EPSRC Capital Award for Core Equipment 2024

OVERVIEW

Oxford has been invited to apply for up to £1.25m to refresh and update underpinning multi-user equipment. Oxford can submit a single bid requesting multiple items of equipment, with each individual item costing between £10k and £400k (100% FEC, including VAT and delivery costs). The award will cover capital costs only - no resource funding is available.

A coordinated bid process will be run to identify the package of equipment that most closely aligns with the call aims and assessment criteria, and will therefore maximise the competitiveness of Oxford’s submission. The sift panel will be chaired by Prof Harish Bhaskaran, Associate Head of MPLS (on behalf of Prof Patrick Grant, who will be PI on the award).

Groups/departments with high-priority investment needs that meet the call criteria are asked to submit a short EOI (details below) by 12 noon on Wednesday 7^th August.

Equipment should support research that is very clearly centred in EPSRC’s remit and must align with one or more of the call objectives:

1. Underpinning multi-user equipment: Core equipment that will benefit multiple users in one or more departments (or institutions). The majority of research undertaken using the equipment should be directly relevant to the EPSRC research portfolio.
2. Invest to save: Upgrading and improving existing equipment to extend its lifespan; expand its capability to be of value to a wider range of EPSRC researchers; to make more productive use of staff time; or enhance environmental sustainability.
3. Support for early career researchers and doctoral training activities: Core equipment investment with substantial and demonstrable, but not exclusive, benefit to early career researchers and doctoral training activities, with the aim of promoting a culture of collaboration, equipment sharing and maximising usage.

Multi-user equipment may include:

• Equipment meeting particular department or discipline requirements
• Equipment for multi-disciplinary research areas (e.g. spanning several departments, or for research centres)
• Equipment that will be used across a national or regional grouping of universities

Only capital funding is available through this call: all running costs must be met by the HEI (or from other sources of external funding). There must be a clear demonstration that the funds will be used in addition to investments that the institution would normally make towards supporting core equipment.

Only items of equipment over £10k and under £400k (including VAT) are eligible. 

EPSRC have set a challenging spend profile with 50% of the award to be spent by 31 March 2025 and a further 34% to be spend by 30 June 2025 (so 84% in total to be spent by that point) with outcomes from the call not to be announced until mid-November. Bids will need to demonstrate an ability to spend within this timescale.

Please note, the award will begin on 3^rd January 2025 and is 18 months in length.

Alignment with the objectives of the call – see ‘Scope of call’ for objective details.

Sustainability - How appropriate is:

1. The plan for recovery of running costs (maintenance, repairs, consumables staff time) beyond the lifetime of the grant;
2. The charging model;
3. The support and development of any research technician professionals (RTPs) beyond the grant period;
4. The plans for sustaining and evolving a diverse and inclusive user base beyond the lifetime of the grant.

Plans for realising benefits of the investment - Plans for identifying and realising the benefits of the investment should be described. To what extent are these plans realistic, measurable and deliverable and over what timescale?

Added value of the investment - What evidence is provided that the funding is in addition to existing investment? How will this equipment enable the University to do things that they otherwise couldn’t currently do? How does the equipment add value to previous EPSRC investments (capital or resource)?

Ability to meet the challenging spend profile - EPSRC have set a challenging spend profile with 50% of the award to be spent by 31 March 2025 and a further 34% to be spend by 30 June 2025 (so 84% in total to be spent by that point) with outcomes from the call not to be announced until mid-November. Bids will need to demonstrate an ability to spend within this timescale.

Interested groups/departments should submit a brief* EOI via the IRAMS submission system which answers the following questions, in addition to one quote for the equipment, as a single combined PDF.

(* Note: For the internal sift, polished prose is not required; bullet point format is fine. The crucial point is to ensure you provide evidence for how your proposed investment fits with the call aims and criteria.)

1. About the equipment:

a. Briefly describe the equipment (in a manner that will be intelligible to a non-specialist reader)

b. Approximate cost

c. How does the equipment align with one or more of the call objectives?

2.. The lead time for delivery

a. Typical lead time for delivery

b. Proposed location: Where? Is any enabling work required in order to house the equipment?

2. Added value: In the context of Oxford’s (and the UK’s) existing equipment base, how will this equipment enable the University to do things that otherwise couldn’t currently be done? How does the equipment represent added value above and beyond existing or planned investments?

3. User base:

a. Which fields of research within the EPSRC remit will the equipment support? (noting EPSRC research areas).

b. How large is the pool of potential users, and what is the rough split between: researchers in the host department; other Oxford researchers; users from other HEIs; industry users?

c. List some of the key users and note existing EPSRC funding where held. For a selection of the primary users, briefly explain how the proposed investment will enhance their research and/or its impact.

4. Urgency of need: What is the opportunity cost to Oxford’s EPS research if this investment is not made?

5. Management and sustainability:

a. What are the support and running costs associated with the equipment (staff, consumables, utility costs, etc.)? How will these be met and what plans are in place for the long-term financial sustainability of the equipment?

b. How will you maximise the use of the equipment (including through training of new users) and manage access? How will you sustain and evolve a diverse and inclusive user base beyond the lifetime of the grant?

c. What support and development opportunities will be provided to research technician professionals (RTPs)?

Please note: For internal EOI applications written quotes are not required, however applicants should source verbal quotes from appropriate suppliers. The cost indicated in the internal EOI will set the ceiling price which will be taken forward to the final application to EPSRC.

APPLICATION PREPARATION

As this is an institutional award the MPLS research support team will be preparing and submitting award on behalf of The University. We will be working with the shortlisted equipment holders during the application period to prepare the bid. Further details on the final application and the details required can be found at: EPSRC Core Equipment Award 2024 – UKRI

Internal Application Deadline – Wednesday 7^th August

Internal Selection Panel meeting – Final week of August

EPSRC External Application Deadline – Thursday 19^th September

Please email research@mpls.ox.ac.uk if you have any queries.