Program Details

Introduction

The Innovation PEI Industry Research Chairs program will assist Island-based businesses in the strategic sectors attract highly qualified researchers to push forward economically valuable research projects. These projects are of great value to Prince Edward Island, creating jobs and utilizing our local resource pool.

Research chairs are a tool of choice to recruit high caliber, renowned, and emerging researchers who are leaders in their respective fields, have cutting edge ideas, and attract other talented researchers and investments to their work. The Innovation PEI Industry Research Chairs will form the core of the province’s ambitious innovation agenda. Through the Research Chair program, new research positions linked to bioscience (agriculture and fisheries), aerospace, information technology, or renewable energy will be supported in the private and public sectors.

Letters of Intent for an Industry Research Chair will be submitted by a sponsoring industry partner.

Eligible Proponents

Proponents must:

• Be technology or knowledge-driven.
• Develop new products or services for growing markets.
• Be from the private sector, public sector, or academia.
• Be located in Prince Edward Island.
• Demonstrate a strong record of research activities in the bio-science, aerospace, information technology, or renewable energy sectors.
• Be an outstanding and innovative researcher whose accomplishments have made a major impact in their field.
• Be recognized internationally as leaders in their fields.
• Have superior records of attracting and supervising graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (taking into account practices in the relevant field or discipline) and, as Chairholder, be expected to attract excellent trainees, students and future researchers.
• Be proposing an original, innovative research program of the highest quality.

Eligible Projects

Proposed projects must:

• Demonstrate a high level of innovation.
• Fit clearly within the bioscience (including agriculture and fisheries), information technology, aerospace or renewable energy.
• Include a project plan:
• Identify expected outcomes and deliverables.
• Describe the project milestones and the timelines to achieve those milestones.
• Produce a project budget.
• Describe eligible expenses for the duration of the project
• Indicate potential funding sources and proof of any confirmed sources of funding. Applicants are required to provide a minimum of 50% (matching funds) against the Research Chair contribution.
• Provide a commercialization strategy.
• Funding is provided to projects for a maximum of 5 years, Projects with a shorter timeline will also be considered.
• Disclose and address any potential ethical considerations including use of intellectual or material property protected by copyright or patents and ethical concerns regarding use of human subjects, potential impact on the environment, etc.
• Describe the economic impact the project will have on the province (jobs, economic spin-offs, etc.).

Other Considerations for Eligibility

• If a project is deemed as being dependent on the results of an existing project that has not been completed, the applicant must ensure the existing project is completed before the assigned start date of the proposed project or no later than December 31st, 2010.
• Applicants who have received previous provincial government funding are eligible, however, the proponent will have to provide a thorough review of the activities in each project to ensure overlap does not exist.
• Contribution guidelines from other agencies involved in the project should also be considered. The applicant should ensure compliance with all other funding sources when establishing the budgetary requirement for the project.
• Applicants in arrears with or any other Government Department or Crown Corporation will be disqualified from the competition.
• Applicants are allowed to submit one application for each round of funding.
• Applicants cannot receive both an Industry Research Chair and a Premier’s Medal for Innovation in the same or consecutive periods.

Level of Assistance

The Research Chair program provides funding for the salary of the Chairholder, infrastructure, research tools, instruments, and general expenses related to the Chair’s program of research. Research chairs will be funded up to 50% of project costs to a maximum of $200,000 per year for a maximum of five years. Eligible expenses include salary, capital equipment directly associated with the research agenda, indirect costs up to 20% of the project budget, and operating expenses, including salary costs for research assistants and post-doctoral fellows.

Project Assessment

Letters of Intent for the Innovation PEI Industry Research Chair Program will be evaluated against a clear set of program criteria using only the information contained in the proponents’ package. These letters will be reviewed by Innovation PEI to ensure project uniqueness, fit within the program and potential economic development. Letters of Intent moving to the second stage of the review process will be evaluated by a peer review committee.

The Letters of Intent will be evaluated based on the qualifications of the proposed Industry Research Chair. If the chair has not been identified then the application will be evaluated based on the qualifications and characteristics of a researcher that would fit the role described.

An applicant that is successful in attaining funding under this program will have a period of six months from the notification of success to recruit the research scientist. Once the individual has been identified, the applicant is required to submit a bio and CV for the individual to be evaluated against the LOI.

If, during the review process, a change to corporate structure or confirmation of a partner or financial contributor occurs, Innovation PEI may agree to accept additional documents or information after the due date. This determination will be made by Innovation PEI.

Reporting – Successful Applicants

The Chairholder and the industrial partner must submit a progress report every six months during for 5-year term. Upon acceptance of each progress report, a portion of funding equal to 50% of the eligible expenses for that period will be issued. If the Chair is in its final term, the final report will be due within three months of the end date of the Chair.

For each approved proposal, a letter of offer stating the terms and conditions of approval will be forwarded to the proponent. When accepted by the proponent, the letter of offer shall constitute a contract between government and the proponent. Should the proponents fail to comply with the terms and conditions of the contract or be discontinued, government may at its sole discretion:

• declare the proponent(s) to be in non-performance (default) of the contract;
• request the proponent(s) to repay in full the incentive received; and
• take necessary legal action to collect the incentive amount in full with interest.

For More Information

A Letter of Intent for the Innovation PEI Industry Research Chairs will be accepted through to November 22nd, 2010 at 5:00 p.m.

Please visit here for instructions and guidelines in writing the Letters of Intent.

For specific questions or inquiries regarding the program, please contact:

Cody Clinton
Project Assistant, IPS Programs
Innovation PEI
(902) 620-3441
ceclinton@gov.pe.ca