CEOI 12th Call for EO Technology and Instrument Development Proposals

The CEOI 12th Call Closed on 12th February 2019

Project Summaries of the projects funded in the CEOI 12th Call are available here.

On behalf of the UK Space Agency, the Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation is running its Twelfth Earth Observation (EO) Technology Call. The primary aim of this Call is to solicit new and innovative ideas for EO technology developments.  As an additional aim, if sufficient funds are available, the call will invite proposals to advance more mature technologies through airborne demonstration. Proposals should be aligned with the objectives of the UKSA ‘Earth Observation and Climate: Vision to 2040’ and the EO Technology Strategy.

The selection criteria will be:

innovation and technological excellence;

sound project and risk management;

value for money;

strategic importance, including how well the project will position UK organisations in the global market.

The budget available for the Call will be over £2.0M, with additional PV funds required from industrial bidders. The Call opened for proposals in December 2018, with a closing date of 12th February 2019 at noon. It is anticipated that projects can start from March or April 2019.

The Call themes are:

Theme

Funding and Duration

Eligible Activities

New and innovative ideas for EO technology development Fast Track grants of up to £200k, expected to be up to 15 months duration; Feasibility studies; Industrial research; or Experimental development
New and innovative ideas for EO technology development Pathfinder grants of up to £75k, expected to be up to 9 months duration Feasibility studies; Industrial research; or Experimental development
Airborne demonstration Flagship grants of up to £500K, expected to be up to 24 months duration Industrial research or Experimental development

This Call is open to UK HEIs, other research organisations and industry. Collaborative proposals involving industrial and other partners of all types are strongly encouraged and there is no restriction on which type of organisation can lead. We particularly like to encourage teams that include partners new to space.

Organisations looking for Potential Partners, or those which wish to be considered as Potential Partners in a bid led by another entity should briefly describe the skills and/or capabilities that they require/could offer, in the pro-forma available through the link below.  Please email the completed partner pro-forma to Mrs Lisa Finch, CEOI Technology Call Administrator at lf107@leicester.ac.uk by 17:00 hrs on 10th January 2019.  Information will be shared on the CEOI website, for prospective lead organisations and project partners to access.

Bidders may request a 30 minute confidential telephone conference for clarification of any parts of the Call with Professor Mick Johnson, CEOI Director and/or Dr Chris Brownsword, CEOI Technical Director.  Please contact Mrs Lisa Finch, CEOI Technology Call Administrator at lf107@leicester.ac.uk to organise a time.

Bidders should provide CEOI with notification of their intention to bid by noon on 31st January 2019 (one week extension, revised on 24/1/2019).  This will assist in preparing for the efficient evaluation of bids and ensure bidders can receive any related information during the bid period.

All information will be held in strict confidence.

Full details of the Open Call are contained in the ‘Announcement of Opportunity’ document, which is available here, together with the other bid documents:

To summarise timelines:

By appointment tba Telephone Consultations
10th January 2019 17.00 Partner pro-forma due
31st January 2019 Noon Intention to bid Form due
12th February 2019 Noon Full Proposal due
From March 2019   Projects commence
April 2021   Projects complete

The Call is issued on behalf of the UK Space Agency by the CEOI Partners, who will also manage the selected projects on behalf of the Agency.

For further information on any aspect of the 12th CEOI Call, please contact Chris Brownsword, CEOI Technical Director, with copy to Mick Johnson CEOI Director, for a timely response either side of the main holiday period.  Contact details are available in the 12th Call Announcement of Opportunity document.