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Initiating research projects

The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) bases its activities and decisions on scientific findings. This requires research in every area in which the office is active: animal health, animal welfare, food safety, nutrition and species conservation in international trade.

The general research priorities and medium-term research needs are set out in the FSVO Research Concept 2025–28. (PDF, 326 kB, 04.02.2025)

Research mandates

Research mandates with estimated values over CHF 230,000 are published regularly by the FSVO on www.simap.ch/en (the joint electronic public procurement platform of the Confederation, cantons and communes), giving interested institutions or companies the opportunity to bid for the project in question. Prospective bidders are advised to subscribe to this platform, specifying the topics that interest them.

In the case of mandates with estimated values below CHF 230,000, the FSVO invites at least three research institutions to submit a bid (invitation procedure).

Mandates below an estimated value of CHF 150,000 may be awarded to research institutions at the FSVO’s discretion. In this case, FSVO staff will contact the relevant research institutions directly.

Research funding

The FSVO has the possibility to grant financial support for scientific projects in its field of activity. The conditions are presented here. Due to the limited availability of resources researchers are requested not to submit spontaneous proposals, rather they should first contact the Head of the Research Commission.

International cooperation

The Swiss Confederation, represented by the FSVO, participates in the funding of ERA-NET ICRAD (International Coordination of Research on infectious Animal Diseases). The call for proposals was launched on 31 January 2020. The final selection took place in October 2020 and 3 projects supported by FSVO have been started (NEOVACC, ASF-RASH and CAE-Rapid). Detailed information is published on www.icrad.eu.

No Swiss research funders are currently involved in the Animal Health and Welfare Partnership (EUPAHW).