The goal of the NCE Program is to mobilize Canada's research talent in the academic, private and public sectors and apply it to the task of developing the economy and improving the quality of life of Canadians.

Networks develop nation-wide, multidisciplinary and multisectorial partnerships in their area which result in a high level of functionality and an effective mechanism for communication within the national sphere. In order to build on these successes and in view of the current and evolving global context and the possible mutual benefits of international collaboration, it is timely to increase the international focus and reach of the NCE Networks.

To this end, the NCE has developed the International Partnership Initiative (IPI).

Description of the IPI

The goal of the IPI is to provide the Canadian NCE networks with additional support to develop and enhance linkages with the best centres of excellence in the rest of the world.

The NCE IPI will enable Canadian networks to be at the forefront of international cutting-edge initiatives. The initiative will support the partnering of Canadian NCEs with foreign organizations to address critical issues of scientific, intellectual, social, economic and/or cultural significance in areas of mutual strategic importance. The partnerships are expected to be at the organization level and not at the individual level.

To encourage the participation of networks from low and middle income countries (LMIC), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) will support the research and networking costs of their participation. Details on the use and eligibility of IDRC funds are outlined in Annex 1.

The objectives of the IPI are to enable the networks to:

raise Canada's profile on the world stage and ensure that Canada is part of international cutting-edge initiatives;
provide a richer training environment to develop highly qualified people with skills and awareness critical to Canadian productivity, economic growth, public policy and quality of life;
stimulate or reinforce partnerships with foreign organizations to develop large coordinated and concerted efforts leading to economic and social impact;
enhance the sharing and dissemination of knowledge, resources and technology to Canada.

Funding Level

Up to $7,000,000 over two years is available for the initiative. The value of funds provided to each grant will depend on the nature of the initiative, as detailed in annex 1. IDRC will contribute up to $2,000,000 over the same period to support the participation of eligible LMIC collaborators.

Eligibility

Applicants

On-going NCE Networks and NCE New Initiatives (NI) are eligible to apply to the IPI.

Partners

The types of eligible partners are international organizations engaged in similar research and development activities such as centres of excellence, networks, clusters, consortia and other international or regional organizations

Expenses

The IPI is restricted to covering the cost of additional networking activities and administration and should not be used for direct research costs. The funds may be used for knowledge and technology exploitation as well as outreach activities in an international context.

The IPI can be used to cover the costs of the Canadian portion of the initiative. The IPI anticipates that international partners will contribute appropriate cash or in-kind support to underwrite the proposed collaboration.

The funds shall be utilized in accordance with the tri-agency "Eligibility of Expenses" Guidelines. For additional information, please consult the NCE Program Guide.

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Selection Criteria and Evaluation Process

Selection Criteria

Proposed initiatives will be evaluated by the five criteria described below:

1) Enhancement to the Excellence of the Research Program

Integration and coherence of the initiative within the network's strategic plan and value added in terms of the achievement of the network's goals and impact.
Stature and achievements of the partner organisations and their ability to contribute to the network's program.
Extent to which the initiative will help increase the network's and Canada's international visibility and reputation.

2) Development of Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP)

Involvement and development of HQP and value added for their training through the network.
Attraction of researchers and HQP critical to Canadian productivity, economic growth, public policy and quality of life.
Extent to which access is gained to new knowledge and information.

3) Networking and Partnerships

Extent of partnership development with foreign centres of excellence and organizations leading to the optimization of resources and concerted efforts.
Multidisciplinary, multisectorial approaches to the initiative and evidence that an effort has been made to include suitably qualified groups;
Commitment, nature and extent of involvement and leveraged contributions from foreign partners and stakeholders;
Access to additional/complementary expertise

4) Knowledge and Technology Exchange and Exploitation

Extent to which the relationship will enhance knowledge and technology exchange.
Additional/complementary knowledge, and/or technology the foreign counterpart is contributing to Canada.
Anticipated impact, on Canada's and the partners' science and technology capabilities and practices.
Potential for downstream economic and social benefits, such as technology, market development, and public policy development.

