Funding Round 4

The National Centre of Excellence in Desalination Australia (NCEDA) has a mandate to optimise and adapt desalination technology for Australia, develop solutions for inland areas, and reduce the carbon footprint of desalination through investment in a portfolio of research projects. This fourth funding round will continue to grow the Centre’s research portfolio with both fundamental and applied research in five areas aligned to the Australian Desalination Research Roadmap:

  1. Pre-treatment,
  2. Reverse osmosis desalting,
  3. Novel desalting,
  4. Concentrate management, and
  5. Social, economic and environmental issues.

Funding round timetable

The schedule for Funding Round 4 is shown below. Deadlines for applicants are in bold.

  • Monday November 28, 2011: Call for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) opens to Centre Participating Organisations (members)
  • Monday January 23, 2012: Deadline for EOI submission
  • Friday February 17, 2012: EOI evaluation completed and shortlisted applicants invited to submit proposals
  • Monday March 26, 2012: Deadline for proposal submission
  • Monday April 30, 2012: Approved projects announced
  • Monday June 25, 2012: Deadline for execution of Project Agreements

Eligibility to submit EOIs

Only Centre Participating Organisations who are signatories to the Collaboration Agreement are eligible for participation in Funding Round 4 as Project Leaders. These members comprise:

  • Murdoch University
  • Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
  • Curtin University of Technology
  • Deakin University
  • Edith Cowan University
  • Flinders University
  • Monash University
  • The University of New South Wales
  • The University of Queensland
  • University of South Australia
  • University of Technology, Sydney
  • Victoria University
  • The University of Western Australia
  • University of Wollongong

Any organisation is eligible to participate in a project as a Research Participant, however only the members listed above may lead projects and submit EOIs. Other organisations are encouraged to contact the Centre or members listed above to explore collaborative research opportunities. Centre Funding Rounds are listed in the Australian Competitive Grants Register and all Funding Round research activity is considered Category 1 income for DIISR Research Block Grants.

Scope

Unlike earlier open Funding Rounds that sought research on any Roadmap topic, this fourth funding round is primarily seeking projects targeted at gaps in the Roadmap topics. Roadmap topics under-represented in the Centre’s research portfolio comprise:

  • 2.6 Operational optimisation; e.g. long-term improvement of desalination performance
  • 4.1 Novel zero liquid discharge processes; e.g. concentrate minimisation
  • 3.1 Novel technologies including those for direct agricultural use; e.g. reverse osmosis in novel food production applications such as grains and horticulture with consideration of the food-energy-water nexus; and treatment of difficult water in a mining or industrial context
  • 3.3 Coupling water production with renewable energy
  • 3.4 Piloting breakthrough near-commercial desalination technologies in real-world situations; e.g. novel and disruptive applied technologies
  • 5.2  Total life cycle analysis and sustainability assessment of desalination against other water sources; e.g. economic analysis of SWRO operation and integration with traditional water supply

Applicants seeking further information about targeted Roadmap topics should in the first instance contact the Chief Scientific Officer, Prof. David Furukawa, to obtain further information on these opportunities.

The Centre will also invite EOIs and Proposals from specific researchers to address these and other specific topics. Some funding in this round has been set aside by the Board to progress future stages of existing projects based on successful results already submitted.

Industry needs

The Centre invites industry to propose projects that address their needs and which could be solved through collaborative research. Some suggested projects related to seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plants include:

  1. SWRO CONCENTRATE RETURN – Collation of performance data
    To assess existing performance data and to provide a more consistent approach to toxicity testing of concentrate, with the view to developing a national guideline.
  2. SWRO CONCENTRATE RETURN – Develop improved methods for toxicological assessment
    To build on existing studies and assess the approach to toxicity testing of brine, both at the laboratory and field scales in order to assess acute and long term impacts, respectively.
  3. SWRO CONCENTRATE RETURN – Validation of hydrodynamic models within and outside the mixing zone
    To build on previous work by reviewing hydrodynamic models, incorporating an assessment of diffuser design of both predicted (modelled) and observed dilution performance.
  4. CORROSION AND MATERIALS – Improved understanding of construction materials and coatings to resist corrosion
    To develop a better understanding of what materials and coatings should be selected for construction, with a view to also optimising operations and maintenance to maintain the integrity of the materials and surfaces.
  5. INTAKE STRUCTURES – Impact of intake structures on non-motile biota
    To develop a better understanding of the impact of intake structures on the trophic food web.
  6. WASTE MATERIAL FROM SWRO PROCESS – Disposal of waste material from desalination treatment other than to landfill
    To investigate the treatment and discharge of waste material into the marine environment, with a view to reducing the need for landfill disposal.

