Canada–Brazil (EMBRAPII) 2023 collaborative industrial research and development call for proposals

1. Introduction

Working together, the governments of Canada and Brazil aim to foster and support collaborative industrial research and development (R&D) projects with a high potential for commercialization. This call for proposals is open to organizations from Canada and Brazil who wish to form project consortia to perform collaborative projects focused on developing innovative products, processes, or technology-based services in health, agriculture, forestry, oceans, mining and aerospace sectors.

2. Application deadlines

Canadian registration deadline: April 18, 2023
Canadian expression of interest deadline: April 25, 2023
International consortium project proposal deadline: July 14, 2023

3. Sectors of focus

This call invites proposals related to any technological area with priority being given to biotechnology, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced manufacturing in the following industry sectors:

• Health
• Agriculture
• Forestry
• Oceans
• Mining
• Aerospace

Priority will be given to projects that contribute to sustainable development goals (as defined by the United Nations Department of Social and Economic Affairs).

4. Eligibility requirements

To be considered for funding, applicants must form a project consortium and develop a collaborative research and development (R&D) project that meets the following criteria:

4.1 Canadian applicant

• The Canadian applicant must:
  • be an incorporated, profit-oriented small or medium-sized business in Canada;
  • have 500 or fewer full-time equivalent employees;
  • pursue growth and profit by developing and commercializing innovative, technology-driven new or improved products, services or processes in Canada;
  • have a differentiated and protectable technology that could become competitive in global markets;
  • have sufficient working capital and resources to undertake a multi-year R&D collaboration and commercialize the results; and
  • be committed to significant growth through international market expansion.
• Preference may be given to SME applicants who:
  • have a minimum of 15 full-time equivalent employees ;
  • have commercialized one or more products domestically or internationally; and
  • have greater than $500,000 CAD in annual revenue.

4.2 Consortium

• The project consortium must include at least:
  • 1 incorporated Canadian small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), defined as a for-profit company with 500 or fewer full-time equivalent employees;
  • 1 eligible Brazilian company of any size; and
  • 1 Brazilian research institution accredited as an EMBRAPII Unit (please visit the EMBRAPII website for more information on EMBRAPII Units).

  The parties listed above must be unrelated parties (i.e. no direct, indirect, beneficial or constructive ownership interest between these parties).

• The project partners that form the consortium must agree on a plan addressing intellectual property rights and intent to commercialize

4.3 Project

• The project must focus on co-development, adaptation, and/or validation of an innovative product, process, or technology-based service that has:
  • substantial commercial potential and outcomes that can be realized within 2-3 years of completion of the project; and
  • a civilian (non-military) purpose.
• The project must demonstrate:
  • a complementary technological contribution from each partner;
  • an obvious advantage and added value resulting from the cooperation between the participants; and
  • a balanced contribution between project partners and countries (i.e. no more than 70% of the effort contributed by any one partner or country).

4.4 Foreign eligibility requirements

Brazilian applicants must meet the criteria outlined in the Brazilian call for proposals announcement webpage (in Portuguese only).

5. Funding

Eligible project participants in collaborative projects selected through this call for proposals may receive funding from their respective national funding body. Funds will be provided in accordance with the applicable laws, regulations, rules and procedures established by the relevant national funding body, country, jurisdiction and/or program.

Non-eligible project participants (e.g. universities, research institutes, etc., and participants from other countries) are welcome to participate on a self-funded basis or as sub-contractors to funded participants, according to each country's funding regulations.

Additional country-specific funding parameters are outlined below:

5.1 Canadian funding

In Canada, this call for proposals is offered through the Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP), an international innovation R&D funding program offered by Global Affairs Canada in partnership with the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP). NRC IRAP is responsible for delivering this call for proposals and for managing any resulting funding agreements.

Eligible Canadian SMEs may receive up to 50% reimbursement of eligible project costs up to a maximum total funding amount of $600,000 CAD over 12 to 36 months.

Note: Canadian SME applicants must be eligible for funding as NRC IRAP clients before they can be considered for funding through this call for proposals. For more information on NRC IRAP eligibility and becoming an NRC IRAP client, please contact NRC IRAP at 1-877-994-4727.

