Product development research for global health

Closed: The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) invited expressions of interest by 23 February 2024 for research funding to develop accessible, affordable health products for use in low- and middle-income countries.

Update 5 April 2024: if you submitted an expression of interest before 23 February 2024 and have not yet received an acknowledgement, email PDP.2023@fcdo.gov.uk as soon as possible. We will not be able to consider any applications received after 10 April 2024.

We will inform bidders of our shortlisting decisions by 30 April 2024.

Use PDP.2023@fcdo.gov.uk for all correspondence relating to this call and to submit proposals.

You can send questions regarding this funding call and we will respond on this page. We strongly advise you to regularly check for updates and corrections to the question and answers document (updated 22 February):

Global health: frequently asked questions and answers

Some questions that we receive are overlapping, particularly around eligibility. In order to protect anonymity and avoid repetition, we have summarised and amalgamated some questions and responses. We ask that you only send new or follow-up questions.

We can only guarantee to respond to questions received by midnight on Tuesday 20 February.

This funding call is focused on research and development of health products and technologies, such as medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics. Applied/system research is not prioritised in this call.

Overview

Submit your organisation’s expression of interest by 2pm Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on 23 February 2024.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) seeks proposals for the research and development of new products to improve health outcomes for the poorest and most vulnerable in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Your application should respond to at least one of the priorities:

  • women and girls health
  • infectious diseases of poverty
  • emerging infectious diseases and diseases of epidemic potential

You should draw on the best of global health expertise, and to increase equitable and affordable access to new technologies and ensure policy uptake.

We will accept expressions of interest from non-governmental organisations and product development partnerships.

The total value of available funding is up to £130 million, the value of individual funding awards will vary.

What the fund will achieve

The fund aims to find solutions which:

  • build health security for all
  • support healthier and more resilient populations
  • help end the preventable deaths of mothers, babies and children in low- and middle-income countries

The FCDO is increasing open scientific collaboration so the latest research, evidence and technology can help build global resilience for all, including women and girls and the most marginalised.

How to apply

Read the Global health research: call for expressions of interest.

It sets out the format for expressions of interest (including annexes), to submit to PDP.2023@fcdo.gov.uk by 2pm (GMT) on 23 February 2024.

Other relevant documents:

Background information on the fund

It is likely that this competition will result in a mixture of both core organisational and project/portfolio-based funding awards. It is also likely that it will result in a mixture of funding agreement types – both accountable grants and memoranda of understanding.

For further information, refer to the call for expressions of interest document.

Contacts

If you have any questions related to this opportunity, email PDP.2023@fcdo.gov.uk.

In the interest of fairness and transparency, we will publish all questions and answers on this page before the bidding date closes.

Published 20 December 2023
Last updated 20 March 2024 + show all updates
  1. We have experienced technical difficulties in receiving applications. We are aiming to contact each bidder individually but if you submitted an expression of interest by 23 February 2024 and have not received an acknowledgement of your application, email us at <PDP.2023@fcdo.gov.uk. We will inform bidders of our shortlisting decisions by 30 April 2024.

  2. This opportunity is now closed.

  3. Frequently asked questions and answers document updated.

  4. Frequently asked questions and answers document updated.

  5. Frequently asked questions and answers document updated.

  6. Frequently asked questions and answers document updated.

  7. Frequently asked questions and answers document updated.

  8. Frequently asked questions and answers document updated.

  9. Frequently asked questions and answers document added.

  10. There is a correction to the email address for correspondence and submitting proposals. Correspondence previously submitted should be resent to the new email address.

  11. First published.