The BL-NCE program is a federal initiative administered jointly through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) in partnership with Industry Canada and Health Canada.

This Full Application Guide describes how to complete and submit a Full Application to the 2014 BL-NCE Competition.

Business-Led Networks of Centres of Excellence Competition

Context

The application process of the 2014 BL-NCE New Competition includes three mandatory stages: 1) Notification of Intent (NOI), 2) Letter of Intent (LOI), and 3) Full Application (FA). Each stage solicits a greater level of detail on the proposed network and will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria of the program.

Application requirements to the FA stage are described in this guide. Only applicants successful in the LOI stage will be invited by the NCE Secretariat to submit a FA.

The NCE Steering Committee will select successful FA applicants based on the recommendation of the Private Sector Advisory Board (PSAB).

Review Criteria

To ensure that the goal and objectives of the BL-NCE Program are met, all applications (NOI, LOI, and FA) are reviewed against the three BL-NCE Program review criteria: A) Benefit to Canada, B) Track Record and Potential of the Applicants, and C) Business Plan. All three criteria are weighted equally. See the BL-NCE Program Guide for a full description of each criterion.

Successful applicants will demonstrate excellence in all three criteria. They will also be measured against these same criteria on an annual basis during the tenure of the grant.

Guidelines for Completing a Full Application

The goal of the FA is to provide greater detail on: the focus, strategies, structure and advantage of the proposed network; the means by which the network will increase private sector investment in research and development (R&D), innovation and competitiveness by focusing on key R&D challenges in Canadian research areas faced by the Canadian private sector; and the strategic composition of the network, i.e. the combination of private sector leadership and expertise as well as relevant and synergistic network membership and private-public partnerships.

The FA is composed of five parts.

Part 1: Cover

Section 1 – Cover Letter & Executive Summary (free form)
Section 2 – Summary Information
Section 3 – Vision & Mission
Section 4 – Research Priority Areas
Section 5 – Tables 1, 2 & 3
Section 6 – Tables 4 & 5
Section 7 – Budget Justification (free form)

Part 2: Free Form (free form)

Part 3: Curriculum vitae & Biographies

Section 8 – Table 6
Section 9 – Curriculum vitae & Biographies (free form)

Part 4: Letters of Support

Section 10 – Table 7
Section 11 – Letters of Support (free form)

Part 5: Signatures of Academic Participants

Section 12 – Signatures of Academic Network Investigators

With the exception of Part 2, all parts require the completion of a form fillable Portable Document File (PDF). The forms are available for download above; however the form fillable PDF version of the forms will be emailed to each candidate invited to submit a FA. Upon completion, all parts and corresponding free form sections of the application must be merged into one single PDF document. Only a single, compiled PDF document may be submitted to the NCE Secretariat.

Part 1: COVER

Section 1 – Cover Letter & Executive Summary

Section 1 is a free form section and is not part of the Part 1 form fillable PDF. When compiling the application into one PDF document, Section 1 must be placed in front of Section 2.

Cover Letter (2 pages maximum)

Include a cover letter from the not-for-profit organization or leading private sector company as an introduction to the Full Application.

Executive Summary (1 page maximum)

Provide an executive summary of the proposed BL-network and the expected benefits to Canadian private sector R&D and to the Canadian private sector. Describe how the network’s vision aligns with the BL-NCE program goal, review criteria, and definitions of success from the BL-NCE Competition Guide.

Write for a general audience using plain language, as the summary may be used for communication purposes, such as press releases for the NCE website.

Section 2 – Summary Information

Title: Title and corresponding acronym of the proposed network, in English and/or in French.

Lead Applicant (Network Director) Contact Information: Name, salutation, preferred language of correspondence, position, organization, division, website, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address.

Consent to Disclosure: In order to participate in the application, the Lead Applicant must agree to respect all of the policies of the funding agencies (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) that are relevant to the research, including the Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research.

Identification of the Not-for-Profit Corporation: Title of the not-for-profit corporation incorporated under the Canada Not for Profit Corporations Act representing the private sector consortium. If the corporation is not yet incorporated at the time of the FA, then provide the anticipated title.

Keywords: List of 10 keywords that best describe the proposed network.

