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Proactive Disclosure
Application Guidelines for the Canadian International Institute for Extractive Industries And Development Call for Proposals
- Introduction
- Section 1: Basic proposal information
- Section 2: Canadian university eligibility
- Section 3: Business plan for the institute
- Section 4: Financial plans and budgets
- Section 5: Document checklist
- Section 6: Links to reference documents
- Contacting us
- Appendix 1: Eligible costs
- Appendix 2: Assessment criteria
- Application form (PDF, 6 pages, 666 KB)
Introduction
Purpose of the Institute
On October 27, 2011, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the creation of the Canadian International Institute for Extractive Industries and Development. "Canada has a long and prosperous history in the extraction of natural resources and is proud to share its knowledge, skills and experience with developing countries," said Prime Minister Harper. "The Institute will help developing nations harness their resources to generate sustainable economic growth, thereby reducing poverty." The Institute will be a key part in delivering on the Government of Canada's commitment to support initiatives in developing countries that will contribute to sustainable economic growth, create jobs, and reduce long-term poverty. The Institute will benefit developing countries by enhancing their capacity to utilize and benefit from their extractive sectors (metals and minerals and oil and gas).
The extractive sector can provide high quality jobs, generate significant government revenue, attract private investment capital, and grow local enterprises, both within the sector and more broadly. However, many developing countries face challenges in effectively governing and managing their extractive industries. Weak capacity to manage resources (including taxation, inspection and regulation, contract negotiation, revenue collection, and distribution) is a significant barrier to ensuring that extractive operations in developing countries maximize positive development results to benefit the country and its people.
The Institute will act as a centre for Canadian and world-class expertise in improving and strengthening resource governance. It will provide a means for developing country governments to access Canadian expertise in support of their own efforts to improve extractive sector resource governance through the delivery of practical and results-oriented:
- Technical assistance—to assist in developing and implementing legislative and regulatory policies and frameworks
- Education, training, and knowledge-sharing—to disseminate Canadian knowledge and expertise to government officials and practitioners through initiatives such as scholarships, accreditation and certification programs, and customized training programs and courses for delivery in Canada and in developing countries
- Applied research and analysis—to conduct country-level needs assessments, identifying the governance challenges faced by the extractive sector and the most appropriate solutions and responses
A number of organizations are already working in areas relating to technology development and civil society advocacy as it relates to the extractive sector, therefore the Institute will not engage in these areas. CIDA will not fund physical works or any undertaking related to physical works for the institute and its programming.
The objective of the call for proposals
The Institute is to be firmly established as a world-renowned independent centre that is self-sustaining through the support of multiple stakeholders. The Institute will have the capacity to harness Canadian and international expertise to assist developing countries. As well, it will have established collaborative relationships with other world-renowned centres in order to leverage leading practices and coordinate efforts in resource-sector governance.
The Institute will contribute significantly to the body of applied research in this area; increase the technical capacity of developing country governments to better govern, manage, and benefit from extractive industries; and will directly increase the human resource capacity of developing countries through the direct provision of education, training, and knowledge sharing.
The objective of the call for proposals is to solicit proposals from Canadian universities or a coalition of Canadian universities for the creation and operation of this Institute. The proposal will include the following elements:
- A governance model for the Institute, operating under the governance structure of the University but with its own governance body to ensure programming independence as it relates to the mandate of the Institute and to ensure adherence to that mandate in the ongoing stewardship of its operations
- A business plan to implement the mandate of the Institute in a way that responds to demand-driven needs of developing countries
- A financial plan for the Institute demonstrating sound financial management, including how it will develop additional sources of funding, with a view to become self-sustaining
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will contribute up to $25 million over five years to the Institute's establishment and initial operating costs. There is no specific cost-sharing threshold. The proposal is to demonstrate financial sustainability and should include firm demonstrations of other significant contributions to the Institute's ongoing operational costs, either in cash, in kind, or both. Therefore, such contributions should not be limited to the five-year funding term.
The Institute may enter into arrangements with developing countries, other donors, or CIDA to deliver development initiatives that are consistent with the mandate of the Institute.
CIDA's assessment process
CIDA will support the most meritorious proposal while ensuring consistency with and support of the Agency's mandate and priorities. CIDA will assess all proposals using the following steps:
Step 1 — Document Check—CIDA will verify that all mandatory documents, listed in Section 5 of the Application Form, are uploaded to Partners@CIDA. Proposals without all mandatory documents will be disqualified.
Step 2 — Eligibility Check—CIDA will check the university's eligibility against the criteria described in Section 2. Proposals failing to meet eligibility requirements will be disqualified.
Step 3 — Technical Merit Assessment—CIDA will perform a technical assessment on proposals consistent with the criteria described in Appendix 2.
