Notice

Competition Document: Rapid Detection of Toxic Gases

Updated 4 March 2024

1. Introduction: Protecting People within Public Buildings

This Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) competition is seeking proposals that enable the rapid detection of toxic gases to improve public safety by providing an early warning to indicate unsafe levels of toxic gases in busy spaces.

This competition is funded by the Home Office (HO), supported by US Department of Homeland Security.

2. Competition key information

2.1 Submission deadline

12:00 Midday on 28 March 2024 (GMT)

2.2 Where do I submit my proposal?

Via the DASA Online Submission Service for which you will require an account that needs to be created beforehand. Only proposals submitted through the DASA Online Submission Service will be accepted.

2.3 Total funding available

The total possible funding available for Phase 1 of this competition is £1.6 million (excluding VAT).

We are expecting to fund multiple proposals under this competition.
Proposals should not exceed £200,000 in value or 12 months duration.

Additional funding for further phases to increase TRL may be available. If there is a future phase, it will be open to applications from all innovators and not just those that submitted Phase 1 successful bids.

3. Supporting events

3.1 Q&A webinar

7 February 2024 (14:00-16:00) A Q&A webinar providing further detail on the problem space and a chance to ask questions in an open forum. If you would like to participate, please register on the Eventbrite page.

3.2 1 to 1 teleconference sessions

14 February 2024 (14:00-16:00) – A series of 15 minute one-to-one teleconference sessions, giving you the opportunity to ask specific questions. If you would like to participate, please register on the Eventbrite page. Booking is on a first come first served basis.

22 February 2024 (14:00-16:00) – A series of 15 minute one-to-one teleconference sessions, giving you the opportunity to ask specific questions. If you would like to participate, please register on the Eventbrite page. Booking is on a first come first served basis.

4. Competition Scope

4.1 Background: Keeping people safe in busy spaces

The rapid release of toxic gas in an enclosed or semi-enclosed environment may happen through accident, equipment malfunction or malicious intent. The impact would outpace existing safety procedures and potentially lead to adverse health effects for those in the vicinity. Therefore, we are seeking new technological solutions to this health, safety, and security challenge.

DASA is interested in detecting the presence of toxic gases in busy spaces by using an early warning system that triggers to the presence of toxic gases at or above 10% of their 10 minute Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGL) level 2 value. As well as detection, we are also interested in estimating concentration, minimising nuisance alarms and quickly identifying areas at risk. The possibility of networking to future smart facility management systems is also of interest.

4.2 Scope: Wide ranging and rapid toxic gas detection 

Comprehensive coverage of chemical hazards is preferred. Some toxic gases are of greater concern than others in rapid release emergencies – for example, colourless or odourless gases which would not otherwise alert bystanders, compared to coloured or odoriferous gases that would generate sensory alarm. In future, certain gases may be prioritised for particular focus. At this stage, we are exploring detectors with the widest possible range of chemical libraries and capabilities.

Some more specific guideline criteria are suggested below. Potential chemical toxic gas libraries and exposure guidelines to address:

• Gases found in the Public Health England (now the UK Health and Safety Agency) Chemical hazards compendium - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
• Gases from the “high hazard” and “medium hazard” categories of the US Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs) Guide - Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov)
• Acute Exposure Guidelines for Airborne Chemicals

We are particularly interested in novel technology developments outside of commonly used techniques for gas detection such as electrochemical sensors, metal oxide sensor or spectroscopic methods. However, novel applications or development based on current techniques are still of interest and are in scope for this competition.

All innovations that meet the competition challenge of identifying a potentially dangerous atmosphere in busy public places are also of interest and in scope for this competition.

While any gas detection method is acceptable, we are primarily interested in detecting toxic gases and transmitting the data to a larger system. This will enable us to take necessary action in the event of a positive detection. Given that the application of this technology is within busy public places, it is crucial to minimise the potential of false responses. In addition, the detection system does not have to be performed by a single detector and solutions requiring a network of sensors can also be considered.

