31.01.2013 - 30.09.2014

Announcement

of a Call for Proposals within the Framework of the Federal Government's Strategy for the Internationalization of Science and Research, Regulations Governing the Funding of Scientific and Technological Cooperation (STC) with Russia

of 8 January 2013

1 Funding purpose and legal basis

1.1 Funding purpose

Cooperation between Germany and Russia in the fields of science, technology and innovation (scientific and technological cooperation, STC) can look back on a tradition of over 20 years. It was given additional impetus in 2005 with the "Initiative on a Strategic Partnership between Russia and Germany in Education, Research and Innovation". The close cooperation between the two countries is becoming increasingly important as a result of Russia's key role in the European Union's Neighbourhood Policy, as clearly expressed in the Strategic Partnership between the EU and Russia. Aspiring innovative regions in Russia are becoming increasingly involved in German-Russian cooperation.
Against this background, the aims of funding under this call for proposals are to explore and prepare cooperation in the field of applied research and development, to network research projects and to develop sustainable research partnerships, particularly with partners in the innovative Russian regions (i.a. Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Kaluga, Republic of Tatarstan, Republic of Mordovia, Krasnoyarsk, Perm, Republic of Bashkortostan, Lipezk, Samara, Uljanovsk). Preference will be given to application-oriented projects and measures that involve the participation of industry partners (particularly small and medium-sized enterprises0). The aim is to prepare the ground for further project proposals under current BMBF funding programmes, thematic priorities of the European Union's Research Framework Programme and other EU programmes that are relevant to research. In addition, applicants may seek to participate in projects conducted by Russian research institutions, institutions of higher education and companies, whose subject matter is related to the Russian federal target programmes.

1.2 Legal basis

Project grants can be awarded in accordance with the present funding regulations, the BMBF's standard terms and conditions for grants on an expenditure or cost basis and the administrative regulations under Sections 23 and 44 of the Federal Budget Code (BHO). There is no legal entitlement to a grant. The grant-awarding agency will decide freely after due assessment of the circumstances and within the limits of the budget funds available.

2 Object of funding

The main areas that are to receive funding are:

Measures for the exploration and preparation of project-related or institutional collaborations,
Measures for the design and planning of projects and collaborations whose funding is to be applied for under a BMBF specialist programme or an EU programme,
Measures for networking research projects and developing sustainable research partnerships.

Applications in the following priority areas are especially likely to receive funding:

Optical Technologies
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
Biological Research and Biotechnology; Life Sciences
Health Research
Marine and Polar Research
Environmental Technologies and Sustainability Research; Water Research
Nanotechnologies
Humanities and Social Sciences.

Applications referring to other areas of the BMBF's specialist programmes and EU research programmes can also receive support.

Funding can be provided to cover expenditure and costs in association with travel, for the purposes of project-related scientific exchanges of experts and expert meetings and for thematic project planning workshops. In well-founded exceptional cases, further expenditure on material (e.g. costs of events, special small-scale equipment for feasibility studies that are not part of a laboratory's basic equipment) can also be reimbursed.

3 Funding recipients

Research proposals may be submitted by German research institutions, institutions of higher education and commercial companies (particularly SMEs). Research establishments which receive joint basic funding from the Federal Government and the Länder can only be granted project funding supplementary to their basic funding for additional expenditure under certain preconditions.

4 Prerequisites for funding / type, scope and rates of funding

Funds will be awarded in the form of non-repayable project grants. In their own interest, applicants should familiarize themselves with the EU's Research Framework Programme in the context of the envisaged national project. They should check whether the intended project includes specific European components which make it eligible for exclusive EU funding. Furthermore, they should check whether an additional application for funding can be submitted to the EU in the context of the proposed national project. The result of such investigations should be described briefly in the national project application. Grants for commercial companies are calculated on the basis of the project-related costs eligible for funding, up to 50% of which can as a rule be covered by government grants, depending on the project's relevance to application. As a rule the BMBF's policy requires an appropriate own contribution towards the eligible costs incurred of at least 50%. Grants for universities, research and science institutions and similar establishments will be calculated on the basis of the eligible project-related expenditure (grants for Helmholtz centres and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (FhG) will be calculated on the basis of the project-related costs eligible for funding), up to 100% of which can be covered in individual cases. The European Commission's Community Framework for State Aid for Research and Development must be taken into account when determining the rates of funding. The Community Framework allows a differentiated bonus arrangement for collaborative projects and SMEs, which may result in a higher rate of funding. The following types of expenses are eligible for funding:

