A. The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) may use monies from the Research Support Revolving Fund to carry out the purposes of the Oklahoma Science and Technology Research and Development Act by awarding competitive basic and applied plant science research funds, through professional service contracts, to institutions of higher education, nonprofit research foundations and private enterprises of special importance to the Oklahoma economy. B. The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, contingent on the availability of funds, and with the advice of the Plant Science Research Committee, shall: 1. Establish and operate a state program designed to secure and impartially distribute funds credited to the Research Support Revolving Fund to support professional service contracts for basic plant science research projects to be awarded only on the basis of scientific and technical merit; 2. Design the basic plant science research program to ensure the optimum performance of the investigator(s) and the maximum efficiency of the project(s); 3. Evaluate and approve basic plant science research projects to be funded from the Research Support Revolving Fund; 4. Establish a procedure for the referral of proposed basic plant science research projects to the Plant Science Research Committee for review; 5. Establish procedures for review of proposed basic plant science research projects by qualified individuals, the majority of whom reside outside of Oklahoma; 6. Suspend or terminate any professional service contract supporting basic plant science research projects for failure by an investigator, institution of higher learning, private enterprise, or nonprofit research institution to comply with the procedures, requirements, or bylaws of the Oklahoma Science and Technology Research and Development (OSTRaD) Board; and 7. Enter into contracts to ensure the optimum performance of plant science research investigators and to ensure the maximum efficiency of proposed plant science research projects. C. The Board shall award funding or professional service contracts for basic plant science research, contingent on the availability of funds and based upon the proposal submitted; external peer review, the majority of whom must reside outside of Oklahoma; and such additional investigation as the staff of OCAST shall make only after: 1. Developing, adopting and publishing the criteria it shall use when evaluating research proposals; and 2. Ensuring that funding to support basic plant science research projects is awarded only on the basis of scientific and technical merit. D. The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, contingent on the availability of funds, and with the advice of the Plant Science Research Committee, shall establish and operate a state program designed to secure and impartially distribute funds credited to the Research Support Revolving Fund to support professional service contracts for applied plant science research projects. E. The OSTRaD Board shall award funding or professional service contracts for applied plant science research only after: 1. Developing, adopting and publishing the criteria it shall use when evaluating research proposals; and 2. Reviewing applied plant science research proposals which present: a. documentation, if the proposal is from an institution of higher education or nonprofit research institution, that not less than fifty percent (50%) of the total direct cost of the proposed project will be provided by sources other than OCAST and other than state- appropriated money; machinery or equipment may be considered as part of the matching funds for the research, but must be accompanied by a statement: (1) that the institution of higher education or nonprofit research institution has possession of the machinery or equipment and that it is appropriate and useful to the program under review, and either (2) verifying that the equipment or machinery is donated and has only been used in testing to ensure quality control, or used by a wholesaler or retailer for demonstration purposes only and verifying the fair market value of the machinery or equipment on the date of the gift, or (3) detailing the price paid by the institution of higher education or nonprofit research institution, with an invoice showing the amount paid for the machinery or equipment, b. documentation, if the proposal is from a private enterprise, that not less than fifty percent (50%) of the total direct cost of the proposed project will be provided by sources other than OCAST and other than state-appropriated money. No portion of the fifty percent (50%) may be provided by in-kind services performed by the enterprise, c. a description of the potential commercial application of and the industrial sectors that will likely benefit from the applied research project and the potential to enhance employment opportunities in Oklahoma, d. an itemized research budget, time line and research methodology, e. a recommendation from the sponsoring institution of higher education, nonprofit research institution or business enterprise, and f. other information that may be required by the Board. F. The OSTRaD Board may approve such applied plant science research proposals, contingent on the availability of funds, after the Board finds, based upon the proposal submitted; external peer review, the majority of whom must reside outside of Oklahoma; and such additional investigation as the staff of OCAST shall make and incorporate in its minutes, that: 1. The proposed project is research that leads to innovation, new knowledge or technology and is not training or technical assistance for business firms; 2. The project has a reasonable probability to enhance employment opportunities within Oklahoma; and 3. The project is technically sound and will produce a specified measurable result.
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