[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 31, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-13244]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: May 31, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Productivity Advancement Research (CPAR) Program
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to inform potential applicants
of a program of cost-shared research, development, demonstration and
commercialization and technology transfer (R&D) projects between the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the U.S. construction
industry. The purpose of the Construction Productivity Advancement
Research (CPAR) Program is to assist the U.S. construction industry in
enhancing its productivity and competitive position through the
development and commercialization of advanced technologies, materials
and constitution management systems.
DATES: Effective date is June 6, 1994. Proposals will be accepted until
July 22, 1994.
ADDRESSES: Proposals for the Fiscal Year 1995 CPAR Program should be
submitted to the Corps laboratories identified in the CAPR Guidelines
for Participation, dated May 1994. The Guidelines provide information
about the CPAR Program and how to participate, and should be read
carefully by those wishing to propose a project before contact is made
with a Corps laboratory. Copies of the Guidelines may be obtained by
writing to: HQUSACE, ATTN: CERD-C; 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC. 20314-1000 or by calling (202) 272-0257.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. David B. Mathis; HQUSACE, CERD-C; 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW.
Washington, DC 20314-1000, or call (202) 272-1846 or 272-0267.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: CPAR is a program consisting of cost-shared
R&D projects executed by collaborative partnerships between the Corps,
the U.S. construction industry (contractors, equipment and material
manufacturers and supplies, architects, engineers, and financial
organizations), public and private foundations, trade and professional
organizations, state and local governments, academic institutions and
other entities who are interested in enhancing construction
productivity and competitiveness. The objective of CPAR is to
facilitate research development and application of advanced
technologies through collaborative R&D, field demonstration, licensing
agreements, commercialization, technology transfer and other means of
reducing technology to practice in the U.S. construction industry.
R&D efforts conducted under CPAR will be based on proposals
received from U.S. construction industry entities and others, as noted
above, which can be addressed effectively by a partnership between an
industry partner and a Corps laboratory, with both performing a
mutually defined portion of the required R&D, and which will benefit
both the construction industry and the Corps.
Participation in CPAR is open to any U.S. private firm, including
corporations, partnerships, limited partnerships and industrial
development organizations; public and private foundations; non-profit
organizations; units of state and local governments; academic
institutions; and others who have an interest in and the resources and
capability to address CPAR objectives. Consortia of industry firms and
organizations are encouraged, with emphasis on inclusion of
construction contractors and other practitioners to ensure the product
of each CPAR project is useful and beneficial to the industry.
As provided by law, special consideration will be given to small
business firms. Preference will be given to business units located in
the United States that agree to substantially manufacture, market and
apply the products in the United States. Consideration will be given to
a potential partner that is subject to the control of a foreign company
or government if that foreign government permits U.S. agencies,
organizations, or other persons to enter into cooperative research and
development agreements and licensing agreements.
The cost of each CPAR project will be shared by the Corps and the
construction industry partner. Specific cost sharing terms will be
defined for each proposed project prior to submission of the proposal
to Corps Headquarters (HQUSACE) for approval. ``In-Kind'' services and/
or use of facilities may be considered in arriving at a cost-sharing
agreement. As required by law, not more than fifty (50) percent of the
total cost of a CPAR project will be provided by the Corps and not less
than five (5) percent of the construction industry partner's share of
the cost must be contributed in cash. The Corps and the construction
industry partner may each contribute personnel, services, facilities,
property, patent licenses (or assignment or options to the patent
license) and money. Funds for the Corps share of each project will be
provided to the Corps laboratory for in-house performance of the
laboratory's share of the collaborative R&D. The construction industry
partner will provide all funds and other resources necessary to perform
the partner's share of the collaborative R&D. No costs previously
incurred by the Corps or the construction industry partner on the
subject matter of the CPAR project may be recovered in the cost sharing
agreement.
A CPAR Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CPAR-CRDA)
specific to each project will be negotiated between the Corps and the
U.S. construction industry partner. The CPAR-CRDA is defined by law as
neither a procurement contract nor an assistant agreement (grant or
cooperative agreement). The CPAR-CRDA will contain, in addition to the
cost-sharing terms, a work plan and all other conditions and
responsibilities necessary to complete the project and commercialize/
transfer the technology, including rights to inventions. Those
considering proposing a CPAR project should review CPAR-CRDA given in
Appendix B of the CPAR Guidelines for Participation before proposing
the project to ensure that the proposer can agree to the terms and
conditions of the CPAR-CRDA.