For further information on these projects, please contact the CEO, Mr Neil Palmer.

Other topics

Applicants may submit an EOI for any project that aligns with the Roadmap, however projects addressing the targeted areas or specific needs raised by industry will be given priority.

Guidelines and application forms

Funding Round 4 guidelines and EOI forms are available for download:

Frequently asked questions

What is the deadline for submission of an Expression of Interest? Electronic submissions of EOIs in Word format can be sent by email to proposals@desalination.edu.au by midday WST on Monday January 23, 2012.

What is the deadline for submission of a Proposal? Short-listed EOI applicants will be invited to submit proposals. Proposals will not be accepted from other applicants. Proposals from short-listed EOI applicants can be submitted electronically in Word format by email to proposals@desalination.edu.au by midday WST on Monday March 26, 2012. In addition, one hard copy with original signatures must be delivered to the Centre to arrive by close of business on Monday April 2, 2012.

Can I nominate multiple Principal Investigators? Yes, it is fine to nominate multiple Principal Investigators on an EOI or Proposal. Ensure you supply all requested organisation and contact details and short CVs. Only one Project Administrator can be nominated to act as the single point of contact for the Centre relating to the project.

Where do I find my project in the Roadmap? The Priority Research Themes in the Roadmap specify indicative strategies (research opportunities) in Table 14. However, these strategies only indicate potential areas of opportunity, and it is up to the applicants to demonstrate and explain how their project aligns with one or more Priority Research Themes.

How do I calculate the indirect costs for my project in-kind contributions? The inclusion of indirect costs as an eligible in-kind contribution recognises that the full cost of research at a university is higher than the direct cost. Although eligible expenditure for NCED projects is limited to direct costs (plus salary on costs of 28%), the indirect costs of cash-funded research activity at universities or CSIRO (e.g. institutional overheads, administrative charges, infrastructure charges) will be recognised by the Centre as an eligible in-kind contribution by that institution; this is without regard to the source of the funding, whether NCED grant funds, industry cash contribution, or institution cash contribution. The level of indirect costs contributed by a university depends on the Australian Competitive Grants Research Intensity Level of that university, and has been calculated to be 99%, 93%, 79%, or 77% for ACG Research Intensity Group One, Two, Three, and Four respectively, per Table 5.4, p52, Allen Consulting Group (2009), Indirect Costs of University Research Funded Through Australian Competitive Grants. Applicants should calculate the indirect cost in-kind contribution for a university involved in a project by multiplying the relevant factor for a university by the total eligible project cash expenditure at that university (excluding travel and subcontracting). For example, if a project budget includes a $100,000 salary plus $28,000 on-costs and $10,000 of consumables, all funded by cash, to be carried out at a Group Two university, an in-kind contribution of $128,000 (being $138,000 * 0.93) can be included to represent the indirect cost.

How do I justify my budget in the proposal? Question 6.4 provides a table for your cash expenditure justification and 6.3 provides for an explanation of your valuation of eligible in-kind contributions. Feel free to add below the tables any explanation required to fully justify and value your budget components.

I may not be able to finalise signatures or letters of support from all Research Participants by the proposal deadline. Can I submit these later? The electronic submission of your proposal must be authorised by the Project Leader (the lead Participating Organisation). If there are signatures or letters of support that remain outstanding in your electronic submission please make a note of forthcoming commitments within your proposal. Signatures and letters of support from all proposed Research Participants must be submitted with the hard copy of the proposal to be eligible for investment consideration by the Centre’s Board.