Q & A

01. Some PIs need to have principal researchers to help with the work. To what extent can any of these researchers be released from their existing posts?
To the extent that it would not affect their actual job performance. Because their salaries reflect their effort in their job performance and skills, this issue should be worked out through a discussion between the lead PI and the researcher’s mentor or supervisor.Research team members can buy their own time in proportion to their efforts in the project to allow them to participate in the research. This cost should be listed under "SS1 Personnel Budget"  when building the budget and will be funded by QNRF. Return To Up

02. Does QNRF cover the family expenses for a researcher who needs to go abroad for about 2 or 3 months?
QNRF funds travel expenses of any member of the research team as per the member institution(s) travel policies provided that such expenses are covered in the original budget and justifications are given.QNRF does not fund travel expenses to spouse or family members accompanying the researcher going abroad to continue his research. Return To Up

03. Is funding of small proposals that require US$20,000 competing with those requiring US$350,000?
Yes, proposals all compete amongst each other based on scientific merit, the quality of the research team, the logic in disbursing the budget and other objective criteria as stated in details in the RFP. Return To Up

04. It is mentioned in the RFP that at least 50% of the Research effort should be in Qatar. How would QNRF evaluate that?
The effort is measured in working days and is calculated automatically by the Budget spreadsheet as a percentage of total working days spent on the project, once the PI enters his or her estimated number of days to be spent working on the project both inside and outside Qatar. Return To Up

05. Sometimes, the 50% of fund received in first year is not enough to buy the required equipment for the project, how would that be handled?
QNRF disburses the funds to the winning proposals based on the budget prepared by the Lead PI's who should take into account such a requirement. For such cases, QNRF expects the submitting institute to help in providing provisional loans. Return To Up

06. Can you please confirm that a 20% limit will be imposed on the project overhead out of the total proposal budget?
Yes, the 20% limit applies for total amount budget whether it is collaborative or not. Return To Up

07. I reside in Qatar but I visit our mother campus university in the US every other semester. Can the part of work I do for research in the US be considered as part of the 50% effort in Qatar?
No, because you are supposed to budget funds for that part of the work to be done by you on the mother campus. Therefore, it is considered as an effort outside Qatar, even though you reside in Qatar. However, If the work is done free of charge, then it is considered "free effort" made outside Qatar, but will not be counted as effort inside Qatar. The rationale is to transfer technology and expertise, as well as developing a research culture inside Qatar. Return To Up

08. Can the fund for NPRP support graduate students' fees?
QNRF will cover the part of the tuition fees in proportion of time spent in Qatar. Return To Up

As of 27/10/08 QNRF revised its budgetary policy. Please refer to Question 24, as listed below, in this section

09. Where should the tuition cost for graduate students be budgeted?
This should be included in the compensation of research staff budget category under "SS1 Personnel Budget". The RFP states that " for those researchers who come to Qatar specifically for work on an NPRP research project, accommodation, transportation, and graduate student tuition, equal to the researcher’s percentage of time spent on the project, may be charged to the project.". Return To Up

As of 27/10/08 QNRF revised its budgetary policy. Please refer to Question 24, as listed below, in this section

  10. in reference to the restrictive 21% limitation imposed on the indirect costs for all NPRP funded projectes, many faculty from these and other institutions would like to participate in the 2nd round of the NPRP program however, their home institutions assume indirect costs higher than the limit of 21% imposed in the NPRP solicitation. Practically, all the universities in the USA assume indirect costs higher than the 21% limitation mentioned in the 2nd NPRP solicitation. This issue practically stops all the US researchers and institutions from participating in the NPRP program. Therefore, I am kindly asking you whether there is any solution that can be envisioned to solve this limitation and enable these US researchers to participate in the 2nd NPRP solicitation? I believe that solving this issue will lead to a win-win situation both for the state of Qatar as well as for the researchers from the US and numerous other countries. We are kindly asking whether it is possible to remove this limitation of 21% for indirect costs?
Kindly be advised that the limitation of the indirect cost of 20% cannot be removed as it was a policy decision taken by QF higher management and cannot be changed. Please refer to page 11 of the NPRP - RFP in the link below which states that "the amount of the Indirect Budget should not exceed 20% of the total fund requested from QNRF". This implicitly means that an institution outside Qatar can charge more than the 20% limit if the indirect budget of the collaborating institution in Qatar is less than 20%, provided that the total or the combined indirect cost does not exceed 20% of the total fund required throughout the project. Return To Up

