Grant Details

https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/computing-resources-on-the-stfc-dirac-hpc-facility-rac18/

Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

This opportunity, known as RAC18, is for UK research organisations within the STFC theory community to apply for and gain access to High Performance Computing (HPC) resources on the DiRAC facility. The core objective is to support world-leading research in specific scientific domains by providing essential computing power and storage. This is a SECTOR-SPECIFIC grant, targeting research in areas such as particle physics, nuclear physics, astrophysics, astronomy, cosmology, solar system physics, and particle astrophysics. The primary target recipients are UK-based research organisations, although overseas organisations approved by STFC may apply. Early career researchers, including postdocs and PhD students, are specifically encouraged to apply as project leads. This is an annual funding call for computing resources, with successful allocations beginning on April 1st, 2026.

Financial Structure

This grant opportunity does not provide monetary funding. Instead, it offers access to High Performance Computing (HPC) resources on the STFC DiRAC facility. Therefore, concepts like budget ranges, eligible/ineligible costs, matching funds, co-financing, payment schedules, and indirect cost policies as typically understood in financial grants are not directly applicable. Resource Allocation
  • Resource Types: The 'funding' provided is in the form of computing time (measured in CPU core hours and GPU hours) and storage (in PB or TB).
  • Limitations: Applicants may apply for up to 80% of the available computing resources and storage on any individual DiRAC machine within a given year. Requests exceeding this limit will not be considered. The availability figures are provisional and actual allocated resources may be lower.
  • Usage Policy: Resources are divided into four allocation periods per year (starting April 1st, July 1st, October 1st, and January 1st). Allocated resources must be used within their assigned allocation period and cannot be carried over to the next period. For thematic awards, the first year's allocation is fixed, with subsequent years subject to change. Under-usage of previous allocations will be monitored and may be taken into consideration for future applications.

Eligibility Requirements

Organizational Eligibility
  • Eligible Organisation Types: To lead a project, applicants must be based at an eligible UK research organisation. These include:
    • Higher education providers (e.g., universities)
    • Research institutes
    • Public sector research establishments
    • NHS bodies
    • Independent research organisations
    • Catapult centres
  • Geographic Location: Organisations must be based in the UK. Project leads must be resident in the UK or employed by an overseas research organisation explicitly approved by STFC as eligible for research grant funding. However, the core focus is on UK research contributions.
  • Track Record: For thematic proposals, applicants must demonstrate a track record of productive use of HPC.
  • Organizational Capacity: The submitting organisation must provide assurance that the project lead's employment contract, or formal commitment to provide support, will extend beyond the end date of the allocation. If not, an explanation and plan for full use of the allocation must be provided.
Project Lead and Team Eligibility
  • Project Lead: Must be based at an eligible organisation. Early career researchers, including postdocs and PhD students, are welcome to be project leads as long as they satisfy the general eligibility criteria (except for the requirement to be an academic member of staff like a lecturer or hold a fellowship).
  • Multiple Applications: It is acceptable for a project lead or co-lead to be involved in multiple RAC proposals (current or previous), provided they can demonstrate how they will manage time and conflicting responsibilities.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Holding an existing STFC grant does not automatically guarantee an allocation of computing time on DiRAC facilities.

