Innovation Research Acceleration Program

Infrastructure Build Out Program

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This grant funds new and existing research and innovation infrastructure for shared facilities, equipment and technical expertise and initiatives. 

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Key information

  • Status: Closed
  • Grant amount: From $500,000 to $10,000,000
  • Application opened: 14 December 2022
  • Application closed: 15 February 2023, 10:00 am

Program objective

The Infrastructure Build Out Program will provide $31 million for new and existing research and innovation infrastructure for shared facilities, equipment and technical expertise and initiatives. This is allocated through a Quantum Technologies Funding Stream ($10 million) and a General Funding Stream ($21 million).

The objective of Build Out is to increase both the scale and excellence of research and innovation in NSW by supporting openly accessible research and innovation infrastructure in NSW.

Applicants can seek funding between $500,000 to $10 million to deliver initiatives that build and support new, shared research and innovation infrastructure. This can include pilot or scale-up facilities that build on and support existing shared research and innovation infrastructure in NSW. Infrastructure must be open access to public and private technology developers and researchers, and support collaborative R&D and innovation.

This program is administered by Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer.

Eligibility

Who can apply

To be eligible for the Infrastructure Build Out Program support, applicants must be:

  • a university or publicly funded research organisation (PFRO), or their collaborative entities, or
  • an openly accessible research facility that has NOT been supported by National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy funding, or
  • a private entity that operates openly accessible research and innovation infrastructure, or
  • a consortium-based application, that includes industry organisations or firms, universities and PFROs, public sector organisations or other organisations. Consortia can include a NSW-based NCRIS facility if the expenditure (Section 3.2) is not designated to a NSW-based NCRIS facility.

Who can’t apply

Consortia partnerships with businesses that are insolvent are ineligible for the Infrastructure Build Out Program and any group not listed above.

Types of projects funded under this grant

Build Out grants may be provided for any of the below which are directly targeted at driving innovation, and where it can be demonstrated that the activity will increase the use and application of research and innovation infrastructure to support research and commercial outputs and outcomes:

  • new equipment and technology to assist R&D, innovation and commercialisation in multiple user organisations
  • major equipment upgrades or replacement, or equipment to increase the ‘industry offering’ of the facility
  • laboratory facilities improvement to facilitate industry access
  • employment of, or training for, highly skilled technical experts where it can be shown that this enhances end-user access or other outcomes from the use of equipment
  • business development managers or industry application scientists employed by a university, research infrastructure facility or consortium to assist SMEs and companies to navigate the research and commercialisation pathways and access infrastructure
  • specialised technologies and systems to facilitate researcher and industry access
  • industry-focused collaborative programs driving access to infrastructure and commercialisation, which can be joint across facilities.

What your application needs to include

You can download the complete

File

Infrastructure Build Out Program guidelines (PDF 517.11KB) .

You can also see a

File

Infrastructure Build Out Program sample application form (PDF 85.52KB) .

 

1

Prepare your application with this checklist

EOI applications will include:

  • a brief overview of the proposal (including the approach for ensuring open access) and how it meets the Eligibility Criteria in Section 3 of the

    File

    Infrastructure Build Out Program guidelines (PDF 517.11KB) (eligible applicants, eligible projects and eligible support)
  • details of how it will contribute to the three Build Out Outcomes
  • the impact/rationale for the Build Out investment, including a description of the project without funding
  • details of consideration and/or engagement with potential Build Out partners and proposal development. The EOI timeframe is designed to support the ecosystem collaboration opportunities.
  • details of the expertise or industry knowledge that makes the organisation/s uniquely qualified to deliver the public infrastructure investment and/or program and track record of current facilities, projects or similar work/collaborations or for industry delivered proposals.
2

Address the eligibility criteria

To be eligible for the Infrastructure Build Out Program support, applicants must be:

  • a university or publicly funded research organisation (PFRO), or their collaborative entities, or
  • an openly accessible research facility that has NOT been supported by National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy funding, or
  • a private entity that operates openly accessible research and innovation infrastructure, or
  • a consortium-based application, that includes industry organisations or firms, universities and PFROs, public sector organisations or other organisations. Consortia can include a NSW-based NCRIS facility if the expenditure (Section 3.2) is not designated to a NSW-based NCRIS facility.
  • be located in NSW or be planning a major research/innovation presence located in NSW - aplicants must be based in NSW before entering into a Deed of Agreement with DEIT.
  • have an Australian Business Number (ABN).
3

Address the assessment criteria

Infrastructure Build Out Program EOI Assessment Criteria

Criteria

Description

    Project impact (60%)
    • Why NSW needs the proposed research and innovation infrastructure and how the state will benefit from the investment i.e., is the proposed research and innovation infrastructure duplicative of existing facilities?
    • How it aligns to the industry, technology and innovation needs as identified in the NSW 20-Year R&D Roadmap and one of the priority industries, technologies or focus precincts listed in the NSW Industry Development Framework (Table 1)
    • How it will contribute to the three Build Out Outcomes:
      • Outcome 1 - Increase the availability and use of open-access research and innovation infrastructure (e.g., facilities, equipment, resources, and expertise).
      • Outcome 2 - Increase collaborative R&D and innovation within the NSW innovation community (academia, industry, government, non-government organisations and students).
      • Outcome 3 – a) Increase R&D output, translation, and other commercial outcomes and/or b) contribute to a robust talent pipeline of technical skills and career pathways.
    • Ensures open-access to the research and innovation infrastructure for researchers, startups, and industry
    Deliverability (40%)

    Deliverability (40%)

    • Capacity and capability (track-record, expertise and industry knowledge) of the applicant and any partners to deliver the proposal
    • Whether the total funding sought and provided through the grant, partners, participants, and other funding sources is sufficient to undertake the initiative

    DEIT may seek clarification from any applicant in relation to its application, including seeking further information on the eligibility or assessment criteria.

    After the EOI assessment process, eligible applicants may be encouraged to collaborate or prepare a joint bid for the Detailed Application stage, such as, if there are seen to be synergies or duplication between separate EOIs. DEIT may contact applicants where these potential opportunities have been identified and seek consent to share information with other applicants to facilitate these potential collaborations.

    Only applications that are invited to, can submit a Detailed Application.

    Important information when submitting EOIs

    Applicants need to:

    • submit the online application form, ensuring all questions are answered or indicated not applicable.
    • clearly identify in their application (including attachments) any information that the applicant requests be treated as confidential.
    • sign their application. If applying as a consortium, the lead applicant must sign and have at least one of the core participants sign (by the head of the organisation or their authorised delegate). If all core participants’ representatives have not signed the application, the signatories must acknowledge that the application is made with the knowledge and on behalf of all core participants.

    Where an application is not lodged through the SmartyGrants form, DEIT reserves the right to deem the application as non-conforming and can consider it at its absolute discretion.

    Late proposals will not be considered except where DEIT is satisfied that the integrity and competitiveness of the program has not been compromised

    Start the application

    Applications for this grant are available via the SmartyGrants portal.

    Apply now

    After the application is submitted

    Successful applications will be decided by: the Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology, who will consider recommendations from the Infrastructure Assessment Panel.

    The applications will be assessed and both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified.

    Support and contact

    Any enquiry about the assessment process or the outcome of an application for Build Out should contact us:

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