  11. It is mentioned in part 9. "Eligible Expenses" of the RFP that “65% or more of the total funded research effort must occur in Qatar”. Given that the salaries of PIs belonging to a Collaborating Institution outside Qatar are paid outside Qatar, will the salary share be considered as part of the 65% when the PIs spend working days in Qatar or is a PIs salary always considered as not part of the 65% despite their physical presence in Qatar?
A PI from a Collaborating institute based outside Qatar will enter the cost of his planned research days into the Budget template as being either "Inside" or "Outside" Qatar and the "Combined Budget" template will then display this expense as part of the percentage of TOTAL expenditure that is incurred either inside or outside Qatar. The same principle applies to all budget categories. When the PI is working in Qatar his expenses will be classified as "In Qatar". Return To Up

As of 27/10/08 QNRF revised its budgetary policy. Please refer to Question 24, as listed below, in this section

  12. If my Co-PI on an NPRP proposal resides outside Qatar, and needs to come to Qatar for few weeks for the research project, can I budget his/her travel, accommodation, and salary compensation from the 65% of the budget to be spent in Qatar? Same question if I want to bring in a consultant to help with project in Qatar.
No, it should be covered from the 35% of the total. Return To Up

As of 27/10/08 QNRF revised its budgetary policy. Please refer to Question 24, as listed below, in this section

  13. I am submitting a proposal as a PI from an Institution outside Qatar with an institution inside Qatar as my collaborator. In the budget template, there is a tab labeled "Submitting Institute" and "Collaborating Institute 1". Does the institution outside Qatar budget entered in the Submitting Institute tab, and the institution inside Qatar entered in the Collaborating Institute 1 or vice-versa?
No, it is vice-versa namely; the institution outside Qatar budget should be entered in the Collaborating Institute-1 and the institution inside Qatar should be entered in the Submitting Institute tab as by definition the submitting institute should be an organization inside Qatar. Return To Up

  14. Is it correct to assume, based on the RFP statement that no more than 35% of the funding can be spent outside of Qatar? Based on this specification, what if equipment is purchased from a vendor outside of Qatar but the equipment is used here? Obviously the cost of the piece of equipment will be paid to a vendor outside of Qatar, however, the equipment is being used here. In another instance, what if survey data is purchased from a vendor outside of Qatar but is analyzed here in Qatar? Do both of these conditions above need to be fulfilled?
Yes, as stated in the RFP, no more than 35% of the total awarded can be spent outside Qatar. If the equipment or the data is purchased through a vendor based in Qatar, then the expenditure is classified as "Inside Qatar", otherwise it is "Outside Qatar". Where some specialist equipment items need to be fabricated or supplied from outside Qatar and the payment to the supplier is made from Qatar, the expenditure is classified as "Inside Qatar". There is no possibility for unrestricted spending as all expenditure, whether inside or outside Qatar, must be in accordance with the approved budget. Return To Up

As of 27/10/08 QNRF revised its budgetary policy. Please refer to Question 24, as listed below, in this section

  15. Where would survey costs as a line item be included? Unlike the first NPRP, the existing documents restrict miscellaneous expenses to not exceed 5% of the project’s yearly budget. Data sets or survey work can easily exceed 5% of a project's yearly budget, just like equipment can exceed more than 5% of a project's yearly budget. It is not clear where instruments such as a dataset or survey work would be identified in the budget.
"Supplies and Materials" is a suitable budget category for survey data. Return To Up

  16. In the RFP the following is state, "All travel costs charged to the grant must comply with the Awardee institute's own travel policy, unless otherwise approved in writing from QNRF and must not exceed the approved budget category." When the outside reviewer(s) are reading the proposal and budgets and scoring, how would the reviewer(s) know whether the budgets are in sync with the Awardee institute's own travel policy?
The Research Office of the submitting institution will vet the proposal for compliance with their own internal policy before submission to the peer reviewers by QNRF. In this case we highly recommend that you justify your travel expenses based on your institution policies to make the peer reviewers aware of that. Return To Up