Step 4 — Strategic Merit Assessment—The External advisory panel (EAP), made up of recognized Canadian individuals representing the private sector, public office holders, and prominent research institutions, will perform a strategic assessment of proposals consistent with the criteria described in Appendix 2. The EAP will recommend a single proposal to the President of CIDA.
Step 5 — Funding Agreement—Once a selection is made, the successful applicant will be announced. CIDA will then begin a negotiation process leading to the signing of a funding agreement. The signing of the agreement is conditional upon Treasury Board of Canada's approval.
CIDA may require the successful applicant to adjust the proposal or budgets prior to entering into a funding agreement. CIDA will communicate any conditions that it deems necessary to the applicant in order to maximize the effectiveness of the proposal.
Since the call for proposals is not a procurement process resulting in a contract, the Government of Canada's policy on transfer payments will apply. CIDA applies a risk-based approach to the management of grants and contributions. CIDA will undertake a fiduciary risk assessment to determine the administrative requirements for the funding agreement, including:
- Selection of the funding instrument (grant or contribution agreement)
- Cash management requirements and financial conditions
- Financial and narrative reporting requirements, specifying their frequency
In the case of a coalition and depending on the level of fiduciary risk, coalition members may be required to cosign the funding agreement. In this case, all members will be jointly and severally responsible for the success of the Institute and for meeting all terms and conditions of the funding agreement.
How to use the Application Guidelines
The purpose of the Application Guidelines document is to help Canadian university applicants ensure they meet the eligibility requirements and include the appropriate documentation and information in their proposals.
Each section in the Application Guidelines corresponds to the same numbered field in the Application Form. Although most of the fields in the Application Form are self-explanatory, applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Application Guidelines in their entirety before completing the Application Form.
Applicants are invited to submit proposals that meet the limits specified in the Application Form, using Arial 11pt. font. Text exceeding the specified page or word limits will not be evaluated.
Applicants may submit their proposals and supporting documents and appendixes in either English or French.
How to submit a proposal
CIDA will only assess proposals if they are submitted with all mandatory documents listed in the application form. The completed application form and all mandatory documents must be uploaded to Partners@CIDA.
To participate in CIDA's calls for proposals, organizations must create or update their profile on Partners@CIDA, the site where all applications are processed. CIDA will only review and assess proposals received at Partners@CIDA before the call for proposals deadline.
The deadline for submissions is 2 p.m. PDT (Pacific daylight time), September 6, 2012.
Applicants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with Partners@CIDA and to read the "How to submit a proposal" section of the website before the closing date of the call for proposals to ensure that they are comfortable using the portal and have all the required elements ready at the time they upload their submission.
Note that the "Submit" button must be pressed to complete the application, otherwise it will remain as a draft, and the proposal will not be received. If you do not receive an automatic message to confirm receipt, the proposal was not submitted. CIDA will not accept saved drafts as applications, or any documents sent by email, mail, or fax. Should there be difficulties using Partners@CIDA, please contact CIDA for assistance before the call for proposals deadline via the email address cited in the following section.
Questions and answers-FAQ section on call for proposals page
Any questions about the process can be submitted via email to correspondence.pwcb@acdi-cida.gc.ca. Answers will be provided on CIDA's website on the Canadian International Institute for Extractive Industries and Development call for proposals page in the FAQ section.
Applicants are advised to regularly check CIDA's website for information updates. Applicants may also register for the call for proposals RSS feed to be notified whenever a question and answer is posted on the call for proposals page.
Confidentiality considerations
If an applicant considers certain portions of their submission to be confidential or to contain confidential information regarding a third party, the applicant must indicate this on the front page of the Application Form and specify where this information can be found.
Applicants should be aware, however, that information that they have identified as being confidential may still be subject to public release upon request under the Access to Information Act. Information in the proposals is subject as well to Canada's Privacy Act. Contact information and other information about specific individuals that applicants include in their submissions may or may not be considered personal information under the Privacy Act.
Once funding is approved, information such as the amount of funding, the purpose for which the funds were provided, descriptive information about the project, and the name of the organization receiving the funding are considered public information and will be published in the Proactive Disclosure section of CIDA's website.
By submitting a proposal, the applicant agrees that CIDA may disclose any information received in this application within CIDA and the Government of Canada, to members of the external advisory panel, or to any outside consultants hired by CIDA for the following purposes:
- To reach a decision on an application
- To administer and monitor the implementation of the project or program
- To evaluate the results of the initiative
- As part of an audit
The applicant also agrees that the disclosure of any information received in an application may also be used to reach a decision on any other application submitted by the same applicant for funding under any other CIDA program.
Section 1: Basic proposal information
1.1 Lead applicant information
In this section, provide contact information for the lead applicant university, as well as for a key contact person.
The university-not a department or faculty-must be the applicant. Canadian universities may submit only one application in this call for proposals as a host university, either as the lead applicant or as a coalition member.
