Frequently Asked Questions For Questions and Answers about the Maine Technology Asset Fund, please click here. Q: How many times can I apply for a Seed Grant? A: You may apply for a Seed Grant as many times as you wish, however the total of all Seed Grant awards granted for projects related to the development of any one technology, product, or service shall not exceed $25,000. Q: I applied for a grant in the past, but was turned down and not awarded the grant. If I want to apply again, what should I do? A: If you have applied for an MTI grant and were turned down, and wish to apply again, you will need to obtain another copy of the RFP for the grant for which you are applying; this can be found on our web site. Obtaining new forms is important because the RFP may change slightly from round to round. You will also want to be sure to register on-line again (to obtain that new, unique number associated with your proposal) for the new round. In addition, if you were not awarded a grant, you are highly encouraged to contact MTI to obtain feedback about your earlier proposal. Q: I applied for a grant and was turned down. I have decided not to apply again. Is there anything else I should do? A: Yes, you are strongly encouraged to contact MTI to speak with someone about your proposal, so we can give you all of the feedback obtained from the reviewers. Q: I am applying for a grant and want to know what is considered a reasonable salary or wage for principals and employees? A: While MTI cannot specify appropriate salaries for your project, some general guidelines and information follow: NEW WAGE/SALARY RATE GUIDELINES: In the past, there has been some disagreement, inconsistency and confusion about what MTI should pay or allow as match for wages, especially for project or company Principals. The grants committee of the Board considered several options, including all suggestions made by technology board members and others, and the full Board has approved the following guidelines: No limitation on consultant/contractor rates, or for non-principal project personnel. MTI staff must verify that the proposed rates are the actual billable rates for the consultant/contractor or other personnel. Payment of project principle salaries/wages (including that for company Principals) is a legitimate use of MTI funds. All salaries/wages, whether "match" or paid with MTI funds, must be the actual pay rate, or must NOT exceed the mean hourly wage rates compiled by the Bureau of Labor and listed at the Standards National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates (http://stats.bls.gov/oes/2002/oes_alph.htm). Actual pay rates may need to be justified by actual, documented payments, in place and made prior to the MTI award application, for the named person in the specified position by the applicant company. If you have any questions about these guidelines, please contact MTI. Q: Is funding reduced to submitted proposals to disperse the money across all sectors? A: No. The MTI Board considers the recommendations of the Technology Boards. No attempt is made to disperse the money. Funding may be reduced when requests cover activities beyond the scope of the MTI award, or when reviewers consider the budget inappropriate. Q: What are "clusters of technology-related businesses" and "clusters of industrial activity"? A: These phrases refer to geographic concentrations of competitive industries with common technologies, buy-sell relationships, common labor pools, etc. The cluster provides that industry with a competitive advantage. It is made of a variety of companies sharing a technology base, labor pool, or other strategic relationship. Growth of these clusters will bring a critical mass to each industry in Maine, thereby providing a competitive advantage. Q: To what does the penalty for moving outside the State of Maine apply? A: We expect the majority of job creation to result from manufacturing and implementation of new products or services, so penalties apply if those activities that provide economic benefit move outside the State within 5 years of completion of the project funded by MTI. Cases of partial manufacturing or expansion outside of Maine will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with the emphasis being that our state money support efforts that benefit Maine. Q: Who will have access to Financial Information submitted with Full Proposals? A: Financial Information should be submitted as part of the Full Proposal to the MTI in a sealed envelope. This information will be destroyed or returned to all applicants who are not recommended for funding. For applicants recommended for funding by MTI, the MTI staff and the MTI Board of Directors, and possibly a professional consultant will analyze the financial information. Neither peer reviewers nor technology board members will view this information. Everyone who reviews a Full Proposal, or financial information, must agree and adhere to MTI's confidentiality policy. Q: Does the lack of financial information for a new company with no financial history hurt an application? A: No. Financial Information will be used when available. Q: Can a federal grant be used as "matching" funds? A: Yes, but the "match" must apply specifically to the project you are proposing to the MTI. Q: Can money that has already been spent be used as "match"? A: No. The budget, requested funds, and match must be for a project that you are proposing to do, nothing that has already been done. Q: Can the amount of "match" in the Pre-Proposal differ from that in the Full Proposal? A: We expect the Pre-Proposal to be a good estimate. It is fine if there are small changes once the details for the Full Proposals are worked out. Q: Can I fax or e-mail my proposal to MTI before the deadline? A: No, as stated in the Request for Proposals (RFP) for each award, you must send or hand-deliver your completed, original proposal to MTI no later than the stated deadline. Any proposals received via fax or e-mail will be returned to the applicant with no further review. Q: How is confidentiality ensured? A: All MTI staff, Directors and Officers, volunteers, peer reviewers and technology board members are required to sign and adhere to a Non-Disclosure Agreement that indicates that the information provided in Proposals may be used for purposes of evaluation only. Proprietary information may not be disclosed to any third parties. You may view this agreement in "About MTI". In addition, all MTI staff, Directors and Officers, volunteers, peer reviewers and technology board members are required to adhere to a strict Conflict of Interest Policy that is also posted in "About MTI." These policies are legally binding documents. Q: Who bears the legal responsibility in case of a breach of contract? A: MTI bears the legal responsibility, but it is the responsibility of the entity that is breached to bring forth legal charges. In other words, MTI will not sue on behalf of an applicant. Q: Is the information submitted to MTI subject to the Freedom of Information Act? A: Yes, but only the information stipulated as public by MTI legislation. Any pages marked "proprietary" are not required to be released under FOIA. You are encouraged to mark all pages containing sensitive information "PROPRIETARY". Q: What are the ten top reasons that proposals fail to be funded? A: Technical and Scientific Reasons: The proposal was not based on sound scientific/technical principles. The technical objectives and project milestones and timelines are not realistic. Commercialization Reasons: The technology does not offer significant advantage over current technology or methods or serve significant unmet needs. The proposed technology is not unique or innovative. Existing products/technologies serve the same outcome. The technology is simply a modification of current established technologies already on the market. Current regulation or politics forbid or hinder the technology from achieving its goals. Impact on Economy Reasons: Revenues and jobs created from commercialization are not realistic. Implementation of the technology will not result in significant increases in productivity. The proposed technology is not important for the sector's enhancement. Resource Reasons: The applicant does not provide sufficient resources in terms of qualified personnel, facilities and equipment to complete the project and develops a budget inconsistent with the tasks and objectives. The quality of the matching funds is weak or the amount of matching funds are forced in the budget to acquire more MTI funds than are actually needed to achieve the objective of the project.