[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