Sandbox Grant Program QA 2019.04.24.pdf

Proposals for Sandbox Grant Program Solicitation (No. 2019-MeHI-02)

Questions and Answers April 24, 2019

Question Answer

1. Is $60,000 the maximum amount that any one grantee may request?

MeHI anticipates awarding grants between $25,000 and $60,000 but may approve awards below or above those thresholds depending on availability of funding, cost of the proposed project, and determination of applicant’s need.

2. How much total funding is available? Up to $500,000 is available over a two year period.

3. How many awards will be made? There is no cap on the number of awards that will be made. The solicitation is open on a rolling basis and additional awards may be made as applications are received and reviewed.

4. Is there a specific timeframe in which the grants must be completed?

There is no set timeframe for completing the grants. Applicants should indicate how long they expect their project to take in their application.

5. Must applicants have signed agreements with a sandbox prior to applying for this program?

No. While applicants are not required to execute any agreements with a sandbox prior to applying, MeHI encourages applicants to discuss their proposed project with the sandbox prior to applying to confirm that the sandbox can meet their needs. Applicants may be required to execute agreements with the sandbox prior to starting their project.

6. Are all applications due by June 10, 2019? No. This is a rolling solicitation. Applications received prior to June 10, 2019 will be reviewed in the first round. Applications received after that date will be periodically reviewed.

7. When will decisions be made? MeHI anticipates making awards for the first round of applications by July 15, 2019.

Applications received after June 10, 2019 will be reviewed on a periodic basis.

8. Which sandboxes can applicants receive funding to work with under this program?

As of April 24, 2019, PracticePoint at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is the only approved sandbox in the program. MeHI intends to add additional sandboxes on a periodic basis and encourages applicants to check www.massdigitalhealth.org/sandbox for the http://www.massdigitalhealth.org/sandbox most up-to-date list. Interested applicants whose needs are not met by the sandboxes currently in the program are encouraged to fill out the feedback form on the website.

9. When will more sandboxes be added to the program?

MeHI is developing a process for adding sandboxes to the program and we anticipate releasing that in late summer or fall 2019.

10. How can applicants provide feedback if our needs are not met by the sandboxes currently in the program?

Organizations wishing to provide feedback on their testing environment needs are encouraged to visit www.massdigitalhealth.org/sandbox and fill out the feedback form.

11. Do you have to be a Massachusetts company to participate in the program?

Yes. Companies must have a presence in Massachusetts to participate in the program.

12. Will the funding go directly to the applicants to then pay the sandbox?

No. The funding will be sent directly to the applicant’s selected sandbox to offset the cost of the applicant’s proposed use of the sandbox.

13. Are there any eligibility requirements for companies (e.g. company size or revenue requirements?)

Applicants must have a presence in Massachusetts. There are no minimum or maximum eligibility requirements for the size of applicant organizations or their revenue or funding raised. However, grant award amounts will be based in part on an applicant’s annual revenue and their amount of funding raised.

14. Must the applicant organization work in a specific industry area?

Yes. Proposed projects must support digital health companies or products.

15. What types of projects will receive preference? Projects addressing the following areas will receive preference:

- cybersecurity and privacy issues

- cost or access challenges identified by the Health Policy Commission or other public bodies

- workflow for new technologies in home or hospital settings (e.g. wearables or consumer apps)

- collaboration with academic researchers to increase the evidence base for digital health solutions

16. What are the goals of the sandbox program? The Sandbox Program will enable Massachusetts sandbox environments to support the lifecycle of research and development for digital health companies by providing financial assistance for the companies http://www.massdigitalhealth.org/sandbox to access sandbox environments and expanding the user base for the sandboxes.

17. How will you measure success of the sandbox program?

MeHI and the Sandbox Program Independent Steering Committee will evaluate the program on a number of criteria, including: the number of applications received; the number of applications approved; the ability of the sandboxes to meet the applicants’ testing needs; the difference in the cost, time, and effort to test a product or project independently

vs. in the sandbox program; the number of products or solutions that moved into a clinical environment after their project ends; and the impact of the projects on patients’ lives.