Circularity - FFI - spring 2024

A call for proposals within the program FFI Fordonsstrategisk research and innovation, sub-programme Circularity

Vehicle strategic research and innovation (FFI) is a collaboration between the state and the automotive industry to jointly finance research, innovation and development activities with a focus on making Sweden a leader in the global transition to sustainable road transport. FFI finances research and development activities for approximately one billion kroner per year, of which the government funding is 420 million kroner.

This the offer finances project that addresses the Circularity sub-programme. The purpose is to support research and development activities that contribute to minimizing climate and environmental impact from a life cycle perspective and strengthen sustainability through the entire value chain linked to the development, manufacture and decommissioning of vehicles. The projects will also contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of the Swedish automotive industry. See section 7 Assessment of received applications for more information.

FFI finances project that touch one of the sub-programme's focus areas:

Design for circularity, for example:

• Taking responsibility for the entire value chain, including through circular business models. A shift in skills is needed throughout the chain; development, manufacturing and recycling and reuse.
• Optimized lifespan of products, materials and parts.
• Development of methods, tools and standards.
• Circular material flows.
• New production processes that enable reuse and recycling.
• Modularization for increased lifespan, interchangeability and flexibility.

Social sustainability throughout the value chain, for example:

• Ethical and social aspects of sustainability.
• Retain employees and attract new skills through technologies and solutions for cognitive and physical support.
• Clean and sustainable factories.
  
  

Climate-neutral, circular manufacturing and recycling, for example:

• Reuse, including of equipment.
• Sustainable, resource-efficient and circular production systems.
• New technologies, among other things to adapt to electrification and reduce the current environmental footprint.
• To create the conditions for robust production chains
• Increased use of secondary materials.
  
  

Other areas that contribute to the sub-programme's mission, for example:

• New materials, technologies or methods that radically minimize the environmental impact from the development, manufacture and decommissioning of vehicles.

This call for proposals covers all focus areas, but applications within the focus area "Social sustainability throughout the value chain" are particularly encouraged.

Bilagan Effektlogik has also been more clearly included in assessment of the project or the feasibility study's potential. Feasibility studies are particularly welcome and a completed one is expected to be followed by a full-scale project.

Read FFI's Roadmap before writing your proposal

We address research organizations, companies, public and non-profit organizations that address one or some of the above-mentioned areas and that intend to develop new solutions and methods.

The project that are financed must be of the nature;

• Pre-studies and smaller studies with a project duration of 6–9 months, as well as requested funds of a maximum of SEK 500,000.
• Full-scale project with project duration of a maximum of 4 years.

Vinnova intends to grant funding of a maximum of 50 percent for the sub-programme. Each individual project must have at least 25 percent business financing. The total grant budget for the call for proposals is approximately SEK 37 million.

For all project, an actor constellation consisting of at least two parties is required.

FFI's mission is to drive road transport innovations for a sustainable society. The program has a roadmap that sets the direction towards 2030. The long-term vision is that Sweden leads the global transition to sustainable road transport. Three impact goals and five sub-programmes guide the work.

In proposal it must be clearly stated that the project's objective contributes to the program's impact goals, the subprogram's section in FFI's Roadmap and the section "Important aspects for all subprogrammes" summarized here:

• Internationalisation
  As a whole, an international approach is needed in the entire project portfolio to create synergies and develop internationally connected research and innovation environments.
• Competitiveness
  The program will contribute to strengthening industrial competitiveness and developing competitive transport solutions for a global market.
• Digitalisation
  Digitization is an important enabler for realizing the overall impact goals and pervades all sub-programmes.
• Equality and gender equality
  In order to create successful innovations, investments are needed that challenge norms and contribute to increased gender equality. The program wants to actively contribute to ensuring that equality perspectives are actively highlighted both within project group compositions and within research questions.
• Tackle policy, regulations and technology
  To facilitate the development and implementation of technology, the development of policy and regulations needs to happen simultaneously.
• Risk relief
  The program stands for risk relief for courageous development steps in a time of high rate of change. Incremental improvement in mature areas receives less focus.

We see a clear need for a broader system perspective where traditional and new actors need to collaborate, test and drive development in order to increase the pace of innovation. In addition to new technology, changes to regulations, infrastructure, business models and behaviors are required.

The concept of innovation includes both process, product and organizational innovations. An 'innovation' is thus the implementation of a new or significantly improved product such as a good or service, or process, a new marketing method or a new organizational method in business practices, workplace organization or external relations.

With the Circularity sub-programme, FFI wants to contribute to increasing competence within, and find concrete solutions for, challenges linked to circularity.

Read more about circularity here

Among other things, the sub-programme shall contribute to reduced climate emissions and energy use, more efficient use of resources and the phasing out of hazardous substances linked to the manufacture and decommissioning of vehicles.

For the full content of the sub-program see FFI's roadmap

This call for proposals covers all focus areas, but project proposals that address the focus area "Social sustainability throughout the value chain" are particularly encouraged.

Vinnova is tasked with promoting sustainable growth and community development, and our efforts are aimed at achieving the Agenda 2030 goals.