4.3 We are interested in…

We want novel ideas to benefit end-users working in UK Defence and Security. Your proposal should include evidence of:

• How you plan to develop a TRL 4 sensor that:

  • can detect more than one toxic gas
  • can alarm within a maximum of 30 seconds to the breach of appropriate AEGL of toxic gas
  • can operate unmonitored/with minimal human intervention or maintenance needed
  • can operate in an enclosed and semi enclosed environments
  • is tolerant to active spaces and various backgrounds – eg. foot traffic or vehicles
  • is suitably sized for mounting in busy detection location (Size, weight and power)
  • is low cost (Appreciation that any fully developed product would ideally be deployed in many and varied public locations)
  • is capable of being networked/ to send detection signals externally
• theoretical development, method of advancement or proof of concept research which can demonstrate potential for translation to practical demonstration in later phases
• innovation or a creative approach
• clear demonstration of how the proposed work applies to any defence and security context

4.4 We are not interested in…

We are not interested in proposals that:

• Develop technology that:

  • is only capable of detecting one toxic gas.
  • takes longer than 30 seconds to alert to breach of appropriate AEGL
  • could not operate effectively in busy spaces after further development
  • requires constant monitoring, maintenance, or additional out of sight equipment to function with the exception of what might be required to allow alarm monitoring in a control room.
  • necessitate complex and time-consuming installations, over and above what might be expected for networked smoke alarms, for example.
  • cannot be networked
  • constitutes communication network only ideas
• constitute consultancy, paper-based studies or literature reviews which just summarise the existing literature without any view of future innovation (which therefore cannot be extended into Phase 2)
• an unsolicited resubmission of a previous DASA bid
• offer demonstrations of off-the-shelf products requiring no experimental development (unless applied in a novel way to the challenge)
• offer no real long-term prospect of integration into defence and security capabilities
• offer no real prospect of out-competing existing technological solutions

5. Accelerating and exploiting your innovation

It is important that over the lifetime of DASA competitions, ideas are matured and accelerated towards appropriate end-users to enhance capability. How long this takes will depend on the nature and starting point of the innovation.

5.1 A clear route for exploitation

For DASA to best support your consideration of potential exploitation routes, ensure your deliverables are designed and presented with the aim of making it as easy as possible for collaborators/stakeholders to identify the innovative elements of your proposal.

Whilst DASA recognises that early identification and engagement with potential end users during the competition and subsequent phases are essential to implementing an exploitation plan, during the competition phase there should be no correspondence between suppliers and DASA or between suppliers and the Home Office other than via the DASA helpdesk email at accelerator@dstl.gov.uk, or their local Innovation Partner.

All proposals to DASA should articulate the expected development in technology maturity of the potential solution over the lifetime of the contract and how this relates to improved capability against the current known (or presumed) baseline.

5.2 How to outline your exploitation plan

Include the following information to help the assessors understand your exploitation plans to date:

• the intended defence or security users of your final product and whether you have previously engaged with them, their procurement arm or their research and development arm
• awareness of, and alignment to, any existing end user procurement programmes
• the anticipated benefits (for example, in cost, time, improved capability) that your solution will provide to the user
• whether it is likely to be a standalone product or integrated with other technologies or platforms
• expected additional work required beyond the end of the contract to develop an operationally deployable solution (for example, “scaling up” for manufacture, cyber security, integration with existing technologies, environmental operating conditions)
• additional future applications and wider markets for exploitation
• wider collaborations and networks you have already developed or any additional relationships you see as a requirement to support exploitation
• how your product could be tested in a representative environment in later phases
• any specific legal, ethical, commercial or regulatory considerations for exploitation

5.3 Is your exploitation plan long term?

Longer term research activity may not be able to articulate exploitation in great detail, but it should be clear that there is credible advantage to be gained from the technology development.

Include project specific information which will help exploitation. We may collaborate with organisations outside of the UK Government and this may provide the opportunity to carry out international trials and demonstrations in the future.

6. How to apply

6.1 Submission deadline

12:00 Midday on 28 March 2024 (GMT)

6.2 Where do I submit my proposal?

Via the DASA Online Submission Service for which you will be required to register.
Only proposals submitted through the DASA Online Submission Service will be accepted.

6.3 Total funding available

The total funding available for Phase 1 of this competition £1.6 million (excluding VAT). Proposals should not exceed £200,000 in value or last longer than 12 months.

The division of the funding between the bidders (or whether all the funding is used in Phase 1) is at the sole discretion of DASA and the Home Office.

