Canada – Japan 3+2 collaborative call for proposals on AI and automation solutions to enhance agricultural productivity and resilience

• International Consortium Project Proposal/joint application
• NRC IRAP Canadian SME annex form
• NRC NPO Canadian researcher annex form
• signed NRC Research Security Requirements Attestation form
• cash-flow projection for the Canadian SME(s)

Who is eligible?

• Organizations from Canada and Japan that wish to form project consortia.
• One (1) incorporated Canadian small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), defined as a for-profit company with 500 or fewer full-time equivalent employees.
• One (1) researcher from the National Research Council of Canada (NRC).
• One (1) Canadian research institution (e.g., post-secondary institution, research and technology organization).
• One (1) eligible Japan commercial enterprise and one (1) Japan research institution.

Who is not eligible

• Organizations, individuals, or consortium partners with any affiliation of any form with entities listed on the Named Research Organization list.
• Organizations engaged by a project partner under a fee-for-service, consulting, subcontracting, sales, or other similar contractual arrangement cannot themselves be considered a project partner.
• Projects involving any individual or organization currently affiliated with an organization on the Named Research Organization list will not be directly funded by the NRC.

Eligible expenses

• salaries costs
• contractor fees
• international travel costs for employees
• eligible direct costs for Canadian research institutions, including salaries, research support costs, travel and accommodation costs, and professional services

Eligible geographic areas

• Canada
• Japan

• As applications are received, EOIs will be evaluated by an NRC evaluation team.
• Qualifying applicants will be invited to submit the more detailed international consortium project proposal.
• Combined evaluation results will be shared between national funding bodies to jointly select the collaborative projects.

• The lead Canadian applicant must register electronically by using the register button at the end of the page.
• The lead Canadian applicant must submit an expression of interest (EOI) form outlining basic information on the applicant and the collaborative project.
• All project partners must work together to complete and submit an ICPP package to each lead national call administrator.
• Each Japanese consortium project partner must submit all required documents to the Cross-Ministerial R&D Management system (e-Rad) portal.

• Each project partner seeking funding must submit all required documents to their respective national funding body and meet its due diligence process requirements.
• Application processes and evaluations will be performed independently by each national funding body.
• After each national funding body has evaluated the submitted applications, a final joint project selection will be performed.
• During the final phase, all eligible project partners work independently to complete funding proposals, respond to due diligence questions, and sign legally binding funding agreements with their respective national funding body.
• An international collaborative research agreement must be signed by all consortium partners and submitted before funding is approved.

• The Canadian application process has 4 phases: Registration, Expression of interest, International consortium project proposal, and National funding body proposal, due diligence and funding agreement.
• Applications deemed potentially eligible will proceed to the next phase and be invited to submit an expression of interest form.
• Only participants of selected project proposals will be invited to proceed to the final national funding body proposal and funding agreement stage.
• If there is no Register button visible below this line, it means the call for proposals has closed.