Guidance

Engineering Biology Sandbox Fund round 2: clarification questions (updated 9 July 2025)

Updated 9 July 2025

Clarification questions (Added 9 July 2025)

In a multi-agency application, how can we conduct recruitment across different HR departments? Are we able to stagger start and end dates? (Added 9 July 2025)

If your sandbox is selected for funding, you will be able to claim for any sandbox funding from the start date of your sandbox (which will be agreed upon in the funding agreement between the parties) until the end date of your sandbox. We encourage you to include time for sandbox set up and recruitment activities within your sandbox duration when applying. Any activities/expenditure undertaken/incurred before the start date in the funding agreement cannot be claimed. Additionally, funding agreements cannot be backdated.

Sandboxes must be a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 24 months. All activities associated with the EBSF will need to be completed by 31 October 2027.

The proposed sandbox programme must therefore be no more than 24 months, but within that programme, agencies could contribute as and when needed.

In a multi-agency application, is the lead applicant required to transfer funds to the collaborating organisations, or do they independently receive funding from DSIT? (Added 9 July 2025)

The lead applicant will have overall accountability for the use of all project funding (including for sub-contracted goods and services) in line with Managing Public Money principles. They will be responsible for claiming funding and transferring any funds to collaborating organisations.

EBSF clarification point (Added 4 July 2025)

Applying for both the Engineering Biology Sandbox and Regulators’ Pioneer Fund Round 4 (RPF 4)

We are aware that some Engineering Biology projects may meet the eligibility criteria for both the Engineering Biology Sandbox and the Regulators’ Pioneer Fund Round 4 (RPF 4) grant competitions.

In line with the guidance contained in Managing Public Money (specifically Annex 5.1) on how government departments should arrange and control grants, this notice clarifies that a single project cannot receive duplicate funding from both competitions. If the same project is submitted to both, it will only be eligible to receive funding from one competition.

To ensure compliance, we will cross-reference applications to identify any duplicate projects. If identical or substantially similar projects are identified, we will ask a clarification question, under the RPF 4 competition, to confirm that the applications are not for the same project.

If we determine that a project is identical across both competitions, we will:

• notify you that duplicate funding is not permitted
• ask you to confirm which competition you would prefer to proceed with, should your project be successful in both.

If no response is received, we will default to awarding funding through the competition that launched first – the Engineering Biology Sandbox.