  17. Do we have to specifically state who the consultant is (name, affiliation, etc…), or we could simply protect (estimate) for their salary?
You need to list “Consultant Fees” in Personnel section in the Budget sheet. Following the Budget sheet you can justify the consultant fees in the budget justification . Also you may describe the necessity for having any number of consultants in the resources section of the proposal. Return To Up

  18. Is there a limit to how much money one could allocate to pay consultants?
There is no maximum limit on consultant fees. However, Lead PIs should keep in mind that consultant fee and justifications will be evaluated by the peer reviewers. Return To Up

  19. Is funding permitted to be used to compensate individuals who complete a survey for the research purpose?
They are not considered as incentives but rather compensation for their efforts, and as long as they are reasonable. Return To Up

  20. Could you please confirm if the 20% indirect costs are part of the $350,000 maximum/year? Therefore, $280,000 is direct and $70,000 is indirect.

Or are we are to calculate 20% indirect cost on top of the $350,00 maximum/year? Therefore, $350,000 is direct and $70,000 is indirect. Which of the scenarios is correct?
Indirect budget is limited to 20% of the total award i.e. it is not added to the awarded amount; thus the first scenario is correct. Return To Up

  21. How is visa funding budgeted? If it is paid to a consulate inside Qatar, would that figure be "inside Qatar" (part of 65%) or outside (part of 35%)?
Any payment made inside Qatar is classified as such for budget purposes. Return To Up

As of 27/10/08 QNRF revised its budgetary policy. Please refer to Question 24, as listed below, in this section

  22. Under what budget category does the purchase of survey data go as a line item? Equipment or miscellaneous? The data (survey data) can be as expensive as equipment as in social research it is the equivalent of a medical researcher purchasing equipment for his/her basic science or clinical research.
As per the RFP, the Miscellaneous category includes communications, administrative and other similar costs. It is also subject to a cap of 5% of the total annual budget and thus including the purchase of survey data means that it would quickly exceed this limit. In such case "Supplies and Materials" is a suitable budget category for purchasing survey data. Return To Up

  23. Per the Excel budget file, the directions indicate that a trip departing Doha for another destination is considered as funding spent "in Qatar," thus part of the 65% budget.

Would it be correct to assume that meals and lodging for the trip also be budgeted as funding spent "in Qatar?"
Yes, that is correct. Return To Up

  24. It seems and based on the answers to other questions posed on the Q&A website, that a PI who resides outside of Qatar, can come to work in Qatar and allocate 50% effort in Qatar in addition to seeing that 50% of the research is done outside of Qatar through the remainder of his research team.

This is the exact instance that we are facing. The PI from another country has indicated that he will be here for 50% of the research period, per year, and because he will be working here, his travel, lodging, meals and incidentals will become part of the 65% budget with the remaining 35% being spent when he is back home.
The Lead PI is responsible for allocating the budget as either outside or inside Qatar, by following QNRF policies as described in NPRP RFP which spells out clearly that at least 50% effort of the research, measured in funded days, should be spent inside Qatar. However, QNRF has recently adopted a new policy to cover his salary, tution fees, airfare, per diem (accommodation, food, transportation, health insurance) and these items can be now deducted from the 65% portion budget for the work duration inside Qatar provided that the total amount deducted does not exceed 15% of the total annual budget. If a case requires more than 15% then the balance must be covered from the 35% portion of the budget that is outside Qatar. Return To Up

  25. I am considering a budget line for one or more consultants on my project. Should that line item appear once (in other words, in the form of a lump sum)? Or should it be spread out evenly over all the years of the grant? And should travel for that consultant be budgeted in my proposal, or should that travel come from the money paid to the consultant?
If the Consultant is engaged for the full duration of the project and that period extends beyond one year, then the consultant’s fees should be shown separately for each year. However, the travel cost of the consultant should be shown under the travel budget line. It is worth adding that QNRF encourages the inclusion of as much detail as possible on the budget sheets as this will allow the Peer Reviewers to make a much more informed judgment in favor of the proposal. Return To Up

  26. Do we need to write names of the personnel in budget?
Yes, if you know them you must write their names, or you can use TBD in case they are not identified yet. Return To Up

  27.On a project with multiple universities listed as collaborators, may I have the submitting university handle all of the budget for travel, or must each university for each key investigator manage funds for travel?
Each institution should prepare its own budget then should be combined by the lead PI. Return To Up