It is recognized that the industry partner will do more to push the
technology into use in the construction industry if the industry
partner is provided a marketplace interest in the product of a CPAR
project. Therefore, to the extent permitted by law, the Corps will
generally grant to the industry partner an option to licenses or
assignments for any intellectual property made in whole or in part by a
Federal employee under the CPAR-CRDA, retaining a nonexclusive, non-
transferable, irrevocable, paid-up license to practice the invention or
have the invention practiced throughout the world on behalf of the
Government. The Corps may, without further notice to others, agree to
negotiate an exclusive license to intellectual property if such action
would facilitate commercialization and use of the product. However, to
the greatest extent possible and appropriate, licensing and assignments
will be on a non-exclusive basis. In appropriate cases, royalties will
be negotiated and collected by the Government in exchange for licenses
or assignments. The industry partner will retain title to all
inventions created by industry partner employees under the CPAR-CRDA
and, generally, will grant a non-exclusive, non-transferrable,
irrevocable, royalty-free license to the Government on such inventions.
CPAR is designed to promote and assist in the advancement of ideas
and technology which will have a direct, positive impact on
construction productivity and Corps mission accomplishment. The intent
of each CPAR project is to produce a discrete, field-demonstrated
product ready for use by the U.S. construction industry at the end of
the project. CPAR is focused on three major technology areas: planning
and design improvement, improved construction site productivity and
advanced materials. However, any idea for improving construction
productivity will be considered. Ideas that cannot define a direct and
demonstrable link to the enhancement of construction productivity will
not be accepted into the CPAR Program. Areas of interest include, but
are not limited to:
Planning and Design Improvement
* Computer-Aided Planning and Engineering Tools.
* Advanced Site Investigation Technology.
* Knowledge-Based Cost Estimating Systems.
* Computer-Aided Design Systems.
* Total Integrated Design Systems.
* Expert Systems/Artificial Intelligence.
* Materials Selection Systems.
* Advanced Technology Selection Systems.
Improved Construction Site Productivity
* Construction Management Methods.
* Materials Handling.
* Automated Construction/Robotics.
* Expert Systems.
* Marine Construction.
* Advanced Excavating, Tunneling and Other Construction
Technologies.
* Cold Weather Construction.
* Automated Inspection and Quality Control.
* Computer-Aided Construction Management Systems.
* Advanced Environmental Compliance Systems.
* Flood Fighting Expedient Construction.
Advanced Materials
* High-Performance Cementitious Materials.
* Structural Polymers.
* Advanced Ceramics.
* Metal Matrix Composites.
* Advanced Fabrication Systems.
* Coatings.
* Adhesives/Fasteners.
* Geomodifiers/Geotextiles.
Proposed Review Process
Proposals received by the Corps laboratories which meet CPAR
criteria may be discussed and further developed, as necessary, by the
laboratory and the prospective construction industry partner. The
following criteria will be used to evaluate the proposals. The first
two evaluation factors are of equal importance and are more significant
than the remaining factors, which are listed in descending order of
importance:
1. Potential Impact on U.S. Construction Industry Productivity
High--Technological advancement which would have major
beneficial impact on current construction industry processes,
materials and/or equipment and will have a demonstrable major
beneficial impact on construction industry productivity and
effectiveness.
Medium--Technological advancement which would improve on and/or
demonstrate currently available processes, materials and/or equipment
not in widespread construction industry use and which would have a
demonstrable beneficial impact on construction industry productivity
and effectiveness.
Low--Technological advancement which would upgrade construction
industry processes, materials and/or equipment in current use and which
would have a limited but beneficial and impact on construction industry
productivity and effectiveness.
2. Potential Impact on the Corps of Engineers
High--Technological advancement which would be a major improvement
in technology and procedures currently used by the Corps or Corps
contractors and which would have a demonstrable major beneficial impact
on the Corp's ability to carry out its missions.
Medium--Technological advancement which would significantly improve
currently used Corps/contractor technology and procedures and which
would result in demonstrable benefits for the Corps.
Low--technological innovation which would upgrade current Corps/
contractor standard technology and procedures and which would have a
limited but beneficial impact on the Corps.
