HMGCC Co-Creation Challenge: Reducing DNA contamination risk in forensics work

There are many reasons why the technical solutions that HMGCC manufactures for national security need high levels of cleanliness.

These reasons can range from the types of use, which could include building clean components for space and satellite applications, providing clean room guidance, or simply the need to avoid DNA cross contamination when working closely with law enforcement.

Traditionally DNA profiling is carried out in a dedicated laboratory run by an accredited forensic science provider, but advances in mobile ‘rapid’ DNA capabilities now allow for mobile solutions to be deployed in non-laboratory settings.

The gap

The effective cleaning of laboratory environments is a key recommendation by the UK Forensic Science Regulator. So, the act of carrying out DNA profiling with mobile, ‘rapid’ systems means special consideration has to be made to contamination risk.

Cleaning is needed for everything from consumables to tools, electronic equipment, and potentially whole rooms, including porous and non-porous materials. These items need to be cleaned of residual DNA without effecting their functionality.

Traditional cleaning methods, such as hypochlorite bleach or isopropanol alcohol (IPA) can fall short of cleanliness requirements and risk damaging equipment.

Whilst the market is awash with chemicals and guidance, there is still the need for a simple, quick, cost-effective mechanism for the decontamination of tools and products, capable of being used by non-forensic specialists.

Nicky is a forensics advisor at a mobile facility set up for disaster victim identification scenarios.

In mobile facilities, there are further challenges compared to a laboratory environment, so further efforts need to be made to avoid the risk of DNA cross-contamination.

Typically, disposable items are used to ensure no cross-contamination, but Nicky has spotted an opportunity to use advanced tools (e.g. 3D printed parts) and new electronic equipment that are not treated as disposable, as long as they can be sufficiently cleaned between uses.

She requires a relatively simple method to clean both inert tools and electronic equipment to reduce the chances of mistakes. It also needs to be quick so that is useable in a high stress situation. Crucially, it must be provable that DNA is removed to a certain standard.

In this 12-week project, applicants should aim to deliver a demonstration to the sponsors. Those taking part should include forensics specialists who understand biomaterial and DNA contamination in their project team. We are open to adapting existing technology that is used in other sectors or new ideas for effective and safe cleaning/decontamination techniques. Promising and potentially viable work has been seen using ultrasonic baths to remove contaminants. However, there are likely to be other solutions not yet explored by HMGCC.

This is open to Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) from 4 – 9. It is recommended that in proposals label both the existing TRL and TRL that would be expected by the end of 12 weeks. Essential, desirable and stretch targets are listed below.

Essential requirements:

• Demonstrate cleaning of non-electronic and electronic devices, detailing the efficacy of the solution.
• Must be willing to explore different solutions for non electrical and electrical devices.
• Ability to clean porous and non-porous materials.
• Must not damage the device being cleaned.
• Must be simple to use.
• Cleanliness post processing must be verifiable, either by the solution provider or, upon request, by HMGCC.

Desirable:

• Should clean an object as fast as possible.
• Should have a small footprint, around the size of shoebox.

Constraints:

• Could be used in a variety of spaces, from a temporary forensic facility to a clean room. In either situation, space is at a premium.

Not required:

• Horizon scanning only.
• Use of known existing solutions, such as bleach or IPA.

• Competition opens: Monday 9 June 2025
• Online briefing call: Tuesday 24 June 2025 at 11:00 – TEAMS CALL LINK
• Clarifying questions submission date: Tuesday 24 June 2025
• Clarifying questions published: Tuesday 1 July 2025
• Competition closes: Thursday 10 July 2025 at 17:00
• Applicants notified: Thursday 24 July 2025
• Pitch day in Milton Keynes: Thursday 31 July 2025
• Commercial onboarding begins: Friday 8 August 2025
• Target project kick-off: Monday 1 September 2025

Please note, the successful solution provider will be expected to have availability for a 1-hour onboarding call via MS Teams on the date to be specified to begin the onboarding/contractual process.

This challenge is open to sole innovators, industry, academic and research organisations of all types and sizes. There is no requirement for security clearances.

Solution providers or direct collaboration from countries listed by the UK government under trade sanctions and/or arms embargoes, are not eligible for HMGCC Co-Creation challenges.

All proposals, regardless of the application route, will be assessed by the HMGCC Co-Creation team. Proposals will be scored 1–5 on the following criteria:

• Scope
  Does the proposal fit within the challenge scope, taking into consideration cost and benefit?
• Innovation
  Is the technical solution credible, will it create new knowledge and IP, or use existing IP?
• Deliverables
  Will the proposal deliver a full or partial solution, if a partial solution, are there collaborations identified?
• Timescale
  Will the proposal deliver a minimum viable product within the project duration?
• Budget
  Are the project finances within the competition scope?
• Team
  Are the organisation/delivery team credible in this technical area?

Invitation to present

Successful applicants will be invited to a pitch day, giving them a chance to meet the HMGCC Co-Creation team and pitch the proposal during a 20-minute presentation, followed by questions.

After the pitch day, a final funding decision will be made. For unsuccessful applicants, feedback will be given in a timely manner.