Percent of Agency Mandate Represented by BL-Network Research Activities: Given an estimation of the proportion of the network’s research activities that relate to the mandate of each of the three respective granting agencies: NSERC, SSHRC, and CIHR. For details on the mandate of each agency, please see the following link
www.science.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=en&n=FEE7261A-1

Signatures: The Lead Applicant (Network Director) and the Chair of the Board of Directors of the consortium must sign the application. If the consortium is not yet incorporated, then the President or CEO of one of the major contributing private sector companies must sign the application along with the Network Director. Refer to Appendix A for information regarding the meaning of signing the application.

Section 3 – Vision & Mission (1,500 characters maximum, including spaces)

State the vision and mission of the network. Both the vision and mission must clearly align with the BL-NCE program goal and definitions of success as well as with a Canadian research priority area.

Section 4 – Research Priority Areas (1,500 characters maximum, including spaces)

Indicate which of the five priority areas identified in the federal Science and Technology Strategy (2007) or other priority areas of the Government of Canada apply to the proposed network and explain how network activities relate to the priority area(s) identified. Where proposals do not fall under the five priority areas listed in the application, applicants must explain how the network aligns with broader Government of Canada research priorities.

Section 5 – Tables 1, 2 & 3

Table 1 – List of Network Members from the Private Sector

List each private sector company participating in the research program. The name, position, organization, division and web site of the primary contact person must also be included for every company listed. Indicate the company type (e.g. large enterprise, small or medium enterprise (SME)), the area(s) of expertise and the anticipated percent of the research program budget that will be allocated to the company for their participation (percent of expenditures). For example, if the total research budget in Table 4 is $1,000,000 over the full term of the funding cycle and a private sector company listed in Table 1 is allocated a total of $60,000 over the full term of the funding cycle for research related activities, then the percent of expenditures for that company is 6%.

Organize the list first by organization type, then by percent of expenditures.

Table 2 – List of Network Investigators from Academia

List each academic researcher (network investigator) participating in the research program. Do not include graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research associates, etc. For each network investigator, provide their name, position, affiliation, a link to their website, details on the type of institution they are affiliated with (e.g. university, college, hospital, research institution, etc.), their area(s) of expertise as well as the anticipated percent of the research program budget that will be allocated for their participation (percent of expenditures). For example, if the total research budget in Table 4 is $1,000,000 over the full term of the funding cycle and a researcher listed in Table 2 is allocated a total of $60,000 for research related activities, then the percent of expenditures for that investigator is 6%.

Only Canadian academic researchers who are eligible to receive research funds from at least one of the three federal granting agencies (i.e., CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC) are considered network investigators and may receive BL-NCE funds.

Organize the list first by institution type, then by percent of expenditures.

Note: All network investigators and their respective institutions must also sign Section 12 to validate their participation in the application.

Table 3 – List of Network Participants

List all network participants involved in administration, networking and commercialization activities; do not include those involved in the research program unless they are also participating in network-related activities (i.e., administration, networking and commercialization). For each participant, provide their name, position, organization and division or institution and department, a link to their web site, the sector (private, academic, government), their role in the network, their area(s) of expertise and the number of days they will be involved with the network over the full term of the funding cycle. For example, a participant who has committed 25 days per year for 3 years over a 5 year funding cycle would indicate an involvement of 75 days in Table 3.

Organize the list first by sector, then by days of participation.

Note: All academic network participants and their respective institutions must also sign Section 12 to validate their participation in the application.

Section 6 – Tables 4 & 5

Tables 4 and 5 capture the anticipated research and network-related (administration, networking and commercialization) expenses, respectively. Provide a detailed budget of the anticipated expenditures of NCE and non-NCE funds over the full term of the funding cycle being requested.

All entries in Tables 4 and 5 must be justified in Section 7. Provide a detailed description and explanation for all categories, including those identified as “Other”.

Refer to the BL-NCE Program Guide for details on Matching Fund Requirements, Contracts and Use of Funds.