  28. Which travel policy should be followed when key investigators plan to work in Qatar?
It should follow the submitting institution policy as this part of the budget will be covered from the 65% total annual budget inside Qatar. However, this should not exceed 15% of this budget. Return To Up

  29. Do the money spent for attending training workshop or conference outside Qatar for a PI with a full-time employment with a university located inside Qatar qualify as ``Inside-Qatar" or ``Outside-Qatar" expense?
Such expenditure is classified as "inside Qatar" as defined by the point of origin when departing for the trip. Return To Up

  30. We have made some revision on the new budget template and since we already submitted our proposal through the QNRF website, it looks like we are unable to revise that electronic submission. What should we do?
As our policy does not allow us to change or revise the content of the submitted proposals on behalf of Lead PIs or any other entity, I am asking our webmaster, to change the status of your proposal from "finally submitted" to "in preparation". Return To Up

2. Collaboration

01. I do not have the facilities necessary to carry out my research proposal. How can I find a suitable collaborative partner?
In response to the difficulties expressed by potential applicants sourcing a suitable collaborative partner, whether inside or outside Qatar, QNRF has introduced a new page on it s website entitled “Looking for collaboration?” Applicants are encouraged to complete the appropriate form, as posted on the QNRF website, <Click here>. Such requests will then be screened by QNRF and published on a new collaboration opportunities link <Click here>. In the interests of transparency, QNRF will not participate in the actual matching process but expects dialogue to take place directly between the interested parties. Return To Up

02.What are the conduits, or means, for researchers outside Qatar to establish collaboration with PIs inside Qatar?
There are various means to identify researchers inside Qatar to establish collaboration, such conduits are the following:
1. QNRF collaboration web page, where researchers may find interesting collaborators in the same research area.
2. Links and websites of research and academic institutions in Qatar, which may lead to names and specialties of researchers in various areas; Please click here to view this page.
3. National, regional and international conferences, such as conferences held inside Qatar, UAE, UN and world wide.
4. Publications, scientific associations and professional societies inside Qatar.
5. Scholars you may know in this area. Return To Up

03. Can you have the list of "requested for collaboration" page be categorized to “Inside Qatar” and “Outside Qatar”. Such that we do not need to open every request to see the details?
Very good suggestion. We will try to fix this issue. Return To Up

04. Can I seek collaboration from the UNESCO Office in Doha?
Yes, provided that the UNESCO office in Doha is registered in Qatar and they comply with FMA and they provide their support letter for collaboration. Return To Up

05. At present I am trying to locate people in Qatar who might have an interest in an important area of research and also in teaching. Any key contacts you might have would be very helpful. It would be ideal if I could meet these people, visit their labs and have discussions about collaboration before submitting a proposal.
Please use the"Looking for collaborators" tab on QNRF's website. Return To Up

06. What makes an institute outside Qatar a collaborating institute and a support letter is required from that institute?
Please refer to the Collaborative Institute definition in the NPRP RFP "Collaborative Institution: Any academic, government, or private organization in or outside the State of Qatar collaborating with the submitting institution in conducting the research proposal." Therefore, any such institute should submit supporting letter so that that it can be uploaded by the Lead PI during proposal submission. Return To Up

07. If I am proposing research in an institution outside Qatar which could be projected to Qatar but need collaborators and help both funding and identifying the collaborators at Qatar, would this be possible?
Yes, you can Identify collaborators through QNRF website page "Collaboration opportunities". Return To Up

08. The Lead PI is from outside Qatar but has no collaborator from Qatar. Can he submit the full proposal to QNRF?
No, he must first identify a collaborator inside Qatar as his submitting institute in. Return To Up

09. Having to register Co-PIs and key-researchers as new feature for this round of NPRP, why is there need for this new layer of administration?
First to make sure that they agree to work with you, they might have other commitments as they might have accepted other invitations. Second to facilitate the Lead PI to retrieve their data automatically. Third, to give the Co-PIs the opportunity to view the proposal while being prepared by the Lead PI, which is still work in progress. Return To Up

01. I work in an institution in Qatar. Can I be one of the local peer reviewers who review the NPRP proposals?
No. Refer to Q&A number 10. Return To Up

