LANCASTER UNIVERSITY - NERC DEMAND MANAGEMENT PROCESS
NERC is implementing new measures designed to raise discovery science standard grant success rates.
This is to reduce the number and size of applications from research organisations for NERC’s discovery
science standard grant scheme and ensure research excellence, efficiency and value for money for the
taxpayer.
From the July 2015 standard grants scheme, there will be a reduction in the maximum standard grant award
size, from the current £1.2m to £800k (100% Full Economic Costing, £640k at 80% FEC).
At the same time, demand management measures in the form of a new institutional-level submission policy
will take effect. These measures only apply to NERC standard grants (including new investigators). Lancaster
University has been given a cap of 3 applications per round for the July 2015 and January 2016 standard
grant scheme calls. As a result of this cap and the requirement to introduce demand management measures
a new two-stage process will be implemented at Lancaster.
Lancaster University demand management process
A two-stage process will begin 16 weeks prior to the call deadline and will involve the sifting of outline bids
by a University panel and the subsequent development of a smaller number of full proposals. Full proposals
will then be reviewed and evaluated by the panel and an institutional decision will be made as to which bids
will be submitted to NERC.
Only applications submitted from Lancaster via the JeS system either where Lancaster is the lead, or where
we choose to submit our own separate JeS application on a collaborative grant count towards our
application numbers, which NERC will count towards our success rate when setting next year’s cap.
Applications to NERC submitted on another institution’s JeS application are not included in the success rates
for Lancaster and consequently will not be required to go through the new two-stage process. However,
these applications will still need to be costed and approved internally through the normal RCSO process.
A full process timetable is attached below.
Potential applicants wishing to submit a single Lancaster NERC application or to lead a
collaborative NERC application to the July 2015 standard grant scheme (including new
investigators) are asked to submit their outline proposal using the attached 3 page template
by 30 March 2015 to rso-submissions@lancaster.ac.uk
Internal template for NERC
standard grant proposal
(January/July deadline)
This outline proposal should not exceed 3 pages
Project Title [up to 150 chars]
Start Date and Duration
a. Proposed start
date
b. Duration of the grant
(months)
Lancaster Applicants (mandatory)
Role
Name
Department
How many hours will be spent on
the project
Other Applicants/partner organisations
Role
Name
Organisation
Division or Department
Who is the lead organisation?
Statement of the research problem and its significance (maximum 120 words).
Please state the research problem and its significance using language accessible to an undergraduateeducated scientist outside their field of speciality. With respect to significance explain the relevance of the
work in broad context to the major challenges facing the natural environment and indicate how the project
addresses the priority areas of the NERC strategy.
Case for support
Description of the proposed research including methodology and timeliness, and also the rationale and
strategy for applying to this scheme
Impact Summary (Summary of who will benefit from the research and how. Include an indication of the
timescales)
Summary of resources required (detailed costs are not required, only an indication)
Timeline for July 2015 Round of Applications
16 weeks before
Mon
30-Mar-15
PI submits 3 page outline including research problem and its significance, objectives, brief methods and outline budget
Tues
31-Mar-15
06-Apr-15
Proposals sent to panel for review
PI notified of outcome and feedback no later than this date and those selected to go forward develop the full proposal.
15 weeks before
Panel meets during this week (6 - 10 April)i
Panel decides which proposals can be developed into full proposals. The maximum number of proposals to go forward to be no more than
twice the quota value. Feedback given to all PIs. Development of full proposals should go through departmental peer-review processes and
entries should be made in the Faculty and RCSO submission systems.
14 weeks before
Mon
13-Apr-15
13 weeks before
Mon
20-Apr-15
12 weeks before
Mon
27-Apr-15
11 weeks before
10 weeks before
9 weeks before
8 weeks before
7 weeks before
Mon
Mon
Mon
Mon
Mon
04-May-15
11-May-15
18-May-15
25-May-15
01-Jun-15
Period of proposal development and liaison with colleague(s) in RCSO.
Tues
02-Jun-15
Full proposals sent to reviewer pool for review ii
Mon
08-Jun-15
6 weeks before
5 weeks before
4 weeks before
Mon
3 weeks before
2 weeks before
1 week before
Deadline
Mon
Tues
PI submits full proposals (case for support, justification of resources, complete budget) including HoD approval (pFACT/ACP)
15-Jun-15
Panel meets during this week (between 15 - 19 Jun). Proposal reviews presented for each proposal by two introducers. Grades allocated
following NERC criteria. Proposals ranked and quota number plus one reserve are given green light to proceed to submission.
22-Jun-15
PI notified of outcome and feedback no later than this date
29-Jun-15
06-Jul-15
13-Jul-15
Final adjustments/revisions if necessary and final University approvals.
20-Jul-15
21-Jul-15
Complete proposals with all attachments submitted in JeS to the approver pool no later than noon ready for submission by RCSO
Estimated NERC deadline date for July round
i
Panel constitution: One senior academic with NERC/RCUK panel experience from LEC, Physics, FHM and School of Computing and Communications and chaired by a neutral senior
academic with RCUK panel experience. The panel constitution will be adjusted in the event of all proposals originating from one department.
ii
The reviewer pool will consist of academics that have a track record of successful NERC funding. They will be given advanced notice to expect proposals to review in the reviewing
window