2019/20 Expression of interest guidelines

2019/20 Expression of interest guidelines

We have prepared EOI guidelines to assist Applicants with their EOI submission.

Download the 2019/20 EOI Guidelines PDF 698kb

Eligibility

For an EOI to be considered eligible it must:

  • have at least one partner representing industry (or the end-user of the research where appropriate).
  • include significant co-contribution of cash and in-kind (at a minimum 1:1). EOIs with a high cash co-contribution will be viewed more favourably.
  • ensure the research impact falls within the northern Australian region (all of the Northern Territory and those parts of Western Australia and Queensland located north of the Tropic of Capricorn).
  • fit within one (or more) of the three investment themes:
    • Agriculture and food (including aquaculture)
    • Northern Australia Health Service Delivery
    • Traditional Owner-led business development (in agriculture, food and/or health industries).

Note: this does not preclude research conducted outside of northern Australia so long as the impact resulting from the research has effect within the northern Australia region.

Research alignment: 2019/20 CRCNA critical research questions

The CRCNA is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) which are industry-led, and address issues specifically related to northern Australia.

EOIs can be submitted by industry, researchers, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and/or community sectors and must address one or more of the following critical research questions:

Agriculture and food (including aquaculture)

1. Production System and Technology Improvements

What new innovations in key production systems including finding new technologies and alternative production systems for the industry will your research deliver?

Northern Australian health service delivery

2. Improved models for early detection, health seeking behaviour and mental health

What new, transferrable innovations in health services delivery will your research deliver to ensure improved early detection, improved health seeking behaviour and/or improved mental health outcomes in northern Australia?

3. Development of new market opportunities and prospectus building

What are the priority new domestic and export market opportunities in the health care and services sector, and how can the strategic development of investment prospectus be supported?

Traditional Owner-led Business Development (in agriculture and food or health service delivery)

4. Identify new models and approaches of developing Traditional Owner led business development

What novel approaches, solutions, technologies, innovations or knowledge processes does your research deliver that will ensure sustainable Traditional Owner led business development in agriculture, food or northern health service delivery?

Strategic objectives

The CRCNA seeks to deliver high impact research which will lower investment barriers and enable significant capital to flow in northern Australia leading to:

  1. Increased GDP
  2. Increased investment in northern Australia
  3. Improved supply chain efficiencies in northern Australia
  4. Generation of new jobs on northern Australia
  5. Improved wellbeing of the northern Australian community

Table 1 below provides a guide to how Applicants may consider calculating the EOI’s impact against these criteria. 

Please note, successful EOIs will have the opportunity to elaborate on these responses in their Project Outline but should provide some brief comments against these objectives as part of the EOI response.

Strategic objective Calculated Impact of the proposed EOI
Increased Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in northern Australia. Specific calculation of new economic trade enabled by the CRC investment and reflected as GDP impact (in Australian dollars) per annum.
Increased investment in northern Australia. Specific calculation of new investment arising (in Australian dollars), categorised as research, infrastructure and services per annum.
Improved (supply chain) efficiencies in northern Australia. Specific calculation of increased cost efficiencies in production and the supply chain (in Australian dollars) per annum.
Generation of new jobs in northern Australia. Specific calculation of new and retained jobs created (calculated in FTE terms) per annum.
Improved wellbeing of the northern Australian community Specific calculation of multiple but specific wellbeing measures calculated per annum.

Funding uses

CRCNA funding can be used to support the costs of:

  • research
  • salaries
  • student placements
  • strategies that build the R&D capacity within SMEs
  • deployment of research outputs and encouragement of take up by industry.

CRCNA funding cannot be used for EOIs that:

  • do not have a research component
  • do not have at least one Industry Partner
  • whose outputs are highly localised without potential broader application across Northern Australia
  • are to build capital works or for the purchase or construction of facilities such as buildings or laboratories
  • are for renovation or extension of buildings and facilities
  • are for any activities for which you have previously been funded, or are currently being funded by the Australian Government or a State or Territory government

Co-contributions

EOIs must (at a minimum) match the amount of grant funding sought through cash and/or in-kind co-contributions. Those EOIs which include a high cash co-contribution will be considered more favourably during the EOI assessment process.

It is at the participant’s discretion to determine who will provide the co-contribution and if there are multiple sources, what proportion each contributes.

In-kind co-contributions are non-cash resources provided by a participant to conduct the activities of the EOI. They may be staff or non-staff resources.

EOI approval process

EOIs will be assessed through a competitive, merit-based process.

The CRCNA will prepare, in collaboration with appointed advisory committee members (where required), recommendations for final consideration by the CRCNA Board.

Successful EOIs will be invited to submit a Project Outline and Project Expenditure with more specific detail on the proposed research project.

The CRCNA will contact unsuccessful EOI Applicants.

Merit criteria

Applications must:

  • measurably demonstrate how their EOI will impact on one or more of the CRCNA’s Strategic Objectives (refer to Appendix 1)
  • fit within the 2019/20 focus areas and tackle the most strategic barriers facing the identified focus
  • demonstrate why the EOI should be CRCNA funded and not be funded by other related programs (e.g. State and NT agencies, RD&E Corporations)
  • include significant co-investment of cash and in-kind. EOIs with a high cash contribution will be viewed more favourably
  • clearly demonstrate how the EOI is supported by industry as a necessary investment i.e. has demonstrable links to other industry and/or Government strategic plans and priorities
  • have a clearly outlined pathway to impact
  • demonstrate a strong Return on investment.

Common terms

View definitions of common terms used in the Expression of interest form.

How to apply

Please note this Expression of Interest has closed.