The host university is an individual Canadian university or a coalition of two or more Canadian universities submitting a joint proposal to host the Institute. The coalition will henceforth be referred to as the "host university".
In the case where a coalition is formed, a lead university must be identified from the coalition as the lead applicant of the proposal.
1.2 Coalition information
An individual Canadian university or a coalition of two or more Canadian universities can submit a proposal to host the Institute. In order to apply as a coalition, there must be a formal letter of agreement, including joint financial and/or managerial commitment, to the creation of the Institute. The coalition must identify a single university as the lead applicant of the proposal. The lead applicant will ultimately house the Institute.
Coalition members must complete the information requested in Section 1.2 of the Application Form and create or update their organization's profile on Partners@CIDA.
Proposals submitted by a coalition must also upload a letter of agreement signed by all coalition members to Partners@CIDA. The letter of agreement must list the Canadian universities participating in the coalition, their respective roles, and contributions must describe how the coalition will be governed and managed, including any financial or fiduciary arrangements. There is no specific template for this appendix.
1.3 Strategic partners
A strategic partner is not the same as a coalition member. Strategic partners could include Canadian and non-Canadian private sector organizations or individuals, Canadian provincial or municipal governments, non-governmental organizations, colleges, and/or research institutions. These partners could provide cash or in-kind donations; contribute to knowledge sharing; and/or collaborate on specific objectives or activities of the Institute. In order to be considered a strategic partner in the proposal, CIDA requires proof of their support (letter of support or agreement). Strategic partners will not be responsible to CIDA for the success of the Institute, even if a supporting agreement exists.
These partnerships, particularly with Canadian organizations or individuals, are strongly encouraged. Use this section to list all strategic partners, including their names and a brief description of their role, and identify clearly the cash or in-kind contribution to the Institute and the duration of the commitment in number of years.
Letters of support, signed by the strategic partner, must be uploaded to Partners@CIDA. Letters of support should clearly indicate the nature, value, and term of any cash or in-kind contributions to the Institute. If letters of support are not provided, CIDA cannot consider the partnership or the contribution in its evaluation of the proposal.
Section 2: Canadian university eligibility
CIDA uses the following eligibility criteria:
2.1 Canadian university status
The host university must be officially designated as a Canadian university. Applicants are required to upload a document demonstrating their legal status as a Canadian university to Partners@CIDA. In the case of a coalition, all members are required to demonstrate their legal status as a Canadian university by uploading supporting documentation to Partners@CIDA.
The president of the lead applicant's university must sign the completed Application Form and attest to the validity of the information presented in the proposal, including the host university's contributions to the creation and operation of the Institute. An application submitted without the signature of the university's president will be disqualified.
2.2 Extractive sector experience and expertise
The host university must have at least three years; experience, in Canada or abroad, providing technical assistance or training or conducting applied research in the effective governance and management of either the metal and mineral mining or the oil and gas extractive sectors at a national or sub-national level.
In the case of a coalition, only one member of the coalition is required to meet the minimum experience requirement. The cumulative experience of coalition members cannot be used. One coalition member must have at least three years of experience. The experience of strategic partners cannot be used to meet this requirement.
Use the space provided to describe the host university's or the coalition members' experience and expertise that will support and form the base of the Institute and contribute to its ability to robustly fulfill the objectives of the Institute. Name specific projects and the resulting outcomes and explain how they contribute to the experience requirements. Please indicate if this experience is from work in Canada only or included work in other countries as well. Although not an eligibility requirement, please note that CIDA will asssess experience in international development as part of the merit evaluation of institutional experience and expertise.
2.3 Cost sharing
The principle of cost-sharing enables Canadian universities to do more than their own resources would otherwise permit. CIDA's financial support intends to facilitate and extend the university's commitment and contribution to the establishment of the Institute.
Applicants must complete the Budget Table Summary provided in this section of the Application Form with CIDA's total contribution, as indicated the host university's total in cash and or in-kind contribution, and the total Institute's costs. There is no specific cost-sharing threshold. In order to be eligible, however, applicants are required to contribute to the Institute's costs from sources other than the federal government, either in cash, in kind, or both.
Coalition members or strategic partners may contribute to the cost sharing. These contributions will only be considered if there is a firm commitment and proof is supplied in letters of support submitted as part of the application (refer to Section 1.2 and Section 1.3). These contributions must be itemized separately in Section 4.1. CIDA will evaluate the nature and amount of the cost-sharing contribution as described in Section 4.1. Note that contributions should in no way affect the independence of the Institute.
Section 3: Business plan for the Institute
Applicants must upload a business plan in a Word format document to Partners@CIDA. Use the heading titles in Section 3.1, in the order they are presented, as the template for the business plan. A short description is provided in Section 3.1 for each heading. It is strongly recommended that you read Section 3.1 in its entirety before you prepare your business plan.