Application Process

Application Process Overview
  • Platform: Applications must be submitted through the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service. The Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system is no longer used for this opportunity.
  • Start Application: Select 'Start application' on the Funding finder page. The project lead is responsible for completing the application, but all team members and partners are expected to contribute.
  • Organisation Registration: Ensure your organisation is registered with the UKRI Funding Service. Allow at least 10 working days for new organisation registration.
  • Direct Entry: Most questions are answered directly in text boxes within the online form. Answers can be saved and revisited.
  • Document Uploads: Some sections require specific documents to be uploaded (e.g., PDF, DOCX, image files). Follow specific instructions for file types, sizes (e.g., images < 5MB), and content (e.g., descriptive captions for images, no text in images).
  • Internal Institutional Deadlines: Be aware of and adhere to any internal institutional deadlines, which may be significantly earlier than the STFC submission deadline.
  • No Changes After Submission: Applications cannot be changed or returned for amendment after submission. Failure to follow guidance may lead to rejection.
Key Deadlines and Timelines
  • Opening Date: 3 July 2025 9:00am UK time.
  • Submission Deadline: 18 September 2025 4:00pm UK time.
  • Award Start Date: Successful awards will begin on 1 April 2026. Later start dates can be requested.
  • Project Duration:
    • Short proposals: Up to 12 months (typically 3-6 months).
    • Thematic proposals: Up to 36 months (three years).
  • Assessment Timeline: The assessment process is aimed to be completed within five to six months of receiving the application (i.e., approximately October 2025 - March 2026).
  • Discretionary/Seedcorn Proposals: These small allocations can be submitted at any time directly to DiRAC.
Required Documentation and Materials
  • Summary: A plain English summary (550-word limit) suitable for public release.
  • Core Team: List key team members and their roles (e.g., project lead, co-lead, specialist).
  • Application Type & Sub-Panel: Select 'thematic proposal' or 'short proposal' and the relevant sub-panel (Astronomy & Cosmology or Particle Physics & Nuclear Theory).
  • Technical Application Form: Mandatory DOCX form (156KB) to be uploaded via the Funding Service.
  • Research Software Engineer (RSE) Support Form: If requesting RSE support, upload the DOCX form (104KB). If no computing resources are requested, email directly to DiRAC.
  • Resource Hours Requested: Complete and copy/paste a table (DOCX, 26KB) into the text box, detailing requested hours. Max 80% of available resources.
  • Storage Requirements: Complete and copy/paste a table (DOCX, 28KB) into the text box, specifying existing and new storage. Max 80% of available storage.
  • Codes You Will Be Using: Complete and copy/paste a table (DOCX, 28KB) into the text box, listing main codes and experience.
  • Vision and Approach Document: A PDF document (max 8MB) responding to specific criteria, with page limits varying by requested CPU/GPU hours (e.g., 3-14 pages). Must be single-spaced, 11-point Arial (or equivalent), 2cm margins. References can be appended (max 10% of page limit).
  • Applicant and Team Capability to Deliver: Narrative response (1,650-word limit, using R4RI format) demonstrating team expertise.
  • Ethics and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI): Response (500-word limit) on ethical/RRI implications and management.
  • Research Involving Animals: If applicable, complete and upload a specific DOCX template (52.5KB).
  • Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I): Response (100-word limit) on how work relates to TR&I principles.
  • International Collaboration: Response (100-word limit) on any international collaboration details.
  • Resources and Cost Justification: Response (1,100-word limit) justifying requested resources, their appropriateness, and optimal use.
  • Project Management Questions: Seven distinct questions (varying word limits) covering project structure, staff effort, internal allocation, work plan, risk analysis, distinction from active allocations, and publication plans.
  • Data Management Questions: Eight distinct questions (varying word limits) covering data types generated/preserved, software/metadata implications, preservation length, value to others, proprietary period, sharing methods, and resources needed.
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Questions: Four questions (125-word limit each) on team's EDI approach, junior researcher guidance, investigator training, and bullying/harassment procedures. These responses will not be assessed.
Application Support
  • UKRI Funding Service Helpdesk: For system or submission queries (email: support@funding-service.ukri.org; phone: 01793 547490, Mon-Thu 8:30am-5:00pm, Fri 8:30am-4:30pm UK time).
  • Specific Funding Opportunity Questions: Email [email protected].
  • Technical Questions: Email [email protected].
  • Research Office: Contact your institutional research office for help with costings and application writing.
Post-Award Requirements
  • Resource Usage: Allocated computing resources must be used within their specific 3-month allocation periods. Unused allocation is lost.
  • Under-usage Monitoring: STFC will monitor under-usage of allocations, and continued under-usage may lead to direct contact.
  • Data Management: Project Leads are responsible for removing data from DiRAC systems. A 3-month grace period is provided after the project end date for data transfer.

