Australian Research Council Act 2001 - Discovery Projects - Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2009
9Cross-scheme issues
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9.1.1 The ARC will not duplicate financial assistance for research already funded by the Commonwealth or which is likely to be funded from other Commonwealth funding sources (including under other ARC funding schemes). The ARC reserves the right to determine if a Proposal duplicates or is likely to duplicate research being funded by another Commonwealth source. In such circumstances the ARC may in its absolute discretion decide to not recommend the Proposal for approval. However, if the ARC considers that parts of the proposed project remain worthy of support, the ARC may assess the Proposal in the usual way and the ARC may instead recommend that a reduced amount of funding be approved for the Proposal.
9.2 Cross-scheme eligibility
9.2.1 If the Administering Organisation or a researcher nominated as a CI, PI or ARC Fellow on a Proposal is involved in a funding request for any proposed research project (including fellowship), salary or equipment that has been submitted under this or any other ARC scheme or to any other Commonwealth funding body, the Proposal must contain details of the request and summary details of all other funding must be included in the Proposal. Proposals must indicate the level of funding obtained for approved projects (including fellowships), or being sought for future projects (including fellowships), from all Commonwealth funding sources and must list all existing research funding from all Commonwealth sources. If these processes are not observed, or the ARC determines that incomplete, misleading or inaccurate details were included in the Proposal, the ARC may in its absolute discretion decide to not recommend the DP Proposal for approval.
9.2.2 If a nominated researcher has been awarded, or is currently requesting, an ARC Fellowship under another ARC funding scheme, the Proposal must contain details of the project/Proposal. If more than one of these Fellowship requests is approved for funding, only one Fellowship can be accepted.
9.2.3 The ARC may liaise with other funding agencies to discuss any overlap between proposed or existing research projects (including fellowships) in order to avoid duplication of funding. The ARC may for this purpose disclose to that agency any information in a Proposal.
9.3 Researchers from Commonwealth-funded Research Centres
9.3.1 Duplication with Commonwealth-funded Research Centres
9.3.1.1 Funding will not be provided for research already funded by a Commonwealth-funded Research Centre or which could reasonably be expected to be supported by the Centre given its research program and its level of funding. The proposed research must not duplicate work that, in the opinion of the ARC, is, will be or could reasonably be expected to be, undertaken by a Commonwealth-funded Research Centre.
Section 9 - Australian Research Council Act 2001 - Discovery Projects - Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2009 - Cross-scheme issues | Zoe
Letter showing association between the Proposal and a Commonwealth-funded Research Centre
9.3.1.2 If a Proposal identifies a CI or Fellowship candidate who is associated with a Commonwealth-funded Research Centre, and the person will continue to be associated with the Centre after 31 December 2008, the Proposal must include a letter from the Centre Director which:
a. describes the relationship between the proposed research and the research undertaken by the Centre; and
b. explains how, and explicitly states that, the proposed research does not duplicate work that is already funded or could reasonably be expected to be funded by the Centre; and
c. if Commonwealth funding for the Centre is likely, or is due, to terminate during the 2009 calendar year, provides details regarding the future of the Centre’s research activities and the employment circumstances of the CI or Fellowship candidate.
9.3.1.3 This letter should be no longer than one page. If such a letter is not provided in the Proposal, the ARC may in its absolute discretion decide to not recommend the Proposal for approval.
9.3.1.4 The ARC reserves the right to determine if a proposed project duplicates work funded or likely to be funded as part of a Commonwealth-funded Research Centre. In making a determination the ARC may have regard to, among other matters, the Centre application, Centre funding agreement, business plans, strategic plans and/or Annual Reports. If the ARC considers any information contained in the DP Proposal, the accompanying letter from the Centre Director and/or the Centre Annual Report is incomplete, inaccurate, or misleading in a material respect, the ARC may in its absolute discretion decide to not recommend the Proposal for approval. If, however, the ARC considers that parts of the proposed project remain worthy of support, the ARC may recommend that reduced funding be approved for the Proposal. If the ARC becomes aware of duplication of funding after a project has been funded the project may be terminated and the Centre Director may be asked to show cause why any ARC funding for the Commonwealth-funded Research Centre should not be terminated.
9.3.1.5 Subsection 8.5.3.1 provides further details on the requirements for statements pertaining to Fellowships proposed to be held by researchers at Commonwealth-funded Research Centres which may need to be included in the letter from the Centre Director.
9.4 Funding of Medical and Dental Research
9.4.1 Pursuant to Section 6.5 and 9.4, the ARC does not fund Medical and Dental Research under DP. The ARC reserves the right to determine conclusively whether the proposed research involves Medical and Dental Research.
9.4.2 The NHMRC funds a range of Medical and Dental Research. In some instances, it may not be clear to the intended Administering Organisation whether or not a Proposal would fall within this area of research such that it would not be funded by the ARC. In these cases, an Eligibility Ruling Request may be submitted to the ARC, by forwarding a summary of not more than two pages outlining the proposed research, according to the process described in Section 10.1. The ARC may use the Eligibility Ruling Request to decide whether it would be willing to accept a Proposal involving the proposed research. For the purpose of determining a ruling in relation to proposed research the ARC may, but is under no obligation to, refer Eligibility Ruling Requests to the NHMRC in order to consult with the NHMRC about the likelihood of the NHMRC’s funding proposed research in the relevant research area. The intended Administering Organisation will be advised of the ARC’s decision approximately two weeks after the due date for such requests..
9.4.3 If the Administering Organisation submits, or is intending to submit, applications to the ARC and the NHMRC for similar research it must cross-reference the Proposals and must declare the dual submission on the ARC application form.
9.4.4 In all cases, whether or not the above process is observed, the ARC reserves the right to decide whether a proposed project, or elements of a project, falls within the area of Medical and Dental Research.