Scope
The primary purpose of the equipment must be biomedical research.
Applications from all scientific areas within MRC remit are eligible. Relevance to the priority areas in MRC’s strategic delivery plan 2022 to 2025 is particularly encouraged.
Applications may be for new capability or replacement equipment for existing capability. In the case of the latter, applications are encouraged to outline any additional new capacity or capability provided by the replacement.
Applications for second-hand or beta-testing equipment are also permitted, if you can demonstrate how you are addressing any associated risks with increased chance of equipment failure.
Requests for contributions to the following are outside the scope of this funding opportunity:
- very large facilities
- the purchase of equipment that constitutes normal elements of a well-founded laboratory (including centrifuges, fridges and other sample storage, and incubators)
- buildings and other types of infrastructures
- establishment of generic departmental computing platforms (for example, high performance computing clusters) for data analysis or data storage
Applications must consist of a single piece of capital equipment, although this can include equipment that requires assembly or involves several components (not necessarily physically linked) provided they constitute a single technology platform.
If you plan to request several components that could constitute a platform, it is important that you approach MRC for permission before submission (ca@mrc.ukri.org), providing a short one page document outlining how your proposal constitutes a single platform
Funding available
Applications may seek the cost of capital equipment over £100,000, (including VAT, if payable) requested under the ‘directly incurred equipment’ heading only.
An MRC contribution of up to 100% of the total cost can be requested. The MRC contribution requested must be over £100,000. The maximum MRC contribution for an item of equipment will be £800,000, although the total item cost may be higher, with the remainder being met by institutional or partner contributions.
Contributions from the host institution or institutions and other external sources are encouraged but not mandatory.
It is expected that awards would be made by quarter one in the 2023 to 2024 financial year. Successful applicants need to complete their spending by 31 March 2024.
Costs such as initial installation or service maintenance contracts can be included if they are one-off costs and part of the manufacturer’s offer. These costs should be included in the equipment quotation.
Service maintenance contracts up to 5 years in duration may be included but the contract cost must be paid by 31 March 2024. Should the expected length of the contract exceed 5 years in duration, then the cost included in the application should be reduced on a pro rata basis to fit within the conditions as stated.
MRC expects that institutions will make longer term arrangements to ensure appropriate ongoing support over the lifetime of the equipment. Separately negotiated service contracts are not eligible for this opportunity.
Exclusions
Applications in the following areas will not be accepted and MRC withholds the right to reject these applications without consultation:
- applications that request any other costs apart from capital funding
- equipment requested valued below the £100,000 (VAT included) threshold. Equipment should exceed this threshold and equipment prices should be based on standard higher education institution discounted prices not the list price
- proposals that cannot complete by the expected end date of 31 March 2024
- requests for funding for equipment that is scheduled for market release after the opportunity closing date
- principal beneficiaries outside the UK (except for eligible MRC units in Africa)
- principal beneficiaries outside biomedical research
- establishment of generic computing platforms (for example, high performance computing clusters) when the intended use extends largely beyond a small number of specific projects or research areas that are within the MRC remit
- requests for contributions to very large facilities or to the purchase of equipment that constitutes normal elements of a well-founded laboratory (for example, centrifuges, fridges and incubators), or for buildings and other types of infrastructures
- proposals for the development of new technology are outside of the scope of this opportunity and will be rejected, although the use of new or emerging technologies is encouraged
- proposals to develop software packages
- applications of the same nature that at the same time have also been submitted to other award schemes (including research council grant schemes)
- unsolicited resubmissions of proposals that have previously been considered by MRC or any other funder