The complete business plan cannot exceed 40 letter-size pages in Arial 11 point size. The logic model, risk register, and critical path are not included in this limit. It is up to the applicant to assign page limits to each section. In order to ensure fairness to all applicants, CIDA will not assess text exceeding the 40-page limit.
As you prepare the business plan for the Institute, it is important to note that CIDA requires applicants to integrate considerations relating to CIDA's crosscutting themes of equality between women and men, environmental sustainability, and governance into the planning, design, and implementation of development initiatives. The business plan must identify relevant challenges and how they can be overcome. Refer to Integration of Crosscutting Themes: Gender, Environment, and Governance for information on CIDA's crosscutting themes.
3.1 Business plan template (free-form)
A. Executive summary
The host university should provide a concise description of how the Institute proposed will deliver on its mandate, who it will partner with and who will benefit. Clearly describe how it will respond to developing country needs.
B. Organizational structure
Provide an overview of the proposed governance, operational, and financial management structures for the Institute and the roles and responsibilities for key positions.
Describe the proposed governance structure (for example, board of directors, advisory bodies) for the Institute, as well as the safeguards and oversight mechanisms that will be developed to ensure the Institute acts in a manner that is corruption-free, ethical, transparent, independent, environmentally sound, and sensitive to gender equality concerns. Demonstrate how the proposed governance structure will encourage diversity and inclusivity in order to respond to the range of stakeholder needs. Illustrate how the relationship between the governance bodies of the university and the Institute will support the independence of the Institute's programming. The decision-making processes for the Institute should be clearly laid out in this section.
Describe the management structure for the day-to-day operations of the Institute and key roles and responsibilities. This section should include detailed information on the experience and qualifications of individuals who have been identified to hold key management positions. If key personnel are not yet identified, please include a plan describing how key personnel will be recruited and retained to facilitate the timely establishment of the Institute. This section should include an organizational chart for the Institute.
C. Mandate, vision and the values of the Institute
Use the proposed mandate and vision for the Institute. List proposed values that will guide the operations of the Institute.
The Institute's proposed vision is to improve the ability of developing countries to utilize and benefit from their extractive sectors in order to stimulate sustainable economic growth and reduce poverty.
The proposed mandate of the Institute is to act as a centre for Canadian and world-class expertise in improving and strengthening resource governance that will serve to help developing country governments meet their need for policy, legislation, regulatory development and implementation, training, technical assistance, and applied research related to their own extractive sector.
D. Strategic priorities and objectives (expected intermediate and immediate outcomes)
This section should describe the strategic objectives of the Institute, using CIDA's results-based management terminology. The vision should relate to the ultimate outcome, strategic priorities to intermediate outcomes, and objectives to immediate outcomes (refer to Section 6 for links to reference documents on results-based management).
- Vision = Ultimate Outcome
- Strategic Priorities = Intermediate Outcomes
- Objectives = Immediate Outcomes
The Institute should define strategic priorities and objectives that support these outcomes, support the mandate of the Institute, and are based on the needs of developing-country stakeholders. The strategic priorities of the Institute need to be broad enough to meet a range of differing developing country needs, but programming should be sufficiently targeted to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
E. Program delivery/Implementation plan
A number of organizations are already working in areas relating to technology, technology development, geological and scientific research, operations, and civil society advocacy as it pertains to the extractive sector, therefore the Institute will not engage in these areas. Instead, applicants should focus on extractive sector and resource governance and management at a regional and national level in order to leverage Canada's expertise in these particular areas. Applicants are encouraged to focus on concrete and tangible programming objectives related to one or more of the programming areas as exemplified in the following table.
| Strengthening resource governance | Program delivery |
|---|---|
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Describe program delivery modalities and frameworks proposed for each. Please include a description of the non-cash resources and technologies that will be used to deliver programs. |
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|
|
|
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This section represents a significant component of the business plan. The implementation plan should describe how the Institute will go about delivering on its mandate in a way that responds to the needs defined by developing-country stakeholders themselves and engages in client-led approaches to address those needs.
The plan must present a focused, coherent, and results-oriented set of activities to strengthen the capacities of developing country regional and national governments to govern and manage their extractive sectors and improve resource governance. The implementation plan should detail sustainable mechanisms and approaches for providing:
- Applied research and analysis
- Education, training, and knowledge-sharing
- Technical assistance and in-country training
The activities and outputs proposed should be consistent with the logic model completed under Section 3.3.
F. Human resource plan
Describe the key skills and technical capacities that the host university will need to have in order to deliver on the mandate of the Institute. Describe strategies to attract and retain relevant Canadian expertise, as well as plans to attract foreign students or researchers in relevant fields of study. Explain how the Institute can leverage the existing talent management processes of the host university. Explain how the Institute will operate in a way that supports Canada's official languages and commitment to diversity.
