FAQ: Open Call for Innovations to Build Resilient Health Systems
We’re thrilled to report a huge interest in the Resilient Health Systems Open Call for Innovations! We’ve already received a large number of excellent submissions, and we’re excited about what will come in this final week of the call.
Reminder: The submission deadline is Thursday, 18th June (11:59pm GMT).
We’ve received a number of thoughtful questions regarding the scope, terms, and expectations. Responses to the general questions are below.
But first, and most importantly, we’re seeing a number of submissions come through that are specifically focused on the direct COVID-19 response (e.g., surveillance, contact tracing, testing, etc.). The focus of this call is not on the direct response to COVID-19, but rather, on the maintenance of essential health services (e.g., RMNACH, noncommunicable diseases, chronic diseases). We welcome, of course, innovations that target COVID-19 in addition to maintaining essential health services. Please re-read the Open Call and refer to the World Health Organization’s operational guidance on maintaining essential health services for further clarification. Briefly, the guidance states:
“Countries should identify essential services that will be prioritized in their efforts to maintain continuity of service delivery. High-priority categories include:
Essential prevention for communicable diseases, particularly vaccination;
Services related to reproductive health, including care during pregnancy and childbirth;
Care of vulnerable populations, such as young infants and older adults;
Provision of medications and supplies for the ongoing management of chronic diseases, including mental health conditions;
Continuity of critical inpatient therapies;
Management of emergency health conditions and common acute presentations that require time-sensitive intervention;
Auxiliary services, such as basic diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, and blood bank services.
The selection of priorities will be guided by health system context and the local burden of disease, but should initially be oriented to preventing communicable disease, averting maternal and child morbidity and mortality, preventing acute exacerbations of chronic conditions by maintaining established treatment regimens, and managing emergency conditions that require time-sensitive intervention.”
FAQ ON OPEN CALL FOR INNOVATIONS
1. Open Call Process
Will applicants who progress to the second stage of the application process be required to submit a full proposal, or respond to further questions?
During the Resilient Health Systems Innovation Matchmaking events, applicants will be expected to respond to questions — either from judges or from DFID and potential donors/investors. Some questions may be in written format, others orally on conference calls. A full proposal will not be necessary.
Is it possible for an organisation to submit more than one application?
Yes! One organisation can submit more than once if they are for unique technologies/innovations, or if they are same but related to a different country/context. The submissions should be materially different from each other.
2. Geographic Focus
Are organisations, at this stage of the application process, required to specify a country where the project will be implemented?
Yes
Can applications be tied to countries outside of Africa and South Asia?
Submissions must be related to countries in the Africa and South Asia region. Eligible countries are specified in the Terms & Conditions here.
How do you expect demand to be demonstrated? Does it need to be as specific as the identification of an in-country partner interested in using the solution, or can this be broader such as identified demand in the press or academic literature?
We would need evidence of demand based on your in-country relationships with stakeholders and your ability to readily deploy your solution. Identified demand in the press or academic literature is not sufficient.
3. Themes of the Call
Are you looking for submissions on a specific disease area, or should they be broader? Should the focus be on COVID-19, or broader?
We welcome applications on a specific disease area, or multiple disease areas. The focus should be on maintaining essential health services (with potential to target COVID-19 along with essential health services). See the introduction to this blog for more specifics.
Is it correct that there are two foci here — tech and process innovation; and data capture and integration?
There are two themes of the call. It was designed to be broad to welcome a range of solutions, either that reflect both themes or tackle themes individually. Submissions could go down the path of:
- Tech and process innovations to support changes in the delivery models of health services, enabling prevention, health promotion, health education, surveillance, and service delivery. This could include community engagement, out-of-facility thinking, etc.
and/or
- Tech and process innovations to improve collection and use of data to enable surveillance useful for immediate COVID-19 response and tracking of other health conditions, and continued delivery of essential health services. This could include solutions to decrease fragmentation of data sources, optimise and integrate, etc.
4. Technologies and Innovations
Do you consider innovations only to be gadgets or software? Or do you also consider innovations to include frameworks, tools or approaches to health systems strengthening?
Frameworks, tools or innovative approaches are welcome. Gadgets or software are also welcome.
How important are tech or tech-enabled solutions, or can we think about broader approaches?
Broader approaches, such as process innovations, are welcome as well.
Are you looking for health/medical technology solutions only, or also technology for other sectors that could also impact health systems?
We are looking for technology/innovations that support the continued delivery of essential health services. If your technology/innovation supports this, it should be eligible regardless of sector. It does not have to be a health/medical technology solution.
Can I submit a technology that is new?
We are only looking for technologies/innovations that are ready to be deployed. They must be past the proof-of-concept stage. We are not looking to build solutions from scratch, but rather take something that has already been developed and apply it quickly.
Can you clarify data ownership and IP? Do I have to make my solution open source?
Submitting to the Open Call does not require you to give up data ownership of IP or copyright of your information. Please don’t submit proprietary or protected information as part of your submission to us. Actual IP and copyright details will be addressed during the negotiations for any grant or matchmaking decision.
Do software solutions have to be open source? Why are you asking about licensing?
Sustainability of data solutions is an important digital principle for COVIDaction, which includes how the data solution will be financed and resourced past any grant or support period. We also know that software has a range of different business models available for continued support and development. COVIDaction is not pre-determining a business model for these solutions but rather wants to learn more from submitters on how they envision the business model working. If your solution has a publicly available licensing/fee structure, please share it. If your solution would benefit from support from our experts on how to find the right business model for sustainability and growth, this is an area of support we can offer.
In the application form, there are no specific questions about the data or technology innovation proposed. Is this information to be then only conveyed as an answer to the last 2 open questions: ‘Do you have any additional information you wish to share with the call team?’ and ‘Optional — upload additional information here. Upload an individual file or a zipped folder’.
We have peppered questions throughout the application form about your technology/innovation. See sections 3 and 4 primarily. Refer to the Reference Questions document. We welcome additional information you would like to share in the last 2 open questions that you noted.
5. Grants and Financing
How many grants does DFID anticipate awarding under this call?
We are reserving the right to make this decision based on the number of most promising submissions. We could see anywhere from 1–4 grants.
Up to how many ideas will be funded and receive £200,000?
We are reserving the right to make this decision based on the number of most promising submissions. We could see anywhere from 1–4 grants. Matchmaking also plays a big role in the Open Call for Innovations, as the top submissions will be shared with donors/investors during the Resilient Health Systems Matchmaking Events.
Does this grant have a restriction on overhead/indirect cost rate?
No. The grant funding, associated fee rates, and other costs will be negotiated prior to the grant being contracted. Fee rates will need to be in line with other DFID funded contracts.
Does the funding have a specific ring-fence? Could it be for seed funding? Series A funding? For device subsidies? Etc?
There is no specific ring-fence. Grant funding must be for a defined set of activities or expenses that can be easily identified to ensure the appropriate use of the funding.
6. Implementation
What is the implementation period for projects awarded under this call? And when is the anticipated start date for projects?
There is no defined implementation period, although we would expect projects to begin in Quarter 3 of 2020, likely closing within a year.
7. Submitting Organisation
Our HQ is in USA/Europe but implementation sites would be in sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia. Would that meet with eligibility requirements?
Yes
Can local offices submit applications in their own right if these offices have local registration but are sub offices of HQ, and others are independent local entities?
Yes, local offices that are part of international firms can apply if they are applying from a registered office in an eligible country. See the Terms & Conditions here for the list of eligible countries.