6.4 How many proposals will DASA fund

We are expecting to fund multiple proposals under this competition.

Additional funding for further phases to increase TRL may be available. Any further phases will be open to applications from all innovators and not just those that submitted Phase 1 bids.

6.5 For further guidance

Click here for more information on our competition process and how your proposal is assessed.
Queries should be sent to the DASA Help Centre – accelerator@dstl.gov.uk.

6.6 What your proposal must include

• the proposal should focus on the Phase 1 requirements but must also include a brief (uncosted) outline of the next stages of work required to progress your idea towards the marketplace
• when submitting a proposal, you must complete all sections of the online form, including an appropriate level of technical information to allow assessment of the bid and a completed finances section
• completed proposals must comply with the financial rules set for this competition. The upper-limit for this competition is £200,000 (excluding VAT). Proposals will be rejected if the financial cost exceeds this capped level
• you must include a list of other current or recent government funding you may have received in this area if appropriate, making it clear how this proposal differs from this work
• a project plan with clear milestones and deliverables must be provided. Deliverables must be well defined and designed to provide evidence of progress against the project plan and the end-point for this phase; they must include a final report
• you should also plan for attendance at a kick-off meeting at the start of Phase 1, a mid-project event and an end of project event at the end of Phase 1, as well as regular reviews with the appointed Technical Partner and Project Manager; bidders should plan for all face to face meetings to be in the UK. After contracting successful bids consideration may be given to overseas meetings, if appropriate. Meetings may also take place virtually
• your proposal must demonstrate how you will complete all activities/services and provide all deliverables within the competition timescales (12 months). Proposals with any deliverables (including final report) outside the competition timeline will be rejected as non-compliant

6.7 What your resourcing plan should include

Your resourcing plan must identify the nationalities of proposed employees that you intend to work on this phase.

6.8 If your proposal is recommended for funding

In the event of a proposal being recommended for funding, DASA reserves the right to undertake due diligence checks including the clearance of proposed employees. Please note that this process will take as long as necessary and could take up to 6 weeks in some cases for non-UK nationals.

You must identify any ethical / legal / regulatory factors within your proposal and how the associated risks will be managed, including break points in the project if approvals are not received.
MODREC approvals can take up to 5 months therefore you should plan your work programme accordingly. If you are unsure if your proposal will need to apply for MODREC approval, then please refer to the MODREC Guidance for Suppliers or contact your Innovation Partner for further guidance.

All proposals submitted that contain animal work will be reviewed by a Dstl veterinary surgeon and will be considered non-compliant without inclusion of appropriate information. For UK locations that are proposing use of animals under ASPA (Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986) as part of work under DASA, the location must demonstrate that they hold a Project Licence that covers the work proposed, and Establishment Licence for the location and Personal Licences for anyone carrying out the regulated procedures. International innovators proposing animal work under American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) should provide the equivalent documentation. For locations outside of the UK that do not have AAALAC, proposal assessment will need to include a Dstl veterinary surgeon making custom assessment of the location’s applicable national regulations, any other accreditations held by the location and the local governance systems for the location.

Requirements for access to Government Furnished Assets (GFA), for example, information, equipment, materials and facilities, may be included in your proposal. DASA cannot guarantee that GFA will be available. If you apply for GFA, you should include an alternative plan in case it is not available.

Failure to provide any of the above listed will automatically render your proposal non-compliant.

6.9 Export control for overseas partners

All relevant export control regulations will apply if a company ultimately wants to sell a developed solution to a foreign entity. All innovators must ensure that they can obtain, if required, the necessary export licences for their proposals and developments, such that they can be supplied to the UK and other countries. If you cannot confirm that you can gain the requisite licences, your proposal will be sifted out of the competition.

Additionally, if we believe that you will not be able to obtain export clearance, additional checks may be conducted, which may also result in your proposal being sifted out of the competition.

Specific to US applicants: US bidders must obtain the proper requisite export licence before submitting technical information to the DASA. In addition, bidders are strongly encouraged to review relevant export control sections of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), to ascertain if any sections pertain to the requested activity, noting that recent amendments expedite processing of licences for export to the UK. Pertinent information should be referenced in the applicant’s transmittal letter and in Block 20 (Purpose) of the permanent export licence form (DSP-5) before submitting application to the Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC). The bidder may wish to review the guidelines for an export licence request prior to submission. This information can be found on the DDTC website.

