Support for Research

	CDA Application Form	CDA Ranking Form
	CDA Budget Change Request Form	CDA Ranking Instructions
	CDA Progress Report Form	Office of Technology Transfer Website
1. Award Goals and Scope
	The primary objective of the Concept Development Award (CDA) is to stimulate interest in and involvement with technology development and the technology transfer process at SIU-SOM. Another objective is to assist in moving technologies into the market to improve the public's health and welfare. Commercial development of SIU-SOM technologies will help promote the economic welfare of the University and surrounding community with industry investment. The award primarily covers patentable inventions or discoveries, but also covers trade secrets and copyrightable materials (hereinafter "invention" refers to a patentable discovery, trade secret, or copyrightable material). The function of the award is to help advance an invention by covering costs not otherwise met by the University or other means. Such costs include, but are not limited to, prototype development, travel to meet with interested companies or potential investors, contracting with outside consultants, hiring for additional development assistance (i.e. extra researchers), producing marketing materials, etc. The award cannot be used to supplement applicant salaries, support basic research and development, or to fund work on an idea that has not yet demonstrated a strong likelihood of marketability as intellectual property, as evidenced by prior discussion with the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT). Disclosure of the invention to the OTT is a requirement for eligibility, and should be done at least one month prior to the application submission deadline for a particular funding cycle. The award will be given semi-annually (two funding cycles/awards per fiscal year). Each application can request up to $15,000. Recipients cannot receive the award for consecutive funding cycles for the same invention.
*2. Eligibility*
	2.1. Applicants All SIU-SOM employees and students from the Springfield and Carbondale campuses are eligible for the award. Collaboration with other schools (e.g., SIU College of Engineering) is acceptable as long as the applicant is from SIU-SOM. 2.2. Inventions Development of patentable discoveries, trade secrets, and copyrightable material are all eligible under this award. Any such invention covered under the current Patent and Copyright Policy (found at http://www.siuc.edu/%7Epolicies/policies/patents.html) is eligible. The current policy covers any invention developed: • within the scope of an employee’s duties at the university; • in whole or in part by the use of University facilities or resources; • as the result of efforts carried on by, or under the direction of, any employee, student, or other user of University facilities; or • in part or in full from University funds or from funds under the control of or administered by the University.
3. Application Process and Procedures
	3.1. Application Requirements Applications should contain the following parts: Completed and signed CDA Application Form as a cover sheet Brief narrative of no more than three pages in length (including any references and figures) containing the following information: Description of the invention and state of development (trade secrets need not disclose the specific trade secret material, just describe what it concerns) Proposed timeline and steps from the current state to advance the invention to market Description of discussions with the OTT Description of additional business or legal discussions (if any) Assessment of potential market and market viability, indicating how the invention is beneficial or an improvement on existing technology (i.e. XX million people can be treated with a new drug, which cuts recovery time in half compared to current drug)- include concrete numbers whenever possible Budget sheet of no more than one page in length detailing how the award money will be used and explaining how the money will move the invention forward on the timeline 3.2. Application Formatting Both the brief narrative and the budget sheet should use 12-point font and have margins (top, bottom, right and left) of one inch. 3.3. Application Process and Deadlines Applications for Cycle A will be accepted between 8:00 A.M. on the first Monday in October and 4:30 P.M. on the third Monday in October. Applications for Cycle B will be accepted between 8:00 A.M. on the first Monday in February and 4:30 P.M. on the third Monday in February. One signed paper application should be submitted to the OTT (Room 2053) between these times. Electronic applications will not be accepted. Late applications will not be accepted.
4. Selection Criteria
	Applications that do not contain the necessary materials or do not follow the formatting requirements described above will be disqualified. Each application will be ranked based on the review criteria listed below and assigned a merit score. Details regarding the scoring process can be found in the CDA Ranking Form and Ranking Instructions. Monetary and societal value of the invention (primary evaluation criterion) A well-conceived plan to develop the invention The likelihood that the invention can/will be transferred to the market or made available for the benefit of the community Patentable inventions will be viewed more positively than trade secrets and copyrightable material Inventions with existing or developing intellectual property protection will be viewed more positively Prior business or legal consultations, small business development initiatives, or interested potential licensees will be viewed positively During the allocation process, consideration will also be given to whether the applicant has received an award previously for the same invention and the state of market readiness of the invention.
5. Selection Process and Procedures
	5.1. Selection Committees The selection process will involve a single Concept Development Award Committee (CDAC). The CDAC will be non-applicants composed of the Chair of the Patent and Copyright Committee (P & CC), the Chair or designee of the Central Research Committee (CRC), the Chair or designee of the Research Policy Committee (RPC), the Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs (ADRFA), and the Director of the OTT. 5.2. Ranking Process After the application submission deadline for a funding cycle, the CDAC will meet to review and discuss all eligible applications. The Chair of the P & CC, the Chair or designee of the CRC, and the Chair or designee of the RPC will assign individual merit scores to each application based on the selection criteria. The ADRFA and the Director of the OTT will serve as consultants and will not score the applications. 5.3. Allocation Process All members of the CDAC will be involved in determining and approving the final funding decisions (including any funding splits) for the top-ranked applications. If the funding total of qualifying applications that merit funding exceeds the available funds, the CDAC may reduce the submitted budget of some or all of the applications and distribute the funds accordingly. Additionally, if the funding total of qualifying applications that merit funding is less than the available funds, the CDAC may decide not to distribute some or all of the available funds to less qualified applications and may instead decide to carry the funds over into the next funding cycle. 5.4. Funding Timeline Award recipients for Cycle A will be announced on the first Monday in December. Award recipients for Cycle B will be announced on the first Monday in April. Recipients of the award will receive up to $15,000 per invention to be used within one calendar year. Recipients of the award will then be required to submit a completed CDA Progress Report Form indicating what events were carried out within the year and how the award money was used to advance progress on the inventions. For Cycle A, Progress Report Forms should be submitted to the OTT no later than 4:30 P.M. on the second Monday of January of the following fiscal year (approximately 13 months after the date of the award announcement). For Cycle B, Progress Report Forms should be submitted no later than 4:30 P.M. on the second Monday of May of the following fiscal year. 5.5 Award Recipient Terms and Conditions After one calendar year from date of the award announcement, any remaining money will be returned to the CDA Fund An award recipient who fails to submit a CDA Progress Report Form within the allotted timeframe will be ineligible to receive future awards Recipients may use award money to cover extra expenses (in the amount of $3,000 or more) not included in the budget if expenses listed in the budget have been met, the extra expenses are allowable expenses under the award, and a CDA Budget Change Request Form is submitted to the OTT and approved by the ADRFA Substantial unapproved alterations in budget use (i.e., using award money budgeted for consulting costs for travel or to pay for a researcher) may result in ineligibility to receive future awards The terms and conditions of this award are subject to review and change at any time without advance notice.