Project and program evaluation

CORDAP will support scientific projects, selected through global, targeted calls for proposals and reviewed by independent experts. CORDAP’s selection process will follow best-practice, streamlined procedures for project preparation and selection.

Funding Awards

CORDAP’s strategic plan for 2022-25 focuses on the most pressing investment needs for directing the program over its first three years of operation.  To maximize innovation and diversity of thinking, CORDAP’s calls for proposals will be open to all submissions within

our scope and investment criteria. Each call for proposals will have a theme or recommended areas of R&D set by the SAC. Prior to each call, the SAC will use a range of methods to identify these areas, including:

> SAC member’s knowledge and expertise
> Guidance from outside experts
> Reviews of R&D already being funded by CORDAP
> Systems assessments that fill gaps around interventions and associated technologies, methods and processes already being funded
> Input from those investing in or deploying methods or other R&D programs

This mix of novel innovation driving new ideas and systems thinking to identify gaps will strengthen our impact, enabling us to guide investments where they are needed and to make ideas operational.

Eligibility

CORDAP seeks to fund those who can most appropriately provide and deliver research and development. All parties will need to agree on IP ownership and any co-investment and charging rate provisions of the specific call for proposals. The call will detail these provisions along with collaboration and diversity requirements. This does not preclude commercial entities from applying, provided they meet the stated rules.

Proposal Submission Process

Respondents will initially submit short concept notes which, if approved, will be the basis for full proposal submissions. This two-step process allows for early identification of ineligible applications or those that do not meet the required standards. It will also enable the SAC to make recommendations to respondents for their full proposal. Concept notes will be structured to feed into full proposals, minimizing work. This approach will result in higher-quality proposals and will avoid time spent on unsuccessful proposals.

Process Outline

Proposal Reviews and Awarding of Contracts

The SAC will review and rank both concept notes and full proposals and will provide recommendations for investment to the IGC. The IGC will make the final decision on which projects are awarded funding.

Before the SAC rates the full proposals, each proposal will be assessed by independent experts and their commentary provided to the SAC.

The assessment and ranking criteria will factor in:

  • Eligibility of the proposal and team
  • Targeted impact
  • Pathway and timing to impact (systems engineering reviews if required)
  • Alignment with nominated R&D investment themes or areas
  • Applicant’s capacity to deliver results, and applicant diversity
  • Cost / benefit / risk analysis
  • Innovation or novelty of the idea
  • Breadth of socioeconomic applicability

CORDAP will monitor project performance, review the results of the overall platform program, and deliver its evaluation and recommendations to the Initiative Governing Committee (IGC). In addition, CORDAP and the research program will be subject to independent evaluation, the results of which will be reported to the Initiative Governing Committee.

Learn more about CORDAP’s strategic plan
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Images: © Morgan Bennett-Smith