Internationally coordinated networking of training centres for the validation and testing of CBRN-E tools and technologies in case of incidents, with consideration of human factors

Overview

Objectives

The funding aims to:

• enhance preparedness for CBRN-E incidents by strengthening networking among training centers, assessing gaps, and improving testing capabilities;
• strengthen the networking of existing training and testing facilities and centers to o create a more robust and consistent opportunity to practice, test, and evaluate CBRN-E tools and technologies;
• assess existing facilities to identify gaps in training and testing opportunities;
• encourage existing centers to cooperate, compare, enhance, develop, and extend the range of tests, exercises, and training.

Activities/actions supported

Altough not explicitly mentioned, the actions supported should:

• Build on the results achieved from previous H2020 and Instrument for Security Funds (ISF) actions to advance the development of tools, tests, and training methods in the field of CBRN-E;
• Seek the active involvement of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines, experts, and institutions to enhance the societal impact of research activities;
• Promote the participation of citizens, including citizen volunteers, civil society, and other societal stakeholders, in the co-design and co-creation of tools and technologies. This involvement aims to produce meaningful and significant effects and enhance the societal impact of related research activities;
• Emphasize the need for international cooperation, particularly with countries belonging to the CBRN Centres of Excellence network, to achieve the expected outcomes and strengthen the response to CBRN-E incidents.

Anticipated outcomes

Projects under this call are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:

• Extended networking of training centres in Europe and selected CBRN Centres of Excellence in non-EU countries;
• Compilation of information of capacities of networked CBRN-E training centres in view of better coordination of training and testing actions in support of research and standard developments;
• Improved cooperation and development of testing methodologies and protocols for the validation of tools and technologies resulting from research actions (including pre- or co-normative research) and/or proofs of concepts for developing standards, combining societal and technological challenges;
• Inter-cooperation through an established forum of training centres to synchronize actions for identifying gaps in test and validation techniques, methodologies and protocols.

Institution providing the funding

European Commission

Size of funding

€4,000,000

Conditions

Overview of eligibility criteria

To be eligible, applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must be legal entities (public or private bodies) established in one of the eligible countries, listed in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

In addition, this calls requires the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of:

• at least 3 Training Centres located in EU Member States or Associated Countries;
• at least 2 CBRN Centres of Excellence from non-associated third countries;
• and at least 3 representatives of scientific stakeholders involved in training, validation and testing of CBRN-E tools and technologies and end-users (both practitioners and policymakers).

Overview of award criteria

The award criteria are the following:

• Excellence (5 points)
• Impact (5 points)
• Quality and efficiency of the implementation (5 points)

Maximum points: 15 points. Overall threshold: 10 points.

Procedures

Application procedures

All proposals must be submitted electronically via the Funders & Tenders Portal electronic submission system (accessible via the topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section). P Proposals must be complete and contain all parts and mandatory annexes and supporting documents, as outlined in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Application support available

For further help, please refer to the Online Manual on the Funding & Tenders Portal, as well as the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, which contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe.

Useful links

Link to funding opportunity

Link to the programme for more info