EXPRESS CALL TO FUND RESEARCH ON COVID-19 – Frequently Asked Questions

1. When can proposals be submitted under this call?

Proposals under the EXPRESS CALL TO FUND RESEARCH ON COVID-19 can be submitted between  March 30 and  April 14, 2020.

In practice, a proposal must be submitted to the electronic delivery box of the NCN by  April 14, 2020 at the latest. The proposal is regarded as effectively served on the date of receipt of the Official Confirmation of Submission (Urzędowe Poświadczenie Przedłożenia).

2. How can a proposal be submitted?

Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Electronic Platform of Public Administration Service (hereinafter: “ePUAP”). Once they have been completed and signed, proposals with the required annexes must be submitted to the electronic delivery box of the National Science Centre (/ncn/SkrytkaESP) via ePUAP. Proposals will be considered effectively served on the receipt of the Official Confirmation of Submission (Urzędowe Poświadczenie Przedłożenia, “UPP”).

3. How can an account be created on ePUAP?

More information on how to create an account can be found at: https://epuap.gov.pl/wps/portal/strefa-klienta.

For questions regarding  ePUAP, please contact the Help Centre for ePUAP Users at the Central Information Technology Centre (Centralny Ośrodek Informatyki).

Contact information can be found at: https://epuap.gov.pl/wps/portal/strefa-klienta/pomoc.

4. Does the proposal have to be sent from the applicant’s ePUAP account?

NO. The proposal can be sent from any ePUAP account. Please note that correspondence with the NCN, including the funding decision, will be delivered to the electronic address for service of documents indicated in the proposal.

5. Can the proposal be signed by anyone other than authorised representative of the applicant? 

YES. If the proposal has been signed by anyone other than the authorised representative of the applicant, the NCN must be provided with an authorisation/ power of attorney for that person. An authorisation to sign the proposal may be scanned and annexed to the documents or submitted to the electronic delivery box of the National Science Centre (/ncn/SkrytkaESP).

6. I am intending to conduct research together with researchers from other institutions. Can we submit a proposal with the entity status: Group of entities? 

NO. Under the COVID call, proposals may be submitted by the following entities:

• universities;
• federations of science and HE entities;
• research institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences operating pursuant to the Act on the Polish Academy of Sciences of 30 April 2010 (Journal of Laws of 2018, item 1475);
• research institutes operating pursuant to the Act on Research Institutes of 30 April 2010 (Journal of Laws of 2018, item 736);
• international research institutes established pursuant to separate Acts, operating in the Republic of Poland;
• institutes operating within the Łukasiewicz Research Network;
• other entities involved in research independently on a continuous basis; and
• research centres of the Polish Academy of Sciences within the meaning of the Act on the Polish Academy of Sciences of 30 April 2010.

If researchers employed in institutions other than the applicant are required to conduct the research, they can be included in the research team. Co-investigators must be employed by the applicant pursuant to an employment contract or otherwise. 

7. The applicant does not receive any operating support for research. Should the proposal be supported with any documents?

NO. In this case, the answer to the question “Does the entity receive any operating support for research” should be “NO”.

8. I am employed by the applicant pursuant to a civil law contract. Can I be named principal investigator in the proposal? 

NO. According to the terms of the call, the principal investigator must be employed by the applicant pursuant to an employment contract on the last day of submissions in the call.

9. I am employed by the applicant part time pursuant to a civil law contract. Can I be named principal investigator in the proposal?

YES. The terms of the call do not specify the working time; only the form of employment is specified.

10. I am employed by the applicant pursuant to an employment contract in a non-research position. Can I be named principal investigator in the proposal?

YES. The terms of the call do not specify the employment position required of the principal investigator.

11. Can one be named principal investigator in more than one proposal? 

NO. One can be named principal investigator in only one proposal submitted under the EXPRESS CALL TO FUND RESEARCH ON COVID-19.

12. I am a principal investigator in 3 NCN research projects or in 2 NCN research projects and my 3^rd project is being evaluated or I am a principal investigator in 1 research project and my 2^nd project is being evaluated, can I be named principal investigator under this call?

YES. Restrictions set forth in the Regulations with regard to the number of NCN research projects that can be carried out by one principal investigator do not apply to this call.

13. I am a principal investigator in 2 NCN research projects . Can I be named principal investigator in the 3^rd NCN research project if I am awarded funding under the COVID call?

YES. Acting as the principal investigator in a proposal recommended for funding under the COVID call will not count towards the limits set forth in the Regulations on awarding funding for research tasks funded by the National Science Centre as regards research projects.

