Grand Challenges Canada Requests for Expressions of Interest: Sustainable Diagnostic Containment Laboratories

Grand Challenges Canada Requests for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) in Sustainable Diagnostic Containment Laboratories.

This RFEI is seeking bold ideas that will reinvent the diagnostic laboratory, making it fit-for-purpose in resource-limited contexts globally. These innovative solutions are expected to reimagine the physical laboratory in order to reduce ongoing operational and maintenance costs and allow sustainable presence of safe and secure handling of high-consequence pathogenic materials, whilst maintaining and/or optimizing core functions of a diagnostic laboratory in low- and middle- income countries.

This RFEI represents Phase I of a dual-phase approach to development of a Grand Challenge for Sustainable Diagnostic Laboratories. The pool of Expressions of Interest received will be used to inform the scope of a full Grand Challenge program in Phase II, under which Grand Challenges Canada will award funding. Submission of an Expression of Interest does not constitute an application for funding; however, Expressions of Interest will receive feedback from an external review process designed to improve the quality of full proposals submitted for an open call for funding applications in Phase II. Most promising Expressions of Interest may also be shortlisted for direct invitations to submit full proposals for funding in Phase II.

Eligibility Criteria:

The application will be screened by Grand Challenges Canada staff for eligibility based on the following criteria:

1. The innovator must be invited by Grand Challenges Canada to apply for funding under this Request for Proposals. Grand Challenges Canada may at its option extend invitations to: previous or current grantees of Grand Challenges Canada; and, external applicants who meet Grand Challenges Canada priorities, at its option.
2. Applicants must be either a non-profit organization, for-profit company, research/academic institution, or another recognized institution that is incorporated in a low- or middle- income country, with a current priority in SubSaharan Africa, and is capable of receiving and managing funding (list of eligible jurisdictions is provided in Appendix A to this document).
3. A majority of the applicant’s activities and budget must be carried out/spent in an official development assistance eligible country (or countries) with priority in SubSaharan Africa.

Read more here

Important Dates:

Application registration deadline April 19, 2023.

Expression of Interest submission deadline April 26, 2023.