Deadline: 15-Jul-20
The National Council for Science and Technology is seeking applications for the Strategic Innovations for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for prevention and Management of COVID-19 Infection.
Objectives
- The objective of this call is to support research collaborative applications on “Special and Urgent Collaborative Research Grants” to address COVID-19 pandemic.
- Applications should focus on some of the following objectives focusing on applied research with ultimate goal of manufacturing specific public products:
- Applied studies to assess and support strategic innovations to manufacture of highquality personal protective equipment/materials for public prevention and management of COVID-19 infection.
- Applied studies to assess and support rational use of manufactured PPE/PPM for public outdoor (indoor public places such as markets) ventilation systems disruption to minimize and/or prevent of spread by droplets, either through coughing, sneezing, or from hands to surfaces.
- Applied studies to assess and support rational use of manufactured protective materials for preventive cleaning and air and public surfaces disinfection for public outdoor ventilation systems disruption to minimize and/or prevent of spread of infectious viral aerosols from infected persons.
- For each of the objectives:
- Determine and provide rationale for the quality of the product in terms of optimizing availability and supply of PPE/PPM to the public/community.
- Assess and provide rationale for support of strategic coordination of personal protective equipment/materials to ensure efficient supply chain for the public and healthcare professionals at the frontline of healthcare.
- Assess and provide efficient interventions and mechanisms to minimize the need for PPE/PPM in community and healthcare settings.
- Determine strategies for rational and appropriate use of PPE/PPM as administrative and engineering controls as mechanisms for monitoring and controlling efficient use, limiting wastage, overstock, stock ruptures and failure in supply chain.
Funding Information
Maximum 60 millions RWF (Sixty Million Rwandan Francs), additional funding may be requested for highly competitive novel applied research projects.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applications are open to all bona fide staff in public and private academic higher learning institutions, Public and Private Research Institutions and not-for-profit non-governmental organizations in Rwanda.
- The applicant PDs/PIs should hold a regular position from the public and private academic higher learning institutions, Public and Private Research Institutions and not-for-profit non-governmental organizations (more than one academic partner from one institution may be allowed to apply).
- Each proposal should describe and provide rationale for collaborative partners institutions, and curriculum vitae (CVs) of partner investigators.
- The project team shall contain at least 30% representation of female scientists and researchers.
- Applicants are strongly encouraged to have regional and/or international expert partners in the field.
- The research proposal should describe international experts’ contribution from the time of conceptualization, application, implementation and dissemination process.
Selection Criteria
Each research proposal will, independently, be reviewed by 3 reviewers. The aspects to be considered in the selection step include:
- Alignment to the requirements of this research call on collaborative research on strategic innovations for applied research to manufacture PPE/PPM for prevention and management of COVID-19 infection,
- Proposals should be from national institutions and in partnership with global renown experts in the health-related field.
- The successful proposals will be written succulent proposals with concise measurable study objectives, a detailed justified study methodology, budget and timeline for the study.
- Feasibility (work plan, project organization, project scheduling and timelines, and details on deliverables on study goals and objectives indicated).
- Scientific merit of the proposal (including well written objectives, methodology, novelty, scientific contribution, multidisciplinary team aspects, industry collaboration and sustainability).
- The competency of applicants or Program Directors/Principal investigators (PDs/PIs) as well as for the entire Project team.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/37wKy6O