FY '93 TRP Competition Complete: $190 Million Awarded

The final 50 proposals selected under the FY '93 Technology Reinvestment Project (TRP), which involves 361 companies, universities and government organizations, were recently awarded $190 million in TRP funding, the largest single amount yet announced. The selection of the 50 proposals, which is filled with projects and companies associated with the maritime industry, brings the competition totals to 212 proposals, involving 1,631 organizations and $605 million in federal funding.

Being implemented by a collaboration of six federal agencies—includingthe Departments of Defense, Commerce, Energy, and Transportation, as well as NASA and the National Science Foundation—the plan is a key part of President Clinton's Defense Reinvestment and Conversion Initiative.

"This marks another major step in our effort to protect our national security and promote our economic security in the post Cold War world," said President Clinton in a statement. "We are investing in projects that will create the jobs of the future by exploring ideas, developing technologies, creating products and strengthening skills that will keep America strong, militarily and economically.'' The TRP selection process is entirely merit-based and all projects must contribute at least half of the cost. A separate TRP competition for $7.5 million in Small Business Innovation Research grants elicited 2,400 proposals, and those awards will be announced in late March. Also, formal plans for the 1994-95 TRP competition will be announced in late March.

To assist proposers from the FY '93 competition, and those who wish to propose in the future, the TRP is holding several workshops—March 23-24 in Los Angeles and March 30- 31 in Boston—to review deployment, development and education lessons learned. The two day session will offer tips on how to form and strengthen consortia, and all six federal agencies will participate. For more information on the meetings or the TRP in general, call: (703) 697-5737.