7. Cyber risk assessment

7.1 Supplier Assurance Questionnaire (SAQ)

On receipt of a ‘Fund’ decision, successful suppliers must prove cyber resilience before the contract is awarded. The start of this process is the submission of a Supplier Assurance Questionnaire (SAQ). The SAQ allows suppliers to demonstrate compliance with the specified risk level and the corresponding profile in Def Stan 05-138, and the level of resilience required will depend on this risk level.

To expedite the contracting time of successful suppliers we ask all suppliers to complete the SAQ before they submit their proposal.  The SAQ can be completed here using the DASA Risk Assessment RAR- 801606267 and answer questions for risk level “Very Low”. In the form, for the contract name please use the competition title and for the contract description please use the title of your proposal.

7.2 Defence Cyber Protection Partnership

The Defence Cyber Protection Partnership (DCPP) will review your SAQ submission and respond within 2 working days with a reference number and an indication of your compliance status. The resulting email response from DCPP should be attached (JPG or PNG format) and included within the DASA submission service portal when the proposal is submitted. You will also be asked to enter your SAQ reference number. Please allow enough time to receive the SAQ reference number prior to competition close at 12:00 midday on 28 March 2024 (GMT).

The SAQ will be evaluated against the Cyber Risk Assessment (CRA) for the competition, and it will be put it into one of the following categories:

1. Compliance Status Met – no further action required
2. Compliance status Not Met – if successful in competition and being funded, the innovator will be required to complete a Cyber Implementation Plan (CIP) before the contract is placed, which will need to be reviewed and agreed with the relevant project manager

Innovators can enter a proposal without all controls in place, but must have all the cyber protection measures necessary to fulfil the requirements of the contract in place at the time of contract award, or have an agreed Cyber Implementation Plan (CIP).

The CIP provides evidence as to how and when potential innovators will achieve compliance. Provided the measures proposed in the Cyber Implementation Plan do not pose an unacceptable risk to the MOD, a submission with a Cyber Implementation Plan will be considered alongside those who can achieve the controls.

A final check will be made to ensure cyber resilience before the contract is placed.  Commercial staff cannot progress without it. This process does not replace any contract specific security requirements.

Additional information about cyber security can be found at: DCPP: Cyber Security Model industry buyer and supplier guide..

8. Public facing information

When submitting your proposal, you will be required to include a title, A Proposal Value Proposition Statement (PVPS) and a short abstract. The title, PVPS and abstract you provide will be used by DASA, and other government departments, to describe your project and its intended outcomes and benefits. They may be included at DASA events in relation to this competition and in documentation such as brochures. The proposal title will be published in the DASA transparency data on GOV.UK, along with your company name, the amount of funding, and the start and end dates of your contract. As this information can be shared, it should not contain information that may compromise Intellectual property.

8.1 How your proposal will be assessed

At Stage 1, all proposals will be checked for compliance with the competition document and may be rejected before full assessment if they do not comply. Only those proposals that demonstrate compliance against the competition scope and DASA mandatory criteria will be taken forward to full assessment.

Mandatory Criteria
The proposal outlines how it meets the scope of the competition	Within scope (Pass) / Out of scope (Fail)
The proposal fully explains in all three sections of the DASA submission service how it meets the DASA criteria	Pass / Fail
The proposal clearly details a financial plan, a project plan and a resourcing plan to complete the work proposed in Phase 1	Pass / Fail
The proposal identifies the need (or not) for MODREC approval	Pass / Fail
The proposal identifies any GFA required for Phase 1	Pass / Fail
Maximum value of proposal is £200,000	Pass / Fail
The proposal demonstrates how all research and development activities / services (including delivery of the final report) will be completed within 12 months from award of contract (or less)	Pass / Fail
The bidder has obtained the authority to provide unqualified acceptance of the terms and conditions of the Contract.	Pass / Fail

Proposals that pass Stage 1 will then be assessed against the standard DASA assessment criteria (Desirability, Feasibility and Viability) by subject matter experts from the MOD (including Dstl), other government departments, technical specialists from US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the front-line military commands. You will not have the opportunity to view or comment on assessors’ recommendations.