01. Can a graduate participate in such research grants? What are the conditions?
A graduate may participate in the research grant if he/she was part of the research team. There are no conditions from our part and it is the responsibility of the Lead PI to select his research team in accordance to their research qualifications. Return To Up

02. Can Lead PI's submit proposals in subjects other than those given in the priority list?
The subjects covered in the priority list published on the QNRF website is not an exhaustive list. However, any new subjects are welcome. Return To Up

03. Are private companies eligible to apply for an NPRP research grant on their own? Is a company required to partner with an academic institution?
Private companies located inside Qatar can submit a proposal on their own ONLY if the company is research oriented or has research resources and facilities to conduct research. Furthermore, their Research Office (RO) should register with QNRF. Otherwise, the researcher in a private company may seek a collaborator in one of Qatar's academic institutions, through which the proposal should be submitted. Return To Up

04. Should the Lead PI reside in Qatar, and can the Co-PI be responsible for contacting the RO of the submitting institution in Qatar?
The lead PI may reside in or outside Qatar. Yes, a Co-PI residing in Qatar can be responsible for contacting the RO of the submitting institution. Return To Up

05. Do the two conditions of allowing up to five proposals to be submitted and a maximum of two awarded per cycle apply to Co-PIs?
These two conditions are only applied to the Lead PI. Although there is no cap on the number of submitted proposals for the Co-PI, he /she should not compromise her / his normal working hours by getting involved in too many proposals as Co-PI. This issue will be vetted by the RO. Return To Up

06. Does QNRFsupport an individual research proposal in order to conduct research in Qatari laboratories?
Proposals can be for research to be carried out exclusively within Qatar, however, any proposal must be come via a submitting institution based inside Qatar. If your institution is not located in Qatar you need to partner with another PI working within an institution that is based inside Qatar. Please read the RFP on our website for more details. Return To Up

07. Can a project aiming at preparing a new curriculum to teach Arabic to Heritage learners (people of Arab origin, but where Arabic is their second language) in higher education & secondary school levels be eligible for funding?
QNRF seeks to support a broad variety of projects. These include basic, applied and experimental development research. Since preparing a new curriculum does not fall within any of these definitions of research, preparing a new curriculum is not eligible for the NPRP. However, the outcome of using this curriculum, the analysis and statistical studies that you may conduct may be considered for a research project in education. Return To Up

08. Does QNRF offer research grants in the Medical Ethics area?
QNRF funds a broad range of research projects in various areas in basic, applied sciences and development of technologies. Proposals in Natural sciences, Engineering and Technology, Medical and Health sciences, Agricultural sciences, Social sciences and Humanities are eligible for submission. Research in Medical Ethics is part of Medical and Health sciences. Return To Up

09. As an employee in a private institution in Qatar, I would like to carry out research as a part-time job without quitting my current position. How can that be done?
You need to communicate with your employer in Qatar in order to get their approval to allow you to conduct the research. It is an internal matter between you and your employer over which QNRF has no influence. Return To Up

10. Is it possible for the same research team with different Lead PIs win more than two proposals?
Yes, it is possible for the same research team with different Lead PI's as long as the condition on the Lead PI is met; Refer to Q&A 8. Return To Up

11. Does NPRP fund short-term educational projects for research in workshops, conferences and short courses?
The NPRP does not cover such activities. However, QNRF plans to fund such activities under different programs in the future. Return To Up

12. Is there a limit on the number of proposals and/or awards that a person may have as a Co-PI?
No, there is no limit currently on the number of proposals that a PI or Co-PI can participate in. However, the condition mentioned will apply only to the Lead PI. Return To Up

13. I am a contact PI and reside in Qatar, but I visit mother campus Universities in the U.S. every other semester, and during vacations. can I still be considered as a contact PI?
Yes you are eligible, as long as you maintain the status of resident in Qatar. See the definition of 'resident in Qatar' in the RFP. Return To Up

14. Can I submit an LoI and proposal on collaboration on "Green Energy" graduate education and research?
Yes, as long as you have a partner in Qatar. Refer to question 2 in Eligibility. Return To Up

15. Should the collaborating partner be a faculty at a university in Qatar or a business partner?
"Grants will be made to the successful PI’s academic, government, or private institution operating in or through a branch entity located. Return To Up

