Goals

The objective of the TEAM-NET programme is to facilitate the implementation of large-scale interdisciplinary research in Poland, to intensify supra-regional cooperation between research units, and to develop competences related to utilising the available research infrastructure or the development of new research technologies and services.

The programme will be a continuation of the previous measures taken by the Foundation for supporting the development of the R&D sector workforce?s potential by providing resources for team projects carried out by experienced researchers throughout the world, and for researchers at early stages of their careers.

Addressees

An applicant in the programme may be (1) an entity representing research units listed in the application or (2) a consortium consisting of several entities representing research units listed in the application.

Applications may be filed by 3 to 6 research units. In the case of applications filed by a group of 3-5 units, at least one of them must have an “A” category, and when a group consists of 6 units, at least two of them must have this category.

Units submitting a project application must represent cumulatively at least two fields of science (in line with the Appendix to the Regulation of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of 8 August 2011 on areas of knowledge, fields of science and arts and scientific and artistic disciplines).

A consortium should preferably consist of units from at least two Provinces.

Offer

The TEAM-NET competition provides funds for an interdisciplinary research programme from at least two different fields of science implemented through a network of cooperating research teams based in units submitting the application. The programme can be likened to an R&D project including a detailed research problem or a socio-economic challenge, working methods, and an approach to solving the problem or challenge, and also the tasks related to preparing knowledge transfer. The project thus covers the implementation of industrial research and development work or experimental development work.

The TEAM-NET programme is intended for funding projects on subjects on the list of National Smart Specialisations; however, due to the interdisciplinary nature of the project, it may include components carried out by researchers representing the social sciences or humanities.

A research project may be implemented by 3 to 6 teams. The project budget amounts to PLN 3.5 million per team for 36 months.

Funding may be awarded for 36 to 48 months.

The funds may be spent, inter alia, on the remuneration of team leaders and members, scholarships for team members, and the costs of implementing an interdisciplinary research programme.

Procedure

TEAM-NET programme-competition applications are subject to formal and substantive assessment.

Formally approved applications are referred for substantive assessment based on access criteria and scoring criteria in accordance with the catalogue of project selection criteria.

Substantive assessment is made by the Project Assessment Committee (PAC), composed of experts appointed from FNP?s list who have a demonstrable track-record in research, as well as experience in implementing innovative R&D solutions.

During the 1st PAC Meeting, PAC members will analyse individual applications for compliance with the assessment criteria, and indicate if applications require corrections/additions, if any.

During the 2nd PAC Meeting, PAC members assess the applications, taking into account potential amendments and corrections, if the criteria allow for such amendments and corrections, and explanations. As part of the assessment procedure, the PAC will meet with the Applicant at FNP’s headquarters to give the Applicant an opportunity to address PAC? questions and doubts, if any.

Following PAC?s substantive assessment, a list of projects recommended to receive funding will be compiled. The list of prospective beneficiaries is then subject to acceptance by FNP?s Board and approval by the Intermediate Body.

Lists of projects selected to receive funding, as well as lists of projects which met the criteria and achieved minimum scores required but did not receive funding, are published on the Foundation?s website and Smart Growth Operational Programme (SG OP) websites.

For a detailed description of how and according to what criteria the projects are assessed, see the Competition Rules and Regulations and Annex 2 thereto (?Project selection criteria in the TEAM-NET competition?).

CALL CLOSING DATE

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Additional info

Project management

Projects will be managed by the Project Leader and the management team.

The Project Leader must have at least 10 years? experience in R&D work and project management. His role will primarily consist of coordinating the work of research teams.

Each management team should consist of one representative of each entity listed in the application; the representative must have at least 5 years? experience in R&D work and project management. At least one person in the team should have at least 5 years? experience in implementing research work results in economic practice, or providing research services. The person will be in charge of the development of cooperation within the project between research units and entrepreneurs.

The quality of the research work and the activities of the research group leaders will be supervised by the Scientific and Economic Panel (KNG), consisting of 5 to 9 experts in the field covered by the application. At least half the members must be employed in entities other than those of the applicants, and at least one third of the members should be representatives of entrepreneurs operating in the field covered by the application (e.g. representatives of a chamber of commerce, a science and technology association, or a cluster).

Research teams

A research project may be implemented by 3 to 6 research teams. In each team there should be at least 3 individuals ? students, PhD students or junior postdoctoral researchers (up to 9 years from receiving their academic degree in the year of recruiting the team). Furthermore, the team may include technical staff members or up to two people with an academic degree necessary for conducting R&D work or for supervising junior team members (appointed by the Project Leader and approved by the Scientific and Economic Panel and FNP).

Recruitment for the projects

Research group leaders are selected and accepted by the project’s Scientific and Economic Panel. At least half the research teams will be managed by leaders selected in a competition (supervised by KNG in terms of meeting the project conditions) who in the previous 2 years had not been employed in any entity of the applicants.

In the case of PhD students and junior postdoctoral researchers, recruitment takes the form of a competition announced at least on the EURAXESS website. Recruitment takes place according to the rules announced in the Competition Documentation.

The programme is co-financed with the support of the Smart Growth Operational Programme (PO IR).

Changes in projects

The Foundation for Polish Science invites the beneficiaries of the First TEAM, TEAM HOMING, POWROTY/REINTEGRATION, TEAM-TECH (including the core-facility type competitions) and TEAM-NET programmes to apply for  project modifications for the employment of R&D personnel from Ukraine.

Who can apply

Applications can be submitted by beneficiaries and project managers of the First TEAM, TEAM, TEAM-TECH, HOMING, POWROTY and beneficiaries and leaders in TEAM-NET projects.

