Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) Development Platform

Co-hosts have been selected for the RNA Development Platform

Victoria University of Wellington and the University of Auckland have been selected as co-hosts of the RNA Development Platform. Guided by an Establishment Steering Group, they will receive $500,000 (excluding GST) to develop a platform plan. Read their public statement below:

You can read the media release at:

Local research and innovation in RNA technology set to ramp up

The role of the co-hosts

The role of the co-hosts for the RNA Development Platform will be to:

• bring together all the relevant research and industry partners and their skills and expertise to coordinate the development of a Platform Plan
• lead a consultation of priority setting that meets the needs of the sector
• if successful, implement and manage the Platform with guidance from the Platform Steering Group
• ensure the Platform Plan aligns with and will deliver on the Platform mission, aims, principles, and outcomes, for the funding term available.

Oversight of the development of the Platform Plan and delivery of the Platform

The Platform development, and eventual Platform operation, will be:

• overseen at all steps by MBIE as contract managers
• guided by a Platform Establishment Steering Group and then by a Platform Steering Group.

Governed by terms of reference approved by MBIE, both Steering Groups will be convened by and accountable to MBIE. The co-hosting organisations will attend these steering group meetings.

Platform Establishment Steering Group

The primary role of the Platform Establishment Steering Group is to oversee the development of an integrated research programme coordinated by the Platform co-hosts, which will form a Platform Plan. The Platform Establishment Steering Group will give advice and oversight to the co-hosts and participating members.

Platform Steering Group

The primary role of the Platform Steering Group is to oversee the implementation of the Platform Plan. The Platform Steering Group will give advice and oversight to the co-hosts and participating members.

The funding available and how it can be used

The selected co-hosts will receive $500,000 (excluding GST) establishment investment contract funding to lead the development of an integrated research programme, which will form a Platform Plan.

Upon approval of the Platform Plan, they will receive further funding of up to $69.5 million (excluding GST) over 7 years to then deliver it.

Platform Plan — what is fundable

• Research programmes with a primary focus or outcome related to the development, commercialisation, or deployment of RNA technology.
• Research concentrating on developing emerging ideas, leading to ideas that can be leveraged, with some allowance for generating new ideas.
• Research aligned to current projects, and technological capability supported elsewhere in the system, creating complementary research.
• Collaborative programmes involving the best of New Zealand’s expertise, well-linked to international best practice research.
• A first point of contact for external parties, with coordination of services across the Platform network.
• Building a pipeline of researchers able to take part in mission-oriented research, including opportunities for early-career researchers/Māori and Pasifika.
• Supporting the pipeline of RNA research and technology development capability.
• Research programmes targeting inequities in New Zealand and ensuring representation from a diverse set of New Zealand’s communities.
• Costs directly related to the research programme, and for connecting with industry, end-users, and communities for impact.
• Technology is a key factor in the Outcomes Framework — MBIE will discuss future capital expenditure needs with the co-hosts. Capital expenditure may be funded on an exceptional case-by-case basis.
• Some costs may be directed to innovation related activities, such as supporting in-part early-stage clinical trials.  

Platform Plan — what is not fundable

• Implementing only existing research that is close to being put into use (for example, close to application in the health system or commercial products or services).
• Research that is funded through other New Zealand funding mechanisms or agencies.
• Research programmes focused outside the outcomes framework.
• A large part of the research portfolio sourced and funded through contestable processes.
• A network which only acts as contracts for service or as a Platform for hire.
• Projects that do not develop the workforce and researchers’ ability to interact with key stakeholders.
• Discrete, unconnected projects.
• Research that could result in entrenching inequities.
• Costs not directly related to the research programme. 
• Full costs to translate a developed technology into a commercial opportunity, and other steps in translation where industry could fund the activity. 

Key documents

Guide to developing your RNA Platform Plan [DOCX, 188 KB]

Strategic Science Investment Fund Investment Plan [PDF, 794 KB] — outlines the Government’s strategy for its science investment until 2024.

