Empire State Development (ESD) Centers for Advanced Technology (CAT) Program

Notice of Intent – 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 21, 2019

 

Anyone who plans to submit a proposal to this program must provide the information requested below to[email protected] by 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 21.  “ESD CAT” should appear in the subject line of the email.

Please note: Important details about Technology Focus, Award Information (indirect costs), and Matching Funds Requirements are provided at the end of this email.

Please provide the following information:

  1. PI – Name, department and contact information
  2. Co-PIs – Name, department and institution
  3. Participating Organizations
  4. New York State Industry Partners
  5. Technology Focus (from list below)
    1. Industrial Automation and Robotics
    2. Medical Manufacturing
    3. Sensor Technology
    4. Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence
    5. Internet of Things
    6. Autonomous Vehicle Systems
  6. Source of the required matching funds

Questions should be sent to [email protected]

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For a list of current limited submission program please visit:https://research.columbia.edu/content/limitedsubmissions#table-6029

Technology Focus
For this RFP, ESD has identified six Technology Foci that hold significant potential for expanding the New York State economy. Proposals submitted in a Technology Focus other than one of these six will be rejected without review. Select the Technology Focus that is most representative of the applied research that will be conducted by the CAT.

  1. Industrial automation and robotics and related manufacturing technologies;
  2. Medical manufacturing, including advances in pharmaceutical production, medical device development, and/or biomanufacturing;
  3. Sensor technology, including but not limited to such areas as ‘unobservable’ sensing, micro-sensor implants, biodegradable sensors, self-powered sensors, self-healing sensors, live cell-based sensing, sensor swarms, and/or smart dust; 
  4. Machine learning/artificial intelligence, including but not limited to cognitive computing, facial recognition, neural networks, virtual reality, and/or voice recognition/assistant; 
  5. Internet of Things as it pertains to cybersecurity, blockchain, smart communities, manufacturing, and/or consumer products; or
  6. Autonomous vehicle systems, including but not limited to machine-to-machine and vehicle-to-vehicle communications; and, other enabling technologies. 

The CAT must be organized to address the needs of industry within its identified Technology Focus leading to the attraction and expansion of businesses within New York. As explained in Section V (Appendices), the applicant must specifically identify industries that will benefit from the CAT’s work, demonstrate knowledge of companies’ needs within the industry, and explain how a collaborative academic-industry partnership can address these needs and promote economic development in New York.

Award Information
The awarded CAT will be eligible to receive up to $921,200 per year, subject to availability of State funds. Indirect costs are limitedto 15 percent of direct personnel costs (salaries plus fringe benefits).

Matching Funds Requirements
Matching requirements are as follows:

  • In the first through fifth year of initial designation, 100 percent;
  • in the sixth year, 100 percent for the first $750,000 and 120 percent there above;
  • in the seventh year, 100 percent for the first $750,000 and 140 percent there above;
  • in the eighth year, 100 percent for the first $750,000 and 160 percent there above;
  • in the ninth year, 100 percent for the first $750,000 and 180 percent there above; and
  • in the tenth year, and each year thereafter if a CAT is re-designated, 100 percent for the first $750,000 and 200 percent there above