Table 4 – Anticipated Research-Related Expenditures

Give a detailed breakdown of the anticipated expenditure of BL-NCE funds and non-BL-NCE funds (cash and in-kind) towards research-related costs over the full term of the funding cycle being requested for each of the following line item listed in the table:

Salaries of research personnel (students, postdoctoral fellows and/or technical/professional assistants)
Equipment or facility (purchase or rental, operation and maintenance costs, and user fees)
Materials and supplies
Travel (conferences, field work, collaboration/consultation)
Dissemination costs (publication costs, other activities)
Other (e.g. field pilot projects, technical road mapping and other related studies; describe)

Table 5 – Anticipated Network-Related Expenditures (Administration, Networking and Commercialization)

Give a detailed breakdown of the anticipated expenditure of BL-NCE funds and non-BL-NCE funds (cash and in-kind) towards network-related costs over the full term of the funding cycle being requested for each of the following line items listed in the table:

Administration
1. Network Leader salary and benefits
2. Salaries and benefits for network staff
3. Contracting of services
Networking
1. Communications activities
2. Travel accommodation for network personnel, researchers, and members of network boards and committees
3. Networking activities/events
Commercialization
1. Intellectual property protection (up to fifty percent of the cost)
2. Market studies
3. Prototype development
4. Other (describe)

Section 7 – Budget Justification (no page limit)

Section 7 is a free form section and is not part of the Part 1 form fillable PDF document. When compiling the application into one PDF document, Section 7 must be placed after Section 6.

All entries in Tables 4 and 5 must be justified in Section 7. Provide a detailed description and explanation of all “Other” entries in both tables.

Refer to the BL-NCE Program Guide for details on Matching Fund Requirements, Contracts and Use of Funds.

Use the following to guide the contents of section 7:

Research-Related Costs:

Salaries of research personnel (students, postdoctoral fellows and/or technical/professional assistants)

List the position titles and proposed salaries, including non-discretionary benefits, of students, postdoctoral fellows, assistants, etc. Provide the number of personnel in each category and briefly describe the responsibilities for each position that will be supported through the BL-NCE grant. Specify any other expenses related to salaries and benefits of research personnel.
Equipment or facility (purchase or rental, operation and maintenance costs, and user fees)

List equipment to be purchased or rented that will be used to conduct the research activities. Justify the need for each item requested. Provide purchase or rental costs, operation and maintenance costs, and user fees (e.g., hours of use and rate per hour), if applicable, for each piece of equipment. Specify any other related expenses.
Materials and supplies

Provide details on the materials and supplies that will be used during the research activities and explain major items (exceeding $1,000).
Travel (conferences, field work, collaboration/consultation)

Provide detail on the cost of anticipated field trips, conferences, student exchanges, and travel for which funds are requested, excluding both the Annual General Meeting, meetings of the Board of Directors and its sub-committees. Briefly explain how travel expenses of the researchers and graduate and post-graduate students relate to the proposed research activities. Specify any other research expenses related to travel.
Dissemination costs (publication costs, other activities)

List and describe the expenses related to publication costs, field trials, prototyping, policy development, workshops, and any other knowledge mobilization and technology transfer activities that are to be conducted by network researchers.
Other (e.g. field pilot projects, technical road mapping and other related studies, specialized research contracts, etc.)

List all items not relevant to previous categories, and provide an explanation for each item.

Network-Related Costs:

Administration

Provide detail on the salary and benefits of the Network Director and each Administrative Centre staff personnel. Describe the expenses to be paid by the Administrative Centre for the purchase of equipment and office supplies that will be used by the Administrative Centre. Describe all other operational costs that will be incurred by the Administrative Centre including: consulting and/or technical services, legal fees, insurance, audit, etc.
Networking

Describe the costs related to corporate communications and publications (e.g. brand, brochures, website, etc.), external relations (e.g. events, marketing, outreach activities, partnerships, social marketing, etc.) and media relations, as well as any internal and other communications cost.

Provide detail on the expenses related to network committee meetings and Board of Directors meetings; the Annual General Meeting; networking events, seminars and workshops related to the management of the network or organized by the Administrative Centre.

Provide detail on the cost of anticipated travel of Administrative Centre staff (including the Network Director) as well as travel expenses of network committee members for attending meetings.
Commercialization

Describe the costs related to patenting, market studies, policy development, workshops and any other knowledge mobilization and technology transfer related activities conducted by (or for) the Administrative Centre.

