NCE SecretariatNCE SecretariatBusiness-led Business-led

Networks of Centres of ExcellenceNetworks of Centres of Excellence

December 2007December 2007Jean-Claude Gavrel, Associate Vice PresidentJean-Claude Gavrel, Associate Vice PresidentPamela Moss, Senior Program ManagerPamela Moss, Senior Program ManagerNatasha Gauthier, Communications ManagerNatasha Gauthier, Communications Manager

The NCE is a joint initiative of Industry Canada, NSERC, SSHRC and CIHR.

Today’s AgendaToday’s Agenda

• Overview of the NCE Secretariat

• S&T Strategy 2007• BL-NCE Competition

Program Created in 1989 Program Created in 1989

The NCE mission:The NCE mission:

“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”

NCE ScaleNCE Scale

• 16 Networks operating as “Virtual” Institutes

• Mobilizing approximately 7,000 People:– university professors and researchers– industry and partner researchers– research associates and students

• Bringing together 1200+ Canadian organizations– universities and hospitals– government agencies (federal/provincial)– industry and other partners

2,300+ students trained in research & innovation (per year)

Over 27,000 refereed publications

NCE ImpactsNCE Impacts(Typical 7 year cycle)(Typical 7 year cycle)

Approx 320 Patents issued or filed

Approx 540 Licenses granted or in negotiation

70 Spin-off companies

Numerous Research Findings applied in new Policies and Practices (Knowledge Translation)

Three Components of Federal S&T StrategyThree Components of Federal S&T Strategy

• Entrepreneurial Advantage– Fostering a Competitive and Dynamic Business

Environment– Pursuing Public-Private Research and

Commercialization Partnerships– Increasing the impact of Federal R&D Assistance

Programs

Three Components of Federal S&T StrategyThree Components of Federal S&T Strategy

• Knowledge Advantage– Focusing Strategically on Research in National Interest– Maintaining our G-7 Leadership in Public R&D

Performance– Enhancing value for money, Accountability and

Responsiveness of Three Granting Councils– Exploring New Approaches to Federally Performed

Science and Technology

Three Components of Federal S&T StrategyThree Components of Federal S&T Strategy

• People Advantage– Enhancing Opportunities for Science and Technology

Graduates– Increasing the Supply of HQ and Globally Connected S&T

Graduates– Getting Canadians excited about Science and Technology

Budget 2007 & NCE Secretariat:Budget 2007 & NCE Secretariat:

• Public-Private Research & Commer. Partnerships (Entrepreneurial Advantage)

– Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) ($165M in 07-08; $30M/yr in future)

– Business-led NCE (BL-NCE) ($46M starting in 08-09)– Private Sector Advisory Board for CECR and BL-NCE

• Enhancing Opportunities for S&T Graduates (People Advantage)

– Industrial R&D Internship program ($7M over 2 years)– Expect to eventually support 1000 Internships

A Suite of “NCE” ProgramsA Suite of “NCE” Programs• “Classic” NCE ($82.4M per year)

– Research-driven partnerships with longer-term goals– 2 X 7 years, Complete Funding for res., admin, KT &TT

• CECR ($165M for 3-5 years)– Public-private research & commercialization partnerships– 5 years, renewable in some cases,– Funding for operating & commercialization (50%-75%)

• BL-NCE ($46M over 4 years - $11M in 1st year)– Private sector problem-driven research partnerships– 4 years for 1st phase, funding for research., admin, and KT/TT

• Industrial R&D Internships ($7M over 2 years)– R&D terms for graduate & postdocs in industry setting– Cost shared @ 50% - managed by NCE or others

Business-led NCEsBusiness-led NCEs

Goal to fund large-scale collaborative networks to

perform research; to enahnce private sector innovation; and to deliver economic, health, social and

environmental benefits to Canadians and to encourage an Entrepreneurial Advantage.

Business-led NCEsBusiness-led NCEs• No restriction on the Canadian industrial sector

that can apply for a Network.• However, the research undertaken by the

proposed Networks must be in one or more of the five (5) priority research areas:– Environmental science and technologies.– Natural resources and energy.– Health and related life sciences and technologies. – Information and communications technologies.– Management, business or finance.

Business-led NCEsBusiness-led NCEsWho Can Apply?

Organizations eligible to receive funds are not-for-profit consortia* that represent the interests of private sector for-profit enterprises with substantial R&D operations in Canada, or potential to benefit from R&D, (ideally comprising a mix of sizes, research providers and research-users)

These applicants must form research partnerships with a mix of Canadian academic, government and/or private sector researchers and innovators as appropriate to achieve their objectives.

* Consortia must be incorporated at time of funding

Business-led NCEsBusiness-led NCEsThe applicant must have: a clear vision of their represented sector/cluster’s

shared needs over the next 5-10 years; the major R&D and commercialization challenges

and barriers to that vision; and a comprehensive research plan that shows how

the proposed network will set research goals and objectives that will address these challenges to ultimately enhance their innovativeness and competitiveness.

Business-led NCEs “Classic” NCEs

DescriptionManaged collaborative virtual network that delivers a

research program

Lead Private sector Academia

Host InstitutionNot-for-profit consortia representing the private sector

University / Some not-for-profit examples

Network Leader/Scientific Director

Director of the not-for-profit consortium

University affiliated (professor, clinician etc.)

