Request for Proposals
CSM Technology Fee
Spring 1998

Background: CSM's technology fee revenues and matching funds are administered through a process whereby the Technology Fee Committee solicits, reviews, and recommends funding of proposals submitted by qualifying departments and organizations. The Technology Fee Guidelines document contains information about the technology fee with which you should become familiar.

Eligibility: Proposals will be accepted from any academic program, department, or division; the Computing Center, the Library, and any official CSM Student Organization including recognized student chapters of professional societies and organizations. Only proposals meeting the criteria outlined in the Technology Fee Guidelines document will be considered for funding.

Format and Content: Proposals should be limited to no more than five pages (double-spaced, 10 point or larger font) plus the Technology Fee Proposal Worksheet. Supplementary materials (product information, computing lab plans/maps/design, etc.) may be submitted as an addendum. Use the completed worksheet as the cover of your proposal. Proposals submitted without a completed worksheet will not be considered. Proposal narratives must use the following format: Section 1) Proposal Summary; 2) Summary of past activity and report on use of previous technology fee awards; 3) Description of who will benefit from the expenditures and why, reasons that existing/central/joint resources are not adequate to meet the need, and explanation of the disposition of resources that would be replaced through funding of the proposal; 4) How students will benefit (access to new software, better resources, new methods, etc.); 5) Summary explaining why this project is important, 6) Budget Narrative including discussion on how you plan to maintain and support resources acquired from award funds in the future. Be sure to identify matching fund requests and discuss plans you may have for leveraging this grant to attract future funding from other sources. Staff support provided by the department or the Computing Center does not qualify as matching funds but will be considered when evaluating how resources will be supported.

Proposal Submission and Deadline: Technology Fee Proposals will be evaluated and funded at least once during each Fall and Spring semester. Proposals for Spring semester consideration are due in the Computing Center main office (GC232) by 5:00pm, Monday, January 12, 1998. Please Note: If multiple proposals are submitted by a department or organization, a letter from the department head or organization chairperson should be sent to the Committee outlining the priority for funding of proposals submitted by the department or organization to help the committee better understand the priorities of the department. This does NOT mean that multiple proposals from a single department or organization will not be funded. It WILL help the committee allocate limited funds and understand departmental priorities, especially when proposals are closely ranked. In order to expedite review, eleven copies of the proposal are to be submitted (two sided preferred). Electronic submission is not available. The proposal cycle is currently being reviewed and may be accelerated. The deadline for proposals requesting Fall, 1998 funding will be announced during Spring semester.

Guidelines and Comments:

+ The primary uses of technology fee and matching funds are expected to be for capital and resource acquisition. Although initial operating funds may be requested, ongoing needs (of all types) are expected to increasingly come from other sources.

+ Proposals must be for new or replacement resources. Reimbursement for resources previously ordered or purchased will not be considered.

+ Total project budgets (maintenance, upgrades, software, operating costs, etc.) should be included so the committee can best evaluate plans. However, provision of future-year budget information is informational only. Proposals that identify multi-year funding requests must be resubmitted for consideration each year.

+ Proposals that seek standard/mainstream resources that will be supportable by existing or planned support-staff resources are encouraged.

+ Partial awards or funding may be offered.

+ Use of technology fee funds to match a committed grant (from a foundation or NSF, for example) that requires a matching source is appropriate so long as the full proposal meets the guidelines for expenditure of technology fee funds. Technology fee awards will not be made to match planned or pending proposals, however.

+ Contact Derek Wilson (dwilson@mines, x3986) with RFP / worksheet questions.