Exchanges of experts and young researchers:
The following applies for funding the travelling expenses of German project researchers:
Funding to cover the costs of journeys by researchers to and from the location of the project partner will be provided by the sending country (in the case of air tickets: Economy Class); daily allowances will be provided by the host country.

The foreign project partner is responsible for providing daily allowances for German experts abroad.
The following applies for funding the travelling expenses of foreign project scientists:
Daily allowances: As a rule, fixed allowances of €104 per day or €2,300 per month will be provided by the German grant awarding agency for stays in Germany of up to 3 months per year. A lump sum of 77 euros per day will be paid for individual days in the following month. Contributions to health insurance and, if applicable, other types of insurance are covered by this allowance and must be paid by the grant recipients themselves.
Travel to and from the project partner's location are covered by the sending country.
Physical resources:
Project-related grants for non-cash resources (such as expendables, appliances, phone and office supplies, transport, literature, rent, orders, etc.) can be provided to a limited extent in duly substantiated exceptional cases.
Workshops:
Workshops with existing partners or aimed at opening up new potential for cooperation may receive the following support:
With regard to the organization of bilateral workshops in Germany, grants can be provided towards material costs such as the accommodation of the foreign guests, transfers within Germany, preparation of the workshop from the point of view of content, entertainment and rental of the venue. The exact amount of the grant depends on the size of the event and the number of foreign guests. In such cases, no daily allowances (see b) above) will be paid.
Flat-rate grant per project (20%) for universities and teaching hospitals (cf FAQ regarding flat-rate grant per project: https://foerderportal.bund.de/easy/module/easy_formulare/download.php?datei=583 ).
The following expenses will not be covered in whole or in part:
- Staff costs/expenditure
- Normal basic equipment, such as: office supplies, communication, laboratory equipment and IT equipment

5 Procedure

5.1 Involvement of the International Bureau and request for documents

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research has entrusted the International Bureau (IB) with implementing this funding measure: Internationales Büro des Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung
im Projektträger beim Deutschen Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)
Heinrich-Konen-Str. 1
53227 Bonn
Internet: http://www.internationales-buero.de
For subject-related questions, please contact: Dr. Jörn Grünewald
(Subjects: Biotechnology, Optical Technologies, Nanotechnology [including Materials Research], Basic Physics Research [e.g. Accelerator-based Photon Sources], Production Technologies, Physical and Chemical Technologies, Humanities and Social Sciences)
E-mail: joern.gruenewald@dlr.de
Phone: +49-228-3821 1457
Fax: +49-228-3821 1400
Maria Josten
(Subjects: Marine and Polar Research, ICT, Health Research, Geosciences, Environmental Technologies/Sustainability, Renewables)
E-mail: maria.josten@dlr.de
Phone: +49-228-3821 1415
Fax: +49-228-3821 1400
For administrative questions, please contact:
Andrea Kröll
E-mail: andrea.kroell@dlr.de
Phone: +49 228-3821 1413
Fax: +49-228-3821 1400

5.2 Presentation of formal applications for funding and decision-making procedure

The funding procedure consists of two phases. In the first phase, project outlines are to be submitted - preferably in German, but in exceptional cases in English, by 30 September 2014 at the latest using the PT-Outline electronic outlining tool
(https://www.pt-it.de/ptoutline/application/WTZ_RUSSLAND). Project outlines that are submitted in English must be accompanied by a summary in German. Project outlines can be submitted at any time.
Structure of the project outline:

General Information.
1. Information for administrative purposes
2. Financial overview
Project description structured as follows:
1. Objectives, excellence and originality of the project
2. State of the art; previous work
3. Detailed description of the methodology and work plan
4. Usefulness and relevance of the results
5. Cooperation with third parties
6. Need for funding
7. Annexes if appropriate

The project description (Part B) can be uploaded as a document (word or pdf file) on pt-outline.
The project outline provides the basis for the thematic evaluation of the project. The project description should therefore include assessable information about all relevant points (see structure of the project description). The description should not exceed 10 pages.

