.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} Iowa economic development officials are seeking a not-for-profit partner to assist in the state’s efforts to create more jobs in the hot-button areas of advanced manufacturing, information technology and the biosciences.

The “statewide commercialization entity” will work with the Iowa Department of Economic Development under a one-year contract beginning Jan. 1, 2008, renewable for up to two more years. Among the tasks it will assist the IDED with are validating technologies and potential market acceptance for new products created from those technologies, and assisting businesses and entrepreneurs in developing business plans and entering the marketplace.

The proposed program, which the Legislature approved earlier this year, authorizes the IDED to spend at least $500,000 per year for the contracted services.

Among the state’s goals under this technology commercialization program:

• create 130 new bioscience companies in Iowa by 2015;

• increase information technology employment by 30 percent by 2015; and

• increase the number of advanced manufacturing firms in Iowa by 3 percent over the next five years, including a 50 percent increase in start-ups by 2009.

Written proposals are due to the IDED by Oct. 1, with a winning bidder to be announced as soon afterward as possible. More information is available on the department’s Web site, www.iowalifechanging.com.