14. Can a person acting as the principal investigator under this call be a co-investigator in another proposal?

YES. According to the terms of the call, one can be named principal investigator in only one proposal.

15. What period should the academic and research track record of the principal investigator cover? 

The academic and research track record of the principal investigator can be provided for the entire period of the principal investigator’s research activities. The last 10 year restriction applicable to other NCN calls does not apply.   

16. Where can papers attached as PDF files be submitted?

According to the terms of the call, information on the principal investigator must include 1-10 of the most important papers published or accepted for publication, with the 1-3 most important papers by the principal investigator related to the research in question attached as a PDF file; the papers must be submitted alongside the letter via ePUAP, via which the proposal will be submitted.

17. I am a winner of a MINIATURA, ETIUDA or FUGA call, can I act as the principal investigator in the COVID call?

NO. The call is addressed at researchers who have acted or act as principal investigator in at least one research project funded under the NCN calls for proposals (OPUS, SONATINA, SONATA, SONATA BIS, HARMONIA, MAESTRO, SYMFONIA, POLONEZ or international bilateral or multilateral calls for proposals) or are winners of at least one other prestigious national or international call for proposals for research projects.

18. How should the phrase “research projects funded under other national or international calls for proposals” be understood?

According to the terms of the call, a person to act as the principal investigator must name at least one research project in which he/she has acted or acts as principal investigator in his/her scientific achievement section. If the principal investigator does not act as the principal investigator in at least one research project funded under the NCN calls for proposals (OPUS, SONATINA, SONATA, SONATA BIS, HARMONIA, MAESTRO, SYMFONIA, POLONEZ or international bilateral or multilateral calls for proposals), he/she may specify research projects funded under other national or international calls in the academic and research track record section, i.e. research projects that:

• are or have been funded from the funds allocated for science;
• have been selected in national or international calls for proposals;
• are not and have not been funded from resources for statutory goals. 

Acting as a principal investigator also means management/coordination of a research team in international projects or programmes.

19. Can I name co-investigators for research purposes? 

YES. Co-investigators to be members of the research team can be planned under the call.

20. What provisions apply to the issue of employment of the principal investigator and co-investigators?

According to the terms of the call, co-investigators are selected by the principal investigator on the basis of their qualifications and research experience necessary to complete the research.

Under the call, there are no restrictions on who can act as the co-investigator. The terms of the call do not specify the forms of employment of co-investigators. The principal investigator and co-investigators can be employed pursuant to an employment contract or otherwise.

If a co-investigator is employed pursuant to an employment contract, provisions on post-docs (the PhD degree must have been awarded within 7 years before joining the project) applicable to other calls do not apply. If the proposal is recommended for funding, co-investigators must be employed in the form specified in the proposal in any capacity whatsoever. Members of the research team employed by the host institution acting as the applicant may be paid their salary in any form other than pursuant to a civil law contract (e.g. an appendix to an agreement). Please note that the cost of NCN research scholarships and costs of reduced obligatory teaching load are not deemed eligible costs.

21. What is the maximum and minimum number of co-investigators? 

The terms of the call do not specify the minimum or maximum number co-investigators. The expert team will review whether employment of the co-investigators is justified.

22. What is the maximum budget for salaries?

The minimum or maximum salary is not specified under the call. The principal investigator may determine the salary and form of employment at his/her discretion. The research team will review whether the salary is justified.   

23. A person to act as the principal investigator/co-investigator is already paid a salary under another NCN call. Can he/she be paid a salary under this call? 

YES. Restrictions set forth in the Regulations with regard to the salaries awarded under other NCN research projects in which the person to act as the principal investigator or co-investigator under the EXPRESS CALL TO FUND RESEARCH ON COVID-19 is already paid a salary, do not apply.

24. Can the costs for the purchase of research equipment be planned?

NO. Leasing, purchase or construction of research equipment, other devices and software are not deemed eligible costs under the call.

25. Can a scan of the proposal signed by hand by submitted?

NO. Proposals under the call must be signed with a qualified electronic signature in the PAdES format.

26. What documents must be submitted to the NCN?

The general letter submitted via ePUAP must only be supported with the following documents:

• signed proposal;
• academic papers constituting an integral part of the proposal (up to 3 publications from among those listed in the principal investigator’s academic and research track record);
• authorisation (if the proposal is signed by anyone other than the principal investigator/ authorised representative of the applicant).