december 20111 eric flask director, national funding unit national r&i programme 2012...
TRANSCRIPT
Eric FlaskDirector, National Funding
Unit
National R&I Programme 2012Information Session
December 2011 2
Outline
• National R&I Programme Overview• R&I Programme 2012
– Scope and Focus– Submission Process– Evaluation Criteria – Funding Modalities– Project Considerations– Changes from Previous Programmes– Timeframes
• Preliminary Application Form run through
• Q&A
The National Research & Innovation ProgrammeAn Overview
December 2011 4
The National R&I ProgrammeProgramme Participation
Programme TotalProposals
RequestedFunding
Available Budget
TotalProjects Funded
RTDI 2004 85 €7.0M €700K 15
R&I 2006 58 €7.0M €930K 7
R&I 2008 40 €5.4M €700K 7
R&I 2009 17 €1.5M €300K 3
R&I 2010 40 €5.8M €700K 5
R&I 2011 40 €5.8M €1.1M 8
December 2011 5
The National R&I Programme Programme Objectives
2004
Programme
2006
Programme
2008
Programme
2009 – 2011
Programmes
2012
Programme
Thematic No preference 4 priority sectors 4 priority sectors 4 priority sectors 4 Priority SectorsOffshore Solar Technology Project
Focus Any Applied research, innovation
Collaborative research
Collaborative research
Collaborative research
Consortium Any Preference for industry-academia
Required industry & academia
Required industry
& academia
Required industry
& academia
Allocation Many small projects
Few large projects
Few large projects(€50K - €200K)
Few large projects(€50K - €200K)
Few large projects(€50K - €200K)
Selection criteria
Quality of science Prospects for economic benefit
Balanced Balanced with emphasis on Potential Impact
Balanced with emphasis on Potential Impact
December 2011 6
The National R&I Programme 2012Scope & Focus
December 2011 7
R&I Programme 2012Scope & Focus
• Financial support for research, development and innovation in Science and Technology
• Focus on technology transfer between:– Knowledge providers (Academic Institution)– Knowledge users (Industrial Entity)Technology transfer to fulfill genuine need (funding limits apply)
• Focus on 4 Priority Areas1. Environment and Energy Resources
– Offshore Solar Technology Project2. Information and Communications Technology 3. Value-added Manufacturing and Services4. Health and BioTechnology
December 2011 8
R&I Programme 2012State Aid
• Operates under de minimis state aid regime:– Projects in fisheries, aquaculture and agriculture
ineligible– Industry to ensure they do not exceed allowable limit
of aid (€200K gross over 3-year period)– Necessary reporting required
• Complements Malta Enterprise scheme to promote R&D in industry
• Double funding not allowed – checks are conducted
December 2011 9
• Consortium– At least 2 participants, (a) an academic institution
and (b) industrial entity– other partners may be included but must add value
• Maltese legal entities (academia, public, private, NGOs) eligible for funding
• Foreign entities eligible but not funded
• Project Coordinator must be Maltese legal entity
• Conflict with fundamental aim of Programme
R&I Programme 2012Participation
December 2011 10
R&I Programme 2012Submission Process
December 2011 11
Process
• Pre-registration
• 2-stage submission and evaluation process
• Shortlisting stage– Lightweight preliminary proposal– Estimates of timeframes, costings
• Selection stage– Full project proposal– Details of participants– Activities, timeframes, detailed budgets and
distribution– Draft IP Agreement
19/01/2012
19/01/2012
16/02/2012, noon
16/02/2012, noon
19/04/2012, noon
19/04/2012, noon
December 2011 12
Submissions of Proposals
• Electronic Submissions to [email protected]
• OneOne single file in Ms Word (.doc) format (without signatures)
• OOnene single file in Portable Document Format (.pdf) (includes a scanned signed copy of the Participant Details Section for each participant + initialisation of every page)
• Files limited to 5MB per file
• All received proposals acknowledged by email
December 2011 13
The National R&I Programme 2012Evaluation Criteria
December 2011 14
Evalution Criteria Marking and Thresholds
• Evaluated on 4 criteria
• Each criterion allocated maximum of 5 marks
• No weighting
• Threshold of 3 for each criterion
• Overall threshold of 14
December 2011 15
Four Evaluation Criteria
1. Programme Objectives– Degree of fit with priority sectors– Extent of collaboration between academia and
industry– Addresses a genuine need for knowledge transfer
2. Concept and Approach– Conceptually sound– Clearly defined objectives, ambitious but
achievable– Clearly defined deliverables– Proposes suitable actions
December 2011 16
Evaluation Criteria cont.
