CISAR PROGRAM

Partnership with ITRI for foreign technology study.
If you have a concept for an assessment of a foreign technology that will be important to the understanding of the R&D environment for competition and cooperation, ITRI would like to hear from you. If you have resources to commit to an assessment of technology, we would like to consider a partnership that would enable the study to be completed and the results to be distributed to those in industry, academe, and government who need to know.

Under a program known as CISAR (Community-Initiated State of the Art Reviews), ITRI will become a partner for studies on topics that are proposed by the academic/industrial research community. Generally it is expected that the research will be conducted by a one- to two-week study tour of foreign laboratories and facilities, analysis of the findings by the U.S. delegation, oral presentations of the results at a workshop and professional conferences, and publication of a scholarly report.

The Partnership.
The CISAR partner will take the lead in defining the study, empaneling an appropriate group of experts, obtaining industry support, organizing the logistics of the study tour, and drafting a report.

ITRI will provide substantial financial support, plus: experienced study management, quality editing, dissemination support (including the World Wide Web), and other support as required and negotiated for the individual case. There will be a specific contract between ITRI and the partner.

Selection of Technologies.
ITRI is interested in subjects where there is a demonstrated need by industry for the research results, as evidenced by commitments to share the costs of the study. The experience of the delegation in the subject and in any previous assessment of its status abroad are also important factors. Wide dissemination of the results is expected.

Submitting a Concept Paper.
In order to limit the effort of both proposer and reviewer, a simple information form will suffice to describe your concept for a study. Information in the attached form will serve as a convenient basis for discussion with our program sponsors. For concept submissions that have promise (in the opinion of ITRI staff and sponsors), ITRI will begin discussions for submission of a more complete proposal with a budget, which may lead to a firm contract. Concept papers will be acknowledged by form letter and will be considered on their own merits as they arrive.

Eligibility.
Individuals or groups representing U.S. universities, associations, and/or industry who have expertise in the field to be studied. The group should be able to complete travel for the study within four months of study initiation and conduct a workshop with preliminary findings within seven months.

Selection.
Final decisions will be made by ITRI, in collaboration with its sponsors, using the following criteria:

1. appropriateness of the subject and scope of the study
   
2. feasibility of the implementation plan
   
3. appropriateness, quality, and balance of the proposed study team. In this context, "balance" means a suitable mix of university, industry, and government backgrounds.
   
4. need for the information, particularly as demonstrated by commitments of cost-sharing from industry.
   
5. feasibility of the project budget, including cost-sharing commitments. Total budget may be up to $100,000. Cost sharing is expected to be at least 25 percent of the total cost.

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO ANY OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES.

INFORMATION FORM FOR CISAR CONCEPT PROPOSALS

1.	Name
	Address
	Institution
	Title/Position

2.	Phone, email, fax

3.	Title of proposed study

4.	Scope of proposed study--1 paragraph abstract 
           (200 word maximum)

5.	Names and current positions of proposed team

6.	Experience of delegation in foreign technology assessment in 
            this field--1 paragraph

7.	Countries/regions to be studied

8.	Who needs the information and why

9.	Prospects for cost sharing from those who need information.
	Expected funding request from the CISAR program.

10.	Tentative schedule for study

11.	Concepts for dissemination of information, e.g.:
	-	Targeted conferences and journals where information will be
                      presented
	-	Electronic media (e.g., WWW, FTP, etc.)
	-	Printed reports
	-	Workshop
	Identify source for and estimate size of mail and/or email distribution
lists to be used in distributing the information from the study.