Part 2: FREE FORM (50 pages maximum)

Structure the free form in the same order as the section headers below and use the same titles listed. Allocate the most appropriate number of pages to each section without exceeding a total of 50 pages. All additional pages, text or material will be removed.

A) Benefit to Canada and the Business Sector

Clearly articulate the sector vision and the R&D challenges to be targeted by the BL-Network to achieve the vision over the next 5-10 years. Describe how the vision and mission of the proposed BL-Network correlates with those of the sector and the overall benefits to the sector as a result of the BL-Network.

With respect to collaborations in the sector between public institutions and the private sector state the extent of these collaborations currently in place and explain how the Network will foster and create new collaborations.

Summarize the expected impacts of the BL-Network on Canadian companies, and Canada (in terms of creating growth or retention of companies; increasing R&D capacity; positioning of firms; etc.).

B) Track Record and Potential of the Applicants

Track Record:

Outline the existing R&D partnerships among the applicants and with the broader list of proposed BL-Network partners and describe how the BL-Network will incrementally build on those existing partnerships to create a broader new R&D program. Highlight the key organizations/participants who will be involved in the management and governance of the BL-Network, their respective level of involvement in research program, the application of the research results or the network activities.

List each key individual (organization/participant) in Table 6. In Section 9, include the Network Director’s curriculum vitae and a short biography for each key individual that highlights past achievements and experience related to the role and responsibilities of the key individual’s position in the network.

Potential for Success – Strength of the Research Program:

Describe the research program, its themes and project proposal, and explain how the research program will ensure the success of the network. If desired, use a flow chart or diagram to help illustrate the benefits of the research program to the private sector.

Consider the following points when developing this subsection:

Explain the key private sector R&D challenges being addressed and why the proposed network is in the best position to find solutions to these challenges, i.e. what is the added-value attributed to the network research program and what is the competitive advantage for members and participants?
Describe how the research themes and project proposals relate to each other and to the vision of the network.
Describe the network funding model and explain how it will ensure the matching requirements of the BL-NCE program. Clearly explain the appropriateness of the funding model as it relates to the nature of the research challenges and to the respective sector.
Describe the role and level of involvement of private sector participants in managing and directing the research program.
Describe the training program for graduate and postgraduate students in the research program as well as the broader BL-Network.

C) Business Plan

Rationale for Funding:

Explain how the BL-Network approach will generate solutions to the R&D challenges outlined in the Benefit to Canada section and clearly identify the solutions that will be realized during the term. Outline why the network approach is necessary and summarize how the value of the contributions (financial or resources) will enable the BL-Network to succeed.

Description of Benefits to Private Sector Participants:

Explain in detail the value proposition of the BL-Network used in engaging the following stakeholders: i) large/multinational companies; ii) small and medium sized enterprises;
iii) public and academic institutions; iv) researchers; and v) graduate and postgraduate students.

Business Approach:

The business approach is the management strategy for the research program, application of the research results and network activities. Using the guidelines below, summarize each in the free form section.

Research program including: the process to identify/select thematic/strategic areas and select projects for funding; establishment and responsibilities of committees; mechanisms to attract funding and fund research activities within various organization types; the type of information collected and the regularity of the project reporting; the methods to ensure timely completion of the research; and the policy on dissemination across the BL-Network

Application of the research results including: the key elements of agreements between participants, members and/or the BL-Network; mechanisms to track and manage the outcomes of the research as they relate to business application, advancement of commercialization activities, or the development of IP; the advancement of graduate and postgraduate interests; and the measurement of progress towards overcoming sectorial challenges.

Network activities including: different types/levels of involvement for participants/members; strategy for engaging new participation including a communications plan; the networking activities proposed; a list of expected risks and the proposed mitigation strategies; and the level of alignment/competition with similar initiatives in Canada and abroad.

Include an organizational chart or a diagram to illustrate the composition of the BL-Network (i.e. components and committees) and the nature of the relationships between the different components and committees. It should include, but is not limited to the following components and committees: Administrative Centre, Governing Board, Committees of the Governing Board (including those responsible for Research Management, Audit Finance, Executive, etc.). Where available include the names of individuals who are anticipated to fill the various positions.

