Targeting Information to Protected Land Managers and Developers

Overview

This is a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition. The aim of the competition is to investigate how technology can deliver better-targeted information and advice to managers and developers of protected land.

Scope

Scottish Natural Heritage is investigating how technology can target tailored information and advice to land managers and developers.

Examples of who our users are, would be:

• land owners
• land managers
• developers
• local authorities
• other statutory bodies
• community groups
• Scottish Natural Heritage staff

The outcomes of this competition would be solutions which allow the user to ‘test’ the proposals for changes they are considering against:

• sensitivities or opportunities related to the protected area
• opportunities to improve nature in the wider area
• any constraints on taking the proposal forward

You should detail how you would mitigate any negative effects, using the data we hold to increase the likelihood of a successful proposal.

Innovate UK are particularly encouraging applications that:

• demonstrate how Scottish Natural Heritage can use new and existing datasets to give users relevant information so they can develop proposals which limit damage and/or enhance environmental impact
• explore how this data could be shared using non-digital methods such as maps
• investigate how the user could test different options for the design of the proposal and understand the consequences of these for the protected area
• explore how a system might learn from user interactions to increase the accuracy and relevance of the information provided
• allow users to identify other bodies involved in development or approval of the proposal in cases where Scottish Natural Heritage is not the authorising authority
• identify other data sources which can be used to improve the range of information or advice available to the user
• can be adapted for other public sector bodies who want to provide targeted information or advice to their customers

Eligibility

To lead a project, you can:

• be an organisation of any size
• work alone or with others from business, the research base or the third sector as subcontractors

Bids that bring together a consortium of sector specialists are welcomed.

Funding Costs

The overall programme will be delivered over 2 phases. This is phase 1 of a potential 2-phase competition. A decision to proceed with phase 2 will depend on the outcomes from phase 1. Only successful applicants from phase 1 will be able to apply to take part in phase 2.

Phase 1: research and development contracts, feasibility study

The first phase involves research and development contracts awarded to demonstrate technical feasibility of the proposed solution. A total of up to £250,000, including VAT, is allocated to phase 1 of the competition.

It is anticipated that the feasibility study research and development (R&D) contracts will be in the region of up to £50,000, including VAT. This is for each project for up to 3 months. Phase 1 is expected to fund up to 5 projects. The assessors will consider fair value in making their evaluation.

Phase 2: research and development contracts, prototype development and testing

The second phase involves up to 2 R&D contracts awarded to businesses chosen from the successful phase 1 applicants. Up to £500,000, including VAT, will be allocated for each contract, in order to develop a prototype and do field testing for up to 12 months.

Applications must have at least 50% of the contract value attributed directly and exclusively for R&D services. R&D can cover solution exploration and design. It can also include prototyping and field-testing the product or service. R&D does not include:

• commercial development activities such as quantity production
• supply to establish commercial viability or to recover R&D costs
• integration, customisation or incremental adaptations and improvements to existing products or processes

Exclusions

Innovate UK will not fund projects that do not:

• meet the requirements outlined in the scope:
• use technology
• comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)