16. Can an institution outside Qatar be the submitting Institution (Awardee) and then commit to open a branch in Qatar if the project is awarded, in order to comply with §2 p.5 (“Grant will be made to the successful PI’s academic, government, or private institution operating in or through a branch entity located inside the State of Qatar.”)?
No. Return To Up

17. Do we consider consultants as Key investigator?
Consultants have a key role in the projects and we have added them already in the Key investigators' section of the QNRF online proposal submission system. Return To Up

18. Assume you have a team of researchers from one institute outside Qatar who wants to collaborate w/someone in Qatar on multiple projects as follow:

Outside Qatar, you have 3 investigators (same institute): PI-1, PI-2, and PI-3 Inside Qatar, you have PI-Q;

can they submit the following proposals?
Proposal 1: PI-1 is lead PI, and the rest are co-PIs (PI-2, PI3, & PI-Q)
Proposal 2: PI-2 is the Lead PI, and the rest are co-PIs (PI-1, PI-3, & PI-Q)
Proposal 3: PI-3 is the Lead PI, and the rest are co-PIs (PI-1, PI-2, & PI-Q)
Proposal 4: PI-Q is the Lead PI, and the rest are co-PIs (PI-1, PI-2, &PI-Q)
Yes, as long as lead PI don't submit more than 5 proposals per cycle; however no more than two proposals will be awarded (NPRP RFP). There is no limit in the number of submitted and awarded proposals for the co-PIs. Return To Up

19. Is research funding particular to research in Qatar only?
"QNRF seeks to support a broad variety of projects. These include basic and applied research projects in the Natural sciences, Engineering and Technology, Medical and Health sciences, Agricultural sciences, Social sciences and Humanities. Proposals are invited in all of these disciplines. Proposals should address Qatar’s national interest." NPRP RFP Return To Up

20. Are there any QNRF’s requirements to where, who, etc. can be considered as a consultant, or this is left to the professional judgment of the research team?
Consultant could be in or outside Qatar. Please, read definition of consultant in Appendix 1 in the RFP. Return To Up

01. For collaborating proposals, which IRB should be submitted?
If the work is carried out by a research institution within Qatar, involving human or animal subjects, then Qatar National Ethics and Regulations should be applied. The Qatar National Ethics Policy, together with guidelines and regulations, is still under preparation by the NHA and will be made available soon. For the work performed outside Qatar, the IRB approval from the collaborating institution(s) is also required for that part. Return To Up

02. Regarding human subjects, is QNRF developing its own guidelines or is it following those of the international organizations?
The Qatar National Health Authority (NHA) is currently developing guidelines and regulations for researchers' compliance and implementation, where their research involves human subjects. These guidelines and regulations will be available soon (before the submission deadline) and are similar to the international guidelines and regulations followed elsewhere in the world, however consideration is given to the social, cultural and religious aspects of Qatar. Research institutions in Qatar should eventually develop their own Institutional Review Boards (IRB) where NHA guidelines and regulations are implemented in addition to the institution's own internal regulations. Return To Up

03. How does QNRF handle the IP rights?
In short, QNRF follows the international model of IP rights. Please visit QF IP policy. Return To Up

04. For an experimental chemistry proposal, it is not clear what statement you are looking for with regard to "hazards". Can you clarify what is needed in the ethics statement regarding hazards?
By hazardous material we mean; chemical, biological, or radioactive. During preparation of your proposal, you may just provide a letter from your head of department confirming that "if this proposal is funded, the lead PI will provide the ethical guidelines compliance with international hazardous regulations". However, if already available, you may upload it during the preparation of the proposal. Return To Up

05. If you are collaborating with other institutions, do you need a letter from all institutions involved for the ethical proposal?
No, just from the Lead PI institution. Return To Up

06. If the proposal is funded, who should submit the IRB approval?
The IRB approved protocols should be submitted by Lead PI taking into consideration the guidelines and regulations of the collaborating institutions. Return To Up

6. Fund Management

01. If a certain PI from a company is collaborating with an a academic partner, would the awarded budget go to the company or the institution?
The award will go to the submitting research institute (known as the "awardee") whether it is a private company or an academic institution which will manage the disbursement of the fund. Please read section 10 of the RFP entitled "Fund Management" for more details. Return To Up

