1. Notice to the Science Board
In this notice I:
(a) specify that the Science Board ("the Board") is to make funding decisions on proposals for Capability in Independent Research Organisations funding under section 10(3)(b) of the Research, Science, and Technology Act 2010; and
(b) set the criteria for the assessment of proposals for Capability in Independent Research Organisations funding under section 8(1) of the Research, Science, and Technology Act 2010.
2. Interpretation
In this notice:
independent research organisation means an organisation that:
(a) is not a Crown entity (as defined in section
7 of the Crown Entities Act 2004);
(b) operates as an independent legal entity and is not owned, or primarily funded by a Crown entity (as defined in the Crown Entities Act 2004) or a business;
(c) primarily undertakes research, science and technology, or related activities that are not
for the development of its own products and services;
nationally significant capability means capability
to undertake research, science and technology, and related activities that, if it were lost, would have a demonstrable and significant negative impact on
the ability to grow the economy, or to achieve
key environmental, societal and health outcomes
for New Zealanders.
3. Policy Objective
The policy objective of the Capability in Independent Research Organisations investment mechanism is to fund research, science and technology, and related activities that will support nationally significant capability in independent research organisations that has the potential to contribute to:
(a) major economic, social, or environmental benefits for New Zealand; or
(b) the mitigation of major risks to New Zealand’s economy, environment, or society that the Government has a role in mitigating.
4. Vision Matauranga Policy
The Vision Matauranga policy aims to unlock the science and innovation potential of Maori knowledge, resources and people for the benefit of New Zealand. It focuses on four themes:
(a) Indigenous innovation - contributing to economic growth through distinctive science and innovation;
(b) Taiao/environment - achieving environmental sustainability through iwi and hapu relationships with land and sea;
(c) Hauora/Health - improving health and social wellbeing; and
(d) Matauranga - exploring indigenous knowledge and science and innovation.
5. Science Board to Make Decisions on Proposals for Capability in Independent Research Organisations Funding
5.1 The Board will make funding decisions on proposals
for Capability in Independent Research Organisations funding.
5.2 In making funding decisions on proposals for Capability in Independent Research Organisations funding, the Board may allocate funds from any the following research funds:
(a) Biological Industries;
(b) High Value Manufacturing and Services;
(c) Energy and Minerals;
(d) Environmental;
(e) Hazards and Infrastructure;
(f) Health and Society (except that funding that is administered by the Health Research Council).
5.3 The Board must make funding decisions on proposals
for Capability in Independent Research Organisations funding in accordance with:
(a) the Public Finance Act 1989 and the relevant Appropriation Acts for Vote Science and Innovation; and
(b) the criteria set out in "Description of Funds within Vote RS&T", Supplement to the New Zealand Gazette, 31 January 2011, No. 9, at page 200.
5.4 The Board may allocate funding under this notice for programmes of research, science and technology, and related activities of up to seven years, at which time the contracts will be reviewed and renegotiated, subject to a successful review and assessment against the judgement criteria detailed in clause 7 and subject to the proposal meeting the Eligibility Criteria in this notice.
6. Eligibility Criteria
6.1 For a proposal for Capability in Independent Research Organisations funding to be assessed against the criteria in clause 7, the proposal:
(a) must be made by an independent research organisation that:
(i) has staff and infrastructure; of a sufficient scale and capacity to carry out the proposal; and
(ii) has demonstrated that it has linkages with
end users of the research, science and technology, or related activities, which may include industry users or the public sector;
(b) must not be for research, science and technology,
or related activities that are able to be funded by
a commodity or industry levy;
(c) must be for research, science and technology, or related activities:
(i) that will support nationally significant capability that the independent research organisation holds;
(ii) that can only be provided by the independent research organisation due to its unique capability to undertake the research, science and technology, or related activities in the proposal; and
(iii) for which the independent research organisation has received Vote Science and Innovation funding of at least $0.5 million per annum for more than one contestable funding round.
6.2 For the purposes of clause 6.1(c)(iii), an independent research organisation does not receive Vote Science and Innovation funding if it receives such funding indirectly through a third party rather than as a result of being
the successful applicant in a proposal for funding in a contestable funding process.
7. Assessment Criteria
The Board must assess all proposals that meet the eligibility criteria in clause 6 against the following assessment criteria to determine whether they are of an acceptable standard to receive Capability in Independent Research Organisations funding:
(a) The extent to which the proposal is likely to:
(i) contribute to New Zealand with major economic, social or environmental benefits or the mitigation of major risks to New Zealand’s economy, society or environment; and, where relevant,
(ii) unlock the science and innovation potential
of Maori knowledge, resources and people,
in accordance with the aim of the Vision Matauranga policy, in contributing to
New Zealand with major economic, social
or environmental benefits or the mitigation
of major risks to New Zealand’s economy, environment, or society;
(b) the extent to which the proposal demonstrates a credible pathway to implementation of the results, which must include a description of:
(i) who the end users are;
(ii) how the independent research organisation will engage with end users; and
(iii) how the research results will be taken up by end users;
(c) the extent to which the independent research organisation making the proposal has the ability to deliver results (outputs) of research, science and technology, or related activities, having regard to:
(i) the track record of the independent research organisation and the staff involved;
(ii) the involvement of appropriate collaborators; and
(iii) the availability of appropriate infrastructure; and
(6) the quality of the proposed research, science and technology, or related activities.
8. Weightings
The Board must apply the following weightings to the assessment criteria:
Assessment Criteria Weighting
Economic, social, or environmental benefits or mitigates major risks to New Zealand 25%
Pathway to implementation 25%
Ability to deliver results (outputs) of research, science, and technology,
or related activities 20%
Research quality 30%
9. Revocation of previous notice
The notice entitled "Criteria for Assessment of Proposals for Capability in Independent Research Organisations Funding by the Science Board" New Zealand Gazette, 24 November 2011, No. 181, page 5274, is revoked.
Dated at Wellington this 4th day of February 2013.
HON STEVEN JOYCE, Minister of Science and Innovation.