Key information
- Status: Open
- Grant amount: Up to $50,000
- Application opened: 23 October 2024
- Application closes: 12 December 2024, 10:00 am
Program objective
The NHDS Program has three phases:
- Phase 1: Proof of Concept – Organisations submit proposals to address specific challenges and funding will be allocated through a competitive process. This phase involves:
- Collaborating with stakeholders to understand the problem
- Developing detailed technical responses
- Adapting the technology to best address the challenge
- Testing the technology in a small-scale pilot to demonstrate its potential and feasibility.
Grant recipients of Phase 1 will be eligible to apply for Phase 2, through a competitive process. These guidelines are for Phase 1 – Proof-of-Concept. Separate guidelines will be released for Phase 2 and its terms, eligibility and criteria are at the discretion of OCSE.
- Phase 2: Pilot (by invitation) – This phase involves:
- Deploying the technology in real-world scenarios at a pilot scale at a minimum of two sites (sites to be announced in the Phase 2 guidelines)
- Working with relevant NSW stakeholders across government and industry
- Establishing supplier networks and costings for potential full-scale deployment
- Verifying the quality, accuracy and value of the technology in practice
- Delivering new insights to agencies and stakeholders.
- Phase 3: Post NHDS grant – NSW Government will assess the solutions and may consider them for procurement. Note: participation in the program does not guarantee procurement.
The NHDS Program is administered by OCSE within the Premier’s Department (the Department), in collaboration with the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA).
Phase 1 of the NHDS Program aims to support:
- Collaboration between stakeholders to refine problem understanding: Engage with key government stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the natural hazard detection challenges.
- Development of detailed technical solutions: Create robust, technically sound responses tailored to the specific needs identified.
- Adaption of technology to address identified challenges: Modify and enhance proposed technologies to ensure they effectively target the challenges posed by floods and bushfires.
- Pilots and demonstrations of technology potential: Test the adapted technology in a controlled, small-scale environment to validate its effectiveness and feasibility for broader deployment.
For full details about the program please download and refer to the grant guidelines.
This program is administered by Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer.
Eligibility
Who can apply
To be eligible applicants must:
- Have an Australian Business Number (ABN).
- Be non-tax exempt.
- Have an account with an Australian financial institution.
- Hold the intellectual property (IP) rights or possess the rights to commercialise the technology.
- Demonstrate that the technology can be trialled in NSW during the testing periods, and
- Demonstrate that any funding received from the NSW Physical Sciences Fund (PSF), Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) Program, or other NSW, state, or federal government grant programs does not duplicate activities proposed under this Program.
And be one of the following entity types:
- A company incorporated under the Corporations Act (including a company limited by guarantee),
- An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006
Ineligible applicants are permitted to be a partner to an application provided the lead applicant satisfies the above eligibility criteria.
Data management
Eligible applicants must agree to the following:
- All data generated throughout the Program will be owned by the NSW Government and may be used for future projects or data analysis, and
- Data must be provided in the format specified in the Challenge Statement document.
Types of projects funded under this grant
For an activity to be eligible it must directly relate to the project. Eligible activities can include:
- Building and testing proof-of-concept units of the technology,
- Deployment and operation of the technology to agreed locations within NSW,
- Facilitating NSW Government requirements and input into the technology,
- Specific professional expertise (for example, a drone pilot, technical specialists),
- Training of NSW Government personnel as part of the trial/pilot,
- Costs to integrate technology with NSW Government ICT platforms, or
- Data analysis and/or management costs.
Activities that have already been funded by another government grant are not eligible grant activities.
What costs you can apply for
Program funding can only be incurred on eligible activities or agreed Program activities.
To be eligible, costs must:
- Be directly related to the eligible grant activities
- Be incurred within the project period
- Reflect competitive market rates
- Be a true and accurate reflection of costs required to deliver the activity.
Eligible costs include, but not be limited to:
- Capital costs
- Labour expenditure for temporary employment for the project
- Licence fees incurred as part of the project
- Data analysis and/or management costs.
If your application is successful, we may ask you to verify the project cost and request evidence of actual costs incurred such as supplier contracts, quotes, and invoices.
You must demonstrate value for money by ensuring project costs are reasonable and reflective of market rates. We may use industry cost benchmarks to assess whether costs are reasonable.
OCSE may, at its absolute discretion, determine a cost that falls within the category of eligible expenditure is in fact ineligible where it is unreasonable or excessive.
Who can’t apply
For the avoidance of doubt, you are not eligible if you are:
- Insolvent,
- An individual,
- An unincorporated association, or
- A Commonwealth, state, territory or local government agency or body excluding government corporate entities.
The OCSE, at its absolute discretion, may decide that an applicant is ineligible for funding. For example, where an applicant could cause reputational and/or other risks to the NSW Government.
