Call for proposals for innovative solutions for vaccination logistics

The corona crisis continues. Strict measures in combination with various innovative solutions are needed. Both technological and social innovation, often integrated, contribute to necessary and desired solutions. For example, a lot of work is being done on vaccines, the first of which may be expected early next year. How do we get it from lab to life quickly, carefully and responsibly?

In the Netherlands, there is a great deal of experience with vaccination programmes (see, for example, www.rijksvaccinatieprogramma.nl. The organisation of vaccination programmes is partly centralised and partly decentralised. Some programmes, such as the flu vaccination, reach a scale of several million vaccinees. However, the scale on which the corona vaccine must be distributed covers the whole of the Netherlands, preferably also a large part of the population and must be done as quickly as possible. At the same time, robustness of activities and information provision during the vaccination programme is almost the highest priority. In addition to dissemination, the appreciation, acceptance and accuracy of the operation is therefore also of great importance, socially and economically.

This presents us with a major logistical and humanitarian challenge.

The Top Sectors Creative Industries, Logistics, ICT and LSH would like to activate the Dutch technological and social knowledge and innovation capacities for this crucial challenge. We therefore place this knowledge and innovation challenge with the Dutch knowledge institutions.

The challenge
Design an integrated logistical and creative solution for a corona vaccination programme that can inoculate quickly, carefully, responsibly and accurately potentially 95% of the population in the Netherlands.

Conditions
Take into account applicable corona measures and rules regarding distance, group size and diversity, walking directions, and so on. Also take into account different appreciations and acceptances in our population.
Take into account that the logistics operation and social acceptance also require information technology, health-related and social and service design interventions; that must jointly lead to an integrated solution.
Some vaccines require one vaccination and some require two. Clearly indicate for which option your solution is designed.
Take into account the conditions under which the vaccine should be transported and stored. In most cases, a vaccine will need to be shipped and stored frozen for a longer life.

Assume that there will eventually be enough vaccines. These vaccines arrive at a central location in the Netherlands. It is recommended to use one or more scenarios for phasing the availability and acceptance of the vaccine in answering the challenge.

The international transport of the vaccines is not part of this challenge. Logistics knowledge is already being used for transport and storage to and from the Netherlands in a broad task force at the initiative of Schiphol, KLM Cargo, Air Cargo Netherlands and TLN (the Task Force Transport and Storage Covid 19 Vaccine).

A short-term effort is underway for the vaccination against Covid-19. This process is under great pressure, and success is crucial to our society. It is not desirable to consult the government parties, such as RIVM, involved in this for this challenge.
We expect you to demonstrate quantitatively that your solution actually works and achieves the promised performance - 95%.

Appreciation
The top sectors involved will endeavor to include the best three design proposals in the Dutch government's long-term planning for pandemics. In addition, the TKIs ClickNL, Dinalog, ICT and LSH are making available an amount of € 10,000 for the first prize, and twice € 5,000 for two second prizes. Within the top sectors, ample attention will be paid to this challenge, the award ceremony, and the offering of the solutions through its usual media channels.
Submission and Review

This knowledge and innovation challenge has two steps. In the first step, we ask about the provisional approach and composition of the knowledge consortium (we make no demands on this, such as involvement of private parties). The deadline for this first step is 1 December 2020 at 11:59 PM via the email address projects@dinalog.nl.

The proposals will be assessed on probability and knowledge contribution. Relevant applicants will be invited to develop and submit their approach. The deadline for this second submission, in the form of a logistics design with accompanying documentation, is 31 January 2021 at 11:59 PM via the email address projects@dinalog.nl

The quality of the submitted designs is assessed by an independent, expert jury.
The assessment will be announced on February 15, 2021 via TKI's website, the TKIs ClickNL, Dinalog, ICT and LSH. Click here for more information.