National Statement of Science Investment 2015-2025 [PDF, 1.8 MB] — details the Government’s 10-year vision for New Zealand’s science system.

SSIF Performance Framework [PDF, 290 KB] — sets out how MBIE will monitor and evaluate SSIF Programmes contracts and the SSIF Programmes investment as a whole.

Vision Mātauranga policy [PDF, 359 KB] — outlines the Government’s policy framework that aims to unlock the innovation potential of Māori knowledge, resources, and people to assist New Zealanders to create a better future.

MBIE's Diversity in Science Statement [PDF, 888 KB] — sets out the government’s ambition to promote diversity in science and research.

Any other government sector specific strategy documents as relevant to the research. For example:

• Health Research Strategy(external link) — Ministry of Health, Manatū Hauora

Key dates

Dates are subject to change. We'll notify all date changes by email. To be added to the email notification list, email SSIF.investment@mbie.govt.nz

How the Platform Plan will be assessed

An Assessment Panel will assess the draft and final Platform Plan to determine the suitability as a basis for investment. As the expertise needed in this Panel will depend on the detailed priorities of the Platform, MBIE will advise the co-hosts of the exact makeup of the panel prior to assessment. MBIE may seek external advice in this assessment. 

Assessment criteria and scoring

The Assessment Panel will assess both draft and final Platform Plans on each of the criteria below and score them either:

• Excellent
• Good but some gaps
• Insufficient

The Platform Plan assessment criteria at both draft and final stages are:

• The extent to which the Platform Plan is in line with the policy intent, including the mission, investment aims and the Outcomes Framework.
• The extent to which the Platform Plan meets the principles for the Platform.
• Whether the proposed priorities/themes in the Platform Plan work programme are in line with the Outcomes Framework.
• The robustness and transparency of the process to develop those priorities.
• The extent to which the Platform Plan demonstrates that the Platform will help meet the needs and aspirations of Māori and is aligned with the Vision Mātauranga policy.
• Whether the KPIs articulate measurable progress of the research programme’s performance over the term of the investment. 
• The extent to which intellectual property, risk management and open research is outlined appropriately.

Funding decisions

The Deputy Secretary for Labour, Science and Enterprise at MBIE will make the funding decision. Recommendations to the Deputy Secretary will be developed and approved by the Assessment Panel through its Chair, the General Manager of Science System Investments and Performance.

The decision and recommendations may also:

• set pre-contract conditions which must be met before the investment is contracted
• set special conditions in addition to the general terms and conditions set out in the Funding Agreement
• vary the proposed term of a proposal
• vary the funding allocated from that proposed and require that the proposed implementation plan be negotiated to MBIE’s satisfaction to reflect the changed funding
• decline to fund any proposals.

Reporting and monitoring

To capture and monitor success during the development of the Platform Plan, the co-hosts will:

• maintain open lines of communication with MBIE
• meet with the Platform Establishment Steering Group at least once every 2 months.

No formal reporting is needed during the development of the Platform Plan.

On implementing the Platform, standard SSIF reporting and monitoring will allow MBIE to capture and monitor success, and monitor and report on the equity of outcome and diversity of MBIE-funded research. KPIs will be negotiated with the co-hosts and used to monitor performance.

SSIF Performance Framework [PDF, 290 KB]

The co-hosts will:

• provide MBIE with an annual plan for the coming year which is due before the end of the financial year
• report against the previous financial year’s progress against KPIs and aims, following the end of the financial year.

A Platform Steering Group will meet regularly to monitor the performance and strategy of the Platform and will provide strategic advice. The Platform Steering Group will include people from MBIE and external people with the appropriate science expertise.

About the RNA Development Platform

Mission of the Platform

The mission statement of the RNA Development Platform is ‘to ensure New Zealand has well-connected and world-class research capability to strengthen the use and commercialisation of Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) technology’.