Part 3: CURRICULUM VITAE & BIOGRAPHIES

Section 8 – Table 6

Table 6 – List of Key Individuals

List the key individuals referenced under “Track Record” in Part 2. Provide their name, position, organization or institution, and their position and role in the network. Indicate the page where their CV or biography is located in Section 9.

Organize the list by the key individual’s role in the network.

Section 9 - Curriculum vitae & Biographies (10 pages maximum)

Section 9 is a free form section and is not part of the Part 3 form fillable PDF document. When compiling the application into one PDF document, Section 9 must be placed after Section 8.

Include the Network Director’s curriculum vitae and a short biography for each key individual listed in Table 6 and in Part 2. The curriculum vitae should relate to the role and responsibilities of a BL-NCE Network Director. The biographies should highlight past experience and achievements that relate to the role and responsibilities of the key individual’s position in the network.

The order of the documents should follow Table 6. Additional pages will be removed.

Part 4: LETTERS OF SUPPORT

Section 10 – Table 7

Table 7 – List of Letters of Support

Provide details regarding the anticipated support and contributions (total cash and in-kind) from all participants over the full term of the funding cycle being requested. Indicate the sector (private, academic, government), the name of the organization or institution, and the total cash and/or total in-kind contribution over the full term of the funding cycle. Indicate the page where the corresponding letter of support is located in Section 11.

For non-academic partners, in-kind contributions could be defined as cash equivalent of goods or services considered essential to the research that represent an incremental expense the partner would not normally incur and that would have to be purchased by project funds if not otherwise donated. In-kind contributions may also include the time of a partner’s scientific, technical or administrative staff providing direction and/or participating in a project, as well as provision of access to special equipment. In the case of academic partners, they may also offer in-kind contributions in the form of access to specialized equipment, facilities or student support. The time committed by faculty at Canadian academic institutions towards the research projects is not considered an in-kind contribution. Similarly, costs associated with laboratory or office space (overhead costs) of academic researchers cannot be considered as an in-kind contribution.

Organize the list first by sector, then by decreasing order of total contribution (sum of cash and in-kind contribution).

Refer to the BL-NCE Program Guide for details on the stacking limit of the program.

Section 11 – Letters of Support

Letters of support are critical in demonstrating the commitment of participants.

Letters of support must:

Be written in one of Canada’s official languages (English or French);
Be signed by a senior executive with signing authority for the contributions being committed and placed on letterhead;
Describe the level, type (cash and/or in-kind), nature (for in-kind commitments detail the service; for cash contributions specify if directed) and duration of anticipated support;
Include a table that summarizes the total annual commitment over the full term of the funding cycle being requested;
Detail the contributor’s involvement in the network and the potential benefits resulting from their involvement and/or commitments;
Not be template formatted by the applicant (i.e. standardized by applicant across organizations); and
Dated and signed no earlier than the launch of the 2014 BL-NCE Competition.

The signatures of authorized officers of supporting organizations certify that the organization:

Agrees with the content of the application and agrees to provide the committed resources; and
Agrees to the release of the public summary of the award and to the publication of the organization's name as a supporter of the network.

Neither the Lead Applicant (Network Director) nor any of the researchers associated with the BL-NCE application may sign a letter of support. Only senior officials can sign letters of support on behalf of the respective organization or institution.

Letters of support that do not include all of the required information will be considered incomplete and will be flagged as such to reviewers.

The letters must follow the same order as Table 7.

Part 5: SIGNATURES OF ACADEMIC PARTICIPANTS

Section 12 –Signatures of Academic Network Investigators

Complete a table for each participating academic institution. Each table should include the signature of all academic investigators from the same institution as well as the signature of the respective signing officer. All academic investigators involved in any network activities must agree to the consent to disclosure agreement in order to receive NCE funds and/or participate in the network.

Order the tables in alphabetic order by institution.

Refer to Appendix A for details on the meaning of signing the application.

General Presentation

All five parts of the full application must be into one single searchable PDF document. Separate each section, CV, biography and letter of support with bookmarks. The merged PDF document may not exceed 10 MB.

