Made in Queensland

To be eligible for an MIQ grant, an applicant must be one standalone entity or a group of entities (see below) that:

• is a Queensland-based business whose principal activity and majority annual turnover is derived from manufacturing, as defined under Division C of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) 2006
• is registered for GST and holds an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
• operates independently and has control of its own corporate governance and decision making
• is an SME with between five and 200 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. A minimum of five FTE employees must be located in Queensland
• has a proposed Eligible Project that meets the requirements set out in Section 2.3.2
• owns the existing equipment used in its manufacturing operations and will own any equipment to be purchased under the proposed Eligible Project
• has the financial capacity and standing necessary to successfully undertake and complete the proposed Eligible Project recognising that grant payments are made in arrears
• accepts that the Department may require security over any or all of Eligible Project items for the duration of up to seven years
• does not have, and must not be an Associated Entity of an entity that has received (or about to receive) funding under the MIQ Program that in aggregate exceeds, or will exceed $2.5 million (excluding GST)
• does not have, and must not be an Associated Entity of an entity that has made, an application under Round 7 of the MIQ Program that in aggregate exceeds, or will exceed funding of $2.5 million (excluding GST)
• is not insolvent or does not have owners or directors that are an undischarged bankrupt
• is not a federal, state or local government entity, statutory authority or special purpose vehicle, charity, partnership, or not-for-profit organisation.

See the guidelines for full details of eligibility criteria.

Plans and strategies (must be part of an equipment, technology, system or process project)

Professional advice

• professional advice on optimising/augmenting current resources/equipment or new
  equipment/technology investment (planning), including an integration of advanced technologies plan
• developing a human resource management plan to support integration to boost commercial
  outcomes creating sustainable jobs
• site visualisation deployment for improved structure and factory layout

Decarbonisation or net zero

• development of a decarbonisation or net zero plan or strategy
• development of an energy efficiency plan

Improvement planning

• development of a networking and digital connectivity implementation plan
• development of a supply/value chain digital data capture and analysis plan

Waste reduction

• development of an innovative water use management plan
• development of a sophisticated material waste, reuse and recycling management plan

Market expansion

• market research
• differentiation/diversification of existing products/services strategy
• social media, digital media/market/export strategy

Associated project costs critical to the success of the proposed MIQ project

• servers to accommodate advanced systems and process connectivity to be installed as part of
  the project
• software licensing (up to 12 months) where the software is required to operate the new
  equipment or implement the system or process
• training to support implementation of a new software system or integrated technology
• freight of Eligible Project items (equipment) to the project site
• cybersecurity

Ineligible project costs include costs and expenses associated with:

• project costs incurred or paid prior to the execution of the MIQ Funding Agreement
• MIQ Round 7 proposed project or project item/s that are the same as a project or project item/s approved under any previous round of MIQ where an agreement has already been entered into (or about to be entered into) between the Department and the applicant
• MIQ Round 7 proposed project or project item/s that are the same as a project or project item/s subject to funding (either already under contract or contract pending) under any other local, state (including interstate) or federal government grant or scheme
• preparing an application for the MIQ Program, including any third-party consultant costs involved in the preparation of materials in support of a Stage 1 and/or Stage 2 Application or any associated reports used as the basis for an application
• salaries for staff or the costs associated with any human resources activities of the entity
• project items where the applicant (or associated entity) is the supplier
• normal operations (e.g., utilities charges, telecommunications charges, standard tool or machinery hire/purchases, licensing fees except those outlined in Section 2.3.3, membership fees, etc)

See the guidelines for full details of ineligible expenditure for MIQ support.

1. The project demonstrates that it will build the capacity of the business to increase its productivity and international competitiveness (Stage 1 – 20%) (Stage 2 – Unweighted)

2. The project will involve integrated, advanced technologies (equipment and/or technology, systems and processes) supporting business transformation by embracing Industry 4.0 and/or 5.0 (Stage 1 – 20%) (Stage 2 – Unweighted)

3. The project will support current manufacturing jobs and will create new high-skilled manufacturing jobs in Queensland (Stage 1 – 20%) (Stage 2 – Unweighted)

4. The project aligns with the strategic direction of the business and will increase profitability (Stage 1 – 10%) (Stage 2 – Unweighted)

5. The project demonstrates value for money to the business, the local market and the State (Stage 1 – Unweighted) (Stage 2 – 10%)

6. The project demonstrates sound planning and is achievable within the stated budget and timeframes (Stage 1 – 7.5%) (Stage 2 – Unweighted)

7. Regional weighting will be applied to the scores of applicants with a project site located outside the boundaries of the following Local Government Areas: Brisbane City, Gold Coast City, Ipswich City, Moreton Bay Regional, Noosa Regional, Redlands City, Sunshine Coast Regional (Stage 1 – 12.5%) (Stage 2 – Unweighted)

See the guidelines for full details of the assessment criteria.

You should read and understand the guidelines.

You need to ensure your organisation is eligible for the funding. Organisations that do not meet all of the eligibility criteria outlined above will not be considered.

Successful applicants will demonstrate:

• the proposal aligns with the program objectives and their business strategic plan, and will increase productivity, competitiveness and profits
• benefits to the business/local region/supply chain/Queensland, including job maintenance and creation, with supporting evidence
• a value for money proposition
• sound business and governance structures and the financial capacity to support successful completion of the project within the agreed timeline

The first stage of the application process involves submitting a Stage 1 Application. A completed Stage 1 Application form must include:

• information on the applicant entity or entities
• written answers to every applicable question. Answers solely in the form of external links will not be accepted
• a description of the proposed MIQ project that aligns with eligibility and assessment criteria
• identification of how the proposed project will achieve one or more of the Program Objectives
• a detailed project cost breakdown in Australian dollars, supported by quotes, which includes
  Eligible Project cost and ineligible project cost items. Note that only Eligible Project cost items
  supported by quotes will be eligible for an offer of funding
• multiple quotes (where available) per item where funding is sought, and detail of the project
  governance process
• the employment outcomes including retaining, creating and upskilling jobs
• evidence to demonstrate that the proposed project directly aligns with the applicant’s strategic direction
• evidence to support claims (or the rationale behind claims) about the project’s expected benefits, including productivity, international competitiveness, profitability and value for money to the business, the local region or supply chain and the State (e.g. strategic plan, external business evaluation, workforce development and training plan, market research)
• a project plan, which should include an executive summary, goals, objectives, project scope,
  implementation plan, risk management, and resource/team description including resumes or
  evidence of experience
• a project timeline or Gantt chart showing the project delivery timeframe and key milestones
• certificates of currency for insurances (e.g. public liability, Workcover, general insurance)
• applicant’s declaration.

Stage 2 Applications must include:

• all information requested by the Department
• evidence that the business can fund the project costs not funded by the MIQ grant
• if the applicant’s business has been in operation
  1. for three years or more: three years of financial statements including profit and loss, balance sheet and statement of cash flows (where available) including notes to the accounts that are either Accountant prepared, audited and certified (preferred) or Accountant prepared and signed financial statements
  2. for less than three years: a statement of viability and a ‘management accounts’ report prepared by an Accountant
• forecast financial and employment information for the next five years
• applicant’s declaration

See the guidelines for full details of information requirements.

Applications are submitted via the online application form, available on the MIQ page of the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water website.

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