DHS defers final assessment of decisions to the UK Government’s authority. Disputes between the subject matter experts, technical specialists and front-line military commands shall be resolved by consultation and not be referred to any other person or entity outside this process for resolution.

DASA reserves the right to disclose on a confidential basis any information it receives from innovators during the procurement process, which includes the full proposal, to any third party engaged by DASA for the specific purpose of evaluating or assisting DASA in the evaluation of your proposal. In providing such information you consent to such disclosure. Appropriate confidentiality agreements will be put in place.

Further guidance on how your proposal is assessed is available on the DASA website.

After assessment, proposals will be discussed internally at a Decision Conference where, based on the assessments, budget and wider strategic considerations, a decision will be made on the proposals that are recommended for funding.

Innovators are not permitted to attend the Decision Conference.

Proposals that are unsuccessful will receive brief feedback after the Decision Conference.

8.2 Things you should know about DASA contracts: DASA terms and conditions

Please read the DASA terms and conditions which contain important information for innovators. For this competition we will be using the Innovation Standard Contract (ISC), links to the contract: TERMS and Schedules. We will require unqualified acceptance of the terms and conditions; if applicable, please ensure your commercial department has provided their acceptance.

More information on DEFCONS can be found by registering on the Knowledge in Defence site.

Funded projects will be allocated a Project Manager (to run the project) and a Technical Partner (as a technical point of contact). For this competition a Technical Partner from the overseas supporting Government departments may be assigned to the project. Information shared in this situation will be under existing Information Sharing and Non Disclosure Agreements between the UK and overseas Governments.

In addition, the DASA team will work with you to support delivery and exploitation including, when appropriate, introductions to end-users and business support to help develop their business.

We will use deliverables from DASA contracts in accordance with our rights detailed in the contract terms and conditions.

For this competition, £1.6 million is currently available to fund proposals. Where a proposal meets the fundable requirements for a competition, but is not funded, DASA will continue to seek funding from partners across government and shall consider your proposal fundable for 12 months from the date of the decision release. We will share the abstract, PVPS and title of your proposal with any other UK government departments that may express an interest in funding the proposal through DASA, in accordance with the competition document. If a budget holder within the MOD wishes to read the full proposal to decide if they will fund it, we will share it with them under these circumstances. If it is within 60 days of the original NOT FUNDED decision release date, we will share the full proposal with them without seeking your permission. If it is over 60 days since the original NOT FUNDED decision we will seek your permission before sharing the full proposal with them.

For other potential funders, we will seek your permission before sharing the full proposal regardless of the number of days since the original NOT FUNDED decision release.

In the event that funding becomes available, DASA may ask whether you would still be prepared to undertake the work outlined in your proposal. Your official DASA feedback will indicate if your proposal was deemed fundable, but not awarded funding at the time.

9. Phase 1 key dates

Q&A Webinar	7 February 2024
Pre bookable 1-1 teleconference sessions	14 February 2024 & 22 February 2024
Competition closes	12:00 Midday 28 March 2024 (GMT)
Feedback release	31 July 2024
Contracting	Aim to start August 2024 and end 12 months later in August 2025

9.1 Help: Contact the DASA Help Centre

Competition queries including on process, application, commercial, technical and intellectual property aspects should be sent to the DASA Help Centre at accelerator@dstl.gov.uk, quoting the competition title. If you wish to receive future updates on this competition, please email the DASA Help Centre.

While all reasonable efforts will be made to answer queries, DASA reserves the right to impose management controls if volumes of queries restrict fair access of information to all potential innovators.

10. Appendix 1 Rapid Detection of Toxic Gases Phase 1: Webinar Clarifications

07 February 2024

Below are answers to questions submitted at the supporting Launch webinar on 07 February 2024. Slides of the webinar are available here. The Questions have been grouped together by theme.

Technical Clarifications

Q1. How many types of toxic gas shall we demonstrate in the proposal?

A1. We would want to see a demonstration of the ability to sense toxic gases across all 4 categories mentioned on slide 18 of the accompanying webinar slides. In terms of the number of gases, that is dependent upon the solution you are proposing. In short, the more the merrier. We may prioritise certain gases further down the line.

