SOP NO.10: Standard Operating Procedure on a Lawful Requirement for the Payment of a Fee in Respect of the Review and/or Approval of a Research Protocol as a Service Provided by the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) through NCRSH

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Purpose

This SOP describes a lawfully made requirement in terms of the S&T Act, No.16 of 2003 (Sections 18, 24 (2e) & 48) in respect of the payment of a required fee for the provision of a service by NCST through NCRSH.

Scope

The SOP stipulates the actual fee amount required to be paid by any researcher (whether an individual or an organization) that intends to conduct research in the social sciences and humanities in Malawi whereas the proposed or intended research is to be reviewed and/or approved by NCRSH as a national research ethics committee in the social sciences and humanities. The determined fee as indicated below is paid in two parts;

• Part One: Application/processing fee of US$ 150 or its MKW equivalent
• Part Two: 10% of a research budget as described in a specific study protocol being research compliance and capacity building fee when study is approved

The money realised from this fee principally contributes to the S&T Fund and is also functionally used for the day to day operations of the committee in order to perform the following research and ethics compliance related functions;

• Proposal review meetings of NCRSH;
• Inspection, compliance and monitoring of research studies to promote protection of research subjects in the field;
• Promoting capacity building for research in the social sciences and humanities;
• Supporting continuing education for members of NCRSH as members of the national research ethics committee;
• Organising research dissemination conferences as a platform for offering a feedback to the communities;

NCRSH recognises and nurtures principles of research ethics and bioethics that include Respect for Persons; Beneficence; Non-maleficence; and Justice. As such the committee, in tandem with section 9.2 of the Framework of Requirements and Guidelines for the Conduct of Research in the Social Sciences and Humanities in Malawi (2011) operates to safeguard the rights, safety and well-being of human subjects in any intended research. Similarly, money realised from fees makes a partial contribution towards the S&T Fund whose object is provided for in section 28 of the S&T Act as being;

• Financing, by way of loans or grants, any research or study carried on ,by or for the benefit of persons or organisations engaged in research in matters relating to the development of science and technology;
• Financing, by way of loans or grants, the training of citizens of Malawi for the benefit of organisations engaged in research in the development of science and technology;
• Making awards to any person qualified for the grant to him of an award under this Act;
• Providing support for scientific research and technology development and the application of the results in compliance with the national priorities determined by the Government of Malawi upon advice by the National Commission for Science and Technology; and
• Commissioning the carrying out of a project by any person for any specific research which is of special importance to the nation

The usage of this SOP applies to researchers/investigators and their collaborators; NCRSH members; and NCRSH secretariat.

Allowable Exceptions

This SOP is meant to be followed without deviation

Specific Procedure

• Investigators/researchers submit an application package of a protocol for review by NCRSH to be accompanied by a duly completed NCRSH checklist for submission of an application
• In submitting an application package, the researcher or the researcher’s authorized representative pays to NCST the stipulated application/processing fee of US$150 or its MKW equivalent in order for the application package to be accepted and recorded on the register and log for review.
• Mode of payment shall be a direct bank deposit or wire transfer. Either a cash or cheque deposit is acceptable. NCST shall first verify any deposit/wire transfer made into any of the applicable bank accounts named below before the official issuance of the payment receipt and before further processing of the application package. Thus, a researcher/investigator preparing to apply for ethical review is encouraged to make such payment at least five working days prior to the submission of the application package (in respect of a cheque deposits and wire transfer) so as to avoid delays in payment verification procedures and processing of the application package. The applicant is required to submit to NCRSH secretariat a duly signed copy of the bank deposit slip or a wire transfer certification together with the application package.
• Deposit shall made into any of the following institutional accounts;
  
  
  • For payments made within Malawi in Malawi Kwacha equivalent;
         Name of Account: NCST Review Fees
         Account Number: 1001670847
         Bank Name : National Bank of Malawi
         Branch: Capital City
         City: Lilongwe
         Country: Malawi
         Swift Code; NBMAMWMW008
    
    
  • For Payments made from outside Malawi;
         Name of Account: NCST-Projects Account FCDA
         Account Number: 1000413198
         Bank Name : National Bank of Malawi
         Branch: Capital City
         City: Lilongwe
         Country: Malawi
         Swift Code; NBMAMWMW008
    
    NOTE: Wire transfer payments/deposits shall be made in the FCDA status.
    
    
• On receipt of the application/processing fee, NCRSH secretariat screens the completeness of the application package in accordance with SOP NO.2
• If SOPs 2 and either 3 or 4 are satisfied, NCRSH determines an ethical approval of an intended research study.
• In the event of ethical approval having been determined, NCRSH secretariat notifies the applicant/investigator or the authorized representative through a letter of intent to make arrangements for payment of the required fee of 10% of the research budget as described in the specific protocol of a given research study that has been reviewed. The mode of payment is as specified above i.e deposit/transfer into the institutional account named herein.
• Having paid this fee to NCST and a receipt issued to this effect by the NCST’s Department of Finance and Administration, NCRSH Chairperson or the authorized representative issues written ethical approval being a permit to conduct/implement the intended research study.
• Implementation of the approved research study shall commence only after payment of all the required fees.