Challenge-Driven Innovation Fund (CIF)
FINANCIAL GUIDELINES
Promoting Research and Innovation (R&I) culture in ICT related industry and academia is one of the most important goals pursued by the Ignite National Technology Fund. Ignite allows the grantees to budget for expenses in research and innovation grants, namely personnel costs (internal as well as external), travel costs, costs of equipment, consumables, and services, and overhead costs. The following financial provisions set out the detailed rules regarding the limits on the nature and amount of expenses that can be claimed under each of the four specified budgetary heads.
Personnel Costs:
The following general conditions apply to the provision of personnel costs:
- The role of each person in the project must be stated clearly and justified. The justification should include the time commitment (as percent of full time) and the unit cost (i.e., gross salary per month).
- For PI (Principal Investigator), the budget request should include their name, designation, department/institute, and university/company. Future changes would be subject to approval of the Ignite.
- The institution should affirm in writing that the time commitment of the personnel engaged in a project (to the extent of their time committed) does not conflict with the time commitment for other projects.
- Only the remuneration of technical staff can be billed under the project. Administrative or secretarial staff, including the project coordinator, should be covered under the institutional overheads.
- Affidavits will be required from institution authorities as well as project team members that the total honorarium to be paid to team members for all research projects does not exceed 25 per cent of their gross salary.
- In case a team member wishes to allocate more time (i.e., more than 25 per cent) to research projects, the head of the institution has to provide an affidavit that the team member will be relieved of other responsibilities, and that their non-project salary will be reduced proportionately.
- Any false statement in these matters will result in automatic cancellation of the project, recovery of advance payments, and black listing of the PI as well as the institution for 2 years.
| # | Nature of Personnel | Unit Costs/ Expenditures Allowed | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PI or Co-PIs | Time cost of PIs calculated on the basis of their gross salary (i.e., basic pay, admissible allowances), multiplied by the time committed to the project. For example, if a PI contributes 2 months to a project, and she/ he has a gross salary of Rs. 200,000 per month, the project will be able to charge Rs. 400,000 for their time. | PIs may allocate a maximum of 50% of their time to research & innovation projects. Personnel costs billed against a PI’s time may be paid to them as project honorarium, provided that the total honorarium received in any year is no more than 25% of their gross salary. If PIs wish to allocate more than 25% of their time to research projects, the institution will have to certify in writing that their other duties have been reduced proportionately, and that the corresponding amount has been deducted from their salary. |
| 2 | Students | In case, the project is funded to PI of University, university students may be engaged as Research Assistants at the following scales:
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In case of University, subject to approval of their supervisors, and based on their course load, PhD students at the thesis stage will be allowed to allocate between up to 80% of their time to research projects; those who have to take courses may allocate up to 20%. MS/ MPhil/ BS students may allocate only up to 20%. However, PhD students with course loads may, with the consent of their supervisors, allocate up to 40%, provided they reduce their course load by a quarter, thereby extending the duration of the degree programs. Only the university’s own students can be included under this heading. The university, in its discretion, may provide a tuition waiver to students engaged as research assistants. |
| 3 | Other Project Personnel | Regardless of the actual amounts paid to project staff, the billed amount would be based on established salary structure for researchers, e.g.:
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The billed amount would be the multiple of the permitted gross salary, multiplied by the time allocated for the project. Each person appointed to project should receive a formal contract, specifying all the terms of employment, including salary, benefits, and the duration of engagement. Project employment should not create an entitlement or expectation of full-time regular employment. |
| 4 | Consultants | These may be national or foreign nationals (including those of Pakistani origin), dual nationals. The respective remuneration rates would be based on market conditions, typically be on a per day basis, subject to the conditions of the grant, as well as maximum limits for various categories established by Ignite from time to time. | Total remuneration for all short-term consultants should not exceed 10% of the total direct HR cost of the project. Funding for short-term consultants will be allowed in accordance with the provisions of the grant. |
Unit Costs/ Expenditures Allowed:
Time cost of PIs calculated on the basis of their gross salary (i.e., basic pay, admissible allowances), multiplied by the time committed to the project. For example, if a PI contributes 2 months to a project, and she/ he has a gross salary of Rs. 200,000 per month, the project will be able to charge Rs. 400,000 for their time.
Limits:
PIs may allocate a maximum of 50% of their time to research & innovation projects.
Personnel costs billed against a PI's time may be paid to them as project honorarium, provided that the total honorarium received in any year is no more than 25% of their gross salary.
