Alexander Tsibulya,
CNCP Programme Coordinator, Deputy Head of Moscow Office HTSPE Ltd.
The British Closed Nuclear Centres Programme (CNCP), funded by the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change
(DECC), has at its disposal financial resources
available for grant support for investment projects which meet the programme's
aims and satisfy the following criteria:
Create new sustainable jobs, not less than 55% of which for personnel
that were formerly nuclear weapons specialists;
To be commercially sustainable in the areas of manufacturing and
service provision;
To apply for up to a £100,000 contribution from CNCP.
Other financial investors or collaborators are welcome. CNCP also seeks
to identify commercial partners from the UK for relevant projects.
Project portfolio
During consideration of the proposal funding, the CNCP emphasizes the
need to study the project's commercial potential for laying a strong foundation
for successful future development. Such way, in our opinion, provides
the best assurance for the sustainability of jobs created for former weapons
specialists.
We understand and accept how important it is that the jobs being created
are of high-quality and correspond, where possible, with the expectations
of the qualified specialists. For instance, the programme funds market
research and preparation of business plans for a number of high-tech products
of KIPT (Kharkov, Ukraine), INP (Tashkent, Uzbekistan), INP (Almaty, Kazakhstan),
and NNC (Kurchatov, Kazakhstan). It is expected that, on the basis of
the business plans developed for some of these products, either a decision
to provide further funding under the programme will be made, or these
business plans can be used to attract outside investors. Western specialists
can also be involved in independent evaluation of technologies from the
institutes proposed for commercialisation, and compare with similar technologies
of the world's leading companies.
At the same time, the projects associated with high technology commercialization,
in spite of their huge potential advantages, are often of high cost and
significant risk. Therefore, it is important to have a diversified portfolio
for the programme as a whole, where projects are distributed over a balanced
scale [lower cost, more jobs, lower risk] > [higher cost, less jobs, higher
risk]. That is, the risks of high technology projects are balanced with
less risky proposals, such as those connected with the extension of existing
small and medium size private enterprises for creation of new jobs. This
results in lower risks and allows the programme as a whole to achieve
its objectives. For instance, in Russia the CNCP has already supported
a number of projects proposed by small and medium size private enterprises
in the closed cities of Rosatom.
Submitting a proposal
The projects are considered in two stages. First the applicant fills
in the outline proposal and presents basic information about the project.
After a preliminary evaluation and approval of the proposal by an appointed
project supervisor (usually a Western expert), the outline proposal is
presented for consideration to the Steering Group in London. If approved,
the applicant has then to prepare a full proposal. Submission of a market
study report and a business plan alongside the proposal is often a necessary
condition. At this first stage, the programme may allocate a small grant
for market research and business planning to support the further development
of the project concept. An outside expert or a company able to assess
the technical and market potential of the project may also be invited
at this stage.
During this process, the applicant keeps in regular contact with the
supervisor and representatives of HTSPE Ltd. Moscow office.
If the full proposal is approved by the Steering Group in the second stage,
the project is fully funded. The applicant may have to fulfil certain
conditions. The contract for implementation of the project can be signed
either through CNCP's partnership with the International Scientific Technology
Centre or Science and Technology Centre of Ukraine (ISTC\STCU) or on the
basis of a contract between HTSPE Ltd. and the executor
of the project. The first variant is used more often for the projects
implemented by the institutes. The second is usually used for the small
and medium size businesses. Monitoring and auditing is undertaken throughout
each stage of the project's implementation and for several years after
completion.
For more information about CNCP grant aid projects please contact Alexander
Tsibulya, alexts@cncp.ru.
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