Transcript Document
DARD Research Challenge Fund
Information Briefing
9 January 2014
Welcome
Dr Alistair Carson
Departmental Scientific Adviser
Housekeeping
• Fire escape
• Mobile phones
What does the RCF aim to do?
RCF Aim
“Encourage industry and public sector research
establishments to collaborate on innovative, high quality,
pre-commercial research and technological development
projects”
Reasoning
We will help further the sustainability and competiveness of
Northern Ireland’s agri-food and rural enterprises – a broader
DARD and NI Executive goal
Key features of the RCF
•
Collaborative i.e. industry and research organisations come together to
develop and undertake a research project;
•
Subjects fall within DARD’s Evidence and Innovation Strategy 2009-2013
categories;
•
R&D which links to DARD’s strategic goals;
•
R&D which benefits the primary production sector;
•
R&D which is classed as industrial research or experimental
development;
•
Between 6 months and 36 months duration; and
•
For a project in which the total grant aid from all public source(s) is no more
than £250,000
How is RCF different from other schemes?
• Other schemes exist to support increased innovation and
industry relevant R&D e.g. Invest NI’s Grant for R&D and
Competence Centres and DEL’s Connected initiative
• None of these are targeted specifically towards the needs of
small and medium sized enterprises in the agriculture and
fisheries sectors
• DARD introduced the RCF in 2010 to “pump-prime” rural
businesses’ interest and involvement in R&D
What happened in previous rounds?
• In 2010/11 we awarded grants of almost £500k
• In 2012/13 we awarded grants of almost £870k
• In 2012/14 we awarded grants of almost £550K
• Successful projects cover current issues in the dairy, beef and
pig industries, vaccine development, soil conditioning
treatments, animal welfare and food safety
• Full details of successful projects are available on the DARD
website
What’s new this time?
• Application window is 10 weeks this year
• Pay thresholds have been replaced with actual vouched and
approved salary
Who are the team?
RCF Team
•Heather Maginnis
•Tori Henderson
•Jennifer Kennedy
•E-mail address: [email protected]
Application – the fundamentals
• Application process – the how and when and where
• Application form – it’s not that bad
• Initial assessment – what we do with your form
• Presentation to RCF Assessment Panel – the selling of your idea
• Award of grant – getting going!!!
Application process
• Closing date is 17.00 on 20 February 2014
• Application available on-line or in hardcopy
• Electronic and hardcopy completed forms accepted
• We will issue an acknowledgement and a reference
number
• RCF team happy to help
Application form
Section 1 - Consortium Breakdown
Application form
Section 2 – Overview
If your application is
successful the information
provided here may be
used in RCF publicity
material
No “techie” speak please
Application form
Section 3 – Need
Spending time on both
of these is worthwhile
as we must
understand how the
proposal fits with what
we do
Application form
Section 4 – Work Plan
Try to explain as fully as
possible - the work plan
is crucial to our
understanding of what
you are trying to achieve
Remember the more
understandable
and non-technical the
better!
Application form
Section 4 – Work Plan cont’d
Please note
milestone and
deliverables
definitions
Application form
Section 5 – Outcomes
Outcomes are things
like 500 farmers using
our new process
Remember the more
understandable
and non-technical the
better!
Application form
Section 6 – Risks
We need to
know that you
have thought
everything
through
We know from
experience that
the unexpected
frequently
happens!
Application form
Section 7 – Benefits
We want to know
this so that we
can evaluate if
the project gives
value for money
Application form
Section 7 – Benefits cont’d
Demonstrate
benefits locally!
Although partners
can be from
anywhere –
benefits being
focussed on the
north is a key
element of the
scheme.
Application form
Section 8 – Project Management
Project manager should
be from the lead industry
partner organisation
Application form
Section 9 – Costs
• Tasks can be linked to Section 4 – Work Plan
• Cost details are vital to avoid breaking EU rules
Application form
Section 10 – Exploitation
This section allows
identification of
commercial prospects
and helps us decide if
grant funding is
essential
Application form
Section 12 – Collaboration and Intellectual Property
Agreement
If this is not included – the application will be ineligible
Section 14 – Declaration by Lead industry Partner
Representative
Ensure it is signed!
Initial assessment
Initial eligibility check means all applications will be -
• Cross-checked with the mandatory requirements set out in
page 4 of the RCF Explanatory Booklet
And
• Cross-checked with the ineligible activities identified on page 5
of the RCF Explanatory Booklet
So please read these carefully!
Initial assessment (contd)
• We will review the financial information to decide if the project
is good value and if your application is eligible - will seek extra
detail to complete an economic appraisal for the RCF
Assessment Panel – please try to get this to us as rapidly
as possible as it will speed up consideration of your
application
• We will share the appraisal with you before sending to the
RCF Assessment Panel
Presentation to RCF Assessment Panel
• We will contact you to arrange a 15 minute presentation to the
Panel: this isn’t an interview it’s an opportunity to sell the idea!
• The lead industry partner will give the presentation
• You will have a minimum of 2 weeks notice to prepare and can
use powerpoint, flipcharts etc (we will provide a projector if
needed)
• The RCF Assessment Panel will have your application and the
Economic Appraisal: all 3 are used to mark your project
• The Markframe used is on page 26 of the RCF Explanatory
Booklet: make sure you read it beforehand!
Markframe
•
Project Aims and Objectives
•
Innovation
•
Research Quality
•
Technical Viability
•
Commercial Prospects
•
Consortium’s Experience
• Broader Sustainability Benefits
• Additionality
• Economic Efficiency of the project
Panel
•
Departmental Scientific Advisor
•
DETI representative
•
CAFRE representative
•
DARD policy representative
•
DARD economist
Award of grant
• If you are successful we will get in touch as soon as possible –
there may be a delay if we have to rank successful projects
• The last stage is the letter of offer and the RCF team will meet
with you to develop this
• We expect that projects will start on or around 1 June 2014 but
projects can not start until a signed Letter of Offer is in place
•If you are unsuccessful you have the right to appeal the
decision as described in the RCF Explanatory Booklet page 13
Where to get help
Invest NI offer;
– Project definition assistance
– Financial assistance
RCF team can advise on the process
Summary
• Read the explanatory booklet thoroughly
• Ensure all eligibility criteria are met (Section 2 of explanatory
booklet)
• Ensure language used is understandable and non-technical
• Check your sums
• Consider the assessment criteria – weighting is on the
markframe
• Ensure application is signed
• Deadline is 20 February – we recommend recorded delivery!
• Prepare for the presentation carefully – it’s worth the effort