Q2. Many toxic gases are heavier than air. In consideration of “fire-alarm-like” devices, do you expect such devices to be positioned on the floor?

A2. This really depends upon the solution you are proposing. If you can explain why siting sensors at ground level can solve the problem of giving maximum range of detection in the fastest time then we would be interested in seeing your idea.

Q3. Do you have target detection limits? Is it immediately dangerous to life and health or much lower like general population?

A4. The answer to this Question is outlined in the competition document (Section 4.1)

Q4. Do you need to identify the toxic gases?

A4. Identification would be preferred where possible, but this will be a trade-off between identification and time. I think the criteria of alarming within 30 seconds of detection wouldn’t include identification. But if you can identify within that time that would be preferred.

Q5. Do you require precise concentration or is a binary detection fine?

A5. The answer to this is similar to the above. Alarming within 30 seconds is the important criteria so a trade-off between concentration and time.

Q6. Will the 4 categories of gases be listed on the DASA website after this event?

A6. The list of categories is available in the supporting slide deck on page 18. Also see the lists of gases identified in Section 4.1 of the competition document.

Q7. Do you have a requirement on the starting TRL for the project?

A7. There is no required starting TRL. We are looking for ideas that can solve the problem and reach a laboratory demonstration level within the 12-month time limit. The competition is not interested in solutions that are already commercially available “off the shelf.”

Q8. What is the definition of ‘novel’? Novel in that a particular sensor type is not currently used in public spaces, or novel in that it’s a whole new technique?

A8. Either. We are probably looking more towards a whole new technique or a new combination of existing technologies. There are obviously many different technologies that aren’t used in public spaces at the moment. So novel covers both devices and solutions.

Q9. How technical should my proposal be?

A9. All proposals will be reviewed by technical specialists. They will be expecting sufficient technical details to understand what your proposal will deliver and how it will be developed. This information should be entered into the Feasibility question of the submission process.

Q10. Are you interested in aerosols as well as gases?

A10. The primary interest is in gases but there is also an interest in vapours and aerosols as fine mists.

Q11. Is there an interest in continuous monitoring or sampling within a fixed time interval?

A11 Continuous and fixed time interval monitoring solutions are both within scope. The competition document mentions a requirement to alarm within 30 seconds of a breach of the appropriate AEGL level. You should clearly describe in your submission how your proposed technology would meet this target.

Q12. Is the detection limit of 10% of AEGL level 2 a maximum or minimum level?

A12 We have chosen that level as an appropriate measure to indicate a potential cause for concern. Your proposal should be able to detect levels above that within 30s. If you can accurately detect lower levels then that would be of interest bearing in mind the requirement to minimise potential false warnings.

Q13. Is there a preference, for example, to detect a wider range of gases is more important than the size of equipment.

A13. The challenges are described in the Competition Document. It is down to you to determine any trade-offs between the different parameters and explain how you think your proposal best meets the needs of the competition.

Q14. Regarding size of the system. If I need a multi metre path length to detect the presence of a gas can this be in a single path meaning that the source and detector are distant from each other?

A14.  The challenge is looking at large public spaces and enhancing the ability to protect the public. You should consider how a gas cloud may propagate through an area and explain how your proposal will work to best meet the aims. Comparing the relative merits of a large single system covering a large area or several smaller, more focused devices would be useful to support your proposal

10.1 DASA Process

Q1. If there are Industry and Academics involved, who would be best to lead?

 A1.  We usually leave that up to yourself to decide who is best placed to be the lead partner. DASA will only contract one organisation, but we do not have a preference. As long as you can demonstrate that you’ve got a good idea that fits the competition and that you can deliver that and that the way you’ve put together that proposal with the different parties doing different parts of the proposal if that makes. It doesn’t really matter to us who we contract. If there are more than one partner involved in a bid the lead partner would have to sub-contract work undertaken by the other parties.

Q2. In the case of partners can the costs be split as the partners decide?

A2. It is up to the bidders to decide how they share the costs of the work. We would pay the lead partner and they would be responsible for paying any subcontractors.

Q3. Are there any limits on using non-British employees or contractors based in the EU for specialist R&D?

