§ 295.2 - Definitions.

§ 295.2 Definitions.

(a) For the purposes of the ATP, the term award means Federal financial assistance made under a grant or cooperative agreement.

(b) The term company means a for-profit organization, including sole proprietors, partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), or corporations.

(c) The term cooperative agreement refers to a Federal assistance instrument used whenever the principal purpose of the relationship between the Federal Government and the recipient is the transfer of money, property, or services, or anything of value to the recipient to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by Federal statute, rather than acquisition by purchase, lease, or barter, of property or services for the direct benefit or use of the Federal Government; and substantial involvement is anticipated between the executive agency, acting for the Federal Government, and the recipient during performance of the contemplated activity.

(d) The term direct costs means costs that can be identified readily with activities carried out in support of a particular final objective. A cost may not be allocated to an award as a direct cost if any other cost incurred for the same purpose in like circumstances has been assigned to an award as an indirect cost. Because of the diverse characteristics and accounting practices of different organizations, it is not possible to specify the types of costs which may be classified as direct costs in all situations. However, typical direct costs could include salaries of personnel working on the ATP project and associated reasonable fringe benefits such as medical insurance. Direct costs might also include supplies and materials, special equipment required specifically for the ATP project, and travel associated with the ATP project. ATP shall determine the allowability of direct costs in accordance with applicable Federal cost principles.

(e) The term foreign-owned company means a company other than a United States-owned company as defined in § 295.2(q).

(f) The term grant means a Federal assistance instrument used whenever the principal purpose of the relationship between the Federal Government and the recipient is the transfer of money, property, services, or anything of value to the recipient in order to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by Federal statute, rather than acquisition by purchase, lease, or barter, of property or services for the direct benefit or use of the Federal Government; and no substantial involvement is anticipated between the executive agency, acting for the Federal Government, and the recipient during performance of the contemplated activity.

(g) The term independent research organization (IRO) means a nonprofit research and development corporation or association organized under the laws of any state for the purpose of carrying out research and development on behalf of other organizations.

(h) The term indirect costs means those costs incurred for common or joint objectives that cannot be readily identified with activities carried out in support of a particular final objective. A cost may not be allocated to an award as an indirect cost if any other cost incurred for the same purpose in like circumstances has been assigned to an award as a direct cost. Because of diverse characteristics and accounting practices it is not possible to specify the types of costs which may be classified as indirect costs in all situations. However, typical examples of indirect costs include general administration expenses, such as the salaries and expenses of executive officers, personnel administration, maintenance, library expenses, and accounting. ATP shall determine the allowability of indirect costs in accordance with applicable Federal cost principles.

(i) The term industry-led joint research and development venture or joint venture means a business arrangement that consists of two or more separately-owned, for-profit companies that perform research and development in the project; control the joint venture's membership, research directions, and funding priorities; and share total project costs with the Federal government. The joint venture may include additional companies, independent research organizations, universities, and/or governmental laboratories (other than NIST) which may or may not contribute funds (other than Federal funds) to the project and perform research and development. A for-profit company or an independent research organization may serve as an Administrator and perform administrative tasks on behalf of a joint venture, such as handling receipts and disbursements of funds and making antitrust filings. The following activities are not permissible for ATP funded joint ventures:

(1) Exchanging information among competitors relating to costs, sales, profitability, prices, marketing, or distribution of any product, process, or service that is not reasonably required to conduct the research and development that is the purpose of such venture;

(2) Entering into any agreement or engaging in any other conduct restricting, requiring, or otherwise involving the production or marketing by any person who is a party to such joint venture of any product, process, or service, other than the production or marketing of proprietary information developed through such venture, such as patents and trade secrets; and

(3) Entering into any agreement or engaging in any other conduct:

(i) To restrict or require the sale, licensing, or sharing of inventions or developments not developed through such venture, or

(ii) To restrict or require participation by such party in other research and development activities, that is not reasonably required to prevent misappropriation of proprietary information contributed by any person who is a party to such venture or of the results of such venture.

(j) The term intellectual property means an invention patentable under title 35, United States Code, or any patent on such an invention.

(k) The term large business for a particular ATP competition means any business, including any parent company plus related subsidiaries, having annual revenues in excess of the amount published by ATP in the relevant annual notice of availability of funds required by § 295.7(a). In establishing this amount, ATP may consider the dollar value of the total revenues of the 500th company in Fortune Magazine's Fortune 500 listing.

(l) The term matching funds or cost sharing means that portion of project costs not borne by the Federal government. Sources of revenue to satisfy the required cost share include cash and in-kind contributions. Cash contributions can be from recipient, state, county, city, or other non-federal sources. In-kind contributions can be made by recipients or non-federal third parties (except subcontractors working on an ATP project) and include but are not limited to equipment, research tools, software, and supplies. Except as specified at § 295.25, the value of in-kind contributions shall be determined in accordance with OMB Circular A-110, Subpart C, Section 23. The value of in-kind contributions will be prorated according to the share of total use dedicated to the ATP program. ATP restricts the total value of in-kind contributions that can be used to satisfy the cost share by requiring that such contributions not exceed 30 percent of the non-federal share of the total project costs. ATP shall determine the allowability of matching share costs in accordance with applicable federal cost principles.

(m) The term person shall be deemed to include corporations and associations existing under or authorized by the laws of either the United States, the laws of any of the Territories, the laws of any State, or the laws of any foreign country.

(n) The term Program means the Advanced Technology Program.

(o) The term Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce or the Secretary's designee.

(p) The term small business means a business that is independently owned and operated, is organized for profit, and is not dominant in the field of operation in which it is proposing, and meets the other requirements found in 13 CFR part 121.

(q) The term United States-owned company means a for-profit organization, including sole proprietors, partnerships, or corporations, that has a majority ownership or control by individuals who are citizens of the United States.

[55 FR 30145, July 24, 1990, as amended at 59 FR 666, 667, Jan. 6, 1994; 62 FR 64684, 64685, Dec. 9, 1997; 63 FR 64413, Nov. 20, 1998]