What costs you can't apply for
The grant cannot be used for the following activities:
- The purchase of land or property,
- Costs incurred in the preparation of a grant application or related documentation,
- Overseas travel,
- The covering of retrospective costs,
- Wage costs incurred prior to the activity period of the project or outside of approved project activities,
- Projects requiring ongoing funding from the NSW Government,
- Projects that are ongoing or constitute the normal course of business,
- Activities that have commenced or been completed prior to an offer of funding made to successful applicants,
- Activities that will not be delivered prior to the end of the grant funding period.
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
Before applying, you must read the Program Guidelines. These documents are found at https://www.chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au/nhds.
Any alterations and addenda will be published on https://www.chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au/nhds.
Address the eligibility criteria
Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria.
Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion.
Address the assessment criteria
Assessment Criteria
Points
Solution (60 Points)
1. Suitability (30 points): To what extent does your solution address the challenge statement, including any solution requirements?
2. Readiness (10 points): Is your proposed solution ready to undertake a Proof-of-Concept and Pilot Program within the allotted program timelines?
3. Innovation (10 points): How is your solution innovative and/or superior to what is currently on the market?
4. Requirements and value (10 points) Is there consideration for end-user operational requirements and value for money?
Delivery (40 Points)
5. Skills, experience and capacity (10 points): Does your company and project team have the appropriate skills and experience to carry out the project in NSW?
6. Resourcing (10 points): Have you considered the equipment, technology, infrastructure (e.g. communications) needed to carry out the project? Have you considered the requirements to conduct the trial in NSW?
7. Project plan and budget (20 points): Does the application provide a reasonable project plan, including a budget, risk management plan and performance measures to ensure value for money for NSW citizens?
Start the application
To apply you must:
- Complete the SmartyGrants online application form for the NHDS Program at https://chiefscientist.smartygrants.com.au/
- Provide all the information requested
- Address all the eligibility criteria
- Address all the relevant assessment criteria
- Include all necessary attachments, and
- Submit your application by the timelines outlined in Section 3.4 Key dates.
Please note:
- Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Clearly indicate any information that should be treated confidentially.
- Eligible applicants will be assessed on merit against the Assessment Criteria. However, the NSW Government, at its absolute discretion, may choose not to award a grant to an applicant.
You are responsible for ensuring your application is complete and accurate. Giving false or misleading information is a serious offence under the Crimes Act 1900 No 40 (NSW). We will investigate any false or misleading information and may exclude your application from further consideration.
Applicants must not lobby the NSW Government on an issue related or seen to be related to the NHDS Program that may or may be perceived to give an unfair advantage to the applicant. Applicants are required to comply with all applicable laws including the NSW Lobbyists Code of Conduct.
If you find an error in your application after submitting it, you should contact us immediately at grants@chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au . You cannot change your application after the closing date and time.
If we find an error or information that is missing, we may at our discretion ask for clarification or additional information from you that will not change the nature of your application.
You should keep a copy of your application and any supporting documents.
Note: If you are a new applicant to SmartyGrants, you will need to register and create a password. If you are already registered, you can log in with your existing username and password.
Apply now
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer
OCSE will administer the assessment process. Your application will be considered based on a two-stage process.
Stage 1: Eligibility Assessment
OCSE will assess applications according to the Eligibility Criteria.
Applications which meet all Eligibility Criteria will proceed to Merit Assessment.
Stage 2: Merit Assessment
All applications will be assessed by the Assessment Panel members against the Assessment Criteria.
The Assessment Panel may request additional information from applicants. These requests will be managed by OCSE, which will communicate with the relevant applicants directly in writing to seek their response.
The Assessment Panel will meet to discuss the eligible applications and agree on consensus recommendations for applications to receive grant funding.
The Assessment Panel’s recommendations will be provided to the Designated Decision Maker who will approve the grants.
Members of the Assessment Panel will be appointed by OCSE in collaboration with the RA and may include representatives from NSW Government agencies (for example, Reconstruction Authority, RFS, SES, Fire & Rescue NSW, NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), and the Forestry Corporation) as well as independent experts with business, and technology innovation and commercialisation experience.
The Assessment Panel may seek advice from external experts through OCSE to inform the assessment process. Any expert and advisor will be required to perform their duties in accordance with the Code of Ethics and Conduct – Premier’s Department including maintaining the confidentiality of the application and declaring any conflicts of interest.
The Designated Decision Maker, the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer, will approve the grants and funding amounts after considering the recommendations of the Assessment Panel
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their applications in writing before the contracting process and the announcement of successful grant recipients. Unsuccessful applicants will be offered a feedback session.
Anticipated assessment outcome date is February/March 2025 (estimated)
Anticipated date for funding deed execution with successful applicants is February/March 2025 (estimated)
Support and contact
You can contact the team at: grants@chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au for more information.