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Performance and Service Standards
NSERC is committed to providing a high quality, responsive and accessible
service to all the organizations and individuals that interact with the
agency. We will vigorously apply our service standards, including compliance
with the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act,
as follows:
NSERC Operations and Transactions
-
Ensure that all services are available in both official languages
and that clients be served in the official language of their choice.
- Protect the privacy and confidentiality of our clients and the security
of their electronic transactions with NSERC.
- Uphold high standards of integrity in all areas of operations, in
compliance with established policies
and guidelines.
- Consult with stakeholders who have an interest in NSERC policies,
processes and services, and maintain open channels for the receipt
of unsolicited comments.
- Provide contact details (address, telephone, fax, e-mail and Web
site address) on all correspondence and ensure that contact details
on the Web site are up-to-date.
- Operate a central help line where clients can get prompt, accurate,
informative and courteous replies to all incoming enquiries within
one business day after receipt.
Program Delivery
-
Acknowledge the receipt of on-line grant and scholarship/fellowship
applications immediately, following their electronic delivery to NSERC.
- Acknowledge the receipt of grant applications that are submitted
in paper format within six weeks of receipt.
- Within six weeks, acknowledge the receipt of scholarship/fellowship
applications that are submitted in paper format by candidates applying
directly to NSERC.
- Ensure a fair evaluation process for all applications submitted
to NSERC.
- Notify all applicants of the outcome of their applications (deemed
complete), from the date of receipt by NSERC, in accordance with the
established deadlines.
- Make timely grants and scholarships/fellowships payments in accordance
with established schedules.
- Operate a clear and effective process for considering and responding
to general complaints and appeals of funding decisions and allegations
of scientific misconduct.
Responding to Enquiries
-
Reply to telephone enquiries as soon as possible and within a maximum
of two working days after receipt.
- Acknowledge the receipt of all written enquiries (including e-mails
and faxes) within five working days after receipt.
NSERC On-line Services
-
Ensure and maintain an annual system availability rate of 98% for
NSERC’s On-line Services, so that they operate swiftly and accurately
without major break-downs and unscheduled interruptions.
- Make application forms, pertinent instructions, and information
about policies and programs readily available via the
Web.
- Strive to ensure that up-to-date forms and information are available
from NSERC's Web site 24/7 and that all forms for general use can
be downloaded as required.
Service Improvement Initiative (SII)
In compliance with the Service Improvement Initiative
(SII)
instituted by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, NSERC has developed
and published service standards, and established baselines and targets
for improvement. These baselines are based on surveys conducted since
2004 with the Council’s
main clients regarding their satisfaction levels with the key services delivered
by NSERC.
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