SSTI Digest Story Updates

702 Vie for TIIAP Funds

Update to SSTI Weekly Digest 1/22/99 article:

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the Department of Commerce received 702 applications for the Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program (TIIAP). All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands were represented in the pool of applicants.

Total funding requested by the applicants was $278 million; TIIAP has only $17 million available for awards in Fiscal Year 1999. Awards will be announced in September.

A list of all 702 applicants was posted in the Federal Register on April 30 (Vol. 64, No. 83, pages 23518-23524). More information can be found on the TIIAP website: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/tiiap/index.html

29 EPSCoT Proposals Submitted

Update to SSTI Weekly Digest 3/26/99 article:

The Technology Administration of the Department of Commerce received 29 proposals from 23 states in response to the 1999 Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Technology (EPSCoT) solicitation. Five of the proposals involve multi-state collaborations.

Interest in the program is growing. Last year, 25 EPSCoT applications were received from 18 of the 19 eligible states.

Anita Balachandra, EPSCoT Director, anticipates award announcements will be made in late August or early September.

Missouri Seed Capital Fizzles

Update to SSTI Weekly Digest 2/26/99 article:

Efforts to create a $10-million-per-year, technology-based seed capital fund in Missouri died in the state legislature after the Monsanto Co. and other businesses raised opposition to the program’s funding mechanism. The proposed legislation had called for a temporary 50-percent reduction in the state’s R&D tax credit to capitalize the seed fund.

Currently, $11.5 million or 69 percent of the R&D tax credits are captured by Monsanto, Southwestern Bell and Boeing.

Last year, Monsanto also received a $25 million tax credit from the state for a plant science research center.