Construction Sector Digitalization and Productivity Challenge program – Call for proposals

• Total funding envelope of up to $2.5 million for the call.
• Maximum funding of $850,000 per project over 3 years, in the form of non-repayable grants or contributions.
• Indirect costs are covered up to 10% of total eligible project costs.
• Eligible equipment costs over $10,000 must be justified and approved at the full proposal stage.
• Total Canadian government assistance for the same eligible costs cannot exceed 100% of total eligible project costs.

• The applicant must be a Canadian academic institution, research institution, not-for-profit organization, local or provincial government, Indigenous group or representative organization, or a Canadian small or medium-sized enterprise (fewer than 500 employees).
• The project team must include at least one NRC researcher.
• The project team must include at least two industrial collaborators and one receptor or end-user of the developed technology or solution, with at least one collaborator possessing economic or business expertise.
• The project must align with the objectives and mandate of the Construction Sector Digitalization and Productivity Challenge program.
• The proposed project must demonstrate a technology readiness level (TRL) of 6 or higher and show potential for scalable commercialization.

Who is eligible?

• Academic institutions
• Research institutions
• Not-for-profit organizations
• Local and provincial governments
• Indigenous groups, governments, and representative organizations
• Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (fewer than 500 employees)

Eligible expenses

• Salaries for highly qualified personnel (HQP) working on project activities.
• Direct research support costs, including consumable materials, supplies, and equipment up to $10,000.
• Travel and accommodation expenses required specifically for the execution of the project.
• Contractor services directly related to the project, such as professional services fees.
• Indirect costs necessary for general business operations, up to a maximum of 10% of total eligible project costs.
• Reasonable and necessary costs for research equipment of $10,000 or more, including testing tools, instruments, computer equipment, secure equipment, and information technology costs (e.g., high-performance computers and secure servers) when justified for project achievement.

Eligible geographic areas

• Organizations and enterprises located anywhere in Canada.

• Quality and feasibility of the project methodology and workplan.
• Strength, expertise, and complementary skills of the project team and collaborators.
• Alignment of the project with the program's objectives and priority areas.
• Ability of the project to address an identified knowledge or technical gap in the sector.
• Potential economic and social impacts, supported by quantitative and qualitative analysis.

• All applicants must review the NRC Statement on Research Security and understand measures for safeguarding research and intellectual property.
• Projects must demonstrate a clear deployment pathway to scalable commercialization.
• A commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) must be integrated into full proposals, including project team composition and research methods.
• An external steering committee will be established by the NRC to guide project outcomes for industry and partner adoption.