In the second phase, institutions whose project outlines have received a positive evaluation will be invited - if necessary following consultations with the proposed project coordinator - to present a formal application for funding, which will be decided on after a final evaluation. Formal applications must be drafted using the BMBF's "easy" electronic application system. Application forms, guidelines, leaflets, information and auxiliary terms and conditions are available online at
https://foerderportal.bund.de/easy/easy_index.php?auswahl=easy_formulare&formularschrank=bmbf&menue=block .
Please send your duly signed application to the following address (taking into account the deadline for submission): Internationales Büro des Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung
im Projektträger beim Deutschen Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)
Andrea Kröll
Heinrich-Konen-Str. 1
53227 Bonn E-mail: andrea.kroell@dlr.de
Phone: +49-228-3821 1413
If you have technical questions on the application process (unrelated to the content of the call), please contact: Internationales Büro des Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung
im Projektträger beim Deutschen Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)
Martina Lauterbach
Heinrich-Konen-Str. 1
53227 Bonn
E-mail: martina.lauterbach@dlr.de
Phone: +49-228-3821 1734 The submission deadline is not a cut-off deadline. However, it may not be possible to consider applications received after this date.

5.3 Evaluation criteria

The applications for funding will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

Relevance to the thematic priorities specified in section 1 and conformance with the specified formal requirements
Expertise of the applicant and the partners involved
Quality and originality of the project
Initiation of new partnerships
Quality of the cooperation and added value for the partner institutions
Support for young scientists
Scientific benefits and prospects for the commercialization of the expected results
Appropriateness and need for the funding applied for
Securing the overall funding of the project over the entire period

A funding decision will be taken following a final review based on the above evaluation criteria. The applicants will be informed in writing about the results of the evaluation.

Funding for projects that receive a positive evaluation and are approved is expected to start according to the following schedule:

Submission of the project outline by 30 April 2013: anticipated beginning of funding with effect from February 2014
Submission of the project outline by 30 September 2013: anticipated beginning of funding with effect from August 2014
Submission of the project outline by 31 March 2014: anticipated beginning of funding with effect from February 2015
Submission of the project outline by 30 September 2014: anticipated beginning of funding with effect from August 2015

6 Other terms and conditions

The Allgemeine Nebenbestimmungen für Zuwendungen zur Projektförderung (ANBest-P; General Auxiliary Conditions for Grants for the Promotion of Projects) and the Besondere Nebenbestimmungen für Zuwendungen des BMBF zur Projektförderung auf Ausgabenbasis (BNBest-BMBF 98; Special Auxiliary Terms and Conditions for Funds Provided by the BMBF for the Promotion of Projects on an Expenditure Basis) will be part of the funding arrangement for grants on an expenditure basis; the Nebenbestimmungen für Zuwendungen auf Kostenbasis (NKBF 98; Auxiliary Terms and Conditions for Funds Provided on a Cost Basis) will be part of the funding arrangement for grants on a cost basis. In individual cases, the BMBF reserves the right to deviate from sections 7 and 8 of the BNBest-BMBF 98 or sections 12 and 13 of the NKBF 98 when making arrangements for the transfer of the right of use or utilization of results generated by the funded research.

7 Entry into force

These funding regulations will enter into force on the day of their publication in the Federal Gazette (Bundesanzeiger). Bonn, 8 January 2013 Federal Ministry of Education and Research Michael Schlicht
Head of Division for Cooperation with Russia, CIS