Clarifying questions or general requests for assistance can be submitted directly to cocreation@hmgcc.gov.uk before the deadline with the challenge title as the subject. These clarifying questions may be technical, procedural, or commercial in subject, or anything else where assistance is required. Please note that answered questions will be published to facilitate a fair and open competition.

HMGCC Co-Creation is working with a multiple and diverse set of community collaborators to broadcast and host challenges. Please follow this link for the full list of community collaborators.

If possible, please submit applications via a community collaborator.

If the community collaborator does not host an application route, please send applications directly to cocreation@hmgcc.gov.uk and co-creation@dstl.gov.uk including in the subject line – ‘Reducing DNA contamination risk in forensics work via Innovate UK’ – the collaborator network where this challenge has been first viewed.

All information you provide to us as part of your proposal, whether submitted directly or via a collaborator platform, will be handled in confidence.

Applications must be no more than six pages or six slides in length. HMGCC Co-Creation reserve the right to stop reading after six pages if this limit is breached. The page/slide limit excludes title pages, references, personnel CVs and organisational profiles.

There is no prescribed application format, however, please ensure your application includes the following:

• Applicant details
  Contact name, organisation details and registration number.
• Scope
  Describe how the project aligns to the challenge scope.
• Innovation
  Describe the innovation and technology intended to be delivered in the project, along with new IP that will be generated or existing IP that can be used.
• Deliverables
  Describe the project outcomes and their impacts.
• Timescale
  Detail how a minimum viable product will be achieved within the project duration.
• Budget
  Provide project finances against deliverables within the project duration.
• Team
  Key personnel CVs and expertise, organisational profile if applicable.

Co-Creation terms and conditions

Proposals must be compliant with the HMGCC Co-Creation terms and conditions; by submitting your proposal you are confirming your organisation’s unqualified acceptance of Co-Creation terms and conditions.

Download and view the full terms and conditions.

Commercial contracts and funding of successful applications will be engaged via our commercial collaborator, Cranfield University.

HMGCC Co-Creation supporting information

HMGCC works with the national security community, UK government, academia, private sector partners and international allies to bring engineering ingenuity to the national security mission, creating tools and technologies that drive us ahead and help to protect the nation.

HMGCC Co-Creation is a partnership between HMGCC and Dstl (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory), created to deliver a new, bold and innovative way of working with the wider UK science and technology community. We bring together the best in class across industry, academia, and government, to work collaboratively on national security engineering challenges and accelerate innovation.

HMGCC Co-Creation aims to work collaboratively with the successful solution providers by utilising in-house delivery managers working Agile by default. This process will involve access to HMGCC Co-Creation’s technical expertise and facilities to bring a product to market more effectively than traditional customer-supplier relationships.

FAQs

1. Who owns the intellectual property?
   As per the HMGCC Co-Creation terms and conditions, project IP shall belong exclusively to the solution provider, granting the Authority a non-exclusive, royalty free licence.
2. Who are the end customers?
   National security users include a wide range of different UK government departments which varies from challenge to challenge. This is a modest market and so we would encourage solution providers to consider dual use and commercial exploitation.
3. What funding is eligible?
   This is not grant funding, so HMGCC Co-Creation funds all time, materials, overheads and indirect costs.
4. How many projects are funded for each challenge?
   On average we fund two solution providers per challenge, but it does come down to the merit and strength of the received proposals.
5. Do you expect to get a full product by the end of the funding?
   It changes from challenge to challenge, but it’s unlikely. We typically see this initial funding as a feasibility or prototyping activity.
6. Is there the possibility for follow-on funding beyond project timescale?
   Yes it is possible, if the solution delivered by the end of the project is judged by the HMGCC Co-Creation team as feasible, viable and desirable, then phase 2 funding may be made available.
7. Can we collaborate with other organisations to form a consortium?
   Yes, in fact this is encouraged, and additional funding may be made available. Please see the maximum budget of the individual challenge.
8. I can’t attend the online briefing event, can I still access this?
   If a briefing event is held, which varies challenge to challenge, then yes. Either the recording or the transcript will be made available to view at your leisure after it has been broadcasted. This will be made available via the HMGCC Co-Creation community collaborators.
9. Do we need security clearances to work with HMGCC Co-Creation?
   Our preference is work to be conducted at OFFICIAL, we may however, request the project team undertake BPSS checks or equivalent.
10. We think we have already solved this challenge, can we still apply?
    That would be welcomed. If your product fits our needs, then we would like to hear about it.
11. Can you explain the Technology Readiness Level (TRL)?
    Please see the UKRI definition for further detail.
12. Can I source components from the list of restricted countries, e.g. electronic components?
    Yes, that is acceptable under phase 1 – feasibility, as long as it doesn’t break UK government trade restrictions and/or arms embargoes.

Further considerations

Solution providers should also consider their business development and supply chains are in-line with the National Security and Investment Act and the National Protective Security Authority’s (NPSA) and National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) Trusted Research and Secure Innovation guidance. NPSA and NCSC’s Secure Innovation Action Plan provides businesses with bespoke guidance on how to protect their business from security threats, and NPSA and NCSC’s Core Security Measures for Early-Stage Technology Businesses provides a list of suggested protective security measures aimed at helping early-stage technology businesses protect their intellectual property, information, and data.