Note: Canadian SME applicants may apply to more than one NRC IRAP call for proposals simultaneously. However, NRC IRAP may limit the number of funded projects per applicant. Canadian SME applicants who are applying to more than one opportunity or who have ongoing NRC IRAP projects should speak to their NRC IRAP representative for more information.

5.2 Foreign funding

In Brazil, this call for proposals is offered through Brazilian Company for Research and Industrial Innovation (EMBRAPII). EMBRAPII is responsible for the delivery of this call for proposals and the management of any resulting funding agreements.

Foreign applicants should consult the funding parameters outlined on the foreign call for proposals announcement webpage (in Portuguese only).

6. Application process

Application processes and evaluations will be performed independently by each national funding body in accordance with their national and institutional laws and regulations. Once each national funding body has evaluated the applications received, a final joint project selection will be performed.

Each applicant must submit all required documents to, and meet the due diligence process of, their respective national funding body. Failure, at any point or for any reason to do so may cause the entire collaborative project application to be considered incomplete or ineligible and render the entire project consortium ineligible for funding through this call for proposals.

Information on respective application processes follows below:

6.1 Canadian application process

The Canadian application process has 4 phases:

1. Registration
2. Expression of interest
3. International consortium project proposal
4. National funding body proposal and funding agreement

Step 1: Registration phase

Each Canadian applicant must register using the Register button at the bottom of this page. Basic information about the applicant and the organization will be required upon registration.

NRC IRAP will review registrations for this call for proposals and contact applicants if more information is required. Qualifying applicants will proceed to the next phase and be invited to submit an expression of interest form.

Step 2: Expression of interest phase

During this phase, each Canadian applicant seeking funding must submit an expression of interest (EOI) form outlining basic information on the applicant and the collaborative project.

While completing the EOI form, each Canadian applicant is encouraged to contact their NRC IRAP representative to discuss their project idea and receive guidance on preparing their submission.

It is recommended that applicants submit the EOI as early as possible. EOIs will be evaluated by the applicant's NRC IRAP representative and the NRC IRAP International Office. Qualifying applicants will be invited to submit the more detailed international consortium project proposal in collaboration with their project partners.

Step 3: International consortium project proposal phase

During the international consortium project proposal (ICPP) phase, all project partners work together to complete and submit an international consortium project proposal (ICPP) package to each implicated national funding body. The contents of the ICPP package are unique to each national funding body.

In this call for proposals, the Canadian ICPP application package consists of:

1. an international consortium project proposal (ICPP) form outlining the:
   • project consortium;
   • collaborative project;
   • expected outcomes; and
   • funding request.
2. a draft international consortium agreement containing descriptions of the:
   • roles and responsibilities of each consortium member;
   • project management framework;
   • financial plan;
   • division of intellectual property rights; and
   • confidentiality and publication agreements, and liability clauses.

Canadian ICPP applications will be evaluated by an NRC IRAP evaluation team including the applicant's NRC IRAP representative and the NRC IRAP International Office. Then, the amalgamated evaluation results will be shared between both implicated national funding bodies to jointly select the collaborative projects that will be invited to proceed to the final national funding body proposal and funding agreement stage.

Step 4: National funding body proposal and funding agreement phase

During the national funding body proposal and funding agreement phase, all eligible project partners work independently to complete funding proposals and sign legally binding funding agreements with their respective national funding body. Canadian applicants will work with their NRC IRAP representative to prepare an NRC IRAP funding proposal and contribution agreement.

6.2 Brazilian application process

For information related to application stages, requirements, instructions, ICPP application packages and national funding body proposals and funding agreements, please consult the Brazilian call for proposals announcement (in Portuguese only).

7. Contacts

For questions, concerns, or for more information, please contact the appropriate call for proposals representative listed below:

7.1 Canada

Andrew Bauder
Brazil National Program Coordinator for NRC IRAP
National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program
Andrew.Bauder@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

7.2 Brazil

Marcela Mazzoni
inter.coop@embrapii.org.br

8. Registration

Canadian SME participants must be registered NRC IRAP clients. If not already an NRC IRAP client, Canadian SMEs must contact 1-877-994-4727 to determine if they might be eligible for support through NRC's Industrial Research Assistance Program.

To begin the application process, Canadian applicants must register for this opportunity by clicking the Register button.

If there is no Register button visible below this line, it means that registration for this call for proposals has closed.