Read more about our work to contribute to the goals of Agenda 2030

Climate and gender equality are singled out for special consideration. Vinnova also follows up and assesses whether both women and men equally share in the contribution, participate in and have influence over the project, as well as gender or gender aspects that are relevant.

Another aspect involves analyzing and deciding whether there are gender or gender aspects that are relevant in connection with the project's problem area, solutions and utilization. This question is mandatory for all applicant and can be found under the heading " Project tasks". In this call for proposals the question is the basis for assessment under the potential criterion, section 7.

Read more about what our work for equal innovation means for those of you who seek funding from us

Results from research and innovation that are made freely available increase the opportunity for more people to contribute to solutions to societal challenges. The call for proposals should contribute to making more results freely available to everyone and scientific publication should take place with open access.

This the offer is addressed to all groups of actors, who together intend to develop innovative solutions to minimize climate and environmental impact from a life cycle perspective and strengthen sustainability through the entire value chain linked to the development, manufacture and decommissioning of vehicles. Stakeholder groups that intend to work with the focus area "Social sustainability in the entire value chain" are particularly encouraged in this call for proposals.

Foreign actors may be relevant and possibly necessary to include as project partners in the project. If these actors do not have a branch or place of business in Sweden, they cannot receive support from Vinnova in this call for proposals.

This offer finances research and development activities, the aim of which is to contribute to one or more of the focus areas mentioned in section 1 within Circularity.

Activities for which funding can be applied for

Examples of activities for which it is possible to apply for funding are developing, testing and evaluating solutions and preparing for implementation and utilization.

The types of project activities that are approved within the framework of this call for proposals must be covered by one of the support bases Feasibility study, Industrial research or Experimental development.

On this page there is a short description of these support bases in Vinnova's tables of support levels for government support

In other words, the development and innovation project must aim to develop and validate technology, methods, processes and business models. But also the conditions and strategy for spreading, scaling up and making use of the project's results.

Funding to parties that do not conduct economic activities, for example research organizations, academia and actors in the public sector, funding is granted with support of regulation (2009:1101) with instructions for the Agency for innovation system. Such actors can be granted funding with up to 100 percent of the eligible costs.

Eligible costs

Our funding takes place through funding. Funding for organizations that carry out economic activities is covered by rules on state support. The rules govern, among other things, which types of costs and what proportion of them may be covered by funding.

Read more about government support on our website

For a cost to be eligible for support, it must be actual, auditable and incurred within the project period. Accounting for project costs must be distinguishable from the company's other transactions. This also applies to any parties who are not beneficiary.

Which costs are eligible for support can be found in the Instructions for eligible costs which you can find here

Please note the following special conditions for FFI regarding:

• Personnel and salary costs: may amount to a maximum of SEK 950 per hour including indirect costs of a maximum of 30 percent.

How much funding a participant can be granted depends, among other things, on the size of the organization. The document table of support levels for government support clarifies what applies to various large organizations that carry out economic activities.

Here you will find the table for support levels

Each participant is responsible for ensuring that funding received does not exceed the aid intensity permitted according to the rules for state support. Please note that the maximum grant share per project is not the same as the maximum permitted support level per participant.

The following conditions apply to the call for proposals:

• Vinnova intends to grant funding of a maximum of 50 percent for the sub-programme. Each individual project must have at least 25 percent business financing.
• All costs in the budget must meet Vinnova's eligibility requirements at eligible costs. See section 4.
• Vinnova does not finance companies that are in financial difficulties.

Conditions for us to assess proposal

We will only assess applications that meet the following formal eligibility requirements:

• Beneficiary are legal entities with a Swedish corporate identity number. A Swedish legal person is equated in this respect to a foreign organization that has a branch or place of business in Sweden.e The costs in the project must be attributable to activitiesof the branch or place of business.
• The actor constellation consists of at least two parties.
• The project has not started before proposal is submitted.
• Proposal is written in Swedish or English.
• Applications must be received no later than 1:59 p.m. on the last application day via Vinnovas E-tjänster.

When the application period has expired, completion of proposal can only take place at the request of Vinnova.

What do we assess?

The project proposal must be in line with aim and vision for FFI's Roadmap and for the Circularity sub-programme. The applications will be assessed based on the main criteria potential, implementation, gender equality and actors, see below.
Read more about FFI's Itinerary

The scale 1-5 is used for grading:

1. = Insufficient
2. = Weak
3. = Good
4. = Very good
5. = Excellent

Criteria for full-scale project

Potential (weighted 40 percent)

• The project's potential to contribute to FFI's overall impact goalsthrough relevant issues and innovation level:
  - FFI has demonstrated solutions that make society's road transport fossil-free, safe, equal and efficient.
  - FFI has developed sustainable solutions that have been implemented and accepted by users and society.
  - Through innovation, partnership and collaboration, FFI has contributed to developing competence, infrastructure, policy, regulations and business models within the road transport system.
• The project's potential to contribute to the sub-programme's mission as described in FFI's roadmap. If the project concerns a mature area: The project's potential to lead to major potential improvements in line with the vision in FFI's roadmap.
• The project's potential to develop nationally and internationally connected research and innovation environments.

