Explorail

The aim of the theme Whole System Performance (WSP) is to discover innovative insights, techniques and forms of collaboration that contribute to an ongoing improvement in the operational performance of Prorail.

Who can apply

Scientists employed by Dutch universities or para-academic institutes eligible for MaGW and/or STW funding can submit a preproposal and/or full proposal (see Annex 6).

Project proposals preferably involve two or more research groups from universities or scientific disciplines, because of the inherent multidisciplinary character of the Partnership ExploRail Program.

Project proposals that meet the following fit-to-the-program criteria are welcome:

• answering to the challenge of one or more topics as proposed in the program plan;
• having a convincing probability of research results to be utilised by ProRail and/or rail sector as a whole.

For more information please see the brochure.

What can be applied for

The project budget should be below k€ 750.

Project grants may cover:

• personnel costs for temporary positions (including PhD, postdoc positions, positions for technical assistants);
• material costs (including national travel costs);
• international travel costs;
• costs for new investments.

The applicants’ institutions ensure the required infrastructure, the supervision and fitting into the research program of the institute. MaGW may verify this with the dean or the executive board of the institution. The institution must agree in writing with the “Agreement for the Partnership Program”. A summary is given in Annex 2. The entire agreement will be made available by MaGW to institutions of applicants of granted projects on a need-to-know basis and under confidentiality obligations as set forth in this agreement.

For more information please see the brochure.

When can be applied

• Closing date for submitting preliminary proposals was 16 January 2012, 11:59 hours
• Closing date for submitting full proposals was 8 May 2012, 11.59 hours

Extra Information

Semi-commercial and commercial research institutes or companies other than ProRail may be involved in a project with ProRail’s prior consent. Note that the activities of these parties within the project cannot be financed by the program.

Criteria

Full proposals will be evaluated by peer review on scientific quality and utilisation potential. Aim is that each proposal will be evaluated by at least three referees. The referees will evaluate the proposals against the following criteria:

Scientific quality

• Competency of the research team - Originality and innovative character of the proposal;
• Expected impact on the scientific community;
• Research method and approach;
• Theoretical background and framework;
• Time schedule and deliverables;
• Adequacy of budget and infrastructur.

Utilisation

• Strong and weak points of the utilisation plan;
• Potential economic impact;
• Interaction and cooperation between research and industry;
• Past performance in the realisation of utilisation by the applicants;
• Likelihood that the research will generate patents and/or know-how agreements;
• Steps needed for the research results to reach the business environment during and after the period of research;
• Suggestions for improvement of the utilisation plan.

Fit into the program

• Contribution to the aims of the Partnership Program

A very important aspect is the utilisation of the project results in industrial practice. The objectives of the Partnership Program are driven by the ambitions of the company ProRail. Project leaders should have the ambition to fully cooperate with ProRail and to follow their business interest during the course of the program.

The scientific quality, utilisation perspective and the strategic fit of the full proposals in the program will carry an equal weighting in the committee’s evaluation of the proposals. In the event of equal scores, the PC will rank the ‘equal’ proposals according to an additional criterion: the cohesion of the project proposals. The proposal with the best cohesion with other projects will get a higher rank. For details please see Annex 4 of the brochure.

Procedure

The submission and evaluation process is broken down in two separate, subsequent stages: a call for preproposals followed by a later call for full proposals. The preproposals and full proposals will be evaluated by the Program Committee.

The scientific quality, utilisation perspective and fit into the program of the full proposals will be evaluated on an individual basis in a scientific peer-review process. Subsequently, the expert Program Committee will rank the full proposals. The scores given by the Program Committee for the scientific quality, utilisation perspective and fit into the program carry an equal weight. The Program Committee will make the final advice based on this ranking. The MaGW and ProRail boards will decide on the funding of the full proposals upon advice of the Program Committee.

For more information please see the brochure.

Committees

The Program Committee (PC) has been appointed by the Boards of ProRail and MaGW. The committee consists of two members from ProRail and two independent expert academic members on behalf of MaGW. MaGW consulted STW for this.

Budget

For this program a total budget of 2.5 M€ is available. An additional small fund has been reserved for the execution of program cohesion activities. The budget for the call is M€ 2,45. ExploRail is the Research Program of ProRail and MaGW for the next 2-4 years.

Financiers

The budget of M€ 2,5 of the program is contributed for 50% by ProRail. MaGW contributes 1 M€ and STW contributes 0,25 M€ to the program.

Contacts

• mw. drs. A.L. Westendorp
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 09 02, fax: +31 (0)70 383 28 41, e-mail: a.westendorp@nwo.nl