05.07.2006 - 15.09.2006

Call for Proposals

Polish-German Cooperation in Neuroscience on bilateral Polish-German research projects in Neuroscience

1. Funding purpose and legal framework

1.1 Funding purpose

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Polish Ministry of Education and Science (MEiN) intend to continue their support of bi-national scientific cooperation in the field of medically oriented neuroscience. Supplemental to the call for proposals of April 30th, 2002, additional projects on urgent research topics in this area shall be funded.

The objectives of the bilateral program are to advance scientific progress by using the synergy of a collaborative approach to research. Research will be focused on diseases of major importance for both nations. Thus, the program shall also contribute to health care improvement. In addition, the scientific cooperation is to strengthen the relations between Poland and Germany.

1.2 Legal framework

For the German partners to be funded, the BMBF-guidelines for grant applications on expenditure basis and the interim administrative provisions concerning section 44 of the Federal Budget Code (BHO) have to be applied. For the Polish partners to be funded, the MEiN-regulations for financing of special research projects will be applied - Regulation of the Minister of Science and Information Society Technologies of 4 August 2005 on criteria and procedures for allocation and accounting of finance resources for scientific research (Dz.U. No 161, item 1359).

Applicants have no legal claim to a grant. The respective grant-awarding agency will decide freely after due assessment of the circumstances within the framework of the budget funds available.

2. Object of funding

Under this programme, funding will be provided for projects of clinical relevance which can be expected to make a significant contribution to neuroscience with potential application to human diseases.

Projects can be funded conducting research on the development of the nervous system, degeneration, regeneration, and neuroprotection.  The studies shall be aimed at a better understanding of the mechanisms of neural diseases and mental disorders. This includes the development of therapeutic strategies and rehabilitation procedures for these diseases.

For bilateral cooperation, interdisciplinary teams from both countries are to be established involving two or more research groups from university clinics, research groups, research institutes or research departments in the domain of neuroscience.

Cooperation is expected to produce synergy. The need for cooperation on the respective project and the added value of cooperation must therefore be stressed with a view to enhancing the cohesion of research efforts in Poland and Germany. Projects without an obvious need for collaboration cannot be considered for funding.

3. Recipients of funding

Grants can be awarded to applicants from universities, university clinics and research institutions with experience in the relevant field.

German research institutions which receive joint basic funding from the Federal Government and the Länder can only be awarded project funding to cover their additional expenditure under certain conditions.

4. Prerequisites for funding

The bilateral projects are expected to contribute substantially to scientific progress in the neurosciences.

• The applicants must have gained relevant experience and be ready for true interdisciplinary cooperation. A joint application of the German and Polish partners is required.
• The projects must be original and innovative. The feasibility of the projects shall be granted by the chosen partners.
• The projects shall have clinical relevance and, if possible, contribute to clinical application. The projects shall relate to important health problems.
• The projects shall apply state-of-the-art methods and advanced technologies in clinical research.
• The projects shall be tackled in an interdisciplinary approach. Scientists with different backgrounds in basic research or clinical research (multidisciplinary teams) are to be involved in the collaboration. Preference will be given to projects with active participation of a clinical partner.
• The involvement of young scientists in the cooperation is required.
• In case of funding, partners in a project have to conclude a cooperation contract.
• If the conduction of clinical (pilot) trials is intended, international standards have to be observed  (http://www.ich.org, http://www.consort-statement.org).
• In their own interest, applicants should familiarize themselves with the EU's Research Framework Programme in the context of the planned project. They should check whether the planned project includes specific European components which make it eligible for exclusive EU funding. Applicants should furthermore examine whether an additional application for funding can be submitted to the EU in the context of the planned project. Applicants should briefly state the results of such an examination in their application.

5. Type, scope and rates of funding

On the German side, project funding may be awarded in the form of non-repayable grants. 

The basis for calculating the grants for universities, research and science institutions and similar establishments is the project-related expenditure eligible for funding (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 per cent of this expenditure/costs can be funded in individual cases.
Grants can be awarded to cover the following types of expenditure: personnel, consumables, travel and - in special cases - equipment amounting to more than Euro 400. For clinical trials study-specific expenditure can be requested (e.g. case payment, patient insurance, quality control measures, study-specific fees).

On the Polish side, grants can be awarded up to 100 per cent of project-related expenditure. Following costs can be covered: personnel, consumables, travel and equipment (if requisite for the execution of the project).

Depending on the financial requirement of each project, an annual amount of up to 150.000 Euros (maximum) can be granted to the German partner and to 350 000 zloty to the Polish one. BMBF and MEiN intend to fund up about 10 projects. Funding will be provided for a period of maximum three years.

6. Other terms and conditions for awarding funds

On the German side, the General Auxiliary Conditions for Grants for the Promotion of Projects (ANBest-P) and the Special Auxiliary Terms and Conditions for Funds Provided by the BMBF for the Promotion of Projects on an Expenditure Basis (BNBest-BMBF 98) will be part of the notification of award for grants on an expenditure basis. Auxiliary Terms and Conditions for Funds Provided by the BMBF to Commercial Companies for Research and Development Projects on a Cost Basis (NKBF 98) will be part of the notification of award for grants on a cost basis.

