Project overview>> Phases

Preparation stage
The preparation stage will be based on feedback from the needs analysis of the buyer’s group, prior art analysis and an open market consultation. Active participation of the final end-users of the solutions will be ensured at this stage (e.g.: allocating and training of additional resources for implementation and building cooperation with other stakeholders).
The expected outcomes of the preparation stage will be:
  • Completed tender documents based on the Horizon 2020 PCP model contract documents, using common functional/performance based specifications and common evaluation criteria.
  • Signed joint procurement agreement confirming the final collaboration modus including the financial commitment of the buyers group to pool resources for the PCP; and
  • Final confirmation of the lead procurer.
Execution stage
The PCP execution consists on the preparation of a joint PCP procurement and implementation of the PCP contracts under the supervision of the buyers group, ensuring execution of the R&D services by the providers according to the action plan and requirements defined in the preparation stage. The solutions will be compared and validated against jointly defined criteria by the buyers group and other concerned final end-users in real-life operational conditions to verify fitness for purpose in view of potential conversion into permanent service of the solutions.
Finally, the results will be disseminated and the ex-post exploitation strategy based on the outcomes of the PCP will be confirmed.
The PCP execution consist of 3 phases:

IDENTIFICATION OF INNOVATIVE AND COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS IN THE FIELD OF PAIN SELF-MANAGEMENT (20% PCP budget; 6 months)

This phase is a feasibility study of the selected technologies and proposals, which aims to verify the technical, economic and organizational feasibility of each company’s offer. The expected output from participating companies is a report describing the results of the feasibility study and the conclusions for the start of the development activities in Phase B.
The expectation is that this phase will last for 6 months. The budget for the R&D contracts in this phase is 378,000 Euros. This represents 20% of the total budget for the PCP call. From this sum a maximum of eight contracts will be awarded.

(35% PCP budget; 6 months)

The purpose of this phase is to take the most promising ideas that have been shown to be feasible in Phase A and develop them into well-defined prototypes. The selection process for Phase B is based on the Phase A report and an application process, which will outline the company’s plans for Phase B.
Selected companies will each develop a prototype based on the results of their feasibility study. The aim is to verify to what extent the prototype’s main features meet the functional and performance requirements set in the challenge. Participating companies are expected to deliver a prototype specification and lab demonstration, as well as a plan for original development of a limited volume of first solutions and field-testing, and an updated cost/benefits evaluation including a preliminary business plan.
It is expected that the combined budget for this phase will be 661.500 Euros. This is 40% of the total budget for the PCP R&D contracts. A maximum of four projects will be selected for Phase B and this phase is expected to take up to six months.

(45% PCP budget; 12 months)

This phase aims to verify and compare the full feature set and performance of different solutions in real-life operational conditions. Selected companies will each develop a prototype based on the results of their feasibility study. The selection process is based on the Feasibility Study Report which will outline the company’s plans for the field test.
The aim is to verify to what extent the prototype’s main features meet the functional and performance requirements set in the challenge. Participating companies are expected to deliver a prototype specification, as well as a plan for original development of a limited volume of first solutions and field-testing, and an updated cost/benefits evaluation including a preliminary business plan.
Testing is undertaken at three sites by the procurers. This phase will last maximum 6 months All solutions in Phase C are tested in all sites to ensure that a comparison can be made of performance both across sites and across solutions.SAS; RESAH and CCU will identify collaborating patients and hospitals and will lead the proof of concept. FHF and UOC will collaborate in assessing the impact and adherence of the patients to the solutions awarded.
It is expected that the combined budget for this phase will be 850,500 Euros. This is 40% of the total budget for the PCP Research and Development contracts. Phase C is expected to take a year and a half with no more than two solutions progressing to this phase depending on their results from Phase B. At the conclusion of the Research and Development pilots the IPR and any prototypes will remain the property of the companies involved.
The three “phases” of Solution design, Prototype development and Pre-Commercial small-scale development and field test fall within the scope of the RELIEF PCP call.

Testing is undertaken at three sites by the procurers. All solutions in Phase C are tested in all sites to ensure that a comparison can be made of performance both across sites and across solutions. It is expected that the combined budget for this phase will be 850,000 Euros. This is 40% of the total budget for the PCP Research and Development contracts.

EU


This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme under grant agreement no 689476.