Investment aims of the Platform

The RNA Development Platform aims to:

• significantly lift New Zealand’s capabilities in the use, deployment, and development of RNA technologies
• provide coordination of key services to make it easier to develop new vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics using RNA
• support delivery through to pilot scale manufacturing, develop new manufacturing technologies, and lower technology transfer barriers
• build international research and development (R&D) and commercial partnerships
• increase New Zealand’s resilience to infectious disease threats and build on investments the government has already made in support of the COVID-19 response.

We expect the RNA Development Platform to work towards the mission statement and investment aims, operating in line with the purpose of the Strategic Science Investment Fund. 

Read more about the Strategic Science Investment Fund

Principles of the Platform

We've developed a set of principles that you need to consider for your development of the Platform Plan. These principles are tied to the performance areas used for SSIF programme investments.

Strategic intent

• Address key gaps and create a cooperative and coordinated pipeline of activity.
• Focus on major challenges and opportunities in priority areas for New Zealand, including those areas important for Māori and New Zealand Pacific populations.
• Build sufficient capability that should prove necessary in an epidemic.
• Support a strategic approach to intellectual property (IP) and areas of opportunity that maximise benefits to New Zealand.

Impact

• Ensure that New Zealand is internationally participating in and leading in the rapidly developing field of RNA.
• Support the translation of inter-disciplinary world class research into commercial applications in New Zealand.
• Ensure novel approaches using RNA technologies are developed, commercialised, and deployed which will add to current capability and outputs, including technologies aimed at areas that disproportionately affect our Māori and New Zealand Pacific populations.

Science excellence

• Demonstrate inter-disciplinary world-class research excellence that builds our capability in RNA research and research translation.

Horizons and co-funding/leverage

• Span research horizons — generating new ideas, developing emerging ideas, and leveraging proven ideas.
• Focus on transformative outcomes, which may involve high-risk/high-return research.
• Boost New Zealand’s overall innovation capacity.
• Co-funding is not mandatory but aligned funding may be realised through collaborations.

Vision Mātauranga

• Give effect to Vision Mātauranga enabling the Government’s Tiriti obligations in research, science and innovation.
• Enable opportunities for mātauranga Māori, Māori researchers and Māori-led research to deliver on Māori aspirations.

Investing in people

• Build a diverse research and technology development capability with equitable opportunities.

Domestic and International Collaboration

• Foster connections and be well-linked to current and potential manufacturing capability in New Zealand.
• Contribute to international research and attract international commercial engagement and investment through collaborations.

Meeting the needs and aspirations of Māori

The RNA Development Platform is expected to give effect to Vision Mātauranga enabling the Government’s Tiriti obligations in research, science and innovation.

The Vision Mātauranga policy aims to enable the distinctive contribution of Māori communities, knowledge, and resources to the future of New Zealand through research, science and innovation. Vision Mātauranga encourages partnership and is designed to inspire researchers to find innovative responses to opportunities and solutions to issues and needs facing New Zealand. The policy applies across, and is integrated within, all MBIE science investment mechanisms.

Te Ara Paerangi Future Pathways signals that a future RSI system gives effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, is adaptable by design and connected for impact, and reflects Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique context and diverse population.

We expect the Platform to enable opportunities for mātauranga Māori, Māori researchers and Māori-led research to deliver on Māori aspirations.

The Platform will help fulfil the needs and aspirations of Māori, and the Government’s Tiriti obligations, through:

• the co-hosts engaging with Māori, including Māori researchers, as they work towards priority setting, and delivering on research outcomes consistent with Māori aspirations addressing New Zealand specific challenges
• the co-hosts ensuring development of a diverse set of researchers including Māori
• providers being required to demonstrate how they propose to incorporate Te Ao Māori in their research, delivery of the proposed outreach, and impact
• Vision Mātauranga being incorporated into the assessment criteria (this guides the incorporation of science and innovation potential of Māori knowledge, resources, and people).

RNA Development Platform Outcomes Framework

We've developed an Outcomes Framework that you need to consider for your development of the Platform Plan.

We expect the Platform to work towards delivering the outputs and demonstrate progress towards the outcomes in this framework. Eventual Platform Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will be consistent with objectives and outcomes outlined in the framework.