3. Commercialization and Technology Transfer
High--Plan and concepts stated for broad-scale use and adoption of
the product by non-Federal and Federal organizations and the
production, marketing and dissemination of the product by the industry
partner.
Medium--Plans and concepts stated for some beneficial use and
adoption of the product by non-Federal and Federal organizations.
Low--Plans and concepts stated for limited but beneficial use and
adoption of the product by non-Federal and Federal organizations.
4. Ease of Adoption
High--Technology provides construction industry productivity and
effectiveness improvement with minimal equipment, training, materials
and operating costs beyond the cost of current practice.
Medium--Technology provides construction industry productivity and
effectiveness improvements, but requires moderate additional equipment,
training, materials, and operating costs beyond the cost of current
practice.
Low--Technology provides construction industry productivity and
effectiveness improvement, but with substantially higher costs for
additional equipment, training, materials and operating costs beyond
the cost of current practice.
5. Probability of Achieving Projected Productivity and Effectiveness
Enhancement
High--Some risk, requires innovative application of current
knowledge, high probability of success.
Medium--Moderate risk, concepts exist but are unproven, good
probability of success.
Low--High risk, basic concepts must be developed and proven,
uncertain probability of success.
6. Project Duration
High--Project, including demonstration of benefits, can be
completed in 3 years or less.
Medium--Project, including demonstration of benefits, can be
completed in 4 years or less.
Low--Project, including demonstration of benefits, will require
more than 4 years to complete.
7. R&D Investment
High--Project will obligate the Corps to invest less than $300,000
per year.
Medium--Project will obligate the Corps to invest between $300,000
and $500,000 per year.
Low--Project will obligate the Corps to invest more than $500,000
per year.
After discussions between the laboratory and the prospective
construction industry partner, a CPAR Executive Summary of the proposal
will be prepared by the laboratory. The Executive Summary will contain
the project objective and approach to be followed in developing the
specific end product, all expected costs and cost-sharing arrangements,
time needed to complete, expected productivity benefits to the U.S.
construction industry and the Corps, and a proposed commercialization
and technology transfer plan.
Corps laboratories will submit their recommended Executive
Summaries to HQUSACE for consideration under the CPAR Program. The CPAR
Executive Summaries will be reviewed and recommendations made by the
CPAR Executive Committee in HQUSACE. The CPAR Executive Committee is
composed of senior-level HQUSACE managers. The Director of Civil Works,
HQUSACE, will act on the recommendations of the CPAR Executive
Committee in approving the Fiscal Year 1995 CPAR Program.
All information and data furnished by the prospective construction
industry partner will be used for evaluation purposes only and will be
safeguarded from unauthorized disclosure in accordance with applicable
laws. Protection of information during and after completion of a CPAR
project will be defined and agreed to in the CPAR-CRDA. Classified
information and data will be handled in accordance with Army
regulations.
Additional Requirements
Applicants are reminded that a false statement may be grounds for
denial or termination of funds and grounds for possible punishment by a
fine or imprisonment. Except where declared by law or approved by the
head of agency, no award or Federal funds shall be made to an applicant
who is delinquent on a Federal debt until the delinquent account is
made current or satisfactory arrangements are made between affected
agencies and the debtor. No award will be made to a debarred or
suspended firm or organization.
Classification
This document is not a major rule requiring a regulatory analysis
under Executive Order 12291 because it will not have an annual impact
on the economy of $100 million or more, nor will it result in a major
increase in costs or prices for any group, nor have a significant
adverse effect on competition, employment investment, productivity,
innovation, or on the ability of U.S. based enterprises to compete with
foreign-based enterprises in domestic or export markets. It is not a
major Federal action requiring an environmental assessment under the
National Environment Policy Act. The CPAR Program does not involve the
mandatory payment of any matching funds from a state or local
government, and does not affect directly any state or local government.
Accordingly, the Corps determined that Executive Order 12372 is not
applicable to CPAR. This notice does not contain policies with
Federalism implications sufficient to warrant preparation of a
Federalism assessment under Executive Order 12612. CPAR is being
carried out under the authority of Section 7, Water Resources
Development Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-676) (33 USC 2313).
Kenneth L. Denton,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 94-13244 Filed 5-27-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M
