Financial administration and program management services for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)’s participation in the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships Program – Advanced Scholars initiative (hereafter, QES-AS)

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) has a requirement for the provision of program management and delivery, and financial administration services specific to SSHRC’s participation in the QES-AS program.

The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships Program was launched in 2014. The QES is funded from three principal sources: funds raised on behalf of and managed by the Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF), funds raised through the Community Foundations of Canada network (CFC), which includes funds provided by federal and provincial government departments, agencies and crown corporations, and financial and in-kind contributions from Canadian and foreign universities to support students and interns.

In the fall of 2016, SSHRC along with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) committed to provide grant funding to support the new QES initiative, known as the Advanced Scholars to focus on university project proposals that support doctoral, postdoctoral and early-career researchers from Canada and Low and Middle Income countries (LMIC). As a funding partner, SSHRC will fund projects for a total annual disbursement of $625,000 per year, not to exceed a total of $2.5M over four years. These funds will be governed by a separate Grant Agreement. CFC manages all QES-AS funds on behalf of the partners.

In accordance with the Treasury Board mandated Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) for the use of SSHRC’s Grants and Fellowships funds, SSHRC must contract for the provision of administration services related to the delivery of funding opportunities.

The QES-AS was developed around the following broad lines:

• Developing a cohort of some 500 Canadians and international scholars acquiring world-ready experience in applied research, and contacts with industry to succeed in their area of interest;
• Candidates shall be drawn from Canada as well as from eligible Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC) including but not limited to Commonwealth countries;
• Grants provided will be exclusively for research and research training at doctoral, post-doctoral, and early career scientist levels;
• Research will be carried out in collaboration with industry (i.e. for profit private sector, incl. small, medium and large enterprises) in Canada or abroad;
• Universities will be consulted on issues related to program design
• QES-AS scholars from LMICs will be encouraged to work with local industry (domestic or foreign) in their country;
• The focus of research project proposals from the universities will be on the following program areas:
  • Agriculture and Food Security,
  • Climate Change
  • Employment and Growth
  • Food, Environment and Health
  • Foundations for Innovation
  • Governance and Justice
  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Networked Economies
• The QES-AS Program will include a Research Impact study that addresses the evaluation of outcomes of international scholarship/fellowship programs.

The contractor will act as the technical leader of the program. The contractor will be responsible for A) program administration and B) financial administration and control of SSHRC grant funds.

Program Administration duties are to include:

- initial and ongoing consultation with QES governing board and funding partners, as well as a broad range of research, research training, and post-secondary education organizations, individuals and stakeholders in Canada and internationally,

- program development

- developing and maintaining electronic submission systems

- selection process coordination

- communication and promotion of the QES program

- ongoing communication with eligible and funded project recipients

- program reporting and evaluation.

- Communication and promotion

- Drafting of agreements and verification of ongoing performance and eligibility

Financial administration will ensure the timely, cost effective and judicious administration of the grant funds provided by SSHRC to the QES-AS program and successful eligible institutional awardees, ensuring segregation of SSHRC funds and compliance with the Grant Agreement as well as the applicable regulations for the provision of SSHRC grant funds, such as the Terms and Conditions for Grant and Scholarships, The Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions, and Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide.

The contractor must provide these services within the framework of the existing agreements between the funding organizations [SSHRC and IDRC principally] and the financial administering organization [CFC] and the organization currently contracted to develop the program and administer the competition [Universities Canada]. CFC is responsible for the financial control of grant funds and makes all expenditures. Universities Canada has been contracted for the program development and initial program delivery and administration and financial monitoring.