02. Is it possible for the same research team with different Lead PIs win more than two proposals?
Yes, in such a case it will be automatically rejected as it is the RO responsibility to vet and attach the required endorsement letters before the deadline. Return To Up

03. I am an NPRP award-wining PI and since being awarded funding for my project I have been informed that a member of my original research team has been promoted and posted overseas and can therefore no longer participate in the project. Another Co-PI team member, with similar experience, has willingly agreed to commit extra days to make up the research effort needed to attain our objective. Do I have to notify QNRF of a change in the Staff Costs? In addition to this, a change in circumstances now dictates that I no longer need to attend an overseas conference, although the cost of travel was built into my awarded budget. Can I now use the funds that were originally allocated to attending that conference to buy a new piece of equipment, not available at the time of submitting my proposal?
QNRF is aware that, over time, budgets may become outdated and therefore provides a mechanism for review and amendment of the original submission. In this example both the change in the number of funded days (effort) required from any member of the research team (within the same budget category) and the proposed reallocation of funds (from one category to another) are dealt with by formally applying to QNRF, through the RO using the template provided, with written justification for the changes. In committee, QNRF will then consider the request and either grant or deny it, sending its formal response to the RO office.
Provision is built into the FMA for up to 5% of a budget category to be transferred to another category, with the permission of QNRF, providing that the receiving category’s budget does not itself exceed 5% of its original total. In addition there may be other requirements that need to be met – in the case of a change in the project’s team members, at least 50% of the effort must be within Qatar and the physical location of a replacement team member should be taken into account as it may affect this requirement. Whilst movements within budget categories may be allowed, the overall award can be neither increased nor decreased.
Such requests, whilst never pre-judged, may be interpreted as evidence of inadequate project planning, reflecting poorly on the PI, and thus QNRF would like to emphasise that careful consideration should be given to the construction of the budget at the earliest stages, as it will be exception, and not the rule, to grant such requests. Return To Up

04.Can funding money can be allocated directly to a UK university? What percentage of Full Economic Costing (FEC) is available (most UK research councils are 80% and charities range from 20% to 80%)?
Regardless of their geographical location, all applicants to the NPRP must partner with a Qatari institution (referred to in QNRF documentation as the “Awardee”). That institution will then assume responsibility for disbursement of the award and although funds cannot be transferred directly from QNRF to an overseas institution, the Awardee institution can make such a transfer as long as it is in line with the Lead PI’s approved budget.
FEC is a costing methodology now used in all UK higher education institutions to help calculate the full economic cost of individual research projects and to assess the potential for recovery of that cost. Whilst QNRF recognises that the ongoing under-recovery of costs cannot be sustained by any research institution, it does currently limit the contribution to an institution’s indirect costs to a maximum of 20% of the total amount awarded, as the primary purpose of the award is to fund research. Return To Up

05. Please clarify whether our relationship with the submitting institution inside Qatar will be subcontractor to that institution or with the government of Qatar (project participant) and if we are a subcontractor, whether any terms and conditions from the government contract flow down to the subcontractor (e.g. audit rights of the Qatar government; instructions on how to calculate hourly rates, limitation of overhead to 20%, etc) i.e. who is our contract party?
You will be a subcontractor to the submitting institution and, in the case of a winning proposal when the submitting institution will be designated as "Awardee" you will have to follow their own internal policies, which differ from one institution to another. Return To Up

06. In which case can an awarded institution grant sub-awards? Does it need to have approval of the other collaborating institutions, referring to §9 p.11 (“The awarded institution is authorized to grant sub-awards based solely on the separate budget submitted by the collaborating institution(s).”)?
This is regulated by the Fund Management Agreement Return To Up

01. Please clarify if it is required that all members the research team be need registered by the LOI deadline or by the Final Submission deadline.
No, they don't need to register by the LoI deadline, but they do need to register in time for you to select them during your proposal preparation stage. Return To Up

02. Can the Lead PI be changed after submitting the Letter of Intent, i.e. can he switch his position with a Co-PI?
Yes he can, but it must be before the deadline of LoI submission, whilst he can still delete his original LoI and then the co-PI must register as a lead PI and submit a new LoI. Return To Up

