Challenge based procurement reduces barriers for SMEs and start-up companies/ micro businesses, allowing new and innovative players to work with public sector to deliver solutions.

SIB’s sbri unit works with public sector organisations across Northern Ireland including departments, Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs), City Deals and local government, with projects supported by funding from DfE, DAERA, BRCD and the UK Space Agency.

SIB currently supports between 10 and 15 projects a year across the public sector ranging in size from small scale e.g. £10,000 to multi-million-pound research challenges. Challenges include those working to optimise the use of data and innovative applications of AI, addressing problem facing agriculture, justice, education, tourism, housing and infrastructure management.

The sbri team has extensive private and public sector experience, enabling it to support public sector challenge owners to define, frame and develop their challenge, provide end to end support during the procurement and competition process and assist in realising the overall research benefits

Key numbers

£17.7m

funding allocated

24

number of challenges

81

suppliers awarded contracts

87%

percentage of micro/SME

Related Links

Examples of current SBRI Projects