G. Networking and partnership plan
This section should demonstrate strategies to disseminate and share knowledge and expertise among a broad range of stakeholder groups. Strategies should take into consideration the use of technology and social media and draw on lessons learned collaborating with multi-disciplinary actors in an international development context. The plan should include realistic strategies to coordinate and harmonize activities with other centres of expertise, for instance, the International Mining for Development Centre, the planned African Mineral Development Centre, and the Canadian Centre for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility, in addition to other relevant Canadian and international actors in this area, including CIDA.
H. Financial management and sustainability plan
This section should propose a financial management framework for the Institute, as well as a plan to achieve ongoing financial sustainability beyond the CIDA five-year funding period. Explain how the funding for the Institute will be managed effectively and efficiently to achieve the desired results. Describe the policies and processes that the Institute will use to ensure accountability and transparency in the administration of funds.
If a part of projected revenues is based on fees or tuitions, please outline how fees or tuitions will be established and applied.
Describe the university's track record in raising funds from external sources, in particular from the private sector. Describe strategies to generate sources of revenue for the Institute and to increase contributions, in cash, in kind, or both, over CIDA's funding cycle and beyond.
I. Business development plan
Describe plans that will be used to drive and increase demand for programs to be offered by the Institute, particularly in developing countries. Describe strategies to communicate, in both official languages, the achievements of the Institute in order to build and strengthen networks with participants and the Canadian public.
J. Evaluation and monitoring
Provide an overview of the methodology for managing and monitoring performance and risks. This section should include a summary of the key milestones and indicators that will be used to measure and monitor the performance of the Institute.
3.2 Critical path
Attach a critical path (one legal-size page) providing an overview of the sequence, schedule of activities, and milestones for the creation of the Institute and program operations over the funding term. Please ensure the Application Form clearly indicates the planning period, pre-start-up, start-up, and stages to reach full operations as a fully functioning Institute.
3.3 Logic model
Complete the logic model by clicking the hyperlink provided in this section of the Application Form. Once it is completed, upload it to Partners@CIDA. For more information on CIDA's results-based management tools, refer to Section 6-Links to Reference Documents.
The outcomes should relate to the strategic priorities and objectives presented in the business plan. Outputs should focus on the development of program delivery modalities, mechanisms, and structures to deliver on the intermediate and immediate-level development outcomes. The logic model should establish clear links between all output and outcomes. Applicants should also include equality between women and men, environmental sustainability, and governance considerations in the logic model.
3.4 Risk register
Complete the risk register by clicking the hyperlink provided in this section of the Application Form. Once it is completed, upload it to Partners@CIDA. For more information on CIDA's results-based management tools, refer to Section 6-Links to Reference Documents.
The risk register should list key risks that may affect the establishment and operations of the Institute, the likelihood of a risk and its impact, and a summary of the mitigation strategies to respond to those risks. Applicants should also include equality between women and men, environmental sustainability, and governance risks in the risk register.
Section 4: Financial plans and budgets
The university should outline the best possible estimate of the Institute's total revenues and expenditures for the duration of the five-year funding period, plus an additional sixth year.
4.1 Revenue Forecast for the Institute
CIDA analysts use this table to assess the resources that will be available for the purposes of establishing the Institute. List, by source, all cost-share contributions that will be made available as revenues to cover the Institute's costs for the duration of the funding period, plus an additional sixth year. The revenue headings must distinguish between cash and in-kind contributions for all revenue.
Contributions may be from Canadian and non-Canadian organizations other than the federal government but may include funding from provincial and other levels of government. In line with Treasury Board of Canada's directive on transfer payments, CIDA will ensure that applicants do not exceed CIDA's limits on stacking of federal funds.
In-kind contributions may include donated services, new equipment, and facilities that meet the criteria outlined in the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants' handbook. In-kind contributions should be valued at fair and reasonable Canadian market rates for a similar good or service. If submitting in-kind contributions, indicate the type, as well as details of the valuation for each source of in-kind contribution, as follows:
| Type of In-Kind | Valuation of In-kind |
|---|---|
| Donated services | (number of days x estimated $ value/day) |
| Staff time | (number of days x estimated $ value/day) |
| Volunteer time | (number of days x estimated $ value/day) |
| Student time | (number of days x TB rate of pay for students/day) |
| Materials and equipment | (units x estimated value in $) |
| Use of Facilities | (units x estimated rental value in $) |
An applicant university may include students and post-doctoral fellows as an in-kind contribution if those students and post-doctoral fellows are contributing six hours or more a month to the project and are not receiving academic credit for their involvement. Use Treasury Board of Canada's students rates of pay as the basis for valuation.
Lastly, indicate whether the status of funding is confirmed or in progress. When a portion of the cost sharing comes from another organization, it is the lead applicant's responsibility to ensure that the organization meets its commitments as attested. Letters of support from strategic partners must be submitted with the proposal to confirm those commitments. Contributions in progress refer to contributions that are not yet confirmed but where negotiations are underway. The amounts provided in this table should be consistent with the amounts provided in Table 1 of the budget. If discrepancies exist, CIDA will refer to the values presented in this section of the Application Form.
