1.The identified agency for outreach will undertake various activities for promoting and implementation of PRISM (Promoting Innovations In Individuals, Start-ups and MSMEs) in their regions in close association of DSIR. The agency should be autonomous organisation or society registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860 or Indian Trusts Act, 1882 or other statues involved in promotional activities related to innovation/ entrepreneurship/Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSMEs)/ Science & Technology/R&D etc having good track record & sufficient infrastructure to undertake the activities for PRISM.

2. The terms of reference for the agency identified for outreach would be:

• The innovator applicant should have the freedom to apply to PRISM through any TOCICs assisting him in developing his innovation or directly to DSIR.
• There should be no parking of funds directly associated with projects with TOCICs. Funds for innovators will not be parked at or released to TOCICs.
• There is no provision to fund infrastructure( ex: Land, Buildings) for TOCICs
• There is no provision for creation of permanent posts for TOCICs.
• Each TOCIC will take small geographic area – innovator group/MSME cluster for intensive reach, minimizing travel expenses.
• The agreement will be valid for the XII plan period, subject to renewal based on annual performance appraisal.
• Wherever the innovator feels that his/her idea revealed to the extent needed for evaluation could get leaked out and copied by others, then the innovator should be encouraged to protect his rights first by applying for patent, design registration etc before revealing his/her idea to the outreach centre personnel.
• The TOCICs will not make a proposal on behalf of applicant. It can only assist him to make a better proposal with inputs on technology feasibility, novelty of the idea etc.
• The IP ownership and rights to technology commercialization rests with the innovator. The TOCICs can have separate agreement with innovator on terms for 3rd party transfer of technology, equity participation in the commercial venture etc.
• TOCICs will solicit proposals preferably in the areas such as Green technology, clean energy, industrially utilizable smart materials, Waste to wealth, Affordable healthcare, Water & sewage management or any other technology/knowledge intensive area.
• TOCICs will constitute a local screening committee for screening the proposals based on expert’s opinion. The short-listed proposals will be sent to DSIR for consideration by National Level PRISM Advisory and Screening Committee (PASC).
• TOCICs will be responsible for dealing with RTI queries, if any.

3.Responsibilities

• To invite proposals by giving advertisements in regional languages as per the advertisement material provided by DSIR and also through direct contacts, through press, cable TV etc;
• To meet all innovators showing interest in PRISM and receive proposals from innovators;
• To identify nearby MSME clusters for soliciting R&D proposals from autonomous institutions/public funded R&D labs/institutes/IITs/NITs/other statutes etc.
• To allocate minimum one day every week for counselling the innovators. The counselling dates and time should be displayed prominently on the notice board outside the TOCIC coordinating cell and near the entry points to the institute.
• To check the proposals for completeness such as description of innovation with sketches/ drawings/ photographs, how it benefits the user, innovativeness compared to existing products, resources & capabilities to make a prototype, details of prior work done etc;
• To get the screened in proposals evaluated by minimum two technical experts and also inspect the working of models developed by innovator;
• The expert evaluation should include theoretical base behind the innovation, state of art on the subject, advantages and disadvantages of the approach/ plan given by innovator and suggestions to improve the plan;
• TOCIC coordinator will also evaluate the proposal and give his / her report, giving innovators background, his past achievements, inspection report of the work so far done, innovators capabilities in design and arrangements made for fabrication & testing, justification for the costs estimated, milestones for review, etc;
• TOCIC coordinator will also forward evaluated proposals with expert comments and TOCIC coordinator’s comments to PRISM, Delhi under intimation to innovator;
• For the supported projects, TOCIC will constitute project review committee in close consultation with DSIR and convene meetings within nine months with minimum of two technical experts per each project. Besides, TOCICs will review the projects on quarterly basis on site and will submit the report to DSIR. However, the periodicity of PRC may vary from case to case basis (For project proposal having shorter duration). Cost escalation, if any, will be borne by the beneficiary;
• TOCIC will coordinate with innovator/autonomous institutes/R&D labs for submission of completion report, audited utilisation certificate, statement of expenditure etc.
• TOCIC will pay TA/DA and Honorarium to technical experts for screening the proposals and for attending project review meetings.
• TOCIC will also attend to any other issues as per the guidance of PRISM Advisory and Screening Committee (PASC) of DSIR.

4. Compensation

The agency/TOCIC should not depend on PRISM grant for its existence. Support of 12.00 lakhs per annum would be given to TOCICs to cover expenses as listed below. In addition, 10% of the grants released to the innovators/autonomous organisations/R&D labs etc supported by the agency/TOCICs will be given to the agency per project for monitoring the project execution.

The break-up for 12.00 lakhs is given below:

5.The agency/TOCIC will follow the General Information & Application Format for inviting/seeking proposals under Promoting Innovations In Individuals, Start-ups and MSMEs(PRISM) of Department of Scientific & Industrial Research(DSIR) and also will abide by the conditions stated in the PRISM Policy Guidelines

6. The proposals received under PRISM are considered for support under the following broad categories:

PRISM Phase-I:

• (a)Category I : Proof of Concept/Prototypes/Models: Limited to a financial assistance of up to 2.00 lakh or 90% of the approved project cost whichever is lower. The support is for micro budget innovations. Selected projects will be provided financial support to initiate a promising development, prove functionality by a lab model/ computer model/mathematical model, apply for patenting etc.
• (b) Category II : Fabrication of working model/prototypes/know-how/testing and trial/patent filing/technology transfer etc: Maximum financial assistance may be up to 20.00 lakhs or 90% of the approved project cost whichever is lower to the short listed innovative and novel proposals on the basis of expert evaluation. These proposals can be made by independent innovators. Proposals to convert an original idea/invention/know-how into working prototype/process and proposals to demonstrate novel delivery models to take S&T innovations leading to inclusive growth can be considered.

PRISM Phase-II

Up to 50.00 lakhs or 50% of the approved project cost whichever is lower to successful PRISM-Phase I Innovators. Proposals from successful PRISM innovators those have developed products/process at concept proving stage under PRISM Phase-I having significant market potential will be considered to facilitate the innovator to turn into an entrepreneur or Innovators who have successfully demonstrated proof of concept with the support of other Government Institutions / Agencies and who desires to take innovation to market by becoming Technopreneur.

PRISM – R&D Proposals (MSME Clusters)

Limited to the financial support of 50.00 lakhs or 50% of the approved project cost whichever is lower. Proposals from autonomous institutions/R&D labs/IITs/NITs/other statutes etc who have developed products/process at concept proving stage and has potential for deployment in MSME clusters to facilitate MSMEs become more competitive and economically rich.

Information on the contribution from innovator and other details are given in the program brochure

Other Issues

• The commercialization of the technology may be done in consultation with PRISM Advisory and Screening Committee (PASC) of DSIR.
• The entire correspondence related to PRISM by the TOCIC/Agency may be treated as Confidential and “Non-disclosure agreement” will be required to be signed by all the concerned, who participate in the process of evaluation of the proposals, as the programme involves sensitivity related to nascent ideas, which might not have been protected.
• The agency/TOCIC should have an established corridor of contact with Academic Institute/s, Research laboratories and also with entrepreneurs/technology business incubators with good liaison with industry around.
• In case of abandonment of project by beneficiaries, Innovators have to return the funds disbursed along with 12% interest to DSIR from the date of sanction.
• In case of any dispute/legal issues, the matter will be limited to jurisdiction of Delhi High Court only .

N.B.: The above guidelines may be changed from time to time after gaining experience of outreach and or receiving additional inputs during the implementation of the scheme.