Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) – AI Assist

• Total available funding for all projects under this program is $10.5 million, allocated until March 31, 2029.
• Individual project funding ranges from $750,000 up to $10.5 million.
• NRC IRAP may support up to 100% of total eligible project costs, excluding a mandatory $500 fee per SME engagement paid by the SME.

• The applicant must be an incorporated (federally, territorially, or provincially) not-for-profit organization or a post-secondary institution operating in Canada.
• The organization must have facilities and conduct operations in Canada, with employees based in Canada.
• The applicant must file corporate taxes in Canada and withhold payroll deductions as required by federal or provincial legislation.
• The organization must have at least 3 years of significant expertise in generative AI, deep neural networks, and deep learning, with a record of providing AI advisory services to SMEs.
• The organization must have established operational structures, professional liability insurance (or errors and omissions insurance), and a published policy to protect SME data privacy.

Who is eligible?

• Not-for-profit organizations incorporated in Canada
• Canadian post-secondary institutions

Eligible expenses

• Salary costs for project personnel.
• Overhead costs (up to 30% of salary costs).
• Professional service rates.
• Contractor fees for Canadian contractors.
• Operating expenses directly related to project delivery.
• Portion of costs subject to government refunds, rebates, or credits (HST, GST, PST) that are not claimable by the applicant or contractors.

Eligible geographic areas

• All Canadian provinces and territories

• Assessment of the Expression of Interest (EOI) and proposal based on an evaluation grid and alignment with NRC IRAP strategic investment priorities and objectives.
• Ranking according to the scores from NRC assessors’ reviews.
• Consideration of project fit with the specific objectives of the AI Assist initiative to support Canadian SMEs in AI adoption.

• A mandatory midterm review will assess project progress and financial status, potentially affecting continuation of funding.
• SMEs referred by NRC IRAP are required to pay a $500 flat fee per engagement, which must be included in budget planning.
• Each SME engagement is limited to up to 20 hours over a maximum of 4 months, with only one engagement per SME per fiscal year unless otherwise approved.
• Selected organizations are prohibited from using the project or its services for their own marketing purposes.