Evaluation Criteria

The assessment process for this opportunity is highly structured, weighing both the scientific merit and technical feasibility of the proposed work. Overall Assessment Areas Your application will be assessed across the following main areas, with their respective contributions to the overall score:
  • Vision and Approach (significant weight)
  • Applicant and Team Capability to Deliver (significant weight)
  • Resources and Justification (significant weight)
  • Project Management Plan (significant weight)
  • Data Management Plan (significant weight)
  • RAC Additional Scoring Considerations (combined with above, totals 80% of the overall score)
  • Technical Assessment by the DiRAC RSE Team (constitutes 20% of the overall score)
Detailed Scoring Factors Vision and Approach Assessors will evaluate your proposed work based on: * Quality and Importance: Is the work of excellent quality and significance within or beyond its field? * Advancement of Knowledge: Does it have the potential to advance current understanding or generate new knowledge, thinking, or discovery? * Timeliness: Is the project timely given current trends, context, and needs? * Impact Expectations: How will it impact world-leading research, society, the economy, or the environment? Will it lead to step changes in knowledge (for thematic proposals)? * Strategic Alignment: How does it fit within the UK's activity and international standing? Is it significant to the STFC science challenges and of strategic value within the STFC programme? * Competitiveness: Is the proposed work nationally and internationally competitive? * Methodology: Is the design effective, appropriate, and feasible? Does it identify risks and how they will be managed? Is the methodology clear and transparent? * Previous Work: How does it build upon and progress previous work? * Translation: How will outputs be maximised into outcomes and impacts? * Environment: How will the research environment contribute to success? * Code Efficiency: Details on codes and methods (appropriateness, efficiency of core usage), justification for exclusive system use (if requested). Applicant and Team Capability to Deliver Assessors look for evidence of: * Relevant Experience: Appropriate to career stage. * Skills and Expertise: The right balance of skills within the team. * Leadership and Management: Appropriate leadership to deliver the work and develop others. * Research Environment Contribution: Contribution to a positive research environment and wider community. * Standing: Necessary national or international standing and leadership. Resources and Justification
  • Comprehensiveness and Appropriateness: Are the requested computing time and storage resources comprehensive, appropriate, and justified?
  • Optimal Use: Do the resources represent optimal use to achieve intended outcomes and maximise potential impacts?
  • Essential Need: Why is the requested computing time essential for project completion?
  • Impact of Reduction: Details on the scientific impact if a reduced allocation is awarded.
Technical Assessment (20% of score) Conducted by the DiRAC RSE Team, assessing: * Architecture/Machine Selection: Appropriateness of the proposed architecture or machine selection. * Resource Usage Efficiency: How efficiently resources will be used. * Code Vectorization: How well the code(s) vectorise. RAC Additional Scoring Considerations
  • Alignment: How well the proposal aligns with the facility time opportunity guidelines.
  • Previous DiRAC Usage: For applicants with prior allocations, full and effective usage will be considered. Reasons for any underuse will be taken into account (not applicable for new users or seedcorn allocations).
Cross-cutting Themes
  • Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI): Questions on EDI are included in the application but are not assessed or scored. They are intended to encourage reflection.
  • Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I): Applicants must demonstrate how their project complies with UKRI's TR&I principles, identifying risks (e.g., dual-use applications, relevance to UK National Security and Investment (NSI) Act, export control licenses) and mitigation controls. This is part of a compliance check rather than a direct scoring criterion, but failure to address it adequately can lead to issues.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance
  • Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I): Applicants must demonstrate how their proposed projects comply with UKRI's TR&I principles. This includes ensuring effective international collaboration within integrity and ethical frameworks. Specific considerations include:
    • Dual-use Applications: List any research with both military and non-military applications.
