Core Equipment Competition for next fiscal year funding

Request for proposals for research equipment support FY13/14

A committee of representatives from each of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) departments, have developed a policy and set of procedures for the maintenance of core research equipment at USM.  This process is designed to increase the transparency and equity of the use of Maine Economic Improvement Funds (MEIF) for maintaining equipment. 

MEIF funds will be available for core equipment maintenance through a competitive process.  If there are instruments or equipment that you would like to be considered for core status, please submit a proposal (five pages or less) that addresses the criteria listed in below. A core equipment committee, composed of one representative from each STEM department, will evaluate and rank the proposals based on the criteria. This process will be repeated on a biannual basis.

Important 2012 dates are listed below.

May 1 - Requests for proposals released by Research Administration

May 18 - Proposals and budgets submitted to the Associate VP of Academic Affairs (AVPAA)

May 18 through 31 - Committee review

June 15 - Funding decisions are announced by AVPAA

July 1 - Funds are available

Faculty who have equipment currently maintained by MEIF funds are invited to submit proposals for continuing support.

Submitted proposals should be emailed to langley@usm.maine.edu.

CRITERIA TO BE ADDRESSED IN PROPOSALS:

•    Is the research supported by this equipment aligned with one or more of the seven MEIF targeted areas? (biotechnology, aquaculture and marine technology, composite materials technology, environmental technology, advanced technologies for forestry and agriculture, information technology and precision manufacturing technology)
•    The number of researchers who use equipment, and for whom equipment is critical
•    Centrality to USM’s research mission
•    Alignment with USM’s research priority areas
•    Grant dollars generated by equipment in last three years
•    Number of publications in last three years based on data generated with this equipment
•    Is there similar equipment at nearby institutions that may be shared?
•    Is there alternative equipment available that could be used to achieve similar goals?
•    Number of student users per semester for research
•    Amount of student work presented at local, regional and national conferences
•    Degree to which equipment promotes undergraduate research and education
•    Degree to which equipment promotes research interaction among different academic units
•    Degree to which equipment usage advances the university’s mission, goals, and strategic plan
•    Centrality of equipment to a degree program
•    Total cost of ownership
•    Annual service cost
•    Annual expendables cost
•    Are there other funds available for support of this equipment?
•    Is specialized training or technical support required?
•    Is a specialized environment(s) required for the equipment to operate?