Make it happen with the Matching Investment Initiative

• A perfect fit
• A surefire way to boost R&D investment
• More good stuff
• MII Frequently Asked Questions
• Now back to you
• Nuts and bolts
• Who does what, where
• Other scientific resources within the MII Program

A perfect fit

You want: To increase your competitive edge.
We want: To help.
The Matching Investment Initiative (MII) springs from the merger of these goals.

A surefire way to boost R&D investment

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has put together a deal-making machine that's got win-win written all over it. It's called the Matching Investment Initiative because that describes what it's all about. Here's what we mean.

The Initiative part: You have a great idea.
The Investment part: You put a buck on the table.
The Matching part: We match your buck.*
The Really Good part: Your agri-food R&D investment has doubled.

*unless you drown us in an embarrassment of dollars, in which case, see the question, "is there a limit to the amount of funding a project can get?", below.

More good stuff

A collaborative research agreement with us means you can work with some of the world's best scientists to assemble multi-talented, multi-disciplinary research teams. You get access to top notch labs and equipment. National and international research networks can be at your fingertips.

If some of you are wondering what's in it for us at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, our goal is to

• strengthen Canadian agri-food technology development and commercialization
• accelerate technology transfer
• increase collaborative research with industry.

Check us out

Look us up on the Internet at http://www.agr.gc.ca/science/research-recherche/indust/mii/index_e.htm

MII Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of research is eligible for matching?

• First, the research has to fall under the mandate of the participating research establishments.
• Second, it has to be within what we call our core competence, which means we must have the expertise needed to carry out the project. For example, since Canada doesn't produce crops such as coffee or mangoes, a study on their agronomic properties wouldn't make the cut, seeing as we don't have that kind of expertise on hand. But a processing study on these commodities is within our range, so would probably be a go.
• Generally speaking, MII research projects tend to be developmental R&D to help a good idea get to market faster.

How much money are you putting up?

Our commitment until 2002-2003 is $30.2 million a year.

So what happens after that? Is it over?

Much will depend on the continued popularity of the MII, but the funding level would probably remain the same.

Is MII funding on a first-come-first-served basis, or will there still be funds available throughout the year?

Since the MII is looking to support the best investment opportunities, and not necessarily the first projects submitted, the timing of submissions shouldn't be a supercritical factor. But it is important to remember the pot has a bottom, and interest in the MII is growing.

I've got some university funding already lined up for my research project. Will you match that, too?

No. We'll only match industry's dollars. But here's something you can do: once our matching funds are in place, you can go to another institution such as a university and say, "look, we've got all this funding in place, how about joining us for an even bigger and better project?" And there are other national programs that you might want to look into as well, such as the National Research Council's Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP), and Revenue Canada's Science and Technology Tax Credit. We don't match these, but they will stretch R&D dollars further.

Is there a limit to the amount of funding a project can get?

There's no limit to how much industry can put on the table, but if someone plunks down a whole truckload of cash, there's no way we can match it one-to-one. Our resources are finite and we have to be mindful of equitable distribution across the agri-food sector. But the overwhelming majority of proposals is modest enough to allow full dollar-to-dollar matching.

When we come to the table, do we just bring cash, or are there other ways that we can contribute to the project?

We can match your contributions whether they're cash or in-kind. In-kind contributions include your staff, equipment, land and so on, that are a part of the research project.

How do you figure the value of our in-kind contribution?

The value is generally pegged at fair market value, an estimate of the amount a similar product or service would fetch on the open market. More specific details are available from your local research centre.

Do you also factor in-kind contributions on your part?

No, and that's one of the things that makes the MII such a great deal. Our salary and most overhead costs are exclusive of our MII contribution. Additional expenses, such as hiring people or the buying or depreciation of equipment, would be factored into the project budget.

Does the work have to be done in your labs or can it be done elsewhere?

Typically, the work is done in our labs, but other arrangements are possible within the terms of the agreement. But remember, the MII isn't a grant. Regardless of where the work takes place, the funds are administered by the departmental research centre or a designated third party organisation.

At the end of the day, who will own the results of the study?

This can be worked out when negotiating the collaborative research agreement. Ownership, access to and management of intellectual property are all negotiable on a case-by-case basis between the collaborating parties.

We're concerned that if we reveal our trade secrets during the course of the research, they'll become public. Can you assure confidentiality?

Absolutely. Our lips are sealed when it comes to

• your trade secrets
• your confidential data such as financial, commercial, scientific or technical information
• information which disclosure would cause you financial loss or gain, or affect your competitive position
• information which disclosure would interfere with your contractual or other negotiations.

You keep talking about industry. What do you mean by industry?

Our definition of industry is any organization that participates in the marketplace. This includes corporations, firms, consortiums of firms, marketing boards, and industry and producer associations.

Is industry from outside Canada eligible for the MII?

The goal of the MII is to boost Canada's competitiveness, but we'll consider proposals from foreign sources if it can be shown that there's a potential benefit to Canada. That would happen if they brought some otherwise unavailable knowledge to the table. Foreign governments and universities are ineligible for matching funding from the MII.

Now back to you

So maybe this is starting to sound interesting. Meanwhile, you've picked up some market signals that have given you an idea. With some R&D, you could capitalize on it. Now what?

Nuts and bolts

The first thing to do is get in touch with the director of the research centre whose line of business most closely fits your needs. Check the list at the bottom for a thumbnail sketch of what goes on and where. Tell the director what you have in mind. If it ties in with the centre's research mandate, the next step is to sit down with the director and staff specialist.

Together you will hammer out a collaborative research agreement outlining the roles and goals of all involved. Once the project gets the green light (no, it doesn't take long), the research goes ahead according to the study's schedule.

Here's a quick overview of the steps to a MII project:

1. Contact is made between collaborator and research centre. This can work both ways, as many of our scientists have all kinds of ideas and actively seek industry collaborators.
2. The parties draft a collaborative research agreement.
3. The collaborator gives the research centre a letter of intent.
4. The proposal is reviewed for the official OK. This can take as little as a few days for a simple one, with more complex ones getting the go-ahead usually within a few weeks.
5. The parties sign the collaborative research agreement.
6. Industry's funds are deposited into a special purpose account and the MII funds are transferred to the research centre.
7. The wheels of science begin to turn.

Who does what, where

We have 19 research centres across the Nation, covering the spectrum of agri-food research and development. To find out more about them, click here.

To connect with labs operated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, click here.

Other scientific resources within the MII Program

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Science Advisory and Management Division

CONTACT:
Dr. Primal Silva, Chief of Technology Development
(613) 228-6698
e-mail: psilva@agr.gc.ca