[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 204 (Thursday, October 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56686-56687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-28291]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 2909]


Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation; 
Collaborative Projects Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific 
Affairs, State.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This announcement is a second call for collaborative projects 
under the Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation for the 
purposes of encouraging and supporting cooperation between the United 
States and Spain. Proposals submitted will undergo peer review by both 
countries and will be approved or disapproved by the Joint Commission.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 9, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Shauntia Rodney, Program Officer, Office of Science and Technology 
Cooperation, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and 
Scientific Affairs, Department of State--Tel # (202) 647-2245, Fax # 
(202) 647-2746, or
    The Commission for Cultural Educational and Scientific Exchange

[[Page 56687]]

between the United States of America and Spain, Paseo Gral. Martinez 
Campos, 24, 28080 Madrid, 34-91-308-2436, or via E-Mail at 
[email protected], or [email protected]. 
The Commission maintains a web-site on this and other programs at 
http://www.fulbright.es/welcome.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    This program is established under the Agreement for Scientific and 
Technological Cooperation between the Government of the United States 
and the Government of Spain.
    A solicitation for this program began September 1, and will 
continue until the closing date of December 1, 1998. The Department of 
State and the Foreign Ministry of Spain announce the second call for 
collaborative projects under the Agreement on Scientific and 
Technological Cooperation, which entered into force in 1996. The 
purpose of the Agreement is to encourage and support scientific and 
technological cooperation between the United States and Spain. Grants 
under this project call, that are approved by the Joint Commission on 
Scientific and Technological Cooperation will assist with the costs for 
international collaboration between research teams from science 
agencies and universities of the two countries. Basic research costs 
must be funded from other sources. Costs supported will normally not 
exceed $30,000 in the first year; a renewal may be requested under a 
later project call.

Basic Terms

    The funds available to the Joint Commission as described in Article 
VII(2) of the Agreement, are being used as follows. Approximately 
twenty-five percent of the funds are being used in the first year of 
the program, or approximately $750,000 for thirty-six grants. In the 
second call for proposals, approximately 40% of the funds, or about 
$1,200,000 will be used for new proposals and for approved renewals. 
The remaining funds will be used in the third year.
    Costs supported include travel, at government contract rates or 
tourist class; per diem lodging, meals and incidentals; international 
mail and messenger service; minimal amounts of equipment (normally no 
more than $2000 would be approved), and the like. Living costs will be 
supported up to a maximum of $175 per day, but teams are encouraged to 
find less expensive options for meals and lodging for stays of more 
than a few days, to maximize the funds available. Normally travel 
should be for a minimum of a week and a maximum of a month.
    The call for proposals is open until December 1, 1998; grants will 
be decided in April 1999. There will normally be a maximum of twelve 
months for use of granted funds. A mid-term report after the first six 
months will be the basis of an application for a renewal if one is 
desired. Proposals will be subject to peer review in both countries. 
Proposals will be submitted as a single package in both English and 
Spanish; U.S. principal investigators should forward their portion of 
the document to their Spanish counterpart, to facilitate the submission 
of the package to the Program Secretariat in Madrid.
    Collaborative proposals are expected to have secured funding for 
the basic research, and preferably be already established projects in 
at least one of the two countries.

Priorities

    Emphasis will be given by the Joint Commission in the 1998 awards 
to the following fields:
1.   Life Sciences
1.1  Infectious and degenerative diseases, including diseases of 
animals
1.2  Biotechnology of plants, plant health, and integrated pest 
management
1.3  Food biotechnology
1.4  Molecular design in the production of pharmaceuticals
2.   Environment
2.1  Biodiversity
2.2  Natural reserves and protected ecosystems
2.3  Conservation of soils and forests and problems of desertification
2.4  Integrated water management; resources, use and reuse
2.5  Combating pollution and treatment of wastes
3.   Information and Communication Technology
3.1  Electronic and microelectronic technology
3.2  Advanced communication technology: satellites, mobile units, 
Internet II
3.3  Informatics
4.   Materials Sciences
4.1  Ceramics, metals, polymers, compounds and superconductors
4.2  Advanced production technology for new materials
5.   Energy and High Energy Physics
5.1  Alternate energy: Solar and Wind
5.2  Clean technologies for fossil fuels and/or alternatives
5.3  Cooperative research with U.S. High Energy Physics Labs

    Applicants will indicate on the cover sheet the number of the field 
under which the project falls. Projects submitted outside these 
categories should simply be designated as ``6. Other Fields.''

Research Teams

    All scientists working in research agencies of the two governments, 
or in universities of the two countries, are eligible to apply. Each 
project should have a principal investigator on the U.S. side and on 
the Spanish side. These should be nationals or residents of the 
respective countries; teams may include citizens of other countries if 
this is justified in the research plan. U.S. researchers are reminded 
that Spain requires a visa for holders of official or diplomatic 
passports. Spanish researchers will not normally require a special 
visa.
Janet Mayland,
Deputy Director, Office of Science and Technology Cooperation, Bureau 
of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
[FR Doc. 98-28291 Filed 10-21-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-M