If PIs wish to allocate more than 25% of their time to research projects, the institution will have to certify in writing that their other duties have been reduced proportionately, and that the corresponding amount has been deducted from their salary.
Unit Costs/ Expenditures Allowed:
In case, the project is funded to PI of University, university students may be engaged as Research Assistants at the following scales:
- PhD students: @Rs.120,000 per month, full time equivalent, times the time committed to the project, subject to maximum time cap of 80%.
- MS/ MPhil Students: @Rs. 80,000 FTE per month, subject to maximum time cap of 20% (i.e., an average of one day per week).
- Undergraduate students @ Rs. 60,000 FTE per month, subject to maximum time cap of 20%.
Limits:
In case of University, subject to approval of their supervisors, and based on their course load, PhD students at the thesis stage will be allowed to allocate between up to 80% of their time to research projects; those who have to take courses may allocate up to 20%. MS/ MPhil/ BS students may allocate only up to 20%. However, PhD students with course loads may, with the consent of their supervisors, allocate up to 40%, provided they reduce their course load by a quarter, thereby extending the duration of the degree programs. Only the university's own students can be included under this heading. The university, in its discretion, may provide a tuition waiver to students engaged as research assistants.
Unit Costs/ Expenditures Allowed:
Regardless of the actual amounts paid to project staff, the billed amount would be based on established salary structure for researchers, e.g.:
- Research Assistants: (BS/ MS/MPhil) equivalent to lecturer.
- Research Associate: (fresh PhD), equivalent to Asst. Prof.
- Research Fellow: (PhD with 9 years' experience) equivalent to Assoc. Prof.
- Senior Fellow: (PhD with 15 years' experience) equivalent to Professor.
In case of Industry participants, regardless of the actual amounts paid to project staff, the billed amount would be based on professional experience, e.g.:
- Fresh BS/MS/MPhil: up to Rs. 50,000 per month.
- Professional with 5-9 years' experience: up to Rs. 200,000 per month.
- Professional with 10-14 years' experience: up to Rs. 300,000 per month.
- Professional with 15 years' experience: up to Rs. 400,000 per month.
Limits:
The billed amount would be the multiple of the permitted gross salary, multiplied by the time allocated for the project.
Each person appointed to project should receive a formal contract, specifying all the terms of employment, including salary, benefits, and the duration of engagement.
Project employment should not create an entitlement or expectation of full-time regular employment.
Unit Costs/ Expenditures Allowed:
These may be national or foreign nationals (including those of Pakistani origin), dual nationals.
The respective remuneration rates would be based on market conditions, typically be on a per day basis, subject to the conditions of the grant, as well as maximum limits for various categories established by Ignite from time to time.
Limits:
Total remuneration for all short-term consultants should not exceed 10% of the total direct HR cost of the project.
Funding for short-term consultants will be allowed in accordance with the provisions of the grant.
Equipment, Consumables, and Service Costs:
The following general conditions apply to the provision of equipment, consumables and services costs:
- All PIs must comply with the relevant government rules for procurement of goods and services such as PPRA Rules.
- Equipment and Consumables should be itemized separately. However, the total cost under these heads may not be greater than 30% of the total direct cost of the project.
- For each item under Equipment, and each item under Consumables, provide the name, description of equipment, specifications, unit cost, quantity, and purpose.
- For Equipment, Consumables and Services, the institution needs to certify in writing that it does not have access to the said equipment, consumables and service otherwise.
- 10% additional amount against approved equipment budget for imported items may be admissible to account for any currency rate fluctuation, subject to provision of justification, and the approval of Ignite. For this purpose, all costs of imported equipment should be quoted in both foreign currency and PKR at the time of proposal submission.
- LC opening for purchase of permanent equipment is allowed.
| # | Item | Details |
| 1 | Equipment | A few examples are provided here. These, and similar items could be billed to the project if otherwise justified:
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| 2 | Consumables | A few examples are provided here. These, and similar items could be billed to the project if otherwise justified:
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| 3 | Services |
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A few examples are provided here. These, and similar items could be billed to the project if otherwise justified:
- Scientific lab Equipment: tools and equipment used in laboratories for research work relevant to the project.
- IT equipment: some examples are servers, network equipment, routers, or communication equipment.
- Office Equipment: some examples are laptops, desktops, scanners, printers.
- Specialized Software/ IT Applications: e.g., LabView, AutoCAD, MATLAB.
A few examples are provided here. These, and similar items could be billed to the project if otherwise justified:
- Lab Chemicals: e.g., chlorates, persulfates, peroxides, oxidizing acids, methanol, ethanol, or reagents.
