Beyond Search – Semantic Computing and Internet Economics
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is eligible to apply for the funds under the RFP program?
The RFP is open to applicants from any accredited baccalaureate-granting college or university (or international equivalent) with non-profit status worldwide.
 
Can I submit a proposal which does not use the resources cited in the RFP?
Yes. While use of and fluency with the Live Search and adCenter resources listed in the RFP is among the selection criteria, resource selection is not a condition for eligibility.
 
Are the two assets (adCenter and Live Search) available for both tracks?
Yes, the winners of the RFP will have access to both data assets for their research.

My proposal is at the intersection of Track 1 and Track 2, where do I submit?
Submit your proposal only once to Track 1 or Track 2 if you cannot determine the closest Track. Submit your proposal only once to either of the two Tracks.

Can I have access to the query logs without submitting a proposal?
Not at this time. The search queries, ad impressions and ad clicks are only made available to the awardees of the “Beyond Search – Semantic Computing and Internet Economics” RFP 2007 under a Licensing Agreement.
 
Can I request a customizable data set for my research?
Not at this time. The same adCenter query log and Live Search excerpt will be made available to all the awardees of the RFP 2007 under a Licensing Agreement.
 
Will I be able to publish my work?
Yes. Microsoft encourages publication in conjunction with this RFP. However, republication of any data (including queries and terms) must comply with the Microsoft Personally Identifiable Information policy. Republication of the data from 20 or more queries must also have the prior written approval of Microsoft because of privacy issues around the data.

How can I find out more about adCenter?
You can visit http://adCenter.microsoft.com to find out more about adCenter. 

What happens to the IP generated from the research projects?
Research results are required to remain in the public domain and should be widely communicated through relevant scientific communities using established academic channels, such as international conferences and refereed journals. All funded projects should result in a detailed Web presence and relevant conference, workshops, or seminar publications and presentations.
 
Do research proposals have to be built on the Microsoft platform?
No. While use and fluency with Microsoft platforms is among the selection criteria, platform selections are not a condition for eligibility.
   

Microsoft Word version of this document