5) Management of the Initiative

Extent to which the initiative will be managed in a cost effective and accountable manner.
Effective processes for selection, monitoring and reporting.
Demonstration of internal and external communication strategies.
Effective management of IP and knowledge transfer in the context of the Benefit to Canada Policy;
Plans for sustainability/ legacy of the initiative.

Evaluation Process

A Selection Committee will be created to evaluate the proposals. The Committee will be composed of multi-sectorial experts with broad expertise representing the domains of the three granting agencies as well as international experience.

The Selection Committee will:

Review the proposal according to the IPI evaluation criteria;
Recommend initiatives to be funded and funding levels; and
Provide a confidential report to each applicant underlining the strengths and weaknesses of the proposal.

The names and affiliations of the Selection Committee members will be included in their final report.

The Selection Committee will transmit its funding recommendations to the NCE Steering Committee for final decision.

There is no appeal process.

Announcement of Competition Results

Applicants will be informed of the results of the competition in late November 2006.

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Guidelines for Completing an Application

General Presentation

Print must be in black ink, of letter quality (minimum standard), single-sided (original), double-sided (copies), with no more than six lines per inch. The type size for fonts measured in points (pts). If measured in characters per inch (cpi), it must be no more than 10cpi. Condensed type is unacceptable.

Use white paper, 8 ½ x 11 inches (21.5 cm x 28 cm), with margins of ¾ of an inch (1.7 cm) (minimum) all around. Enter the name of the network, and the title of the IPI at the top of every page, and number the pages consecutively.

An original unbound copy plus twenty double-sided copies of the complete package must be submitted. If available, an electronic copy can also be sent to the NCE. Each package must be arranged in the order outlined above, with tab separators between each section. Details on these sections follow below. Any extra material will be removed.

Application Package

The full application package must include:

Section A : General information and Covering Letter (maximum 2 pages)

Provide a covering letter signed by the Scientific Director, and the Chair of the Board of Directors.

Indicate the name of the network, along with the title of the proposed IPI and indicate in dollars the total amount requested from the NCE program (amounts should be identical to those shown in the Budget Form - Section D). This letter must confirm that:

The application to the IPI is approved by the BOD and is in accordance with the network's goals;
The Board of Directors is committed to managing and monitoring all activities under this initiative;

(Please complete excel forms entitled Section A - General Information.)

Section B : IPI Detailed Plan (15 pg max)

In this section, please describe the plan of the proposed IPI and its expected activities.

More specifically the plan should contain the following 5 sections:

Alignment of the IPI with your network's Strategic Plan.
Goals and objectives of the IPI.
Examples of the planned activities and involvement of key partners expected.
Describe how each IPI criteria is met.
Management of the IPI
- Planning, selection, approval and monitoring processes;
- Expected outcomes and impacts;
- Tracking, Performance Indicators and Evaluation

Section C : Letters of Support

Provide Letters of support indicating expectations of collaboration and support from key foreign partners and stakeholders.

Letters of support will normally:

come from a senior executive with influence over a budget;
indicate past associations with the proponents of the proposed IPI;
indicate how the IPI will help their organization, and how they will contribute to the IPI;
make a clear commitment or demonstrate significant potential in terms of new cash or in-kind support dedicated specifically for this initiative.

Section D : Budget Justification

Provide projected budget tables and justification for the IPI including the contributions and/or support that the foreign partner(s) will or may commit towards the initiative.

(Please refer to competition form entitled Section D - Budget Justification)

Section E : Partners and key representatives

Provide lists of the partnering organizations and their key representatives who will be directly involved in this initiative, including their role. It is also requested that a short profile of the organization (s) and a one-page biography of the representative be provided.

(Please complete form entitled Section E - Partners and Key representatives)

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Reporting and Evaluation

The NCE has made plans to assess the performance of this initiative through ongoing monitoring and periodic evaluation. We are committed to informing Canadians about the performance of the initiative and the results that they deliver. As such, IPI recipients will be required to:

Submit an IPI Progress Report (June 2007) to outline the engagement and support committed from the partners. Subsequent funding will be subject to satisfactory progress.
Outline the results of the IPI separately in the networks' yearly statistical reports., including partners, sector and incremental cash and/or in-kind related to IPI funds.
Reserve funding to attend an NCE workshop to discuss the benefit and value-added of the IPI. This would inform future directions and complement the evaluation of the NCE.
Within six months after the end of the initiative's term, the network will need to submit a final performance report, summarizing the results and value-added of the IPI to the network and Canada.

