Information Required from Organizations Participating in Research Partnerships

Instructions for Completing an Application – Form 183A

Form 183A provides information about the prospective partner organization. Researchers or the partner(s) can fill out this form. To submit the form, partners may either send it to the applicant, who will link it to the application, or attach it to the correct application by using the On-line System.

Form 183A, a letter of support, and a partner profile, are all required documents for partner organizations seeking to collaborate on an NSERC grant. In the case of a multinational partner collaborating from outside Canada, letters of support from both the company’s international R&D location and either its Canadian headquarters or the Canadian subsidiary are required.

How to Complete Form 183A

Whom Should I Contact if I Need Help?

If you have questions regarding:

• the funding opportunity in which you are participating (e.g., content of the application, program deadlines, eligibility, budget, etc.), contact the Research Partnerships Directorate at 613-992-1585 or 613-992-5606;
• the On-line System, send an email to webapp@nserc-crsng.gc.ca or call 613-995-4273

Please include in your message the email address where you may be contacted as well as your telephone number.

Before you begin

General Instructions for Participating Organizations

All organizations (except postsecondary institutions and co-funding agencies) participating in a research partnership funding opportunity are required to provide a completed copy of Form 183A and relevant documents. The form is used for several different programs and by various types of organizations. Please complete all applicable sections.

Once submitted to NSERC, the information contained in this Form will be protected. It will be subject to the Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act. For more information please see the Access to Information and the Privacy Act in the Program Guide.

NSERC's Policy on Intellectual Property is applicable to all NSERC programs unless otherwise explicitly indicated in program literature. This policy, which outlines the expectations for all participants, should be consulted before completing Form 183A.

Read and/or print the document Guidelines for Organizations Participating in Research Partnerships before beginning Form 183A.

Foreword

NSERC may, without notice, alter the programs or the terms and conditions of the awards. Any major changes will be announced immediately on NSERC's website.

What do the Signatures on the Application Mean (paper and electronic)?

Read and/or print the section What do the signatures on the application mean?

Completing Form 183A for a Research Partnership

General Information on the Organization

Use this section to provide the information as required.

Enter the name and title of the person at the organization whom NSERC should contact, if necessary, regarding the application and subsequently, if a grant is awarded, regarding the administration of the award.

Enter the complete mailing address of the organization and the address of the contact person if different from the organization’s address.

Enter the additional information as required.

Research and Development Activities

Indicate if your organization has an R&D department, the number of R&D staff in Canada, and the annual R&D expenditures.

Applicant Information

Enter the information as required.

Organization’s Contributions

Use this section to indicate the cash and in-kind contributions that the organization commits to supporting the research project.

Indicate the contributions applied to the direct costs of research and the name of the person authorized to represent the organization.

Statement of Partner Eligibility

In order to be eligible to participate in a funding opportunity, a partner must have a credible plan for exploiting the research results to provide economic, social or environmental benefits for Canada and Canadians. They must demonstrate that they have the necessary expertise and sufficient resources (see Guidelines for Organizations Participating in Research Partnerships) to put the plan into effect, and they must be at arm’s length (independent) from the applicant and co-applicant(s) (see Conflict of Interest Guidelines for Partner Organizations).

A Statement of Partner Eligibility is no longer required as part of a Form 183A submission. However, potential partner organizations must be prepared, at NSERC’s request, to provide supplementary information that describes the organization and allows NSERC to determine its eligibility as a partner. Please contact NSERC if you are unsure about the eligibility of an organization.

Attachments

Letter of Support

A letter of support from each of the partner organization(s) must be provided. The letter must be on the organization's letterhead and signed by an authorized representative of the organization. To submit the letter, partners may either send it to the applicant, who will link it to the application, or attach it to the correct application using the On-line System. The letter must include:

• the organization's support for and agreement with the proposal submitted to NSERC;
• the reasons for being involved in the proposed collaboration;
• how the organization expects to integrate the results into its operations or to otherwise benefit from the anticipated outcomes;
• (for projects) the further effort required to exploit the research results;
• the potential for economic, social or environmental benefits for Canada and Canadians that will result from this collaboration;
• the anticipated interaction of the organization's personnel with researchers from postsecondary institutions, including the interaction with students. This could include internships or other opportunities to spend time at the partner’s location;
• the contribution to the direct costs of the research, in cash and in-kind, as stated in the research proposal;
• if applicable, a description of the R&D programs with details of any public funding received that is directly related to the application;
• if applicable, a statement that all research results will be openly disseminated with no publication restrictions, avoiding the need for a research agreement.

Note: If the letter of support is for an Industrial Research Chair Renewal (for the Chair's second or subsequent term), an impact questionnaire sent to the organization must also be filled and returned directly to NSERC. This questionnaire does not replace the letter of support, which must address the above points as well as the following:

• a brief summary of the information provided in the impact questionnaire which situates the context of the organization’s involvement in the Chair; this information should include: the extent to which the Chair objectives have been met to-date; the involvement of organization personnel with the team; the benefits accrued from the Chair; and the impacts the Chair has had on the organization’s activitie;.
• the motivation for supporting the Chair for another term;
• the extent of the organization’s continued involvement in the Chair program for the next term, as it relates to the previous term;
• the impacts and benefits expected from the Chair in the next term; NSERC expects that a Chair’s industrial impact will increase from one term to the next;
• the nature and extent of the partner's support (cash and in-kind) for the next term;
• the expected level of interaction with the research team, including students, in the next term.

Partner Profile

Provide a concise profile of the partner organization (not more than 1/2 page), including the nature of its operations (including production, manufacturing, provision of services, or similar commercial activities) in Canada and its existing or planned capacity to use project results. Please note that reference to the partner’s Web site is not acceptable in lieu of the 1/2 page profile.

Annual Report

Once the application is received, NSERC staff may request a copy of the partner’s most recent annual report if available, or other evidence of the partner’s financial position (the latter will be considered confidential). Publicly traded companies should not upload their annual reports if they are available on the Internet.

Note: The completed Form 183A and accompanying documents may be returned to the applicant to be submitted with the application or attached through the On-line System.

Mailing Address

Send your correspondence to:
Research Partnerships
NSERC
350 Albert Street
Ottawa ON  K1A 1H5
Canada