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03. We are in the process of selecting a suitable Qatari partner for our project and this might be done during October. We understand that, regarding submission of the Letter of Intent (deadline 1st October) at that time there is no need to have a Qatari partner on board as the LoI will be submitted by a Lead PI residing outside Qatar.
Yes, at the LoI submission stage you don't need to have partnered with PIs inside Qatar, but you must identify your partners and their RO before the proposal submission deadline.Return To Up

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04. If the definition of a topic falls between two Frascati classifications, can we register both areas or shall we select just one?
You need to pick the most suitable classification of the two and you can do this by using "keywords" to identify other areas discussed in your project. Return To Up

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05. I submitted one LoI for the NPRP and I am wondering if we need to include all PIs involved in this proposal. When I applied, I couldn't see any forms to include other Pis
You do not need to include the names of the PIs or Co-PIs who are collaborating with you at the stage of LoI however, this will be required during the proposal submission stage. Return To Up

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06. I am trying to send you LoIs for two research projects and I am struggling with uploading CV which is in word format. My computer can open PDF files but it cannot create them. Can you help?
Please go to http://www.doc2pdf.net/converter/ to convert your files online to PDf format. Return To Up

07. Can lead PI mentioned in the LOI be changed to Co-PI upon agreement of both lead PI and PI?
During LOI submission, they can change positions, but during the period of proposal preparation, they can't change either status. However, if awarded they can submit a modification request to QNRF with their justifications, which is subject to QNRF approval. Return To Up

31. Who should sign the proposal, can the contact PI sign it in behalf of the lead PI?
No, it should be done by the lead PI. Return To Up

32.Can the online proposal preparation be don on intervals (complete some part and finish the rest the next day)?
Yes, you can write or edit any section and after saving it you can log off and continue later on. Return To Up

33.Where should the hardcopy be sent to; is it to the RO?
The hardcopy of Proposals dispatched via courier, post marked the date of dispatching, or hand delivered to QNRF or the RO of the submitting institution to be collected by the QNRF representative. Return To Up

34.If the publications are books not available as electronic files, should they be submitted as hardcopy or it is enough to write the titles?
You need to write the title, chapter, the author name and the publisher. Return To Up

35.Should the number of pages of a resubmitted proposal be limited to the 25 pages? If one reviewer asks for extension of a section, we wouldn't be able to satisfy his request.
The length of the proposal for both new and re-submitted proposal is the same(25 pages) however, the re submitted proposal will have 3 pages (extra) to respond to the PRs comments in the last submission. Return To Up

36.Can you submit a 1 year proposal with budget exceeding 350,000$ and the balance can be supported by collaborating institution.
No, QNRF policy does not allow co-funding Return To Up

37.Can any of the key investigators (co-PI) login and change the proposal they are participating in and how can we make sure that it is not done without the permission of the Lead PI?
No, None of the key investigators can login to the proposal of the lead PI and change its content. However, QNRF is developing a feature where the collaborators can view the proposal without modifying it. Return To Up

38.Does the NPRP ID in the template of the supporting letter refers to the PIs or to the proposal?
It refers to the proposal. Return To Up

39.Can I Add general support letters (for organizations that are not part of the budget): For example, our proposal requires data from Ashghal, Traffic Police, and Urban planning. Where can I attach these letters that indicating that they are willing to share and provide data with the project?
Yes, you can add any general support letters from any collaborative institution that support your research through adding the institution name to the collaborative institution drop down menu. Then you may upload the pertinent support letter. Return To Up

40.I have had a problem when I try to submit my proposal I get this message "These investigators have not yet approved their participation on this project:…" I don't understand the message?
Please ask the key investigators to log in to their accounts on QNRF website, and approve their participation in the project. Return To Up

41.Some of us have already submitted and several are almost finished their proposals, so is it acceptable to use old templates for the support letter, endoresment letter, budget or the biosketch templates?
There is no objection in using the old versions for the support letter, endoresment letter, biosketch and budget templates, however for those who haven't submitted theirs yet, it is advisable to use the new versions. Return To Up

42.When we submit the hard copy of the proposal, is that printed straight from the system, or do we compile our materials separately to package as the hard copy for your review?
The hard copy is obtained by printing the entire online sections then opening the uploaded sections and arrange the proposal in the order described in the Instructions. Return To Up

43.Are we supposed to provide one supporting letter per proposal by listing all PIs involved from any particular institution?
Separate supporting letters are required for each key-investigator from their relevant institutions. Return To Up