Research Infrastructure

The objective of the SIEF Research Infrastructure (RI) Program is to support the creation or enhancement of nationally significant research infrastructure facilities or equipment. The Program comprises two elements:

  • Major Research Infrastructure Program
  • Medium Equipment Program 

Major Research Infrastructure (RI)

The Major Research Infrastructure Program facilitate the creation or development of nationally significant for the conduct of research, including investment in national scale scientific equipment and special purpose facilities for the conduct of scientific research. (Further information can be found in the SIEF Research Infrastructure Guidelines). All funds allocated to this Program have now been committed. The funded Major Research Infrastructure activities are:

Medium Equipment Program (MEP) – Round 3 is now open for applications

Applications to the MEP will only be accepted from the eligible Lead Applicant (CSIRO). CSIRO will undertake an internal review process to determine applications which will be put forward to SIEF for consideration. Potential collaborators are advised to contact the relevant CSIRO Business Unit Director or Deputy Director.

All applications must be submitted by the Lead Applicant (CSIRO) to SIEF.  

Download the Application Form

The SIEF Medium Equipment Program (MEP) is designed to address a gap in funding for equipment in the medium range ($950k-$4m). This Program aims to enhance capability and capacity, and encourage collaboration.

The objectives of the program are to:

  • Facilitate leading-edge innovation in Australia in areas of greatest strategic impact, based on scientific research;
  • Grow both capability and capacity of the equipment stock available to researchers.

SIEF MEP Guidelines

Eligibility Criteria Definition
Lead Applicant must be CSIRO. The Lead Applicant will use the grant for the purposes of capital expenditure (equipment).
Proposed equipment must be capital equipment purchased from an external supplier and located at a CSIRO site. The asset must be owned by CSIRO and located on an approved CSIRO site.
Equipment must be for ‘scientific Research’.

Funding will only be available for equipment that facilitates activities that fall under the definition of ‘Research’ (refer Frascati Manual).

Includes all monies outlined in the Funding Agreement (including co-investment).
Application must be endorsed by the designated delegate of CSIRO. The application must also be endorsed by Collaborating Organisations (if any).

The designated CSIRO delegate for matters relating to SIEF is the Chief Operating Officer. CSIRO will undertake a rigorous internal review process prior to endorsement by the designated CSIRO delegate.

Endorsement by any Collaborating Organisation must be by a delegate with an appropriate level of authority to commit any co-investment outlined should the application be successful.

 

Selection Criteria Further Information

1. Alignment with:

  1. SIEF Primary Purpose and justification for SIEF support
  2. Alignment with the purpose outlined in the Gift

 

Why publicly funded support? National benefit?

Translation of scientific research into impact requiring effective and state-of-the-art facilities.
2. Demonstration of high benefit and impact

Degree of projected positive impact on enhancing capacity and capability.

Capacity to enable ground-breaking or cutting-edge new science.
3. Demonstration of effective use of resources

Extent to which the proposed equipment complements existing facilities within and across:

  • The proposed lead CSIRO site
  • Other CSIRO sites
  • the NIS

ie added capacity/capability rather than straight duplication

4. Finances

 

 

 

 

 

a. Co-investment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 b. Ongoing additional support for operating and maintenance

SIEF requests are expected to be between $750,000 to $2,000,000. (In exceptional circumstances bids up to $4,000,000 will be considered).

Purchase and commissioning to be completed within 24 months of Funding Agreement execution. Unless otherwise agreed in advance with SIEF.

Minimum of $200,000 cash investment per request by Lead Applicant for purchase of equipment. Included in the assessment of the request will be consideration of the level of co-investment by the Lead Applicant and any collaborators.

The request outlined in the application will be the maximum SIEF will provide, however, applicants are encouraged to negotiate best price should they be successful. If a better price is negotiated then the applicants are permitted to notify SIEF who may consider additional items to extend the equipment requested. Only in exceptional circumstances will requests be considered for supplementary funding by SIEF.

Items NOT eligible as co-investment: 
  • Operating and maintenance (including labour) 
  • Refurbishment of laboratories 


Applicants will be asked for evidence of commitment to ongoing support for operating and maintenance – this may include, for example, commitment to 3 years of in-kind support and/or maintenance contracts.

 

SIEF Medium Equipment Program Round 1 projects are now completed.

Project title Location Collaborators Total investment
Geoscience Drill Core Laboratory Kensington, WA CSIRO, The University of Western Australia, Curtin University $2,000,000
Acoustic Liquid Handler (Liquid Handler) Black Mountain, ACT CSIRO, Australian National university $520,000
Boorowa Digital Agriculture Research Facility Boorowa, NSW CSIRO $1,600,000
Triaxus Towed Sensor (Triaxus) Hobart,TAS CSIRO $700,000
Agile Flow Chemistry Production System for Chemical Manufacture (FlowWorks) Clayton, VIC CSIRO $1,740,000

SIEF Medium Equipment Program Round 2 Projects are now completed.

Read the executive summary of the outcomes of the program.

Project title Location Collaborators & Co-Funders Total investment
Argo Floats Hobart, TAS CSIRO, Department of Defence, Bureau of Meteorology, Integrated Marine Observing System, ACEC Research Centre $4,233,000
MNF Heavy Ocean Towing System (HOTS) RV Investigator, TAS CSIRO $1,500,000
Pilot-scale cGMP Protein Facility Clayton, VIC CSIRO, Telix Pharmaceuticals, Sementis, Monash University, GE Healthcare $2,200,000
High Resolution Noble Gas Mass Spectrometer (NGMS) Waite, SA CSIRO $1,100,000
4D Micro-CT Upgrade Kensington, WA CSIRO, The University of Western Australia, Curtin University $900,000
Virtual Laboratory for Cybersecurity Research Clayton North, VIC CSIRO $1,000,000
CubeSat Platform Satellite Marsfield, NSW CSIRO $1,130,000
Food Ingredient Process Innovation Platform Werribee, VIC CSIRO $1,500,000