1. NOTICE TO THE SCIENCE BOARD
In this notice, I:
(a) specify that the Science Board is to make funding decisions on proposals generated by a Sandpit process under section 10(3)(b) of the Research, Science, and Technology Act 2010; and
(b) set the criteria for the assessment by the Science Board of proposals generated by a Sandpit process under section 8(1) of the Research, Science, and Technology Act 2010.
2. GENERAL POLICY OBJECTIVE
2.1 The general policy objective of this notice is to fund research, science, and technology, and related activities that have the potential to:
(a) enhance the productivity of established industries;
(b) generate new industries for New Zealand;
(c) add new value to public services in New Zealand; or
(d) develop world-leading technological capabilities by supporting programmes of research, science, and technology, and related activities to develop technology able to support a range of applications, products, and services.
2.2 A Sandpit process is a process used to reach a consensus view on proposals for funding research, science, and technology, and related activities, when the amount of funding available does not justify a full contestable process. It involves bringing together expert researchers and end users for a specified period of facilitated discussions to generate one or more high-quality, collaborative, multi-disciplinary proposals to undertake research, science, and technology, or related activities that are directed towards solving defined problems, taking advantage of identified opportunities, or otherwise meeting investment objectives.
3 VISION M?TAURANGA POLICY
The Vision M?tauranga policy aims to unlock the science and innovation potential of M?ori 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 hap? relationships with land and sea;
(c) hauora/health - improving health and social wellbeing; and
(d) m?tauranga - exploring indigenous knowledge and science and innovation.
4. SCIENCE BOARD TO MAKE DECISIONS ON PROPOSALS GENERATED BY A SANDPIT PROCESS
4.1 The Science Board will make funding decisions on proposals for funding generated by a Sandpit process.
4.2 In making funding decisions on proposals generated by a Sandpit process, the Science Board may allocate funds from any of 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.
4.3 The Science Board must make funding decisions on proposals generated by a Sandpit process 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 the notice entitled "Description of Funds within Vote RS&T", Supplement to the New Zealand Gazette, 31 January 2011, No. 9, page 200.
5. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
5.1 For a proposal to be assessed against the criteria in clause 6, the proposal must:
(a) be made by one or more research organisations;
(b) if made wholly or partly by a private research organisation, not be solely for the benefit of that organisation;
(c) be for research, science, and technology, or related activities, the majority of which are to be undertaken in New Zealand, unless the Science Board considers that there are compelling reasons to consider the proposal, despite the amount of research, science, and technology, or related activities being proposed to be undertaken overseas;
(d) be a collaborative, multi-disciplinary proposal for research, science, and technology, or related activities, that:
(i) contains a clear definition of the research, science, and technology, or related activities to be undertaken, and
(ii) has been generated using a Sandpit process; and
(e) be for funding of no more than $3,000,000 (excluding GST) per annum.
5.2 For the purposes of clause 5.1(a), "research organisation" means an organisation that has internal capability for carrying out research, science, and technology, and related activities.
6. CRITERIA FOR PROPOSALS GENERATED BY A SANDPIT PROCESS
A proposal that has been assessed as eligible under clause 5 must be assessed having regard to the following criteria:
(a) the following assessment criteria, which are all weighted equally:
Benefits to New Zealand Risk Management or Success Factors
Outcome benefits to New Zealand
Key Question:
To what extent may the proposed research, science, and technology, or related activities create benefits for New Zealand? Implementation Pathway
Key Question:
To what extent does the proposal have a credible pathway to implementation?
Benefits to New Zealand Risk Management or Success Factors
Benefits to New Zealand of research, science, and technology, or related activities
Key Questions:
" What is the quality of the proposed research, science, and technology, or related activities?
" To what extent will the proposed research, science, and technology, or related activities generate new knowledge- Ability to deliver results (outputs) of research, science, and technology, or related activities
Key Question:
" What is the likelihood that the proposed research outputs of the research, science, and technology, or related activities will be achieved?
(b) the extent to which the proposal is likely to:
(i) achieve the general policy objective in clause 2.1;
(ii) unlock the science and innovation potential of M?ori knowledge, resources and people, in accordance with the aim of the Vision M?tauranga policy, in achieving the general policy objectives in clause 2.1; and
(c) the extent to which the proposal is likely to achieve the objectives of the relevant research fund set out in the "Description of Funds within Vote RS&T", Supplement to the New Zealand Gazette, 31 January 2011, No. 9, page 200.
" 7 REVOCATION AND AMENDMENT OF PREVIOUS NOTICES
7.1 The notice entitled "Long-term non-contestable funding", Supplement to the
New Zealand Gazette, 31 January 2011, No. 9, page 195, is revoked.
7.2 The notice entitled "Description of Funds within Vote RS&T", Supplement to the
New Zealand Gazette, 31 January 2011, No. 9, page 200, is amended by replacing
the following paragraph where it appears on pages 201, 202, 204, 205, 207 and 208:
"o Long-term non-contestable funding - using non-contestable processes to invest in RS&T and related activities."
with the following paragraphs:
"o Sandpit process funding - using Sandpit processes to invest in RS&T and related activities.
o Capability in Independent Research Organisations funding - supporting nationally significant capability in independent research organisations that has the potential to contribute to major benefits or the mitigation of major risks."
Dated at Wellington this 23rd day of November 2012.
HON STEVEN JOYCE, Minister of Science and Innovation.