ReCAP and HVT programmes launch joint call for COVID-19 transport research ideas

COVID-19 is having a devastating socio-economic impact globally. It has been acutely felt by people in Low Income countries (LICs). Transport is at the centre of managing the spread of the pandemic and will be key to ensuring rapid and sustained recovery.

As part of the UK Department for International Development’s (DFID) response to COVID-19, the Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP) and the Applied Research Programme in High Volume Transport (HVT) have established a COVID-19 Response & Recovery Transport Research Fund.

Photo/PD/David Macharia

This fund seeks to support research that addresses COVID-19 and its effects and impacts on the transport sector: national, rural and urban. The fund will support research that provides:

  • Innovation and technology that can help manage immediate response and guide recovery;
  • Evidence based thinking (thought pieces) and papers that guide response and/or recovery and policy in a changed transport world;
  • Fast-tracking of knowledge, experience, learning resources and best practice to those who need it in LICs.

We are very pleased to announce that the COVID-19 Response & Recovery Transport Research Fund is now inviting Project Concept Notes (PCNs) from prospective grant beneficiaries for their proposed projects. Successful PCN applicants will be requested to submit full proposals for consideration at a later date.

A total budget of £1 million has been made available jointly by the ReCAP and HVT programmes for this Challenge Fund. The Challenge Fund comprises of three lots:

  • Lot 1 – COVID-19 and transport including cross-cutting areas and inclusion
  • Lot 2 – COVID-19 and low volume / rural transport
  • Lot 3 – COVID-19 and high volume / national and urban transport systems

Details about the lots are available in the full Call text.

The deadline for submission of PCNs is 17:00 (BST), Monday, 8 June 2020. Please submit electronically to recap.procurement@cardno.com and HVTprocurement@imcworldwide.com.

Links to important documents can be found here:

Full Call Text
Project Concept Note template
Clarifications No. 1 dated 27 May 2020
Clarifications No. 2 dated 28 May 2020
Clarifications No. 3 dated 01 June 2020
Clarifications No. 4 dated 02 June 2020
Clarifications No. 5 dated 03 June 2020
Clarifications No. 6 dated 04 June 2020
Clarifications No. 7 dated 05 June 2020.

Should you have any questions about the grant application process, please do not hesitate to contact the ReCAP and HVT Programme Management Units (PMUs) on recap.procurement@cardno.com and HVTprocurement@imcworldwide.com, respectively.

Do not hesitate to share this Call with your networks.

The ReCAP team​