4.2 Cash Contribution
Whether the lead applicant plans to make its cost sharing contribution in cash, in kind, or both, the application must demonstrate the ability to contribute the required cost share throughout the duration of the funding agreement.
Use this section to describe how the host university will source the cash cost-sharing contributions, particularly for contributions that are not confirmed.
4.3 In-Kind Contribution
If the host university plans to make in-kind contributions including those that are not yet confirmed, describe their types (for example, services, materials, volunteer labour) and how it plans to generate these contributions for the Institute, indicating over what time period.
4.4 Budget Tables
The applicant must use a spreadsheet format to prepare two budget tables:
- Table 1—Proposed Budget
- Table 2—Salaries, benefits, and level of effort (number of days worked)
Prepare each table as a separate sheet within an spreadsheet document titled Budget Tables. Base your tables on the templates provided in this section.
Table 1—Proposed Budget
CIDA uses this table to assess the eligibility of the cost elements of the Institute's notional budget for which the university seeks a contribution from CIDA. The budget should also be linked to activities or groups of similar activities identified in the logic model. Budget headings must identify the notional costs associated with the establishment of the Institute and distinguish between cash and in-kind contributions, as well as CIDA and host university contributions (refer to sample template in this section). Budget notes should describe the nature of cost elements. The level of detail should be proportional to the item's importance. As the Institute's core mandate is to provide assistance to countries, base assumptions must be provided on the level of demand, services, and programs being delivered in each of the first six years.
Expenses should be broken down into two main categories:
- Direct costs-List direct costs related to the delivery of the Institute's programming objectives by main activity type. For each activity or group of similar activities taking place in Canada or abroad, list eligible costs using the cost elements presented in Appendix 1-Eligible costs). Use the budget notes to describe the nature of the costs.
- Indirect costs-List all indirect cost elements associated with the establishment management and maintenance of core functions and facilities for the Institute. CIDA will pay reasonable costs associated with the operations of the Institute. List eligible costs using the cost elements listed in Appendix 1-Eligible costs. Use the budget notes to describe the nature of the costs.
CIDA will not fund rental or construction costs for the physical infrastructure to house the Institute. It is expected that this will be provided by the host university as an in-kind contribution. All equipment must be based on market value and take into consideration transportation costs. In line with CIDA's commitment to untie aid, equipment does not have to be sourced in Canada. Procurement practices should be competitive and ensure funds are used effectively. Applicants are encouraged to upload the university's procurement policies on Partners@CIDA
Table 1: Proposed budget sample template
| Estimated Costss | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 | TOTAL | Cost Sharing | Notes to Budget | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIDA | Host University | |||||||||||
| In Cash | In Kind | |||||||||||
| I | Direct costs For each activity or group of activities, list all costs per cost element presented in Appendix 1 |
|||||||||||
| (A) | Subtotal - Direct costs | |||||||||||
| II | Indirect costs For each activity or group of activities, list expected costs per cost element presented in Appendix 1 |
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| (B) | Subtotal - Indirect costs | |||||||||||
| (C) | Total Budget (C = A+B) | |||||||||||
| (D) | Total cost-share contribution | |||||||||||
The budget should be the best possible estimate of the Institute's notional costs for each year. CIDA does not pay for cost overruns. Moreover, CIDA's contribution will not be increased following approval. The amount of funding that is approved for a particular proposal may be reduced due to the ineligibility of certain budget items or other considerations. CIDA reserves the right to fund all or only part of a proposal and may require that applicants adjust their budgets prior to entering into a funding agreement.
Table 2—Salaries, Benefits, and Level of Effort (Number of Days Worked)
CIDA analysts use this table to assess the human resources that will be used for the purpose of establishing and operating the Institute. This table presents detailed information about salaries, benefits, and consultants. Complete the rows that are applicable. The amounts shown in Table 2 should align with the cost elements for salary, benefits, and consultants included in Table 1.
The applicant must show the estimated level of effort for positions that are included as part of the proposal, regardless of whether it is covered by CIDA or the university's contribution. This includes salaries of professors and researchers. It should also be specified in the table if those salaries are subject to increases during the implementation of the initiative.
