History

In 1993, with support from the National Science Foundation Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (NSF EPSCoR), AAAS began to examine the concept of competitiveness as it relates to research institutions. Building on these efforts, AAAS initiated the Research Competitiveness Program under a 1996 NSF grant to provide services to institutions in states that participate in the NSF EPSCoR Program.

As knowledge of the program spread, institutions in other states began to request similar services, and institutions funded under the grant began to ask for additional support. Due to this demand for objective, high quality peer review services, AAAS established the program as a permanent, fee-for-service unit in January 2000. Since that time, RCP has been providing support to clients at universities, research centers, state agencies, and other institutions concerned with competitive research, development, and innovation.