Notice to the Science Board

1. In this notice, I:

1. Specify that the Science Board is to make funding decisions on proposals for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) contestable research fund under section 10(3)(b) of the Research, Science and Technology Act 2010 (“RS&T Act 2010”); and
2. set the criteria for the eligibility and assessment of proposals for the MBIE contestable research fund under section 8(1) of the RS&T Act 2010.

General policy objectives

2. The general policy objectives of the MBIE contestable research fund are to:

1. Support research, science or technology or related activities that have high potential to positively transform New Zealand’s future economic performance, the sustainability and integrity of our environment, help strengthen our society, and give effect to the Vision Mātauranga policy; and
2. drive an increasing focus on:
   1. excellent research; and
   2. the potential for impact in areas of future value, growth or critical need for New Zealand.

Interpretation

3. For the purposes of this notice and the schedules to this notice, the terms:

1. Vision Mātauranga policy means the government policy which aims to unlock the innovation potential of Māori knowledge, resources and people for the benefit of New Zealand.
2. research organisation means an organisation that has internal capability for carrying out research, science or technology or related activities.
3. relevance means the science focuses on areas of strategic importance to New Zealand and is relevant to our economic, social and environmental needs (both current and future), usable and appropriate to potential end users and beneficiaries.
4. areas of future value, growth or critical need for New Zealand means the investment signals set out in the relevant annual Investment Plan specified in clause 4.

Funding decisions

4. In making funding decisions on proposals for the MBIE contestable research fund, the Science Board will allocate funds as set out in the relevant Government annual Investment Plan, published on MBIE’s website

www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/science-innovation/investment-funding/current-funding/science-investment-round

5. The Science Board must make funding decisions on proposals for the MBIE contestable research fund in accordance with:

1. The Public Finance Act 1989 and the relevant Appropriation Acts for Vote Business, Science and Innovation;
2. the eligibility and assessment criteria specified in this notice and the relevant schedules to this notice;
3. the investment signals and mix of investment set out in the relevant annual Investment Plan specified in clause 4; and
4. the government’s Vision Mātauranga policy.

Eligibility criteria

6. For proposals to be assessed under the MBIE contestable research fund against the assessment criteria set out in the Schedules to this notice, they must:

1. Be made by a New Zealand-based research organisation or a New Zealand-based legal entity representing a New Zealand-based research organisation;
2. not be solely for the benefit of the research organisation or legal entity which represents the organisation;
3. not be made by a department of the public service as listed in Schedule 1 of the State Sector Act 1988;
4. be made under an investment mechanism specified in the Schedules to this notice;
5. be for research, science or 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 proposals, despite the amount of research, science or technology or related activities being proposed to be undertaken overseas;
6. meet any applicable timing, formatting, system or other similar administrative requirements imposed by MBIE in supplying administrative services to the Science Board under section 10(7) of the RS&T Act 2010; and
7. advise that the proposed funding recipient will, and the Science Board is of the view that it can, adhere to the terms and conditions of funding set out in an investment contract determined by the Science Board.

Revocation of previous notices

7. I hereby revoke the following notices:

1. Criteria for proposals generated by a Sandpit process, published as a supplement to the New Zealand Gazette, 5 December 2012, No. 146, page 4251;
2. Investment Priorities for the 2014 Science Investment Round, published as a supplement to the New Zealand Gazette, 6 December 2013, No. 163, page 4490;
3. Criteria for Proposals for Science-Led Contestable Funding, published as a supplement to the New Zealand Gazette, 30 October 2014, Issue No. 132, Notice No. 2014-go6681;
4. Funding for Smart Ideas in the 2015 Science Investment Round, published as a supplement to the New Zealand Gazette, 30 October 2014, Issue No. 132, Notice No. 2014-go6680; and
5. Funding for Targeted Research in the 2015 Science Investment Round, published as a supplement to the New Zealand Gazette, 27 November 2014, Issue No. 143, Notice No. 2014-go7216.

Dated at Wellington this 6th day of November 2015.