Privacy Act Statement

The information you provide is collected under the authority of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Act; the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Act; and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Act.

The information is stored in a series of data banks described in Info Source. Details on the use of this information are provided in Appendix C of the NCE Program Guide.

Timetable

Application deadline: October 16, 2006
Review meeting: Fall 2006
Results announced: Late November, 2006
Award begins: December 1, 2006

Contact Information

For questions about this initiative and research objectives contact: info@nce-rce.gc.ca

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Checklist

A complete application package consists of:

Section A: Covering Letter signed by the Scientific Director and the Chair of the network's Board of Directors
Section B: IPI Detailed Plan
Section C: Letters of Support
Section D: (D1 - D3) Budget Justification
Section E: (E1 - E2) Partners and Key Representatives
A copy of the most recent annual report of the Network
Minutes of Board meeting with approval of the IPI plan by the network Board

Any extra material will be removed.

Twenty (20) copies of the application package must be provided along with an original of the cover letters.

Mailing Address

Networks of Centres of Excellence
16^th floor, Mail Room
350 Albert Street
Ottawa ON K1A 1H5

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Annex 1: Use and eligibility of IDRC counterpart funding

IDRC supports the generation and application of new knowledge to meet the challenges facing developing countries. IDRC funds applied research by researchers from developing countries on the problems they identify as crucial to their communities. IDRC counterpart funding of LMIC partners seeks to foster cooperation in research with Canadian organizations for mutual benefit.

A. Eligibility:

Eligible lower and middle income countries are listed at:

DAC List of ODA Recipients used for 2008, 2009 and 2010 flows.

B. Expenses:

LMIC partners may use IDRC funds for both research and research-support costs.

C. Evaluation Process:

IDRC seeks to establish and/or deepen partnerships that advance one or more of IDRC's program areas listed:

Information and Communication Technologies for Development;
Innovation, Policy and Science;
Social and Economic Policy; and
Environment and Natural Resource Management

* for description of IDRC research entry points.see: www.idrc.ca/EN/Pages/default.aspx.

Those interested in applying for IDRC counterpart funding are encouraged to contact IDRC. Staff will advise NCE/LMIC collaborators whether the proposed project is consistent with funding directions approved by IDRC's Board of Governors.

IDRC will provide proposal development support to all eligible applications. Following the Oct. 16 submission, IDRC will provide letters of recommendation to the NCE adjudication committee.

D. Additional Guidelines for Completing an Application:

Section A: The cover letter should be co-signed by the lead of the LMIC organization/network.

For Section D, the LMIC partner shall present a one-page budget with budget notes itemized by the following categories: personnel, consultants, equipment, travel, training, research expenses, indirect costs, evaluation. This budget should also detail the direct and in-direct support partners will bring to the proposed collaboration.

Successful applicants will be required to complete an "Application for an IDRC Research Grant"

The "Terms and Conditions of IDRC Research Grants" are located at the above internet address.

IDRC contact

Email: nceidrccompetition@idrc.ca
Phone: 613-236-6163 ext. 2502

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Annex 2: International resources in Canada

Canada's International Agreements

The website, listed below, co-ordinates Canada's bilateral S&T agreements. Please refer to the site for more information on the agreements listed below.

www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/eng/home.jsp

Canada's International S&T Network

The Science and Technology Program is delivered abroad through Science and Technology Counsellors (S&TCs), and Trade Commissioner Service Officers with S&T responsibilities. Please refer to the website listed below for more information of their role and responsibilities, as well as their contact information.

www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/eng/home.jsp

Funding Guide for International Science and Technology Cooperation

The on-line guide aims to serve as a resource for Canadian researchers and scientists. The mission of the guide is to encourage, facilitate, and promote basic and applied research.

http://fgic-gfci.scitech.gc.ca/