 A3.  No, we don’t have restrictions on nationalities. We do ask in your application if you can highlight the nationality and name of people working on the project. We do undertake basic checks before contacting the successful suppliers.

Q4. How will Intellectual property be owned from the work?

A4. The completion is being run under DEFCON 705. Under the terms of DEFCON 705 any intellectual property generated under the contract belongs to the contractor. In return, the funding Authority obtains a set of rights to use the delivered technical information and associated intellectual property for specified purposes.

Q5. Are there any limits or restrictions on publication?

A5. DASA requires you to obtain approval for any publications you wish to make regarding the funded work. We do not aim to prevent you from publicising your work but we do require to check that the information to be published is not sensitive.

Q6. How will the project be managed during the 12 months?

A6. DASA Project Managers will work with suppliers until the end of each contract, including the decision making. If you are successful, the Project Manager will work with you to get on contract and then organise the schedule of Kick-off meetings and monthly progress meetings.

We expect you to project manage yourselves and then we touch base with you to see how you’re getting on and report back to the customer. It’s normal project management in the sense that we’re here and we’ll check that you’re on time, cost quality and we’ll support you to have to provide what you need and to help you deliver. If you encounter problems we will monitor and escalate them in the same way that that is normal within an organisation.

Q7. Is there any expectation of face-to-face meetings or demos?

A7. That is mainly down to you. Hybrid meetings are common now and we do use these for monthly progress meetings. Kick off meetings and demonstrations are generally more likely to be face-to-face. Section 6.6 of the Competition Document does state “you should plan for attendance at a kick off meeting, a mid-project event and an end of project event. So you should cost some face-to face in your proposal but we aim to be flexible depending upon requirements.

Q8. How does payment work? Is it in arrears as with Innovate UK or in advance?

A8. Payment is made against deliverables. One you have provided the deliverable and it has been signed off you can then send an invoice. So, it is in arears.

Q9. You mentioned payment for “costs incurred”. Do we need to provide evidence for costs such as receipts, invoices, payslips etc.?

A9. We would not undertake a forensic style audit, but we would expect to see evidence for the cost of any large items requested during the project. Individual pay slips would not be required. If you expect a certain number of hours to complete a deliverable and in reality require less, we pay against the deliverable received not precise hours worked. Likewise, if it requires more effort, you would not be able to increase the charge for that deliverable.

Q10. The final demonstration will be a deliverable. What happens if the TRL4 Demo fails at bench test? Would this have any financial penalties?

A10. The simple answer is no. We understand that R&D has a certain amount of risk and failure to achieve the desired outcome will not be penalised. If a demonstration was not attempted due to other issues, then there would be a failure to deliver. Hopefully any issues would have been identified earlier on in the project and resolved.

Q11. Does a supplier need to complete the Supplier Assurance Questionnaire to apply?

A11. It is not mandatory to complete the SAQ before submission, but we strongly advise suppliers to complete in advance to understand if they need to take any action should they be successful in receiving funding. It is a requirement of all MOD contracts that you have appropriate Cyber Security in place or an approved Cyber Implementation Plan (approved by the Project manager) in place.

If you have completed a SAQ for a previous DASA competition you will be required to resubmit a SAQ for this competition. There may be differences in the cyber risk profile for different DASA competitions.

Q12. We have numerous ideas and may submit two or three proposals. Will one Cyber Process cover all submissions?

A12. Yes.

Q13. Do you accept or read white papers before official submission to see if the work is appropriate?

A13. We have strict limits in our submission process that they should be able to be assessed in 90 minutes. Each of the 3 sections of Desirability, Feasibility and Viability has a limit of 3000 words. If you have some questions about the suitability of your proposal, I would suggest reaching out to your local Innovation Partner to discuss. We may accept short (1 page) summaries of your proposal as an Expression of Interest if appropriate after discussion with your Innovation Partner

Q14. How do we get contact information for the US Innovation rep?

A14. All Innovation Partners can be contacted by following the link on the competition document (Section 5.1).

Q15. Is there a classification level for information we supply?

A15. Proposals should not contain any information classified above OFFICIAL.

Q16. Is there an International Traffic Arms Regulations exemption for this competition?

A16. It is for suppliers to determine whether their technology falls under International Traffic Arms Regulations and obtain appropriate licenses/exemptions as necessary.

