Due Diligence Guidelines for Research Funding Proposals

Transcription

1 Due Diligence Guidelines for Research Funding Proposals PURPOSE These guidelines have been developed to ensure that the interests of Georgian College are protected, the risks associated with the proposed research endeavour are evaluated, and the responsibilities of involved partners, college departments, workgroups or committees, and/or individuals are defined before the College submits a research proposal to a funding agency. It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator in consultation with their Dean/Director/AVP to ensure that all college stakeholders are fully consulted. SCOPE These guidelines apply to all members of the Georgian College of Applied Arts and Technology community who have the ability to commit the College to funded research endeavours or undertakings. DUE DILIGENCE GUIDELINES The Due Diligence Guidelines consists of three phases: 1. Gather preliminary information to determine if a proposal will be written. This phase is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator. 2. Define the responsibilities of each involved party. This phase will be coordinated by the Principal Investigator in consultation with the Dean/Director/AVP of the department. 3. This phase defines the specific steps required for the preparation and submission of a research funding proposal. Preparation of the information is the responsibility of the originating Principal Investigator in direct consultation with the department Dean/Director/AVP and the appropriate Vice President. Approval to proceed to the next phase should be received from the immediate supervisor. Page 1 of 5

2 Phase One This phase involves gathering preliminary information for the purpose of deciding whether or not to write a proposal. 1. College Strategic Plan Determine if the proposed research project aligns with Georgian s strategic plan. 2. Moral/Ethical Considerations Determine if proposed research activity complies with the Tri-Council Guidelines and the Georgian College Responsible Practice and Ethics Review in Research policy (add link). If necessary, consult with the Chair of the Research Ethics Board for clarification. 3. Financial Viability of Proposal Development Estimate the costs required to develop the proposal and determine if the potential for success and benefits to the college justifies the expense. Include costs for the time to be spent by all Georgian staff in preparing and reviewing the proposal (i.e. staff time, financial planning, legal, IT). 4. Synopsis Briefly summarize the nature of the research endeavour, how Georgian College will benefit, and how the endeavour complements College s strategic plan. Phase Two This phase involves defining the responsibilities of all parties involved in the research grant application. Include all departments that will be affected, both directly and indirectly. 1. Clearly identify the key Georgian College staff and/or departments involved in both the proposal development and the research activity, if successful. Consider how the expected workload impact is to be managed. Define which person/group is responsible, and the scope of that responsibility, for the following activities: (a) Principal Investigator (b) Selecting/hiring and paying for internal staff to work on project (c) Submitting progress reports to the funding agency (d) Main Georgian College contact with the funding agency (e) Acquiring necessary forms (f) Attending meetings with the funding agency (g) Submitting additional requests for funding (h) Tracking budgets and timelines Page 2 of 5

3 2. If any consultants will be involved in the proposal application process, estimate the expected remuneration during proposal and/or the development of the activity itself. Phase Three This phase applies to defining the specific research endeavour (study, project, etc.) for which funding is sought. 1. Human Resources (a) Is there a staffing/faculty plan in place? (b) Is the workload within the collective agreements? (c) Is there consultation with the HR representative? (d) If there is third party contracting, is the contract prepared that includes non-disclosure agreements and so forth 2. Facilities and Equipment (a) Where will the research activity be located? (b) Has approval been obtained for use of the space? (c) Does the infrastructure need to be modified? If so, what are the associated costs and how will the work funded? Who is responsible for planning and coordinating the required work? Will there be additional utility costs associated with the changes, e.g., telephones, IT infrastructure? (d) What equipment will be required to perform the activity? Will it be purchased outright, leased, or donated? What types of service contracts are necessary to maintain the equipment? What party is responsible for sourcing the equipment or the suppliers of equipment? How will the equipment and required maintenance/calibration be funded? 3. Financial- The budget should be verified by financial planning and approved by direct supervisor. (a) Is there a Georgian College investment associated with the project? If so, specify both dollars and in-kind contributions, and over what period that it will be required (b) What amount of external or partner investment is required? Who are the external partners and under what terms and conditions are they willing to invest in this research endeavour? (c) What are the projected expenditures for the next three to five years? What are the projected capital expenditures? (d) What are the other costs involved with doing the research and how will these costs be funded? (For example, travel costs, laboratory supplies, office supplies, publication costs, postage, survey reproduction, etc.) Page 3 of 5

4 4. Insurance (a) Does the College s insurance cover the proposed research activity? If yes, has disclosure been made to the College insurers? If no, what insurance is necessary and at what cost? 5. Legal (a) Is there a confidentiality agreement? (b) If applicable, what is the legal name of the activity? Is this already registered? (c) What type of legal entity will the activity be undertaken by? (d) What is Georgian College s ownership interest? (e) What are the details about the other entities? Company search results, creditors search, legal ownership. (f) Are these other entities suitable partners for Georgian College (for example, financially, image and reputation)? Explain. (g) Has the College s legal officer vetted the contract? (h) Are there any legal issues (e.g., sub-contracting, licences, patents, commercialization, etc.)? (i) How are disputes between partners resolved? (j) How is ownership of intellectual property arising from the arrangement determined? 6. International Considerations, Customs, and Duties (a) In what country will the research activities be undertaken? (b) If other than Canada, what requirements apply (e.g., research ethics policies)? (c) If equipment is sourced outside Canada, what costs (duties, insurance, etc.) are involved in importing the equipment to Canada? 7. Risk Assessment (a) What are the risks facing the College and the proposed activity? (b) How will the risks identified be managed? Consider financial (including the potential for bad debts), failure of the college to deliver according to the terms of the contract; staffing, failure of partner(s) to deliver, failure of supplier to deliver, equipment failure, etc.? (c) What is the contingency plan if the partner/funding agency withdraws? Page 4 of 5

5 8. Internal Signing Authority and Final Approval Signoff (a) Coordinated through the Dean/Director/Associate Vice President responsible. Determination of who is authorized to approve the proposal. (b) Final approval to proceed might require signoff from the following: Principal Investigator Dean/Director/Associate Vice President Vice-President, Academic Vice-President, Administration Vice-President, Student and Organizational Success President Board of Governors Page 5 of 5