Government Research Procurement Fails to Bring Efficient Bidders

Many have complained of the Government's procurement process for research proposals. It is totally flawed. Instead of giving bids to entrepreneurs who know how to get things done on the fly, they so often give the grants to the best paperwork pushers. Teams of grant writers from Universities and Corporations sit down and fill out forms and make enticing proposal fluff out of what appears to be mundane subject matter. The fact is many of the research projects are far from mundane; many have the potential to hyperspace the human race forward in a single discovery. Once the proposal is won or lost the grant or proposal team is onto the next proposal and then the next. Sometimes it is nothing more than a numbers game where teams are judged by future funding captured rather than having any sense of seeing the project thru to fruition.

Those who will be doing the work at the Corporate Level are assigned a project manager specialist, generally not from the field but a team leader who sets timelines. Then the bureaucracy starts. The project is doomed to develop slowly, have turn over and eventually come to some findings relevant, while the team is asked to cut budget, save money and all the scientists and consultants become disenchanted and the top thinkers move on after listing one more project participation on their resumes. Two years gone by and the engineers move on, perhaps they have a working prototype; perhaps not.

In Universities the professors over seeing the project exploit student labor; under grads and grad students to do the leg-work. The University's job is to acquire the grants as fast as possible and is judged by these monies as it adds new wings and halls to the campus, thus enabling them to recruit new students in specialty niche degree programs and promote those on their website and color brochures. The Universities assign students to write papers and they write papers until their knuckles bleed about all aspects of the project, theory, math, what if scenarios, how it shoulda, coulda, woulda worked if they ever got an actual prototype working? These kids after they get their degrees are then hired as specialists to work for corporations on projects under the project manager and they see nothing wrong with the bureaucracy because the University kind of works the same way. You see the problem?

There is a solution. Government should stop over regulating businesses so that real entrepreneurs who know how to get things done will have amassed enough to do the projects without government red tape funding. Without 180-page procurement contracts, without having to hire entire staffs of grant writing specialists who have no clue as to what the particular project even really entails and absolutely little understanding of the science, physics, mathematics, theories or concept involved.

If the entrepreneurs have more freedom to innovate, they will hone their skills, create wealth and launch future projects on their own without government funding. Case in point would be the X-Prize and SpaceShip One. Need we say more? Think about it.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

Blackburn College University Centre boss resigns after suspension Lancashire Telegraph By Nafeesa Shan » Reporter Blackburn College said the dean of its University Centre, Helen Mathers, was no longer on its pay roll after tendering her resignation. Acting dean Christine Kenyon will fill the role while the posit-ion is advertised. and more »

Applications to Blackburn College's University Centre rise to record levels Lancashire Telegraph Blackburn College's University Centre has revealed that its applications have soared by 10 per cent compared to 2011. Nationally, the University and Colleges Admissions Service, UCAS, has recorded a slump of 8.7 per cent, with 462507 people having ...

Area students make college, university honor rolls McPherson Sentinel By Anonymous Leigh Loving of McPherson, a freshman college of arts and sciences student at Creighton University, was named to the fall Dean's List for the 2011-2012 academic year. Emporia State University released the honor roll for the fall 2011 ...

Bayonne Historical Society accepting applications for scholarship award The Jersey Journal - NJ.com This scholarship is open to all accredited college/university bound registered high school seniors (male and female) attending Bayonne High School, Holy Family Academy, Marist High School, St. Peter's Preparatory School, St. Dominic Academy, ... and more »

Seminar on traffic literacy of college students held Pakistan Daily Times LAHORE: Students were briefed about the use of helmets and importance of following traffic rules at a special seminar organised by FC College University (FCCU) on Wednesday in collaboration with the City Traffic Police. FCCU Director of Safety and ...

City hires 2010 UWSP grad for new economic development specialist position Wausau Daily Herald College: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, graduated in 2010 with a degree in resource management with emphasis in land use management. Stevens Point officials are hoping a new position in the city's Community Development office can help bring ... and more »

Our Lady of the Lake University now in Montgomery County Your Houston News Located at Lone Star College's University Center, 3232 College Park Drive, OLLU continues its partnership with the Lone Star College System after sharing a facility for 25 years. The university targets working professionals seeking to further their ...

Fannin County Master Gardeners offer scholarship North Texas e-News Applicants must be a graduating senior from a Fannin County school, or be currently enrolled in an accredited college, university, technical school or institute, and must be pursuing a course of study related to horticulture. and more »

Arizona lawmaker proposes new version of bill to allow guns on college ... The Republic PAUL DAVENPORT AP PHOENIX — An Arizona lawmaker is renewing his fight to allow students and professors to carry guns on higher education campuses, raising a controversial issue that resulted in a veto by Gov. Jan Brewer last year. and more »

Union College

Union hosts regional Science Bowl Saturday Union College Each team is mentored by representatives from a dozen institutions, including Union, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University at Albany, Fulton Montgomery Community College, University of Buffalo and Rochester Institute of Technology.