Hon STEVEN JOYCE, Minister of Science and Innovation.

Schedule 1
Smart Ideas investment mechanism

Specific policy objectives

1. This investment mechanism is intended to catalyse and rapidly test promising, innovative research ideas with high potential for benefit for New Zealand, to enable refresh and diversity in the science portfolio.

Assessment criteria

2. A proposal for Smart Ideas that has been assessed as eligible for the MBIE contestable research fund under clause 6 of the main notice must be assessed having regard to the extent to which the proposal meets the following criteria:

1. Excellence.
   1. Science (weighted 50%). Research should be well-designed, well-performed, and leverage additional value from wider research. Assessment must have particular regard to whether the proposed research, science or technology or related activities:
      1. progress and disseminate new knowledge;
      2. possess high scientific risk, technical risk, novelty or innovative approaches;
      3. are well-positioned in the domestic and international research context; and
      4. have a well-managed research plan and credible approach to risk management.
   2. Team (weighted 15%). The proposed team should have the mix of complementary skills, knowledge and resources to deliver the proposed research, science or technology or related activities and to manage risk.
2. Impact.
   1. Benefit to New Zealand (weighted 25%). Research should have direct and indirect benefits or effect on individuals, communities or society as a whole, including broad benefits to New Zealand’s economic, social, human or natural capital. Assessment must have particular regard to:
      1. The credibility of the need for, scale and extent of potential benefits from the proposed research, science or technology or related activities; and
      2. the relevance and additional value they deliver to New Zealand.
   2. Implementation Pathway(s) (weighted 10%). The credibility of indicative implementation pathway(s) to deliver public benefit to New Zealand, not limited to a single firm or end user, and which may be uncertain in nature.

3. When assessing proposals, the extent to which a proposal is likely to meet the following must be taken into account:

1. General policy objectives set out in clause 2 of the main notice and specific policy objective set out in clause 1 of this schedule including, where appropriate, the Vision Mātauranga policy.

Schedule 2
Research Programmes investment mechanism

Specific policy objectives

1. This investment mechanism is intended to support ambitious, excellent and well-defined research ideas which, collectively, have credible and high potential to positively transform New Zealand’s future in areas of future value, growth or critical need.

Assessment criteria

2. A proposal for Research Programmes that has been assessed as eligible for the MBIE contestable research fund under clause 6 of the main notice must initially be assessed with regard to the extent to which the proposal meets the following criterion:

1. Excellence.
   1. Science (weighted 25%). Research should be well-designed, well-performed, and leverage additional value from wider research. Assessment must have particular regard to whether the proposed research, science or technology or related activities:
      1. progress and disseminate new knowledge;
      2. possess scientific risk, technical risk or innovative approaches;
      3. are well-positioned in the domestic and international research context; and
      4. have a well-managed research plan and credible approach to risk management.
   2. Team (weighted 25%). The proposed team should have the demonstrated mix of complementary skills, knowledge and resources to deliver the proposed research, science or technology or related activities and to manage risk.

3. Only proposals that have been assessed as having sufficient quality against the Excellence assessment criterion under clause 2(a) of this schedule will be assessed with additional regard to the following criterion:

1. Impact.
   1. Benefit to New Zealand (weighted 25%). Research should have direct and indirect benefits or effect on individuals, communities or society as a whole, including broad benefits to New Zealand’s economic, social, human or natural capital. Assessment must have particular regard to:
      1. The credibility of the need for, scale and extent of potential benefits from the proposed research, science or technology or related activities; and
      2. the relevance and additional value they deliver to New Zealand; and
   2. Implementation Pathway(s) (weighted 25%). The credibility of implementation pathway(s) to deliver public benefits to New Zealand, not limited to a single firm or end user, and the strength of relationships with relevant end users, beneficiaries, or stakeholders.

4. When assessing proposals, the extent to which a proposal is likely to meet the following must be taken into account:

1. General policy objectives set out in clause 2 of the main notice and specific policy objective set out in clause 1 of this schedule including, where appropriate, the Vision Mātauranga policy.