Implementation (weighted 30 percent)

• The project has a well-thought-out strategy for realizing the potential and for the dissemination and utilization of results.
• The project takes its starting point from a solid monitoring of the surrounding world and a state-of-the-art description.
• Expediency of the project plan:
  - Reasonable project time and budget for the problems to be solved.
  - Adequate project plan with activities, work packages, milestones, division of responsibilities, specific project goals and plans for how goal fulfillment is to be measured (indicators). This must also be compiled in the project's impact logic.

Gender equality (weighted 15 percent)

• Assessment of equality aspects such as gender or gender perspectives that may be important to take into account linked to the project's problem area, solutions and effects.
• The composition of the team regarding gender distribution, as well as the distribution of power and influence between men and women.
• Assessment of how well equality aspects have been integrated into the project plan.

Actors (weighted 15 percent)

• Assessment of whether the right organizations and need owners are involved to the right extent and at the right time to realize the project's potential.
• The project participants' ability to carry out the project and achieve the project goals with regard to the composition of the project group and the competence and resources of the actors.
• Assessment of whether there is a clear collaboration between the project's parties.
  
  

Criteria for preliminary studies and minor studies

Potential (weighted 50 percent)

• The project's potential to contribute to the sub-programme's mission as described in FFI's roadmap.

Implementation (weighted 30 percent)

• The project's positioning in relation to the state of knowledge nationally and internationally.
• The effectiveness of the project plan in terms of a reasonable project time and budget for the work to be carried out.

Gender equality (weighted 10 percent)

• Assessment of equality aspects such as gender or gender perspective can be important to take into account linked to the project's problem area, solutions and effects.
• The composition of the team regarding gender distribution, as well as the distribution of power and influence between men and women.
• Assessment of how well equality aspects have been integrated into the project plan.

Actors (weighted 10 percent)

• Assessment of whether the right organizations and need owners are involved to the right extent and at the right time to realize the project's potential.

How do we judge?

Proposal is assessed in competition with other received applications.

Quality review of proposal is based on the electronic proposal submitted to Vinnova and is handled in the part program applied for.

The decision process and handling of the applications is the same for all sub-programmes and looks as follows:

1. Proposal are submitted via Vinnovas E-tjänster.
2. The applications that meet the formal requirements are assessed by independent experts from relevant areas and industries based on specified assessment criteria. The evaluators are appointed by Vinnova and work under confidentiality and confidentiality.
3. If clarification is needed, the project manager is contacted for additional and simpler questions digitally or by telephone in connection with the review meeting.
4. The independent the evaluators give a balanced judgment and recommendation on rejection or approval, which is then processed by the program council in the respective sub-programme within FFI. The program council consists of representatives from the contracting parties within the FFI program such as Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency, the Swedish Transport Administration, AB Volvo, Volvo Personvagnar, Scania and FKG. The program council also includes a representative from Mobility Sweden, but without voting rights. If necessary, Vinnova requests written supplements.
5. The Program Council assesses the relevance of the application from a strategic perspective in relation to the current roadmap and submits a recommendation to the responsible public authority. The Program Council's recommendation is based on the content of proposal, a written assessment from the evaluators and any additions and comments from FFI's office.
6. In case of disagreement, the matter is taken to FFI's board of directors for assessment.
7. The decision to grant or reject the project application is made by Vinnova. The Swedish Transport Administration's decision is enforced by Vinnova.

This is how you apply

To apply for funding, you fill in a web-based form in Vinnova's e-service for applications, which you can find via the button Apply here.

There you also upload the following attachments:

1. Project description according to template for preliminary studies and smaller studies, alternatively full-scale project.
2. CV attachment containing relevant CVs for project manager and all key personnel, according to the template.
3. Effect logic according to template, maximum 1 page. Applies only to full-scale project.
4. Final report from a previously funded project if proposal is based on a previously funded project.

Proposal must only contain the mandatory appendices, except for applications that are based on previously funded project when a preliminary or final report on goal fulfillment can be submitted. All mandatory appendices must follow the structure found in the respective template.

For the project description:applies

• For pre-studies and smaller studies:Maximum 5 pages with 11-point font size excluding cover page, summary and table of contents.
• For full-scale project: Maximum 15 pages in 11 point font size excluding cover page, summary and table of contents.

Keep in mind that it takes time to make a proposal. You can start filling in information, save and continue at a later time. When proposal is ready, you mark it as done. You can completely unlock proposal and make changes at any time, right up until the application deadline.

Please mark proposal well in advance before the call for proposals closes.

When the call for proposals has closed and proposal has been registered with Vinnova, a confirmation will be sent out by e-mail to you who are responsible for the user account, project manager and company signatory or head of department. It may take a few hours before you receive the email.

If you have not received a confirmation by e-mail within 24 hours after the call for proposals has closed, please contact us.

When the application period has expired, completion of proposal can only take place upon request from us.