Request for Proposals

Testing & Special Services Grant Opportunity for Small Ohio Polymer Firms

Objective

Ohio State University Extension (OSUE) and the Ohio BioProducts Innovation  Center (OBIC) will provide to selected Ohio polymer firms matching funds to cover the cost of testing and special services needed to work on a problem  related to using bio-based inputs (development and production) or looking to switch  to bio-based inputs. 

Funding

Ohio State University Extension (OSUE) has a total of $10,000 available from an Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) grant funded through the Ohio Rural Rehabilitation Program.  Each one dollar ($1) contributed by a polymer firm (up to a maximum of $2000), will be matched with $3 from ODA and OBIC funds (up to a maximum of $6000.) Although the maximum polymer firm contribution that will be matched is $2000, a firm may choose to contribute more than $2000 if the total project cost exceeds $8000.

Examples of the maximum benefit per project are shown in the following table:

Uses and Restrictions

Funds are to be used for the following testing and special services from appropriate labs at The Ohio State University. 

·         to conduct lab-based technical assistance for firms experiencing problems with their production processes related to the use of bio-based inputs

·         to conduct lab-based technical assistance for firms looking to shift to bio-based inputs for their products

Eligible Applicants

Small Ohio firms in the polymer industry are invited to apply.  For this RFP a small firm is defined as a firm with 50 or fewer employees. 

Proposal Guidelines

Proposals should include the following:

·         A cover page providing:

o   Name  & mailing address of polymer firm

o   Location of actual work

o   A statement (paragraph or two) of the firm’s history, mission and/or emphases of work

o   Name, title, e-mail address & business phone number for authorized firm representative submitting the proposal

o   Signature of the authorized firm representative and date signed

·         A Project Description describing in detail the problem requiring technical assistance.

Reporting Requirements

Grant recipients will be expected to submit a final report within thirty days (30) after the completion of the project but no later than December 4, 2009.  Reports should be addressed to: OSU Extension, Attention:  Ken Martin, 3 Agricultural Administration Building, 2120 Fyffe Road, Columbus, OH 43201-1010.

The final report will include:

1.       A narrative description of the project detailing the nature of the assistance that was needed, and

2.       An evaluation of the project, including successes and failures and how the results will help the firm in the production of bio-based products. 

Credit

Acknowledgement of funding assistance by OSUE, ODA, and OBIC is to be included in public and internal notices that reference the testing and technical services applied to the problem identified in the proposal.

Evaluation

Applications will be evaluated by OSUE, OBIC, and PolymerOhio. Proposals that clearly demonstrate the need for testing and technical services that can be provided by the laboratory resources available through The Ohio State University will be considered for funding.

Application Deadline

Proposals will be accepted between now and November 1, 2009, 5 pm as a hard copy, via e-mail or FAX.  Awards will be made on an on-going basis until available funding has been exhausted. Applicants will be notified about funding within approximately 15 business days of their submission date. Mail or deliver proposals to:

Ken Martin

OSU Extension

3 Agricultural Administration Building

2120 Fyffe Road, Columbus, OH 43201-1010. 

                E-Mail:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   

                Voice: 614-292-8793

                FAX:  614-688-3807

Contact Information

Contact Ken Martin via phone or E-mail  with questions about this funding opportunity.