7. Procedure

7.1. Request for documents

It is strongly recommended to contact one of the following persons before submitting the proposals:

In Germany:

PD Dr. Marlies Dorlöchter  
Projektträger im DLR für das BMBF
- Gesundheitsforschung -
Heinrich-Konen-Straße 1
53227 Bonn
Tel: 0049-228-3821-249 (-210)
Fax: 0049-228-3821-257
e-mail: marlies.dorloechter@DLR.de
Internet: www.pt-dlr.de 

In Poland:

Ewa Michna
Ministerstwo Edukacji i Nauki
Departament Badan Naukowych
ul. Wspólna 1/3
00-529 Warszawa
Tel: + 48 22 52 92 448
e-mail: ewa.michna@mein.gov.pl

7.2 Submission of grant applications

Joint proposals (maximum of 30 pages) should be written in English and in the respective native language and submitted in 10 copies in Germany and in 4 copies in Poland, by post to the contact persons given in 7.1.  Application in Polish language should be written according to the enclosure no. 16 to the Regulation of the Minister of Science and Information Society Technologies of 4 August 2005 on criteria and procedures for allocation and accounting of financial resources from national budget for scientific research (Dz.U. No 161, item 1359).

 The deadline for submission is 15.09.2006. The deadline for submission is not a cut-off date. However, it may prove impossible to consider project outlines which are received after that date.

Among other things, the German-Polish research proposals should contain:

• the names and addresses of all the project partners;
• the state-of-the-art of the respective field of research;
• the working program including the objectives, the rationale, the methods to be used and the contributions to be made by each partner;
• the expected contribution and the relevance to clinical application;
• CVs of the German and Polish principal investigators including lists of original publications in the past 5 years (articles and reviews only) and current grants, including particularly those of the European Union;
• a description of the added value of the cooperation based on the special experience and contributions of the German and Polish partners; a brief description of previous and ongoing collaborations between the partners (if applicable); the projects are to contribute to the establishment and/or consolidation of bi-national cooperation;
• a description of the research groups involved in the project including technicians (table with names, academic degrees, institutions/departments, expected contributions to the project); clinicians should be marked;
• a description of the involvement of young scientists in the cooperation;
• an estimated breakdown of expenditure/costs for the German and Polish partners.

If funds are requested for a clinical (pilot) trial, the trial design has to be described. A Guideline for clinical trials is available in the internet  http://www.gesundheitsforschung-bmbf.de/en/index.php.
   
The conduction of clinical trials in Poland have to meet requirements determined in the Act of 6 September 2001 on  Pharmaceutical Law (Dz.U. No 126, item 1381, with following amendments).

Research teams from other European countries may join the Polish-German projects on the basis of a contract covering the costs of their research from their own resources. The project proposals of further partners have to be part of the joint proposals submitted to the MEiN and the BMBF.

7.3 Selection and decision-making procedure

The joint project proposals will be evaluated in two steps procedure.

In the first step formal applications in Polish language will be reviewed according to regulations of the Regulation of the Minister of Science and Information Society Technologies of 4 August 2005 on criteria and procedures for allocation and accounting of financial resources from national budget for scientific research (Dz.U. No 161, item 1359).
In the second step a peer review process by an independent joint German-Polish Scientific Review Panel comprising researchers from clinical and basic neuroscience will take place.  The Review Panel will propose a ranking list of projects to be funded. Based on this ranking list the final funding decision will be made. The evaluation criteria are listed in section no. 4 ("Prerequisites for funding"). The applicants will be informed about the results of the evaluation in writing.

The Polish partners of collaborative projects will receive their funds from the MEiN, the German partners from the BMBF. After positive assessment in the peer-review, in the third step of the procedure formal requirement of each Ministry have to be fulfilled.

German partners will be invited to submit formal applications. Applicants are advised to contact the project management organization PT-DLR Gesundheitsforschung before submitting an application. Further information and advice is available from the PT-DLR. A decision on the formal application will be taken after final evaluation.

Unless deviation is allowed under these funding regulations, the approval, payment and accounting for the funds as well as proof and examination of their proper use and, if necessary, the revocation of the award and the reclaiming of the funds awarded are governed by the administrative regulations pertaining to section 44 of the Federal Budget Code (BHO) and sections 48 to 49a of the Administrative Procedure Act (VwVfG). 
For Polish payment and accounting for the funds as well as proof and examination of their proper use and, if necessary, the revocation of the award and the reclaiming of the funds awarded are regulated in Regulation of the Minister of Science and Information Society Technologies of 4 August 2005 on criteria and procedures for allocation and accounting of finance resources for scientific research (Dz.U. No 161, item 1359).

Evaluation: The Polish and German researchers will submit a yearly report to MEiN and BMBF, respectively. In this report the results of both research partners have to be described. After about 2 years the researchers will submit a joint report and present their results at a status seminar. The Polish-German review panel will evaluate the results on the basis of the joint report and the presented data at the status seminar. The invitation of European scientists of the respective field(s) to the status seminar(s) is possible.

8. Entry into force

These funding regulations will enter into force on the date of publication.

Berlin, 21.06.2006	Warschau
Bundesministerium für   Bildung und Forschung   Im Auftrag  Dr. Hausdorf	Ministerium für Bildung  und Wissenschaft  Prof. Krzysztof Jan Kurzydlowski