Technical Assistance to Define Priority Thematic Areas and Prepare Guidelines for Grants to Establish/Support Innovation Clusters in Egypt

Technical Assistance
to Define Priority Thematic Areas and Prepare Guidelines for Grants to Establish/Support Innovation Clusters in Egypt



POSITION:                    
o    1 Expert senior - renewable energy
o    1 Expert senior - life science
o    1 Expert senior  - water
o    1 Expert senior - food & agriculture
o    1 Expert senior – business development/ manufacturing industries
o    1 Expert senior -  Engineering
o    1 Expert senior – Environment

LOCATION:             Egypt
DURATION:             42 working days
STARTING DATE:         20/02/2012
LANGUE:            English/ Arabic
DATE DE SOUMISSION:    13/02/2012
CONTACT:            moc.ittegorpsra@oznam.e
                                                    moc.ittegorpsra@ognihcs.c
    
                                     

    Global objective
To assist the Programme Implementation Office (PIO) at the Ministry of Scientific Research (MoSR) providing necessary expertise to define the priority thematic areas under which future Calls for Proposals will be launched and develop the Guidelines for grants to Establish and support Innovation Clusters.

    Specific objective(s)

To provide senior experts to inter alia:
- Define main and sub-thematic areas for future grants.
- Develop the Guidelines for grants to establish and maintain Innovation Clusters


    Required outputs
 To provide expertise as experts (specialised in Renewable Energy, Life Sciences, Engineering, Environment, Food & Agriculture, Business Development/Manufacturing Industries, and Water) to carry out the necessary activities to accomplish the above mentioned specific objectives timely and in line with the following methodology:
the Contracting Authority in consultation with the PIO will provide the FWC with date and location of one to two meeting(s) to discuss and define main and sub thematic priority areas for future innovation grants. All senior experts will be required to participate in such meeting(s) and justify their recommendations.
After the meeting(s), experts will have to provide the Contracting Authority and PIO with a list of priority thematic and sub-thematic areas addressing national priorities/needs and the reasons for recommending each thematic/sub-thematic area the Contracting Authority in consultation with the PIO will provide the FWC with dates and locations of four meetings to discuss and develop the Guidelines for grants to establish and maintain Innovation Clusters. The Guidelines should include but not limited to; the conditions of forming a virtual (space-independent) specialised cluster,
the minimum number of actors (research/business organisations), their type/experience, the nature and size of the project to be implemented, other activities to ensure sustainability and knowledge exchange, etc. All senior experts will be required to participate in such meeting(s) and contribute to the development of the Guidelines.
After the meeting(s), the FWC will have to provide the Contracting Authority and PIO with an integrated Guidelines for grants to establish Innovation Clusters All requested experts must be available for 6 working days at the given timing and location. Presence Time Sheets will be signed by each expert according to their presence and standard FWC procedures.

    Profile and/or expertise required

Qualifications & Professional Experience of senior experts (7 covering possible fields expected to be covered by the Innovation Fund and Innovation clusters):

- Category and duration of equivalent experience
o    At least 10 years of relevant work experience, including a proven track record of work at the research/innovation-business interface;
- Education
o    Advanced University Degree (at least Masters or above) in a field related to one or more of the following disciplines (renewable energy, life sciences, engineering,environment, Food & Agriculture, Business Development/Manufacturing Industries, water) that are in line with future calls for proposals
- Experience
o    Extensive knowledge of Egypt’s landscape, national priorities and industrial capacities.
o    Good knowledge of international (including EU) R&D and innovation instruments;
o    Previous work experience in Middle Eastern or Arab countries is desirable
- Language skills
o    Fluent English and experience in writing detailed reports.
-Minimum required skills
o    At least 3 experts must have good command of Arabic
o    At two experts must have previous experience in establishing innovation clusters


LOCATION AND DURATION
Starting period

Defining the priority thematic areas for future calls for proposals will take place in February 2012.
The development of the Guidelines for grants to establish and maintain Innovation Clusters will take place on Sep/Oct 2012.

FORESEEN FINISHING PERIOD OR DURATION
Implementation of the contract will start in February 2012 and will end in December 2012 for a maximum duration of 10 months.

Planning including the period for notification for placement of the staff as per art 16.4 a)

The framework Contractor will be informed of exact days/weeks of performance in due time.

Location(s) of assignment
Egypt, mostly Cairo