    • National Security and Investment (NSI) Act: Indicate if the project is relevant to any of the 17 areas covered by the UK NSI Act.
    • Export Control: Confirm if an export control license is required and its status, especially for items/substances on the UK strategic export control list.
  • Ethical Standards: Address ethical and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) implications related to the proposed work. If no issues are perceived, justification must be provided.
  • Animal Research: If applicable, research involving vertebrate animals or other organisms covered by the Animals Scientific Procedures Act requires specific documentation.
Data Protection and Management
  • Personal Data: UKRI will collect personal information for account management and application registration, handled in line with UK data protection legislation. User details will be stored in DiRAC service providers' and research councils' databases for administrative purposes.
  • Data Management Plan: A data management plan is mandatory and will be assessed. It must specify:
    • Types of Data: Describe raw, reduced, and published data expected.
    • Data Preservation: Which data will be preserved and how (preferably via an established repository).
    • Software and Metadata: What software and metadata will be retained for data interpretation.
    • Preservation Length: How long data will be preserved (original data typically 10 years minimum from project end; indefinitely for non-re-measurable data).
    • Value to Others: Justify which data has value for sharing, particularly published data (expected public within six months of publication).
    • Proprietary Period: Justify any proprietary period for data exploitation.
    • Data Sharing: Details on how data will be shared (e.g., standard procedures, proactive approaches).
    • Resources for Data Management: Justify resources needed for data preservation and sharing (staff, training, computational facilities).
Technical and Operational Requirements
  • Code Efficiency: Applicants should demonstrate an operational plan that is as efficient as possible, and that the requested architecture is appropriate. More efficient use of resources (code efficiency or operational strategies) may be preferred in similarly ranked proposals.
  • Exclusive System Use: Requests for exclusive use of a DiRAC system (entire machine or significant fraction for >2 days) must be explicitly justified with a detailed timeline. Not more than two DiRAC machines will operate in this mode simultaneously.
  • Resource Usage Tracking: DiRAC will monitor under-usage of allocations. Continued under-usage may result in direct communication.
  • DiRAC Specifics: Familiarity with DiRAC systems and their specific architectures (Data Intensive at Cambridge/Leicester, Extreme Scaling at Edinburgh, Memory Intensive at Durham) is expected for technical planning.
Special Considerations
  • Research Software Engineer (RSE) Support: Applications can include requests for RSE team support to improve and develop software (e.g., algorithmic improvements, scalability, portability, optimization for new hardware). This is technical support, not research support, typically for 3-12 months. Smaller requests (<3 months) can be made directly to the DiRAC helpdesk for funded projects.
  • Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI): While not part of the assessment score, the application asks questions about the team's EDI approach, guidance for junior researchers, EDI training for investigators, and procedures for bullying/harassment. This reflects UKRI's commitment to achieving equality of opportunity.
  • COVID-19 Disruption: Reviewers will consider the impacts of COVID-19 related disruptions on applicants' ability to deliver and career development.

Grant Details

hpc high performance computing supercomputing computing resources stfc science and technology facilities co dirac research academic university ukri united kingdom uk astrophysics astronomy cosmology particle physics nuclear physics solar system physics software development research software engineer rse data intensive extreme scaling memory intensive scientific research uk research academic research theoretical physics modelling simulation data management early career researchers postdocs phd students resource allocation scientific computing trusted research and innovation tri national security export control ethical research data protection
Computing resources on the STFC DiRAC HPC facility (RAC18)
RAC18
STFC DiRAC HPC Facility
UNIVERSITY PUBLIC OTHER
GB
TECHNOLOGY OTHER
RESEARCH_DEVELOPMENT OTHER
OTHER
RESOURCES RESEARCH_DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY_BUILDING
None
None
None
None
None
None
Sept. 18, 2025, 3 p.m.
October 2025 - March 2026