Open
Summary:
The Open Call is one of the funding competition mechanisms DASA uses to find proposals that address challenges faced by government stakeholders. It gives bidders the opportunity to present their ideas to defence and security stakeholders at any time, without waiting for a relevant Themed Competition.
Funding Amount: 100%
Funding Type: Innovation Grant
Fund Provider(s): DASA
Industry: Open Innovation
1. What is the Open Call?
The Open Call is one of the funding competition mechanisms DASA uses to find proposals that address challenges faced by government stakeholders. It gives bidders the opportunity to present their ideas to defence and security stakeholders at any time, without waiting for a relevant Themed Competition.
2. What are we looking for?
The Open Call is looking for innovative ideas to improve the defence and/or security of the UK. Your idea could be a concept, technology or service. Our Emerging Innovations category is for less mature innovations, and our Rapid Impact category is for innovations that are more developed.
2.1 Defence requirements
Suppliers may submit proposals to address any defence challenge or a specific Innovation Focus Area and can submit under either Emerging Innovations or Defence Rapid Impact.
2.2 Security requirements
Suppliers may submit proposals under the Security Rapid Impact category to address any security challenge.
It is expected that some proposals will be relevant to both defence and security
3. Emerging Innovations
The Open Call Cycle 5 competition category ‘Emerging Innovations’ is currently not available for submission. Further information will be provided as soon as this category becomes available again . Please note, you will be able to submit into the Rapid Impact and all IFA categories here. If you have any queries or questions please email: accelerator@dstl.gov.uk
Emerging innovations are viewed as those which will deliver a proof of concept at around Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 or 4. Proof of concept might include component and/or sub-system validation in laboratory-style environment. Successful projects may be candidates for follow-on funding in the Rapid Impact category, although other funding opportunities may be available.
The majority of successful projects start at TRL 2 or 3, which means the basic concept has been formulated and the underpinning technological principles observed at the outset. No funding limit is specified, however we would typically expect to fund bids between £50K - £100K that last between 3 and 10 months. For examples of work we have funded click here.
Emerging Innovations proposals are contracted under the Innovation Standard Contract. Please review the DASA terms and conditions before submitting your proposal.
4. Defence Rapid Impact
Rapid Impact Innovations are viewed as those which will deliver a technology model or prototype demonstration at around Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 or 7. This demonstration should be at a limited scale, in the hands of end users, and in the context or environment in which it is expected that the solution would be used. To be successful it will also have to provide evidence of how other MOD/Security business and capability requirements, such as the Defence Lines of Development (DLOD), could be satisfied should the project to be taken forward after the pilot.
Your project should have a realistic prospect of achieving an impact within a 3 year time frame from the start of the project. Proposals will therefore only be funded if there is a strong customer requirement and capability need for the idea. Proposals could be pre-sifted from the competition prior to full assessment if user need is not explained.
No funding limit is specified, however we would typically expect to fund bids between £100K - £350K. Proposals that demonstrate value for money will be viewed favourably. Please see examples of previous funded work here.
Rapid Impact proposals are contracted under the Innovation Standard Contract. Please review the DASA terms and conditions before submitting your proposal.
5. Security Rapid Impact
Security Rapid Impact Innovations are viewed as those which will undergo a period of research and development in order to deliver a technology model or prototype demonstration at around Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 or 7, at the end of the contract. This demonstration should be at a limited scale and in the context or environment in which it is expected that the solution would be used.
Your project can also include a further priced option for a Testing and Trialling phase. This aims to allow you to gather further data from an operational environment and refine the innovation, trialling its suitability to meet end user’s needs.
The Testing and Trialling phase should be outlined within the full proposal under the ‘Testing and Trialling’ section and should include approximate timings, deliverables and maximum total costs. Please include any travel and subsistence as well as costs from third party sites such as airports, other national infrastructure or publically accessible location operators. Note, costings for Testing and Trialling should not be inserted into the ‘Finance’ and ‘Delivery Schedule’ sections of the proposal. If you do not wish to include a Testing and Trialling phase, please add ‘N/A’ to the ‘Testing and Trialling’ section on your submission.
An Option Condition between Demonstration and the Testing and Trialling phase will be included in any resultant Contracts awarded and the Authority will be under no obligation to exercise this option. We may cease any further participation if demonstrations (following the development phase) do not meet expectations.
Your project should have a realistic prospect of achieving an impact within a 3 year time frame from the completion of the project. Proposals will therefore only be funded if there is a strong security and/ or defence user requirement and capability need for the idea. Proposals could be pre-sifted from the competition prior to full assessment if security user need is not explained. We are currently seeking ideas related to one or more of the following government departments;
Home Office
Department for Transport (in relation to security departments)
other Government Security Departments
No funding limit is specified, however we would typically expect to fund bids between £100K - £350K. Your project must complete by March 2024.
It is expected that some proposals will be relevant to both defence and security.
Security Rapid Impact proposals are contracted under the Innovation Standard Contract. Please review the DASA terms and conditions before submitting your proposal.
For this Security Rapid Impact Competition a submitted Innovation Outline is required prior to full proposal submission. To submit this outline, please visit the contact a DASA Innovation Partner page.
We will aim for the Innovation Partner to contact you within 10 working days of your Innovation Outline submission. Once the Innovation Partner has considered your outline, they will advise you whether your idea is suitable for DASA funding and provide you with guidance on the bidding process.
Read the DASA terms and conditions. Read the assessment process and criteria Security Open Call Rapid Impact: Webinar Security Open Call, Rapid Impact: Webinar
6. Innovation Focus Areas
Whilst DASA are interested in funding all sorts of projects, we also have some innovation focus areas(IFAs) which are enduring challenges faced by our defence and security customers. They are often broad in scope and will always be open for a minimum of two open call cycles. If you are interested in any of the innovation focus areas, please check the relevant IFA unique identifier number when creating your submission.
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