Research Agenda

Private sector-driven research topics determined by establishing a vision

University strategically determined research agenda with stakeholder input

Duration Four (4) years Seven (7) years – renewable

How do these Networks differ from “Classic” NCEs?How do these Networks differ from “Classic” NCEs?

How do these Networks differ from “Classic” NCEs?How do these Networks differ from “Classic” NCEs?

Business-led NCEs “Classic” NCEs

Direct Research Costs

Only 50% of direct research costs can come out of BL-NCE funds – balance to be made up of private sector cash & in-kind contributions

Majority of research costs paid out of NCE funds – contributions from the private sector are strongly encouraged

Administrative Costs

Only 75% of administrative costs can come out of BL-NCE funds – balance to be made up of private sector cash & in-kind contributions

Majority of administrative costs paid out of NCE funds – contributions from the private sector are strongly encouraged

Research AreaTargeted to 5 Priority Areas identified in the S&T Strategy andBudget 2007

Open or targeted competitions

Funding sourceNCE funds flowing through the 3 granting agencies

(NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC)

Research Providers

University labsPrivate sector labsGovernment labs (see below)

Mainly university labs

Role of Government Scientists

No direct funding but eligible for student support if Adjunct Professors – bring own resources to the NCE

Business-led NCEs would deliver….Business-led NCEs would deliver….• Outputs

strengthened links among firms, private sector research institutes, colleges and universities, and provincial and federal government labs.

targeted investments in research, training, and technological development to implement priorities identified by industry with potential to contribute to raising the industry to world leadership

Business-led NCEs would deliver….Business-led NCEs would deliver….• Impacts

improvement in the global and innovation focus of the firms involved;

more and deeper networks and relationships among sector firms and with the sources of knowledge in the economy;

additional skilled jobs for highly qualified graduates in industry; increased proportion of firms’ sales from innovative products;

• Objective

a more competitive, more productive Canadian economy.

The Competition ProcessThe Competition Process

• Two stage review, involving a Private Sector Advisory Board (PSAB) with expert input.

• Stage 1 – Letter of Intent (LOI)– Reviewed by NCE staff for compliance– Reviewed by PSAB for recommendation to NCE

Steering Committee - three granting agencies Presidents, Industry Canada DM and CFI President (observer)

Competition Process – Stage 2Competition Process – Stage 2

• Applicants of LOI selected by Steering Committee will be invited to submit full applications to be reviewed as follows:– Full proposals circulated to experts for evaluation of

research relevance for a sector– Individual expert panels (EP) set up for each invited

applications with site visit– Applications, EP reports and other inputs are submitted

to PSAB for final recommendations– NCE Steering makes final decision and submits Centres

selected for funding to Government

The BL-NCE Evaluation CriteriaThe BL-NCE Evaluation Criteria

(1) Benefits to Canada

- The potential to increase private sector R&D capacity and to strengthen public-private sector collaboration to address significant research challenges that meet business needs;

- The opportunity offered by the network to create, grow and retain jobs in Canada;

- The opportunity to accelerate the commercialization of leading edge technologies, goods and services in priority areas for Canada;

- The strength of domestic and international collaborations to ensure that benefits spill over to a wide array of firms, sectors and regions of the country.

The BL-NCE Evaluation CriteriaThe BL-NCE Evaluation Criteria

(2) Track Record and Potential of Applicants

– Past achievements and ability to lead and direct the network’s research program;

– Ability to identify and select the best possible expert researchers in academia, government and/or the private sector to carry out and achieve the research objectives;

– Ability of the private sector partners to assist in the training of and to potentially hire innovative and world class researchers in areas and technologies critical to Canada and for private and public sector;

– Ability to attract investment.

The BL-NCE Evaluation CriteriaThe BL-NCE Evaluation Criteria

(3) Strength of the Business Plan

– Excellence, focus and coherence of the research program;– The strength of the path to market or business application for the

proposed research; – Interest level of the private sector and willingness to contribute to

the network with cash or in-kind contributions;– Effectiveness of the plan to manage and exploit IP;– Quality of proposed governance & management;– Accountability and effective financial decision making.

Content of Letter of IntentContent of Letter of Intent• Cover Letter from Not-for-Profit Consortia • Application Form (includes the budget and a

summary form) • LOI Proposal

– Articulation of the Vision– Discussion of proposed benefits to Canada; – Information to help assess the track record and potential

of the key applicants; the main research providers and the BOD

– Business Plan for the Network: its program, partnerships, IP and commercialization, and management

Letters of SupportLetters of Support

• A limit of 10 on the number of letters – Maximum 2 pages per letter

• Should include letters from key Stakeholders including:– Companies involved in the consortia– VPs of research from academic institutions that will be

involved in the research– Heads of government departments & agencies that will

be involved in the research– Other research providers

Timeline for BL-NCE CompetitionTimeline for BL-NCE Competition

• Competition Launched November 6/07• LOI Deadline January 30/08• PSAB/Steering Review March /08• Invitation Stage 2 April /08• Full Proposal Deadline July 31 /08• Expert Panel Site Visits September /08• PSAB/Steering Decision November /08• Launch of up to 5 new BL-NCEs Early 2009

Questions?Questions?Additional Information:Pamela Moss613-996-2335Pamela.moss@nce.gc.ca

Website: http://www.nce.gc.ca/comp/BNCE/bnce_e.htm