- Glassware: e.g., beakers, flasks, or test tubes.
- Plastic wares: e.g., pipettes.
- Expendable supplies: e.g., preserving and cleaning material, fuel, medicines, personal protective equipment, i.e., gloves, masks, or surgical caps.
- Accessories: small tools and accessories used routinely in labs, e.g., kits, PCR plates, ladders, sealers, magnetic stands.
- Access to scientific equipment: cost of access to sophisticated lab or research equipment not available in host institution.
- Service contract for repair/ maintenance of purchased scientific equipment: The service cost should not exceed 25% of the cost of current price of the same/similar model
- Subscription to open access journals or publications: The subscription cost will be added in the agreement with the PI.
- Management Cost for organizing national level conferences, workshops, or seminars: in cases, where such dissemination of research results are outsourced to external professional bodies.
- Limited commercialization and development costs: these will be allowed only for research & innovation grants that explicitly include product development and commercialization goals. The admissible expenses are:
- Patent filing Fee
- Consultancy Services for product development (limited 10% of the direct cost of the project)
- Legal and Financial Services: related to intellectual property rights, research commercialization, or licensing agreements.
- Marketing Services: for marketing of prototype or proposed product to appropriate investors or stakeholder
Travel Costs:
General Conditions: Travel Cost covers expenses of project team (PIs, students or researchers) related to field work, participation in project meetings, attending national or international conferences or workshops to present research results from the project.
- Travel budget must be justified by providing purpose of visit, the city, the country, the number of travelers, and estimated costs per visit.
- Foreign air travel in economy class is admissible if the technical evaluation justifies the nature of visit. Maximum admissible return air ticket cost is USD 2,000 in equivalent rupees. The PI’s are strongly advised to ensure minimum cost travel tickets are purchased, while remaining within the approved budget. In case any enhancement is required in the fare, the PI should seek prior permission from Ignite.
- Local air travel in economy class is admissible if the technical evaluation justifies the nature of visit. Maximum admissible return air ticket cost is Rs. 50,000. The PI’s are strongly advised to ensure minimum cost travel tickets are purchased, while remaining within the approved budget. In case any enhancement is required in the fare, the PI should seek prior permission from Ignite.
- A maximum amount up to USD 300 per day in equivalent rupees for foreign travel is admissible. For local travel, a maximum of Rs. 15,000 per day is allowed. This amount also includes any DA to be paid to the claimant.
Eligibility of National or International conferences or workshops
- Top International conference / workshop directly organized leading professional body of relevant disciplines (such as IEEE, ACM, AAAS, AEA, etc.) and whose papers are peer reviewed, archived AND have an acceptance ratio of less than 25%. Ignite will sponsor all of the expenses.
- 2nd Tier International conference / workshop supported by leading professional body of relevant disciplines (such as IEEE, ACM, AAAS, AEA, etc.) AND whose papers are peer reviewed and archived, AND have an acceptance ratio between 25–40%, Ignite will sponsor 75% of the total expense.
- National conference / workshop supported by leading professional body of relevant disciplines (such as IEEE, ACM, AAAS, AEA, etc.) AND whose papers are peer reviewed and archived, Ignite will sponsor 50% of the total expense.
Institutional Overheads:
General Conditions: There are three purposes for allowing payment of overhead costs to sponsoring institutions: first, to compensate institution for expenses needed to provide research and development support in the form of office facilities, administrative services, tuition waivers to research assistants (in case of universities), or project implementation expenses; second, to enable institutions to build up a professional research AND innovation support system in order to enable their team members to attract research funding from other sources as well, including, e.g., capacity building activities; and third, to ensure that institutions exercise proper quality control over research and innovation products.
- The overhead amount should go directly to institutions. In case of multi-institutional projects, the overhead costs are expected to be shared on the basis of the percentage of funds allocated for each institution.
- In order to ensure operational efficiency at the project executing institution’s end, it is advised the R&I proposal initiating institution claims operational overhead of 15% based on the total direct cost of the project (Personnel cost, Equipment, Consumables and Service costs, and Travel costs).
- The provision of overhead means that institutions will not be allowed to include normal administrative expenses (e.g., administrative salaries, TA/DA. honorariums, bonuses, or stipends).
- While remaining within the approved budget, any cost that remains uncovered or under covered can be met through contingent cost provisioning. The contingency amount is capped at 3% of the total direct cost of the project (excluding institutional overheads provisioning).