Indo-Australian Biotechnology Fund – Collaborative Research Projects Round 14
The Indo-Australian Biotechnology Fund – Collaborative Research Projects Round 14 by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India notification has been released. Interested and eligible candidates can check out all of the details such as eligibility, how to apply, guidelines and more below:
This call expires in :
Indo-Australian Biotechnology Fund
Collaborative Research Projects Round 14
A call for proposals under the Innovations partnership between India and Australia
Opening date: 1st July 2021
Closing date: 31st August 2021
The Indo-Australian Biotechnology Fund is managed jointly by the Department of
Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India and Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (DIIS), Govt. of Australia. Since its establishment in 2006, the IABF has supported collaborative, leading-edge research between scientists in Australia and India across a range of jointly agreed upon priority areas. It has also helped to build linkages between premier research and educational institutions in both countries
In the round 14, DBT will participate along with its Public sector undertaking (PSU), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) for funding Academia as well as Industry.
Purpose of the Call
DBT along with its
PSU BIRAC and DIIS aims to ensure promote & support cutting edge science and technology (S&T) research across India and Australia. The priority areas of research for Round Fourteen of the Indo-Australian Biotechnology Fund are:- COVID-19 long-term health impacts
- Infection prevention and control
- Digital health and telemedicine
- Biomaterials (including bioplastics)
Who can Apply?
This call addresses Indian and Australian consortium partners of differing expertise. The project parties should be legal entities and independent of each other with base operations in respective countries. Applicants might include Institutes, Public/private companies, universities and/or State/territory funded research organisations. Joint applications involving more than one Indian partner are acceptable, provided the lead applicant is the main driver of the project and is eligible to apply. The application must have at least one Australian partner.
Grant Guidelines
4.1 Proposal details
It is for the applicant to determine what type of data and which methods will be
used in their project. The project plan must state clearly why the chosen method is
best suited for its purpose.
The expertise of the project collaborators in the chosen method must be stated
clearly with supporting documentary evidence.
4.2 Conditions for us to consider an application
DBT and DIIS will only consider applications that meet the following:
- The grants must be jointly applied for by Indian and Australian partners
- The application should meet call objectives (see Purpose of the call above)
- The application must be submitted as per the format on DBT’s website
(https://dbtepromis.nic.in/pi/frmOpenCallList.aspx) for Indian applicants and
at business.gov.au. for Australian applicants. - All project parties must be legal entities
- Project duration is to be maximum of 3 years
- The application is submitted between the 1st of July and the 31st of August, 2021
4.3 Grant assessment
4.3.1 Scientific merit of the proposal
- Alignment to call objectives (see Purpose of the call above)
- Innovation over existing processes or products or generation of new
knowledge - Sustainable, scalable and flexible solutions
- Specific Scientific Problems to be addressed identifying the current competitive landscape
4.3.2 Approach and methodology
- Relevance of the choice of method to the proposed solution
- Realistically planned activities in regard to time and budget
4.3.3 Organization and investigator capabilities
- Project parties’ expertise and experience in the chosen method.
- Project parties’ capability and reliability in regard to implementing the project
- The commitment of the respective project parties to implementation and funding
- Advantages of partnering between Indian and Australian groups
4.3.4 Impact and deliverables
- Potential to advance science and its impact across both countries.
- Potential to contribute economic value
- Potential to contribute to increased gender equality
- Well-articulated implementation or demonstration plan during the project period
- Scalability and potential for national and international dissemination of results
- Potential to increase Indians and Australians international competitiveness in the field.
4.4 How do we assess?
Applications will be assessed on a competitive basis against the assessment criteria. The grants would be evaluated independently by Indian and Australian expert committees and then jointly reviewed for a decision on the award.
With reference to the equal treatment principle, only those applications meeting the requirements under point 4.2 will be considered. Applications meeting the requirements will be evaluated according to the above assessment criteria in competition with each other. Applicants may be asked to provide additional information to clarify any issues raised during the assessment process. Applicants may be called to participate during the evaluation of the project if requested to do so by the Department. DBT and DIIS will then make their decision on funding and notify all applicants.
4.5 Funding
Applicants from research institutes, academia or not-for-profit research organizations will be funded by DBT subject to fulfilment of their eligibility conditions and verifiable documents. Companies or start-ups will be funded by BIRAC (on a matching grant for costs above Rs 50 lakhs). Australian partners will be funded by DIIS.
4.6 Intellectual Property Rights
Applicants must provide details of the Intellectual Property (IP) issues in their applications. This includes both the use of IP in the project proposal and the proposed ownership of rights of IP generated by the project as well as strategies for protecting India’s interests. The template of the IPR agreement is annexed and must be filled in and signed by the partners and to be submitted along with the application (can be uploaded in the application form at the uploaded document in pdf form column), where IP is likely to be generated by the project. Applicants will be required to execute additional protocols or contracts with their Indian partners on the management of IP issues. These agreements should be in accordance with laws and regulations prevailing in India and Australia and provide for:
- Adequate and effective protection and equitable distribution of any benefits from IP rights created in or resulting directly from cooperative activities (foreground IP rights),
- Ownership of foreground IP rights to be allocated on the basis of respective contribution and equitable interests,
- Terms and conditions for the commercialisation and other forms of dissemination of the foreground IP rights, and
- Adequate and effective protection of IP rights provided by the organisations, enterprises and institutions prior to or in the course of such cooperative activities, for example, the licensing or utilisation of such IP rights on equitable terms (background IP rights).
5 Decision and terms
5.1 About our decisions
The decision to award an application will be made by e-mail. Decisions may not be appealed. If funds have been awarded in error, or an overpayment made, the recipient may be liable for repayment.
5.2 Terms for granted funds
DBT’s and BIRAC’s general terms apply to granted funds and are in force from the date a decision is made. These terms include rules on project contracts, conditions of payment, monitoring, reporting and utilisation of results. Additional special terms may be stipulated for individual projects.
Contact details
DBT (for Academic Institutions)
- Dr Rajesh Ghangal, Scientist C
E-mail: [email protected]. - DBT Application support – e-promise team
Tel: 011-24365136, E-mail: [email protected]
BIRAC (for collaborative Industrial participants)
- Dr. Shilpi Gupta, Chief Manager – Technical
E-mail: [email protected]
Grant Timelines
- Grant submission: 1st July – 31st August 2021
- Assessment of applications: 10 weeks
- Joint review :6 weeks
- Award of grant: 6 weeks
*Please note the timelines are subject to change.
See Notification Below
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