FOI release

FOI2020/00325: SIF SBRI Call - Assessors information

This request was refused in part, so we didn't provide some of the information the requester asked for. This may include information where we can neither confirm nor deny that we hold it.

Case reference FOI2020/00325

Published 15 June 2021

Request

Request Received 1 October 2020

I would like information pertaining to:

1. The way in which assessors are selected and their expertise/credentials to review applications are vetted

2. How they are assigned to applications

3. The way in which assessors are briefed in relation to funding calls, as well as specifically in relation to the SIF SBRI call

4. How their assessments (across all calls) are checked for accuracy (both in relation to assessment against the scope of the call, as well as in relation to their assessment of a particular issue within an application) and how within a particular call those assessments are checked

5. How assessments within a call are moderated between sectors (recognising that assessors for any 2 particular applications may vary completely)

6. How assessments between calls and sectors are moderated

7. The legal structure under which the funding is awarded and the obligations under which Innovate UK awards that funding (e.g. obligations for accuracy, etc.)

8. The framework under which the SIF SBRI competition is held, the guidance given to assessors and the way in which the assessments are conducted and normalised across sectors, the way in which the core team ensures that the assessments are in accordance with the scope of the call.

I'm looking for information, reports, guidance, briefings, processes, that are associated with preventing and correcting errors within the assessment process.

Of particular interest is the way in which assessments are checked to verify they are conducted in accordance with the scope of the call.

Response

Response Sent: 26 November 2020

Full details of this response are provided in the attached documents.

Documents

• FOI2020-00325 SIF SBRI Phase 1 Assessor Briefing 1.2_Redacted.pdf (3.2 MB)
• FOI2020_00325 The Innovate UK assessment process - for assessors.pdf (115.2 KB)
• FOI_Response_Letter_FOI2020_00325_Redacted.pdf (223.9 KB)

This is UK Research and Innovation's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

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