Okla. Stat. tit. 74, § 74-5060.53

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 Statutes - Title 74. State Government Page 1104

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:
he 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

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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.