Table 2: Salary, benefits, and level of effort sample template
| Staff Salaries | Annual base salary (a) | Benefits (b) | Numbers of years (c) | Subtotal d = (a+b)*(c) |
Level of effort (%) (e) | Estimated cost f=d*e | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Total Staff | ||||||
| a) | Staff in Canada (sub-total) Position 1 Position 2 |
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| Canadian staff in the field (sub-total) Position 1 Position 2 |
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| b) | Field/local staff (sub-total) Position 1 Position 2 |
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| Consultants | Daily rates (a) | Number of days (b) | Estimated cost (a+b) | ||||
| 1.2 | Total Consultants | ||||||
| a) | Consultants in Canada Consultant 1 Consultant 2 |
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| Canadian Consultants in the field Consultant 1 Consultant 2 |
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| b) | Local Consultants in the field Consultant 1 Consultant 2 |
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| 1.1+1.2 | Grand Total | ||||||
| A) | Total - Canadian Staff and Consultants | ||||||
| B) | Total - Local Staff and Consultants | ||||||
Section 5: Documentation checklist
5.1 Mandatory organizational document
All mandatory organization documents must be uploaded to the Supporting Documents section of your organization profile in Partners@CIDA. Please ensure that you use the correct document type from the drop-down menu.
5.2 Mandatory proposal documents
Once you have uploaded all of hte Mandatory Organization Documents to the Suppoting Document section you must create a new proposal in the Access Proposals section. By creating a new proposal, a new section entitled Proposal Documents will appear in the left side menu. All mandatory proposal documents must then be uploaded to the Proposal Documents section.
5.3 Supporting proposal documents (strongly recommended for fiduciary risk evaluation)
These documents are not mandatory but will contribute to CIDA's evaluation of the host university's governance structures. They will also be used to assess the fiduciary risk associated with an eventual agreement between CIDA and the host university. It is to the organization's advantage to provide as many documents as are available at the time of application. This serves to demonstrate the applicant's management and financial capacity, and to determine the administrative burden associated with an eventual agreement. The more documents attesting to the sound governance of the organization, the lower the risk for CIDA and less burdensome the administrative requirements.
Section 6: Links to reference documents
CIDA (general)
- Official Development Assistance Accountability Act
- Mandate
- Priority themes
- Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
- Policy suite
- Regions and countries
Financial
Contribution Agreements
Results-Based Management (RBM)
- Results-based management policy statement 2008
- Results-based management 2008 policy statement—Amended terms and definitions
- Logic model (PDF, 1 page, 615 KB)
- Risk register (PDF, 2 pages, 685 KB)
Crosscutting themes
Gender
- CIDA's Policy on Gender Equality
- CIDA's Framework for Assessing Gender Equality Results(PDF, 28 pages, 861 KB)
- Examples of Gender Equality Results
- Question about Culture, Gender Equality and Development Cooperation (PDF, 20 pages, 949 KB)
Environment
- CIDA's policy for environmental sustainability
- Environmental Handbook for Community Development Initiatives
- Accompanying document of the Environment Handbook for Community Development Initiatives
- Strategic Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan, and Program Proposals: CIDA Handbook
Capacity building
Note: Please be sure to register with the Canadian consulate in the countries you are working. Refer to Registration of Canadians Abroad for further information.
Contacting us
CIDA will not discuss applications until all universities have been notified of decisions regarding their proposals. However, applicants can submit questions regarding the process or their individual proposal via email to correspondence.pwcb@acdi-cida.gc.ca. Only information posted on CIDA's website in the Application Guidelines and the FAQ section of the site represents the official interpretation of the application process. To ensure CIDA can post replies to questions in both official languages at least one week before the September 6, 2012, deadline for receiving proposals, the deadline for receiving questions is August 24, 2012.
E-mail: correspondence.pwcb@acdi-cida.gc.ca
Tel: (819) 997-5456
Fax: (819) 953-6357
Toll-free: 1-800-230-6349 (CIDA)
For the hearing and speech impaired (TDD/TTY): 819-953-5023
Toll-free for the hearing and speech impaired: 1-800-331-501
Appendix 1: Eligible costs
Canadian salaries— Salaries paid to the university's Canadian staff for actual time worked on implementing the Institute. This includes the salaries of Canadian staff working in Canada and abroad. Salaries for senior management, accountants, financial officers, management staff, human resources staff, receptionists, and information systems staff are eligible overhead expenses.
Non-discretionary benefits— Non-discretionary costs associated with salaries of Canadian staff. Fringe benefits include:
- paid absences—statutory holidays, annual vacation, and sick leave in accordance with the university's policies
- paid benefits—the employer's contribution to employment insurance and workers' compensation plans, where applicable, health and medical insurance, group life insurance, pension plans, and other benefits in accordance with the university's policies
Field staff benefits and allowances—Non-salary expenditures and allowances payable to field personnel on long-term field assignment and Canadian volunteers. These expenditures include housing, furniture, and moving and storage costs. Limits and eligible allowances are determined in compliance with the policies of the university itself but may not exceed the amounts specified in CIDA's Technical Assistance Handbook
Locally engaged staff—Costs, salaries, and benefits for locally engaged staff, reflecting local practices.
Outside consultants—Costs paid to consultants, not exceeding 20 percent of the total amount in salaries, for actual time worked on activities related to the direct delivery of program objectives. Eligible indirect costs include consulting fees paid to establish governance structures and policies and financial administration structures.
