Advisory Services Atlantic Innovation Fund

LETTER OF INTEREST FOR BUSINESS CONSULTANTS

The objective of this letter of interest is to seek out business consultants’ interest regarding the provision of potential consulting services for specific industries as well as to determine if the business consultants’ knowledge and expertise meet potential future consulting requirements.

This is not a bid solicitation and no contract will directly result from this letter of interest.

Purpose:

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) requires the services of business consultants (called industry advisors) in order to inform the due diligence assessment of the commercialization potential of Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF) projects being considered for support. The industry advisor will assist ACOA Program Officers on commercialization and market potential issues of AIF project proposals. This work is to be done verbally as well as by filling out the AIF Industry Advisor Review Template, provided by ACOA, containing three questions.

Background:

The Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF) is a program designed to make strategic investments in Research and Development (R&D) initiatives that directly contribute to the growth of technology-based economic activity in Atlantic Canada.

The objectives of the AIF are as follows:

• increase activity in, and build capacity for, innovation and R&D that lead to technologies, products, processes or services that contribute to economic growth in Atlantic Canada;
• increase the capacity for commercialization of R&D outputs;
• strengthen the region’s innovation capacity by supporting research, development and commercialization partnerships and alliances among private-sector firms, universities, research institutions and other organizations in Atlantic Canada; and
• maximize benefits from national R&D programs.

ACOA assistance available for AIF projects typically range between $500,000 up to $3 million. Eligible applicants include private-sector businesses, universities, colleges, non-government research organizations and provincial Crown corporations operating in Atlantic Canada. Additional information on the AIF program can be found on ACOA’s web site.

http://www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca/eng/ImLookingFor/ProgramInformation/AtlanticInnovationFund/Pages/AtlanticInnovationFund.aspx

Deliverables:

The industry advisor is expected to provide the following for each assessment:

1. Verbal one-to-one advice to ACOA Program Officers on the marketing and commercialization aspects of the AIF proposal.
2. Verbal advice on macro issues affecting the sector.
3. Liaise with the ACOA Program Officer, as required, on any questions or clarifications.
4. Written advice to Program Officers on the Project Summary Form write up (ACOA’s evaluation document) and ratings. This is to be done by filling out the ‘Industry Advisor Review Template’ provided by ACOA.

Reference Documents:

1. As part of the requirements to submit a proposal to the AIF, applicants are required to submit the following information:

• A Research and Development Project Plan (in attachments)

• In some cases, the proposals will also include a complete business plan and/or a full market study or market assessment.

1. AIF Industry Advisor Review Template (in attachments).

Requirements:

ACOA wishes to obtain the services of industry advisors, as need arises, having expertise and knowledge within various industries which include the following:

1. aerospace and defense;
2. aquaculture;
3. biotechnology;
4. energy;
5. environmental technology;
6. health and medical devices;
7. information technology (including communications, geomatics, etc.);
8. manufacturing and processing;
9. natural resources (including mining and agriculture); and
10. ocean technology

Potential contracts for the review of a project would be paid based on an hourly rate. The industry advisor will be required to track the time spent on each project and provide ACOA with a breakdown of the work undertaken in the following manner:

• Review of proposal: x hours
• Research, investigation, analysis: x hours
• Discussion with ACOA Program Officer: x hours
• Drafting of report: x hours
  Please note that the maximum amount of hours for any given project proposal is established at 20 hours, unless previous authorization is obtained from ACOA.

In response to this letter of interest, interested respondents are asked to prepare and submit a short outline specifying the following:

• the industry of interest (as per the list above) for which they are able to conduct industry reviews;
• a list of clients for which consulting work was undertaken, specifying the industry;
• an overview of the consultant’s background, credentials and experience which are relevant to the specified industry(ies); and,
• if the consultant is currently part of Public Works Government Services Canada (PWGSC) Standing Offer or Supply Arrangements such as ProServices or other ;
• list currently held organizational or personnel security clearances that have been issued through the PWGSC Industrial Security Program (ISP).

Security:
Respondents should note that potential contracts will require PWGSC Industrial Security Program (ISP) clearances of a minimum of “Reliability Status” for advisors undertaking the consulting work.

Enquiries:

Enquiries related to this letter of interest shall be directed to ACOA Head Office Contracting for Services: ACOA.hocontractingforservices-marchesdeservicess.APECA@canada.ca

Attention : Rodrigue LeBlanc
Closing Date:

Responses to this letter of interest are to be submitted to Rodrigue LeBlanc via e-mail at ACOA.hocontractingforservices-marchesdeservicess.APECA@canada.ca no later than 4:00pm(Atlantic Daylight Time) on April 1, 2016.