The Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) is a merger of four Austrian research and technology promotion organisations, namely FFF, ASA, TIG and BIT. The FFG Division for International Research and Technology Cooperation (BIT) is the successor of the previous association BIT (Bureau for International Research and Technology Cooperation), which has been established in 1993 as a joint initiaitve of the Republic of Austria - all Federal Ministries responsible for research and technology - and the Austrian Economic Chamber. FFG/BIT offers manifold services on European and international programmes for establishing and strengthening cooperation in research and technological development in the European Research Area. Being Austrian National Contact Point for the EU Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development, FFG/BIT provides information and assistance to researchers in industry, particularly SMEs, universities, research institutes and other organisations. The Austrian EUREKA office in FFG supports interested parties to get access to that market-oriented European research and technology initiative. FFG coordinates the INNOVATION Relay Centre Austria (IRCA) and supports technology partnerships between Austria and other European countries.
SERVICES OF FFG/BIT:

• creating awareness, motivating, informing, and assisting on European Union and international research and technology activities
• identifying and actively contacting individuals and organisations with potential interests in European and international research and technology cooperation
• informing and coaching for preparing projects and presenting proposals in the best possible way
• informing on issues of eligibility, evaluation criteria and procedural administrative and legal aspects
• searching for partners in collaborative EU and EUREKA projects
• promoting technology transfer and the dissemination of research results
• training of intermediary organisations, coordinators and other participants in EU programmes and EUREKA, especially for preparing proposals and for managing EU projects
• advising new partner countries in establishing adequate structures for information and assistance for European research and technology activities.