DARD Research Challenge Fund

Information Briefing

9 January 2014

Welcome

Dr Alistair CarsonDepartmental 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: RCF@dardni.gov.uk

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 formSection 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 formSection 4 – Work Plan cont’d

Please note milestone and deliverables definitions

Application formSection 5 – Outcomes

Outcomes are things like 500 farmers using our new process

Remember the more understandable and non-technical the

better!

Application formSection 6 – Risks

We need to know that you have thought everything through

We know from experience that the unexpected frequently happens!

Application formSection 7 – Benefits

We want to know this so that we can evaluate if the project gives value for money

Application formSection 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 formSection 8 – Project Management

Project manager should be from the lead industry partner organisation

Application formSection 9 – Costs

• Tasks can be linked to Section 4 – Work Plan• Cost details are vital to avoid breaking EU rules

Application formSection 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