&M University-CONACYT Research Agreement pool of funds and is not required to be included in the project budget.

Program Coordinators: Questions concerning the CONACYT-Texas A&M University Collaborative Research Grant Program should be directed to:

Texas A&M University : Ms. Monica Holder (m-holder@tamu.edu or conacyt@tamu.edu; 979-847.9391)

CONACYT: Mr. Victor Gabriel Fernandez (vfernandezo@conacyt.mx ; 53227000 ex.6608)

Information on Internet: Information about the CONACYT-Texas A&M Agreement and the Collaborative Research Grant Program is available on the Web at:

• CONACYT’s Web site: http://www.conacyt.mx
• Texas A&M University ’s Web site: http://conacyt.tamu.edu

Both of these web sites will have the following information easily and readily available:

• Request for Proposals
• Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
• Official Agreement
• Administrative Support
• Online Help