Applications from beneficiaries carrying out their projects (or part of them) under a state aid scheme will not be considered. In case of scientific-industrial consortia the financing can be granted only to a research unit.

The current call offers:

• the possibility of employing in the project R&D personnel with competences related to the projects already ongoing within the Measure 4.4 who are (or were on the day of the aggression against Ukraine) employees or students of a research organization in Ukraine and who are in or outside Ukraine
• the possibility of increasing the co-financing of the project by costs in the amount not exceeding PLN 250,000 PLN for one person from Ukraine to whom the application relates. (excluding situations where the total budget of one TEAM-NET team would exceed PLN 3.5 million per team for 3 years)
• possible extension of the project, but no longer than the end of June 2023.

If the application is accepted, a new project budget will be adopted, taking into account the costs necessary to perform the tasks presented in the application.

The thematic scope

The subject of the application for changes in the projects is the employment in the project of a person from Ukraine and the use of at least one of the following:

a) the performance of technical works that have not yet been undertaken,

b) the introduction of a new research task,

c) the introduction of a new research method,

d) the introduction of a Proof of Concept-type task in order to elaborate the hitherto project results and verify them in terms of possibilities of practical application, implementation or commercialization,

e) the enhancement of product indicators or project results,

f) the establishment of a partnership with a new foreign institution.

The budget

The estimated budget for the call for proposals in the scope covered by this announcement is up to 5 mln PLN.

Application deadline

Applications for changes in projects will be accepted on a continuous basis from the date of publication of the Supplement to the Competition Documentation /Competition Regulations for Measure 4.4 of the Smart Growth Operational Programme Involving Project Modifications for the Employment of R&D Personnel from Ukraine until the end of the budget for this purpose. A correct application must be submitted no later than 30 days before the deadline for the completion of the project in the Foundation?s SG OP programmes.

How to submit an application

Submission of the applications takes place on the terms of the document Supplement to the Competition Documentation /Competition Regulations for Measure 4.4 of the Smart Growth Operational Programme Involving Project Modifications for the Employment of R&D Personnel from Ukraine. Applications for project modifications should be submitted via the SL2014 electronic system. The application template is attached to the above mentioned Supplement.

Documentation

Detailed information on the rules for submitting applications and the application evaluation system can be found in the Supplement to Competition Documentation/Competition Regulations for Measure 4.4 of the Smart Growth Operational Programme involving Project Modifications for the Employment of R&D Personnel from Ukraine.

Contact

• TEAM: Dr Maria Mosor; tel.: 513 018 425 ;e-mail: mosor@fnp.org.pl
• First TEAM: Dr Anna Wajler; tel.: 604 129 836; e-mail: wajler@fnp.org.pl
• TEAM TECH, POWROTY, HOMING: Dr Aleksandra Kuźmińska; tel.691 601 881; e-mail: kuzminska@fnp.org.pl
• TEAM-NET: Anna Szynka; tel: 691 601 572; e-mail: szynka@fnp.org.pl; dr Ilona Łojszczyk, tel. 502 648 327, e-mail:lojszczyk@fnp.org.pl

File to download

• Supplement to Competition Documentation/Competition Regulations for Measure 4.4 of the Smart Growth Operational Programme involving Project Modifications for the Employment of R&D Personnel from Ukraine.

The Foundation for Polish Science invites the beneficiaries of the First TEAM, HOMING, POWROTY/REINTEGRATION, TEAM-NET, TEAM, TEAM TECH (including the core-facility type competitions) programmes to apply for financing of new research tasks within the ongoing projects of the Measure 4.4 SG OP.

Who can apply

Applications can be submitted by First TEAM, HOMING, POWROTY/REINTEGRATION project managers and junior research team leaders in TEAM-NET projects who on the day of submitting an application have been employed at least for 3 months in order to carry out the project.

Other project managers in TEAM, TEAM-TECH (including core-facility type competitions) projects and TEAM-NET research team leaders may submit an application only if they introduce a new research task in cooperation with one First TEAM, HOMING, POWROTY/REINTEGRATION project manager or with a junior research team leader in other TEAM-NET project.

Applications from beneficiaries carrying out their projects (or part of them) under a state aid scheme will not be considered. In case of scientific-industrial consortia the financing can be granted only to a research unit.

The offer

The current call offers:

• increase in project funding for projects already ongoing within the Measure 4.4 and
• potential extension of the project implementation period.

If the application is accepted, a new project budget will be adopted, taking into account the costs necessary to perform the tasks presented in the application.

The thematic scope

A research task should be related to applying the project results in practice (through implementation, commercialization, services or new research methods). Applications can be related to any scientific field or can be interdisciplinary.

The budget

To finance the new research tasks the Foundation will spend a total of up to 20 mln PLN.

Application deadline

Applications for project modifications can be submitted from September 1st to October 16th, 2020 until 4:00 pm (local time).

An application may be submitted no later than 3 months before the project closing date indicated in the funding agreement (taking into account the extension period granted by the Act of April 3, 2020 on special solutions supporting the implementation of operational programs in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020).

NOTE: According to the above-mentioned Act the projects have been extended by 90 days (DU poz. 694).

How to submit an application

Applications should be submitted via the Foundation?s electronic system available at https://wnioski.fnp.org.pl (tab: Application for project modification).

Documentation

Detailed information on the rules for submitting applications and the application evaluation system can be found in the Supplement to Competition Documentation/Competition Regulations for Measure 4.4 of the Smart Growth Operational Programme involving