Assessment process
Applications will be subject to external peer review and you will be provided with an opportunity to respond to reviewers’ comments.
You will be able to suggest up to four peer reviewers as part of the Je-S Proforma.
Overall assessment will be conducted by a panel of experts covering scientific, managerial, technical and user aspects of resource provision.
You should expect a decision within 8 weeks of the panel meeting.
Assessment of new and existing resources
Applications for both new and existing resources are assessed as part of the same process.
While similar in principle, the potential and promise of a new resource and the demonstrable user need of an existing resource are not necessarily directly comparable.
For this call a new resource is defined as a proposal where the ‘project focus is on development of a new resource that is needed by a community of researchers in the UKRI-BBSRC remit, and which does not currently exist elsewhere’.
Whereas, for an existing resource the ‘project focus is on further development or essential maintenance to safeguard functionality of a resource that has an existing user base’.
An existing resource does not need to have previously received funding by UKRI-BBSRC or the BBR fund.
Assessment criteria
Initially the UKRI-BBSRC office will assess whether applications are within the remit of UKRI-BBSRC and are a fit to the scope of the BBR fund.
Only those proposals falling within the scope of the call and within UKRI-BBSRCs remit will be sent out to peer review and assessed by the panel.
The panel stage will assess applications using the following assessment criteria for all applications:
- scientific quality and strategic relevance of the resource:
- the extent to which the resource meets the highest international standards in resource provision in its field.
- how well the resource is demonstrated to be unique or complementary to other similar existing resources.
- the extent to which the resource addresses the research and policy priority areas of BBSRC
- cost effectiveness, particularly considerations for long-term sustainability beyond BBSRC funding:
- the extent to which the resource delivers value for money relative to the anticipated scientific gains it will provide
- the extent to which long term sustainability options have been considered, addressed and planned where appropriate
- potential for economic and social impact beyond the academic community:
- the extent to which the outputs from the resource will contribute to knowledge and potential for economic return or social impact.
- how well the proposal has outlined methods of engagement and measures of success in developing milestones and timelines of associated activities
- fit to the scope of the call:
- how well the proposal addresses the scope of the call.
To allow for a more nuanced assessment between new and existing resources, the following assessment criteria will look at plans, potential and promise for new resources, while existing resources will be assessed on presented evidence and previous performance:
- quality of the overall arrangements for resource management, advisory functions, as well as user access and engagement:
- the extent to which the proposal has evidenced or planned interaction with relevant users and the broader research community to ensure the aims of the resource are realised and there is sufficient uptake and continued development
- the extent to which adequate user access arrangement have been discussed and considered
- the set-up of project management and advisory structures of the resource to ensure longevity in delivering the resource to a broad user base
- need or demand, and potential benefit to the UK academic research community:
- the extent to which the community have demonstrated demand for the proposed resource, relative to the total community size.
- the extent to which the proposed resource will deliver and benefit the wider BBSRC community indicating how the proposed resource will help to deliver high-quality research.
Full assessment criteria can be found in an attached document.
