Information for public sector research organisations

Public sector research organisations (PSROs) in NSW can receive funding, generate revenue and receive recognition under the TechVouchers program. The program, established by the NSW Government through the Department of Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services (DTIRIS) aims to assist small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) with research requirements by providing vouchers whose value can be applied to research undertaken by PSROs, or to help fund access to technical facilities and expertise.
 
For PSROs, partnering with SMEs offers substantial opportunities for your research institution including funding, training, mentoring and as a partner for grant funding including Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Projects, the Cooperative Research Centres and ARC Centres of Excellence program. 
 
Growing partnerships with SMEs provides an opportunity to further develop and demonstrate the outcomes of research that are uncovered by your staff, offering intellectual property benefits for both you and the SME.
 
Under the TechVouchers program, your institution could benefit in several ways:
 
  • TechVouchers Connectors funding: your institution may receive up to $50,000 to co-fund an officer to work in your institution to assist companies to navigate your processes and systems
  • SME Partnering - recipients of TechVouchers can use the voucher to pay your institution for the use your facilities or to fund research activities
  • Promotion - through the TechVouchers website, you can showcase your institution’s research capabilities and infrastructure, highlighting your strengths to potential public and private sector partners.
 
Funding
Eligible Public Sector Research Organisations (PSROs) in NSW will be able to apply for grants of up to $50,000 to subsidise up to 50 per cent of the salary of an employee (a 'Connector') who will work to map the organisation's capabilities and facilitate engagement with SMEs for one year.  Between 8 to 10 organisations will be awarded these grants. 
 
Connector Activities
The tasks that a Connector is expected to perform include:
  • collect information on research capabilities of the PSRO, including research strengths, and the research facilities available for external use;
  • maintain up-to-date and appropriately targeted information on the TechVouchers website to enable capability assessment and matching;
  • review and streamline processes and paperwork for companies engaging with the PSRO for research collaboration or facility access purposes;
  • facilitate engagement of TechVoucher companies and other parties as relevant, into PSRO facilities and groups, including acting as the first point of call for TechVoucher SMEs; and
  • support Investment and Industry NSW (I&INSW) with communications, marketing activities including timely supply of information and capability statements upon request.

Eligible Applicants
In order to be eligible, applicants must:
  • be a NSW university, TAFE or a public research organisation located in NSW;
  • be willing to nominate two potential Connector candidates and provide their details including name, position title and contact details in those cases where the Connector will be an existing employee of the PSRO;
  • give assurance that a Connector can be ready for training in February 2010;
  • be able to demonstrate the suitability of nominated Connector candidates (see Expected Attributes of Connector below)
  • be able to demonstrate that the nominated Connectors would be located in an appropriate part of the PSRO where they will have maximum access to researchers, resources and the widest range of capabilities; and
  • be willing to send Connectors to selection/training sessions.
 
Assessment of Eligibility
Submitted applications will be assessed for possible funding against the following criteria:
    • demonstrable extent of research capacity covered by the Connector;
    • level of contribution of the Connector by the PSRO; and
    • overall value for money of the proposal

The selection of PSROs to recieve funding will be made on a competitive basis, taking into account the above criteria. 

PSROs are encouraged to propose a single Connector to work across a group of institutions to increase impact and coverage of the Connector. 
 
Eligibility Criteria for Connectors
Connectors should be creative, personable people who sit within a body that has access to the entire organisation (e.g. at a university, the Research Strategy Unit).
 
A Connector should have:
  1. a degree in science or engineering and a demonstrable enthusiasm for scientific endeavour;
  2. an outgoing personality and well developed interpersonal skills;
  3. analytical skills and ability to think laterally about connections;
  4. openness to new ideas and proactive in bringing them forward;
  5. the willingness to prompt researchers and technicians to participate;
  6. the willingness to map both research and analysis capabilities, at their institution within a time frame and in the format stipulated; and
  7. strong written communication skills that will enable the Connector to describe the technical capabilities of the PSRO facilities for both an expert and non-expert audience.

For further information, please contact:

PLEASE NOTE: The TechVouchers Program is currently being reviewed.  If you would like to be advised of the outcome, please email your contact details to atseoi@business.nsw.gov.au

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