Q17. Do letters of support for potential end users help the submission?

A17. If you have letters of support these should be referenced in the Desirability question of the submission process.

Q18. You mention that research staff will be security checked. Do they require British Security clearance before we submit?

A18. No if submissions are successful then a basic security check will be done on those who are expected to work on the project. Researchers who do not hold SC Clearance are required to complete a “Personal Particulars” form, which will be provided if your proposal is chosen for funding.

Q19. We have a developed technology, can we submit this into the competition?

A19. We are looking for innovation as part of the competition. If there are any innovations you can make to your technology that meet the aims of the competition then this can be submitted. Explain clearly what this innovation is and how it meets the competition challenge.

Q20. Our innovation may not take 12 months to deliver. Can we apply?

A20. Yes. The limits on duration and cost are upper limits. If you can deliver an innovation that helps meet the competition challenge in a shorter time or for less money it is fine to submit.

Q21. Can I source materials from outside of the UK to complete my project?

A21. Yes. You should mention the equipment you need to be able to deliver your proposal. Although an appreciation of the final implementation cost is useful you should not be overly concerned with reducing the cost of your proposal but more on demonstrating the capability. You should avoid sourcing materials which are identifiably from either Russia or Belarus and can only be sourced from either country.

Q22. As an organisation with limited knowledge of the security market can you give us some guidance on potential markets?

A22. If you are successful in your bid and receive funding part of the service DASA provides is to appoint an Exploitation manager who will assist in identifying potential opportunities. Before submission you may want to look at the NPSA website (https://www.npsa.gov.uk/) which has more information about the general security area. You can also talk with your local DASA Innovation Partner.

Q23. Can we submit more than 1 bid?

A23. You can but each has to be independent from the other. It is not possible to submit a proposal that can only be completed should another proposal also be funded.

10.2 System Clarifications

Q1. Do the sensors need to be battery powered or wireless?

A1. We do not have a specific requirement around that. The crucial criteria are described in the competition document.

Q2. Are there any requirements or guidance around sensor servicing, consumables etc.? Especially around minimum and maximum levels between servicing.

A2. In terms of servicing, maintenance, and other interventions, the fewer that are required the better.

Q3. Is there any guidance for appropriate size weight and power?

A3. This is down to your solution. You should explain why your solution is of the appropriate size, weight and power for the proposed deployment. Please bear in mind the comments above regarding servicing, maintenance and interventions.

Q4. Why are you not looking at electrochemical sensors? Why are you not happy with them?

A4. Partly because this is an innovation call. We are looking for development of something new. This does not exclude electrochemical sensors, but we would be looking for something novel about the design or application above tried and tested systems.

Q5. How will the equipment be demonstrated/tested?

A5. We have no precise plans to tell you how it should be tested. It is for you to describe in your proposal how you intend to test and demonstrate that you have met the challenge.

Q6. As an SME without speciality in the area of toxic gases, we don’t have any way to perform equipment tests in house. Is there any information available regarding test facilities?

A6. As part of the submission process, you can identify any government assets you feel will be beneficial to your project. There is no guarantee that we will be able to provide these. You should use the Risk Section of the submission to explain how you will mitigate against the lack of availability of Government assets and the impact on the project.

You can also subcontract testing of your solution and add these costs into your bid.

Q7. Are there resources or organisations you could identify to help understand how these sensors would be deployed and the key challenges for the end user?

A7. It is difficult to answer specifically at the moment, as it will depend on the solutions developed and thus be specific to each bid. As part of the support from DASA a Technical Partner will be assigned to the project to support you and the customer, witha link to end users.

Q8. What do you mean by semi-enclosed environment? Will the sensors be exposed to external ambient conditions?

A8. Semi-enclosed is just highlighting the fact that there might be parts of the indoor structure which are open to the air. Rather than considering the whole of the space to be entirely indoors with no inflow and outflow of air we are also interested in environments that do have that inflow and outflow. In those environments all sensors will be exposed to external ambient conditions to a certain extent. We would still consider solutions that are limited to entirely indoors.

In your proposal, if you think there is a limitation in the operational environment explain what these limitations are. Just because it can’t work everywhere, it doesn’t mean we’re not interested at all.