3. Quality of Consortium– Participants have necessary knowledge and skills– Balanced participation and funding
4. Potential Impact– Application and uses of research and deliverables – Commercialisation of Project results.– Roadmap for realisation of benefits– Spillover effects– Other Benefits
• Cost Reduction• Licensing• Networking• Organisational Benefits
December 2011 17
Evaluation Criteria Summary
1. Programme Objectives– Priority sectors– Industry Academia Collaboration
2. Concept and Approach– Workplan
3. Quality of Consortium– Knowledge and skills– Balanced participation and funding
4. Potential Impact– Commercialisation – Spillover effects– Cost Benefits– Licensing
Maximum of 5 marks p
er criterio
n
Maximum of 5 marks p
er criterio
n
Threshold of 3 marks p
er criterio
n
Threshold of 3 marks p
er criterio
n
Overall Threshold of 1
4 marks
Overall Threshold of 1
4 marks
December 2011 18
The National R&I Programme 2012Funding Modalities
December 2011 19
• Project funding: €50K – €200K
• Project duration: 1yr – 3yrs
• Funding restrictions– Up to 75% for individual participant– Up to 75% for funding category– Up to 30% for Maltese Public Bodies
• Funding levels– Public, Academic, NGO: 100%– Business: 75%
Funding ModalitiesProject Funding and Restrictions
December 2011 20
• Project Structured in stages (12 months per stage)
• Advanced payments in tranches
• Initial advanced payment 100%
• Further payments depend on reporting
• Retention of 10% of total project grant
• Retention of 20% for single-stage projects
Funding ModalitiesAllocation of funds
December 2011 21
Funding ModalitiesEligible Costs
• Eligible Direct Costs– Technical personnel– Project Management (limit 10%)– Purchase of specialised equipment– Travel, networking, dissemination,
externalization– Subcontracting (limit 25%)– Other Expenses related to the project (e.g. kits)
• Eligible Indirect Costs– 10% of eligible costs, excluding subcontracting,
excluding equipment over €5,000
December 2011 22
• Ineligible Direct Costs– Expenses related to loans, interest, etc – Recoverable value added tax.– Expenses which are recoverable
through other funding mechanisms– Re-purchase of equipment originally
procured through other funding mechanisms
– Normal office equipment
Funding ModalitiesIneligible Costs
December 2011 23
R&I Programme 2012Project Considerations
December 2011 24
• Participants must maintain separate financial accounts and separate bank account
• Actual costs with fiscal receipts
• Costs determined in accordance with usual accounting and management procedures
• Expenses must be consistent with principles of economy, efficiency and effectiveness
• Refundable expenses limited to allocation
Project ConsiderationsFinancial Considerations
December 2011 2528 Oct 1025
• Ownership of IP and all rights rests with participants
• Consortium IP agreement must be signed within 3 weeks of receiving evaluation result
• Start discussions early• Get help
– e.g. The IP office at UoM [email protected]– IP Check from Intellectual Property Office
Project ConsiderationsIntellectual Property (IP)
December 2011 26
• Need for professional record keeping and auditing
• Significant events – inform MCST
• Withdrawal of participant – agree with MCST for reallocation or replacement
• Default – MCST entitled to withdraw funding and claim refund
Project ConsiderationsDuring Project
December 2011 27
• Submit your own proposal– Max length of proposal– Clarity and conciseness
• Get in touch with Academia / Industry– allow enough time for signatures
• Get in touch with the Council for
Assistance– discuss your proposal with us before
submission
Project ConsiderationsGetting Involved
December 2011 28
The National R&I Programme 2012Changes to Programme
December 2011 29
Changes to the R&I Programme
• Financing– Increase Government Entity participation
threshold to 30%– Set cap on Industry Salaries at +10% Academic
Salaries
• Application Form– Earmarking of funding for an Offshore Solar
Technology Project– Revise guidelines within application form
December 2011 30
Changes to the R&I Programme cont
• Rules for Participation– Clarification of Industrial Entity definition – Clarification of Academia definition – Increase Government entity allowance to 30%– Group of Government entities capped at 30%– Cap on Industry Salaries– Changes vis-à-vis conflict with the fundamental
aims of the programme– Compulsory deliverables, (articles, events,
business plans)
December 2011 31
Changes to the R&I Programme cont.
• Process– Include Academia deadlines for signature– Put date in pen near signatures by representatives– Initialisation of all pages– Transfer of funds done by cheque– Project Start Date – 1st October 2012 to allow for:
• human resources calls • get quotations• opening of project bank accounts
• a possible IP check with the local Intellectual Property Office
December 2011 34
The National R&I Programme 2012
Timeframes
MilestoneMilestone DeadlineDeadline
Launch Announcement & Info Session Tuesday, 06 December 2011, noon
Additional Information Session Wednesday, 14 December 2011, 9AM
Pre-registration Cut-off Date Thursday, 19 January 2012
Deadline for First Stage Submission Thursday, 16 February 2012, noon
First Stage Evaluation Results Friday, 23 March 2012
Deadline for Second Stage Submission Thursday, 19 April 2012, noon
Second Stage Evaluation Results Friday, 29 June 2012
Signing of Grant Agreement (incl. IP) By end July 2012
Project Start Date Monday, 01 October 2012
December 2011 35
Preliminary Application Form Runthrough
December 2011 36
Q&A Session
December 2011 37
Thank You
For Further Information Contact:
Eric FlaskDirector, National Funding UnitMalta Council for Science and TechnologyVilla Bighi, BighiKalkara, KKR1320
Email: [email protected] / [email protected]: (356) 2360 2123Fax: (356) 2166 0341 Web: www.mcst.gov.mt