All free form sections must follow these formatting standards:

Page size: 8½ x 11 inches
Margins: no less than ¾ of an inch on all sides.
Font: Times New Roman (no smaller than 12 pts) or Arial (no smaller than 11 pts). Condensed type will not be accepted
Header: include the title of the Network at the top of every page
All pages must be consecutively numbered
Graphs and illustrations may be included, but will count as part of the page limits of the respective section
Either single or double column presentation of text, graphs or illustrations is acceptable

All additional material will be removed from the application.

Submission Deadline & Procedure

The electronic submission must be received by Sunday, September 15, 2013, no later than 11:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time.

The paper submission must be postmarked by Monday, September 16, 2013, no later than 11:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

Electronic Submission

Submit the electronic copy via the NCE Secure Submission Web Site.

Complete the required fields and select the NCE > BL-NCE Program > New Competition (NC) > Letter of Intent (LOI) from the respective drop down menus.

The PDF document may not exceed 10 MB.

The following message will appear on the screen if the document is uploaded successfully:

Thank you for using the NCE Secure Submission Site. You have successfully submitted the document below. We will contact the contact person indicated in the document should we require any additional information. Document submitted: <AcronymOfProg>_<AcronymOfComp>_<AcronymOfDocType>_
<AcronymOfNetworkName><NameLast> <YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS ET>

The electronic submission must be received by Sunday, September 15, 2013, no later than 11:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time.

Paper Submission

Mail a paper copy of the application to

Networks of Centres of Excellence
2014 BL-NCE New Competition
16th Floor, mailroom
350 Albert Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 1H5

The paper submission must be postmarked Monday, September 16, 2013, no later than 11:59 PM.

Contact

For more information, please contact Renée Leduc, NCE Program Officer at:

Renée Leduc
Telephone: 613-996-9825
Email: Renee.Leduc@nce-rce.gc.ca

Appendix A

WHAT DO ELECTRONIC OR ORIGINAL SIGNATURES ON THE APPLICATION MEAN?

For the Lead Applicant

By signing and submitting my application, I (the Lead applicant):

certify that the information provided in my funding applications and related documents is true, complete and accurate and that I have represented myself, my research and my accomplishments in a manner consistent with the norms of the relevant field;
consent to the sharing between the NCE Secretariat and any academic institution to which I am, or may become, affiliated of any and all information, including personal information, in any way related to the application and to the grant/award;
understand the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act (including the Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to the NCE Secretariat) as they pertain to grant application information;
attest that participants listed in the application have agreed to be included in the application;
certify that I am not currently ineligible to apply for and/or hold funds from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) or any other research funding organization world-wide for reasons of breach of responsible conduct of research policies such as ethics, integrity or financial management policies;
certify that I respect and comply with the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service, as required only if I am, or was in the last 12 months, a public servant in the federal government;
accept the terms and conditions set out in NCE Program Guide and the Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions between the federal granting agencies and Canadian institutions;
will inform the NCE Secretariat and institutional officials of changes in my eligibility status;
agree to comply with the policies and guidelines described in the Requirements for Certain Types of Research, including:
- research involving humans;
- research requiring human pluripotent stem cells;
- research requiring the use of animals;
- research involving controlled information;
- research involving biohazards;
- research involving radioactive materials;
- research activities having potential effects on the environment; and
- other related policies;
will inform the NCE Secretariat and institutional officials of any changes in the nature of the research that may have an impact on certification or approvals on the same policies as in the previous bullet; and
understand that maintaining public trust in the integrity of researchers is fundamental to building a knowledge-based society. By submitting this application or by accepting funding from CIHR, NSERC and/or SSHRC, I affirm that I have read and I agree to respect all the policies of these agencies that are relevant to my research, including the Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research. In cases of a serious breach of agency policy, the agency may publicly disclose my name, the nature of the breach, the institution where I was employed at the time of the breach and the institution where I am currently employed. I accept this as a condition of applying for, or receiving, agency funding and I consent to such disclosure.

For academic participants:

By accepting to participate in the network, I (the academic participant) also agree to the above.

The signatures of authorized officers of other supporting organizations certify that the organization/institution:

agrees with the content of the application and will provide the committed resources; and
agrees to the release of the public summary of the award and to the publication of the organization/institution name as a supporter of the initiative.

For more information, see What do the electronic or original signatures on the application mean? and Consent to Disclosure of Personal Information Frequently Asked Questions.