Specify the type of consultant, the number of days, and the approximate daily rate. The consultant's name and résumé may be required later in the process. No surcharge will be allowed. Moreover, a person cannot be both a consultant and an employee.
Note: For audit purposes, CIDA requires time sheets for all salaries, invoices to consultants, and Canadian volunteer time.
Travel— Costs incurred for travel between Canada and the developing country, within Canada, within the developing country, or in another country, any costs related to travel status, in compliance with the National Joint Council travel directive, applied to "Traveller" (a person authorized to travel on federal government business) as opposed to "Employee" (a person employed in the public service). Related costs include::
- air fare—only the lowest fare available when the reservation is made, without exceeding the full fare (economy class), will be allowed. For audit purposes, travellers are required to keep their boarding passes.
- visa—cost of the visa itself, cost of photography if required for the visa, courier and postal cost. No passport-related cost will be allowed.
- accommodation, meals, and incidental expenses—costs incurred when travelling in Canada or the developing country, in compliance with the National Joint Council travel directive, Appendix D.
- local travel—costs related to local staff include local transportation costs and living expenses when travelling on project business. The recipient government, the Canadian Embassy, the High Commissioner, or the Canadian Cooperation Support Unit may have set financial limits.
Travel expenses for administrative centre staff or executive staff to attend board of directors meetings or other networking events, seminars, and workshops related to the management of the Institute or organized by the Institute are eligible indirect expenses.
Translation—Translation services
Printing and copying—Costs of reproduction of documents in large numbers, supported by invoices or tracking of copies.
Equipment—The cost of equipment needed in Canada and/or in developing countries to execute the core business of the Institute. The requirement of these expenditures must be described in the proposal. The budget or related notes must clearly identify all equipment. The university should follow the procurement policies and guidelines of the host university to purchase equipment and capital assets.
Professional fees—Expenditures for legal, insurance, audit, and other administrative requirements for the management of the Institute are eligible indirect costs.
Material and supplies—Expenditures directly related to the core business of the Institute are considered a direct cost and must also be transferred to the developing country government partner (for example, educational kits, construction). Office supplies used by staff at offices in Canada or abroad for day-to-day operations are indirect expenses.
Communications—Long-distance and courier costs directly related to the operations of the Institute would be included as a direct cost. Costs for telephones, faxes, Internet, and electronic mail in Canada would be considered an indirect expense.
Knowledge sharing and dissemination—Includes costs related to the communication of the activities of the Institute with network partners and stakeholders.
Advertising to recruit participants for specific program activities—Includes advertising to recruit volunteers, staff or interns.
Meetings and conferences—Costs of activities with participants directly related to the Institute's program delivery, such as renting a room or equipment or buying food and refreshments for breaks or snacks not exceeding the National Joint Council travel directive. The use of office space or equipment of universities for staff meetings or statutory committees is an eligible indirect expense.
Delivery of goods—Costs of delivering goods needed to execute the core business of the Institute in the developing country. This category excludes costs of delivering household goods for long-term technical assistance assignments. These costs are charged as field staff benefits and allowances.
Applicants should detail any other necessary expenditure not listed here but required to the operations and delivery of programming by the Institute. CIDA, however, will not allow a budget item titled "Other Expenses". All expenses must be specified in the budget or budget notes.
Appendix 2: Assessment criteria
| Criteria | Sub criteria | Proportional importance |
|---|---|---|
| 1) Capacity of the host university: Ability of the host university to effectively create, operate, and manage the Institute based on the experience of the host university and the experience of the management team and on the quality and independence of governance structures and management frameworks | Governance and management structures and frameworks | 25% |
| Institutional experience and expertise | ||
| 2) Canadian and international expertise: Ability of the host university to attract, leverage, and coordinate Canadian and international expertise and partnerships that will contribute to fulfilling the mandate of the Institute | Canadian expertise | 10% |
| International expertise | ||
| 3) Management of the Institute: Cost-effectiveness and technical soundness of the operational, human resource, and financial plans for the operations and management of the Institute | Cost effectiveness | 15% |
| Management and operational plans | ||
| Technical soundness of the business plan | ||
| 4) Program delivery of the Institute: Robustness of programming modalities to build developing country capacities, use of existing assets and innovative approaches, and ability to meet the needs of developing countries and achieve sustainable results in accordance with the mandate and vision of the Institute | Modalities and program framework | 25% |
| Meeting developing country needs | ||
| Leverage existing assets and use of innovative approaches | ||
| 5) Financial sustainability of the Institute: Cost-sharing commitments to the Institute over the funding cycle and beyond and feasibility of financial and business development plans to achieve sustainability beyond the five-year funding term | Sustainability plan | 25% |
| Amount and term of cost-sharing contributions | ||
| Total | 100% | |
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